Instance Management Tasks

1) Starting the Instance

2) Stopping the Instance
Tablespace Management Tasks
1) Creating a tablespace
2) Resizing the tablespace
3) Monitoring the tablespaces
Parameter File Management
1) Static parameter
2) Dynamic parameter
3) Deferred parameter
Control File Management
1) Adding a new control file
2) Tracing a control file in text format
Redo Log File Management
1) Creating a new Redo Log Groups of new size
Schema Management
1) Creating new users
2) Creating roles
3) Granting and revoking privielges
Logical backups
1) Normal Export and Import
2) Data Pump Export and Import
RMAN Configuration

Topic: Basic Level Oracle Architecture Questions

1) What is an Instance?
Combination of Memory & Background Processes
2) What are Memory Components?
System Global Area (SGA)
Program Global Area (PGA)
3) What are the components of System Global Area?
Mandatory Memory Components
Optional Memory Components
4) What are the Mandatory Memory Components of SGA?
Database Buffer Cache
Redo Log Buffer
Shared Pool
5) What are the Optional Memory Components of SGA?
Large Pool
Java Pool
Streams Pool
6) What is a Database?
Collection of Physical Files (Data, Control and Redo Log Files)

7) What are the tasks of User Process?

Handovers user given SQL statement as input to Server Process
Receives SQL Statement output from Server Process and displays on Screen
8) What are the tasks of Server Process?
Syntax and Semantic Checking
Fetching data from database to database buffer cache
9) What is back ground process?
Process running in the back ground on Oracle Server
10) What are the types of Back Ground Process?
Mandatory
Optional
11) What are the Oracle Mandatory Background Processes?
Database Writer (DBWRn)
Log Writer (LGWRn)
System Monitor (SMON)
Process Monitor (PMON)
Check Point (CKPT)

12) What are the Oracle Mandatory Background Processes?

MMON
MMAN
MMNL
ARCn
Job Queue Process
13) What is Database Buffer Cache?
Stores data fetched by server process from data files
14) What is Redo Redo Log Buffer?
Stores changes made to the database
Changes may be committed or uncommitted
15) What is Shared Pool?
Stores SQL Statement, Parsed Code, Execution Plan
16) What are the components of shared pool?
Library Cache
Data Dictionary Cache
SQL Result Cache
PLSQL Function Cache
17) What is Library Cache?
Stores Parsed Code
18) What is Data Dictionary Cache?
Stores Object information, constraints/indexes information defined on ta
bles
19) What is SQL Result Cache?
Stores SQL Statement Result Output

20) What is PLSQL Function Cache?

Stores PLSQL Function Output
21) What is Large Pool?
Used during backup and recovery operations
To runs the SQL statement parallel
22) What is Java Pool?
Stores Java Virtual Machine Code to support Java Applications
23) What is Streams Pool?
Used during streams replication if enabled
24) What is the task of DBWn Process?
Writes committed data to Database Files
25) What is the task of LGWRn Process?
Writes changes (committed or uncommitted) to Redo Log Files
26) What is the task of CKPT Process?
Synchronizes SCN in control, redo log and data files
27) What is the task of SMON Process?
Performs Instance Crash Recovery (Roll Forward and Roll Backward)
28) What is the task of PMON Process?
Releases locks and Resources for uncommitted transactions
Release PGA for abruptly connected user connections
31) What is the task of ARCn Process?
Takes the backup of Online Redo Log Files
32) What is the task of Manageability Monitor (MMON) Process?
Gather Memory Statistics (Snapshots) and stores in Automatic Workload Re
pository (AWR)
Issues alerts for metrics that crossed there threshold values
33) What is the task of Memory Manager (MMAN) Process?
Dynamically Resized SGA based on workload
34) What is the task of Memory Monitor Lite (MMNL) Process?
Assists MMON Process
Flushes Active Session History Buffer contents to AWR tables when bugger
is full or snapshot is taken
35) What is Buffer Cache Hit?
Data available in Buffer Cache
36) What is Buffer Cache Miss?
Data not available in Buffer Cache
37) What is Soft Parsing?
Execution Plan is available in Library Cache
38) What is Hard Parsing?
Execution Plan is not available in Library Cache
Topic: Medium Level Oracle Architecture Questions

Explain the Memory Structure in Oracle 11g?

