Oracle Certification Notes: Part II

My continuation of notes as I prepare for the Oracle 11g Certified Associated credential:

Oracle System Requirements

No CPU requirements - what's good for the OS is good for Oracle

Best bang for your Oracle buck: The more RAM, the better

Always reference Oracle's Metalink website for the latest requirements and compatible OS'

Optimal Flexbile Architecture (OFA)

Oracle's way of creating standard mounting points and file directory structure to Oracle's install

Makes use of multiple physical disks for improved performance

Helps separate multiple Oracle homes

Mount point recommended standard: /<constant> (e.g., /ora01, /ora02, etc.)

Directory recommended standard: /<mount point>/<purpose>/<owner>/product/<version> (e.g., /ora01/db/oracle/product/9.0.4)

OFA Admin Directories (e.g., /ora01/admin/oracle/<admin dir>)

adhoc - Ad hoc SQL and PL/SQL scripts for the database

arch - Location of archived redo log files

adump - Location of audit files (parm: AUDIT_FILE_DEST)

bdump - Location of background process trace files and the alert log file. (parm: BACKGROUND_DUMP_DEST)

cdump - Core dump file location. (parm: CORE_DUMP_DEST)

create - Location of scripts used to create the database. DBCA places scripts in this location when you use it to create a new database.

exp - Recommended location of database export files created by the Export utility or Oracle Data Pump

logbook - Location of database history and status log files

pfile - The parameter files used to start the database is placed here

udump - User process trace files are located here. (parm: USER_DUMP_DEST)

OFA Database Files (e.g., /ora01/oradata/oca11g)

Convention for location includes /<mount point>/<reference to oracle db data - oradata or oracle>/<database name - DB_NAME parameter or ORACLE_SID paramater>/

Control files (e.g., controlnn.ctl), redo logs (e.g., redonn.log), and database files (e.g., tablespacenamenn.dbf) are the only files that should be contained within this directory. All other files should be within the admin directories.

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Tivo HD using your PC

Saw this article on Crave, and if I was interested in Tivo HD before, I'm even more interested in Tivo HD using Nero Liquid TV and finding a use my old(er) computer!

I realize other Tivo-like options exist, including those of the open source variety, but I am a fan of the Tivo interface, and am beginning to prefer what I already know (including an easy setup) these days. Just too many other tech items that gain my interest.

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Oracle Certification Notes: Part I

I've decided that while my wife is studying for her upcoming GMATs, I'm going to study for my Oracle 11g Certified Associate credential (after all, it is a recommended certification). For those of you following along, I've changed from 10g to 11g. Might as well get the most recent credential.

So begins a series of posts that will serve as a reference for me, while I study over the next month, in the hopes of taking the first of two exams sometime in February '09.

Structured Query Language (SQL)
Three separate languages in one form:
Data Definition Language (DDL) - create/maintain database objects
Data Control Language (DCL) - create/maintain users and permissions
Data Modification Language (DML) - add/update/delete data

Oracle Database Objects
Besides the most common objects (e.g., table, row, column, cell, constraint, etc.), here are a few that I'll need to reference in the future:

Index-organized Table -Similar to a table, except the data is stored based on the index definition, as opposed to randomly (or on a heap)

Cluster - A storage-mechanism object that must be preallocated. Helps to organize multiple, related tables in the same block to reduce the amount of database reads.

User-defined datatype - Can be used to create consistency and apply methods as part of the definition.

Oracle Data Dictionary
Base tables, owned by SYS, contain the meta data for user-defined database objects. Use views to access base tables, as base table names are purposefully cryptic.

USER_ views - Objects owned by schema user.

ALL_ views - Objects owned by the schema user or objects to which the schema user has privileges.

DBA_ views - Privileges required. All objects and utilized by DBAs.

DBA Responsibilities
Beyond the obvious ones (to me anyway!), here's some others:
Sizing and evaluating server hardware,
Planning and designing the database structure

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USB Flash Drive Security: Encryption and Password Protection

I was recently asked for my opinion on the use of secure USB flash drives in business. Specifically, whether biometric security (in this case fingerprint scanning directly on the USB flash drive) was a secure method. Based on my cursory results, I would say that while USB flash drives using fingerprint security was certainly attempted in the early-to-mid 2000's, it has since disappeared, and is now inferior to the long-standing password and encryption protection methods.

