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Reviews Books
Oracle is among the database programming tools preferred by database administrators worldwide. It's highly efficient and can work perfectly in various conditions. Whether the server has physical partitions or simply virtual, Oracle will help developers configure the database with the expected functions.
But even though there is a clear advantage provided by Oracle, some database administrators are finding it difficult to fully comprehend. This should be expected especially when developers have to build a database in a massive scale with various configurations. As the database gets complicated and functions specific to each server (physical or virtual) increases, understanding Oracle may not be easier. Those who are just starting in database management have to learn the basics first before moving forward to advanced functions.
This book will try to explain some of the most complicated functions related to Oracle database management tools. As the name suggests, the book will focus on management utilities - advanced functions but necessary for most database administrators. These utilities will not only increase accessibility of data needed but will also improve security. But these utilities can't just be implemented at first glance. This book tries to simplify these complicated utilities in order for beginners to have a good background.
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Author
The author of this book is relatively unknown. Hector R. Madrid is a freelance consultant with a Masters Degree in Computer Science. But even with an unknown reputation, he is one of the pioneer Oracle database administrators in Latin America and his knowledge about Oracle started from version 7.0 until today. He may be unknown in worldwide setting but he is closely involved in teaching Oracle database administration. With more than 20 years of experience his opinions as a consultant is highly considered and often seen as solution to complicated database related problems. Aside from consultation and participation in educating new database administrators, Madrid still works as a full time database administrator as he works for various companies who needs his expertise.
Physical Impression of the Book
Whether you hold the physical version of the book (online version in PDF is also available), you'll immediately notice that the book is very extensive. The book is more than 400 pages which means it will really take a lot of time before every utility in this book is covered. This is actually a good thing since the book will discuss the 12 utilities in order to fully manage Oracle database manager.
The Chapters
The book has 13 chapters with one index but they can divided into four parts: Basic Utilities, Recovery Management, Configuration and security management, and additional utilities needed in Oracle database management.
Chapters 1 - 3: The Basics
The first three chapters provide the basic functions that will help database administrators start in configuring their database. The first chapter deals with data pump wherein the new features in 11g are extensively discussed. The second chapter is on SQL* Loader. Various loading options are discussed including their pros and cons. The third chapter discusses the external tables and how database managers connect to the said tables and properly use the external data.
Chapters 4 and 5: Recovery Techniques
These are very interesting chapters since it will discuss the probability of failure and on how to deal when such data failures occur. No matter what security or data back-up you implement, there are still factors that might endanger your data. Chapters 4 and 5 will provide the instructions needed to recover lost data and restore the system. Take note of chapter 4 as it provides the latest information on cloning.
Chapters 6 to 9: Configuration and Security Management
These four chapters feature some of the best features of Oracle database management. Security tools, scheduler, wallet manager and session configuration are quite challenging to understand in just a few hours. Each chapter provides a detailed description and a short background on what the administrators can with each function. Additional updates related to security on 11g have been added. Each chapter provides a step-by-step instructions on how to enable the functions and fully understand the utilities.
While the book provides an extensive look at each utility in database management, these chapters are the most extensive as they will practically change the look of the database. The scheduler and security set-up alone could make a big difference in a database.
Chapters 10 to 13: Additional Utilities in Oracle Database Management
The final four chapters of the book are very interesting since it provides a detailed instruction on how to support the database. These chapters also provide additional information on how to use Oracle Universal Installer, the Database Configuration Assistant and the OPatch. These functions are common in complex database as they will help in extending the scope of Oracle. The OPatch should particularly have extra attention for starting developers since it provides extensive information on what was used in the patch and new functions in the latest version.
Intended Audience of the Book
This book appeals to those who have recently started with the basic functions of Oracle database management. These utilities should provide the needed extra tools for those starting in database management. This book is also recommended for those who have worked with Oracle database management for years. Each chapter can be regarded as a reference on how to use utilities. Almost every chapter comes with updates and comparisons from previous to the latest version of Oracle database management tool.
Conclusion
The book is clearly a must have for database administrators who wanted to have a relatively handy book for future reference. It's also best for those who wanted to slowly advance their skills in database administration. The book comes with detailed information, explanation and best all, screenshots on how to work with each utility.
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There are only minor downsides in the book and barely noticeable. It's almost unknown author and lack of troubleshooting scenario does not necessarily downgrade the quality of the book. PackT has certainly published another quality book that can aid various database administrators. Oracle 10g/11g Data and Database Management Utilities is a hefty book that comes with heavy information.
This book is available for purchase at amazon.com
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