In Oracle 11g SGA and PGA managed together as single memory
When SGA is free memory will be allocated to PGA if required and Vice-Ve
rsa
Parameters: MEMORY_TARGET, MEMORY_MAX_SIZE
Explain new Oracle Background Process in 11g?
Virtual Keeper of Time (VKTM)
Flashback Data Archiver (FBAR)
Diagnosibility Process (DIAG)
DIAG0
Space Management Coordinator and Slaves (SMCO/Wnnn)

VKTM - The virtual keeper of time provides wall-clock time and reference
time for other sessions/processes.
FBAR :-) - (sadly now renamed to FBDA partway through the beta) The flas
hback data archiver writes old row-versions of tables with 'flashback archive' e
nabled into flashback data archives on commit. Anyone remember Oracle v.5 BIFs?
DIAG - The diagnosibility process (DIAG) runs oradebug commands and trig
gers diagnostic dumps as part of the new ADR (automatic diagnostic repository) f
eature, which is a replacement (and major enhancement) for the much-reviled RDA.
DIA0 - The "other" diagnosibility process detects hangs then triggers DI
AG do take diagnostics.
SMCO/Wnnn - The space management coordinator and slaves perform space al
location and reclamation.
Expert Level Oracle Architecture Questions
SQL Statement Internal Execution Steps
New Oracle back ground process in 11g
Expert Level
SQL Statement internal execution steps
MMON (Manageability Monitor) is a background process that gathers memory statist
ics (snapshots) stores this information in the AWR (automatic workload repositor
y). MMON is also responsible for issuing alerts for metrics that exceed their th
resholds
Topic: Oracle Software Installation Questions
1.
What is the utility used to install the Oracle Software?
2.
What are the pre-checks performed by the Oracle during Oracle Software I
nstallation?
3.
Which user will run the following scripts oraInstroot.sh and root.sh scr
ipts?
4.
What is the location of the script oraInstroot.sh?

5.
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What
What
What
What
What
What
What
What
What
What
What
What
What
What
What
What
What

will happen when we run oraInstroot.sh?

is the location of the script root.sh?
will happen when we run root.sh?
are the different groups created during Software Installation?
is the usage of oinstall group?
is the usage of oper group?
is the location of .bash_profile?
is ORACLE_BASE Environmental Variable?
is ORACLE_HOME Environmental Variable?
is PATH Environmental Variable?
is ORACLE_SID Environmental Variable?
is CLASS_PATH Environmental Variable?
is SD_LIBRARY_PATH Environmental Variable?
is the location of the Oracle Binaries?
is relinking or Oracle Binaries?
is the command used to relink the Oracle Binaries?
is the Operating System Permissions of the Oracle User?

Topic: Oracle Instance Management Questions

1.
What is the command to check how many instances are currently running on
the server?
2.
What is the file which contains all the information about the instances
on the server and its location?
3.
What are the different options of starting up the instance?
4.
What are the different options of stopping the instance?
5.
What is an Alert Log File?
6.
What are the types of Alert Log Files?
7.
What is the location of the text Alert Log File?
8.
What is the location of the XML Alert Log File?
9.
How to monitor the Alert Log File Continuously?
10.
What happens in NOMOUNT Stage?
11.
What happens in MOUNT Stage?
12.
What happens in OPEN Stage?
13.
What happens with shutdown normal?
14.
What happens with shutdown transactional?
15.
What happens with shutdown immediate?
16.
What happens with shutdown abort?
17.
What is the data dictionary view which gives the information about the I
nstance?
18.
What are the columns which are frequently used to monitor the Instance?
19.
What is the data dictionary view which gives the information about the d
atabase?
20.
What are the columns which are frequently used to monitor the database?
21.
What is the data dictionary which gives the entire information about the
database properties?
22.
How to set the ORACLE_SID in Linux Platform?
23.
How to set the ORACLE_SID in Sun Solaris Platform?
24.
What is the command from which time the system is up
25.
What is the command when the system got rebooted?
26.
What is the command when the system got rebooted last 5 times?
Topic : Parameter file Management Questions
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4.
5.
6.