It's interesting. I noticed some major portable storage companies - SanDisk, Lexar, and Sony - all had USB Flash Drives with integrated fingerprint scanning that came out several years ago. And from what I can tell, none of these products exist in the market today. However, all of the major players, as well as some niche companies, continue to focus on USB flash drives with password protection and encryption as popular and secure option (e.g., IronKey, TruCrypt). Therefore, I'd recommend the password and data-encryption method of securing your USB flash drive.

Posted via Woodland Blog (http://dramse01.blogspot.com)

Pastebud Copy/Paste for the iPhone

Lifehacker has a good explanation of Pastebud's innovative solution to the you-can't-be-serious,-the-iPhone-doesn't-natively-have-Copy/Paste? problem.

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You can't make this kind of war story up

Saw this article on NBC World News tonight. To paraphrase one amazing story: "My leg literally was flopping over. I grabbed it and folded it back into my crotch... So I could scoot down..." 

Are you kidding me?! Green Berets... unbelievable. I'm glad you're home safely! And I'm sorry for those that were lost in battle.

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I won't be suprised if Facebook overtakes MySpace in US

Here's another opinion based post (after all, isn't that what this blog is for?). With a TechCrunch article as supporting evidence, I won't be surprised if Facebook will indeed have more U.S. users than MySpace sometime next year.

After signing up on MySpace over 2 years ago and not touching my account for months at a time, I closed it earlier this year. Several months later, I hesitantly decided to try Facebook. Overall, the experience on Facebook is much more entertaining to me than MySpace (at least for these first few months). For one, there seems to be my same friends on Facebook, plus even more (does Facebook appeal to a wider demographic?). Secondly, while I don't post directly in Facebook all that frequently, I'm constantly humored by my friends' status updates, pictures and comments. Also, Facebook keeps me interested with all their applications and integration opportunities (i.e., FacebookConnect).

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Maui feedback for Google Maps

It's been a month, and I'm still talking about the torture that was West Maui Road at night. How does one go about giving feedback to Google Maps?

I'd like to send in this little request: Do not send people this route as a normal means of driving around Maui. This way is "adventurous" (to say the least) and should be driven during the day (unless you LIVE on the island).

View Larger Map

Doubt: A simple play turned movie?

If you've seen Doubt (the play), you might question how Doubt (the movie) will work. But according to Meryl Streep (in this CNN.com article), it works. And according to others in the article, it seems as though there might be Oscar buzz surrounding the movie.

If you haven't seen the play, I'd highly suggest it. I'd have to agree with the article that Doubt is more than just bringing a controversial topic to the stage, more than just about morality, but it gets you thinking even more importantly about the power of doubt.

Satellite Radio

Having listened to satellite radio for about 2 years now, I've come to a few conclusions:

(1) Sirius is was better than XM
An opinion-based conclusion, I realize. However, I've discussed my thoughts with several friends, and I have yet to find anyone who disagrees.

(2) Satellite radio has just as many commercials
At least for the channels I listen to, I'm still battered with frequent commercial breaks. (Lifelock.com anyone?)

(3) An audio feed of a TV station should not constitute radio
I suppose such channels do fall into the category of radio, but at the very least it should be classified as mediocre radio. CNN Headline News, ESPN News.... I can't see!! (To be fair, they're getting better at writing their scripts to cater to an audio-only audience.) And can the audio-quality be made to at least pretend it was a channel meant for satellite radio? I prefer my local National Public Radio. And if I wanted poor audio quality, I'd go back to AM.

(4) I'm going to cancel my XM subscription when it's up for renewal
Now that the two have joined forces, the programming is worse! (e.g., removing the Sirius old school hip-hop station... are you crazy?!) I really only listen to satellite about 20 minutes a day. And the stations often repeat themselves, like you find on AM/FM. So I think I'm going to just go back to regular AM/FM without paying for the same annoyances.