Lesson 1
Oracle Database Architecture
Lesson Objectives:
After completing this lesson, the student should be able
to:
• List the major architectural components of Oracle.
• Explain the memory structures.
• Describe the background processes.
• Compare the logical and physical storage structures.
• Describe ASM storage components.
Oracle Database
The Oracle (RDBMS) or also known as Relational Database
Management System provides an open, comprehensive, integrated
approachto information management.
An Oracle database is a collection of data treated as a unit. The
purpose of a databaseis to store and retrieve related information.
A database server is the key to solving the problems of information
management.
Database Instance
Process of Connecting
to the Database
Instance:
1. Connection:
Communication
between a user
process and an
instance.
2. Session: Specific
connection of a user to
an instance through a
user process.
Oracle Memory Structure:
PGA/SGA
Oracle Memory Structure:
System Global Area (SGA)
Is composed of the following:
1. Shared Pool
Contains:
Library Cache
Shared SQL Area
Data Dictionary Cache
Control Structure
2. Data Buffer Cache
Is part of the SGA that
holds copies of data
blocks that are read from
data files.
Is shared by all concurrent users
Oracle Memory Structure:
System Global Area (SGA)
3. Redo Log Buffer
Is a circular buffer in the
SGA
Holds information about changes made to
the database Contains redo entries that
have the information to redo changes
made by operations such as DML and
DDL.
4. Large Pool
Provides large memory allocations for:
Session memory for the shared server
and the Oracle XA I/O server processes
Oracle Database backup and restore
operations
Oracle Memory Structure:
System Global Area (SGA)
5. Java Pool
Java pool memory is used to store all session-specific Java
code and data in the JVM.
Streams pool memory is used exclusively by Oracle
Store buffered queue messages
Provide memory
for Oracle
Streams
processes
Oracle Memory Structure:
Program Global Area (PGA)
Two Types of Process Architecture
1. User process
Is the application or tool that connects to
the Oracle Database Processes
2. Server process:
Connects to the Oracle instance and is
started when a user establishes a session
3. Background processes:
Are started when an Oracle instance is
started.
• Daemon / Application processes
• Networking listeners
• Grid infrastructure daemons
Process Structure
Is composed of:
1. Database Writer Process
(DBWn)
Writes modified (dirty) buffers in the database
buffer cache asynchronously while performing
other processing to advance the checkpoint.
2. Log Writer Process (LGWR)
Writes the redo log buffer to a redo log file on
disk :
when a user process commits a transaction.
When the redo log buffer is one-third full
before a DBWn process writes modified buffers
to disk every 3 seconds.
Process Structure
3. Checkpoint Process (CKPT) Records
checkpoint information in Control file on each
data file header.
4. System Monitor Process (SMON)
Performs recovery at instance startup.
Cleans up unused temporary segments
5. Process Monitor Process (PMON)
Performs process recovery when a user process
fails
Cleans up the database buffer cache
Frees resources that are used by the user process
Monitors sessions for idle session timeout
Dynamically registers database services with
listeners
Process Structure
6. Recoverer Process
Used with the distributed database
configuration. Automatically connects to other
databases involved in in- doubt distributed
transactions Automatically resolves all in-doubt
transactions. Removes any rows that correspond
to in-doubt transaction.
7. Archiver Processes (ARCn)
Copy redo log files to a designated storage
device after a log switch has occurred
Can collect transaction redo data and
transmit that data to standby destinations
Segment, Extents and Blocks
• Segments exist in a tablespace.
• Segments are collections of extents.
• Extents are collections of data blocks.
• Data blocks are mapped to disk blocks.
Tablespaces and Data Files
SYSTEM and SYSAUX Tablespaces
The SYSTEM and SYSAUX tablespaces are
mandatory tablespaces that are created at the
time of database creation.
They must be online.
The SYSTEM tablespace is used for core
functionality (for example, data dictionary tables).
The auxiliary SYSAUX tablespace is used for
Additional database components (such as the
Enterprise Manager Repository).
The SYSTEM and SYSAUX tablespaces are
not recommended to be used to store
application's data.
Lesson Summary:
• Oracle Relational Database Management System is a relation of two or more
dimensional table.
• Database is used to store data and information.
• Oracle Architecture is composed of 3 major Components:
– Instance which establish the connection and initiate a session in Oracle
Server.
– Process Structure hold all the transaction made by the Database
Administrator. Process Structure is composed of the following processes:
Database Writer, Log Writer, Checkpoint, System Monitor , Process
Monitor, Recoverer and Archiver Processes.
– All of these processes hold a specific function with regards to managing
all the transaction made by the DBA.
