Introduction

Welcome to the exciting world of Oracle 12c database administration! Few things are as exciting as starting a new journey, and you certainly have a thrilling ride ahead of you. Luckily, the authors of this book, your guides in this adventure, can help smooth out any bumps in the road and point out the things you want to see. With decades of combined Oracle experience managing hundreds of databases for many clients, we hope to make understanding the Oracle database a fun, enlightening experience.

Oracle is a large company with a diverse portfolio of software and hardware. It seems like every other week Oracle releases some new product or acquires another company. Don’t let the overwhelming nature of the big picture discourage you. This book imparts the fundamental knowledge of database administration. An Oracle career is a constant learning process. Establishing a solid understanding of the building blocks behind the database engine will vault you into a successful Oracle career.

The foundation of almost all of Oracle’s products is the database, and Oracle databases are the best in the world. Understanding how Oracle databases work and how to manage them successfully is the first step to opening an awful lot of doors. Starting at this level is key. After reading this book, you will be well on your way to an interesting career filled with challenges and plenty of opportunity.

Every year we see companies grow and accumulate data at a staggering rate, and that rate is accelerating. Relational database theory first came out in the early 1970s, and database design and technology continue to evolve and become more powerful every year. Oracle is at the forefront of this evolution, and the knowledge of Oracle 12c that you gain from this book puts you in the driver’s seat for your database career. Hop into your high-performance Oracle ride for an exciting journey!

About This Book

Oracle 12c For Dummies focuses on the tenets of Oracle database administration in the Oracle 12c environment. Not only do we cover many of the features released with the 12c version of the database, but we also explain the fundamental building blocks database administration. Many of these concepts and techniques apply to past versions of Oracle and almost certainly to future releases. Our goal is to make you a smarter and more functional DBA by explaining Oracle technology from the perspective of folks who manage Oracle software for a living.

Sometimes we refer to directories and file locations on both Linux/UNIX and Windows. Essentially the two can be interchanged with a couple of things in mind. For example, here is an ORACLE_BASE value that you might come across on Linux/UNIX:

$ORACLE_BASE: /u01/app/oracle

In Windows, /u01 is much like a drive letter. They call it a mount point in Linux/UNIX.

Also, variables in Linux/UNIX are frequently prefixed with a dollar sign. Furthermore, the slashes are in opposite directions for each operating system. On Linux/UNIX, you use a forward slash, /. In Windows, you use a back slash, . Lastly, Windows encapsulates the variable in percent signs. The same previous setting might look like this in Windows:

%ORACLE_BASE%: C:apporacle

We give examples of both environments throughout this book.

Who Are You?

People who find themselves needing or wanting a skill set for Oracle databases come from all backgrounds. You might be an application developer, a system administrator, or even a complete newbie. Many of the folks that we come across in this industry became a database administrator (DBA) by accident. One day, your company finds itself without a DBA, and the next thing you know, that’s you! One trick is to be ready. Above all else, learn on your own and think rather than just react.

Icons in This Book

You see these icons throughout this book. They’re a heads-up for different situations. These are items we wished someone told us when we were learning Oracle.

Warnings, if not heeded, will cause you to lose data or maybe even your job.

Remembering these bits of information can help you in the long run. And even the short run. Even on a brief walk.

Tips can save you time, energy, resources, or your weekend. We realize all these items are in short supply.

Technical Stuff icons indicate things we think are interesting and want to share with you, but you can skip them if you’d rather get straight to the nitty-gritty.

Beyond the Book

We’ve provided additional information about Oracle online to help you on your way:

Cheat Sheet: Check out www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/oracle12c to grab some handy reminders for syntax and commands you'll use on a regular basis. We also include some tips for items to monitor to ensure you don't get caught by surprise.

Online articles: On several of the pages that open each of this book's parts, you'll find links to what the folks at For Dummies call Web Extras, which expand on some concept we've discussed in that particular section. You'll find them at www.dummies.com/extras/oracle12c. There we've provided information to help you upgrade databases with the Database Upgrade Assistant (DBUA), gather database statistics to improve performance, and use Automatic Storage Management (ASM).

Where to Go from Here

Dive in and get started! Keep an open mind and try not to get overwhelmed. Like any skilled profession, it isn’t always easy, but you can do it. We think you’ll find it rewarding. This book is written so you can avoid the “too-much-information” reaction. Look at each section as a piece of a big puzzle, and you will soon see how everything starts to take shape. And remember to have fun!