What
What
What
What
What
What

is an parameter file?
are the types of parameter files?
is the default location of the parameter file?
is pfile?
is sfpile?
is static parameter?

7.
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ameter
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What is dynamic parameter?

What is the drawback of using pfile?
What are the advantages of using spfile?
How to check the oracle instance started by using which parameter file?
What is the data dictionary view which gives information whether the par
is static or dynamic?
What are the columns frequently used in v$parameter?
What is true or immediate with respect to parameter?
What is false with respect to parameter?
What is the syntax for changing the parameter value?
What is scope with respect to memory?
What is scope with respect to spfile?
What is scope with respect to both?
What is db_name parameter?
What is db_domain parameter?
What is db_unique_name parameter?
What is instance_name parameter?
What is compatible parameter?
What is db_block_size parameter?
What is diagnostic_dest parameter?
What is undo_tablespace parameter?
What is undo_management parameter?
What is undo_retention parameter?
What is process parameter?
What is memory_target parameter?
What is memory_max_target parameter?
What is control_files parameter?
What is process parameter?
What is open_cursors parameter?
What is cursor_sharing parameter?
What is session_cached_cursors parameter?
What is db_create_file_dest parameter?
What Is db_recovery_file_dest_size parameter?
What is db_recovery_file_dest_size parameter?
What is log_archive_dest_1 parameter?
What is log_archive_dest_2 parameter?
What is audit_file_dest parameter?
What is audit_trial parameter?
What is remote_login_passwordfile parameter?
What is parameter sec_case_sensitive_logon parameter?

Control File Interview Questions

1.
What is Control File?
2.
Why control files should be multiplexed?
3.
What is the maximum number of control files can be created in database?
4.
How many control files are recommended by oracle?
5.
What is the parameter of the control files?
6.
When the oracle needs the control file?
7.
What happens when one of the control file gets damaged or deleted mistak
enly when database is up and running?
8.
How to take the control file backup in binary format?
9.
How to take the control file backup in text format?
10.
What are the control file data dictionary view?
11.
What is circular reuse records in control file?
12.
What is Non circular reuse records in control file?
13.
What are the control file error numbers?
Redo Log File Management Interview Questions

1.
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4.
?
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.

What
What
What
What

is
is
is
is

Redo Log File?

stored in Redo Log File?
Redo Log Group?
the Maximum Number of Redo Log Groups can be created in database

What is the number of redo log groups recommended by oracle?

What is Redo Log Member?
What is the maximum number of redo log members in a redo log group?
What is the number of redo log members recommended by oracle?
What are the data dictionary views related to redo log files?
How to clear a redo log file?
In which scenario we clear the redo log file?

Tablespace Management Questions

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What
What
What
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What
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What
What
What
What
What
What
What
What
What
What
What

is Tablespace?
is data file?
is segment?
are the types of segments?
is an extent?
are the types of extent management?
is an block?
is the default standard block size?
is non-standard block size?
is small file Tablespace?
is big file Tablespace?
is temporary Tablespace?
is system Tablespace?
is sysaux Tablespace?
is db_files parameter with respect to Tablespaces?
is default Tablespace?
is Tablespace Encryption?

Undo Management Interview Questions

What is an Undo Segment?
What is an Rollback Segment?
What are the parameters related to UNDO?
What is snap shot too old error?
What is unable to extend roll back segment?
How to monitor the undo?
What is undo advisor?
What is undo retention?
What is undo management?
User Management Interview Questions
RMAN Interview Questions
Database Creation Interview Questions
Database dropping Interview Questions