Oracle PL/SQL for DBAs: Security, Scheduling, Performance & More

Excellent Book. Arrived before time too.

Outdated. Book was from 5 years ago

This book is good, but is not quite what I had expected. I was looking for a book on how to use PL/SQL to build tools and monitor my database. Instead this is another book on learning to write PL/SQL code. I guess you have to learn to write the code in order to build any tools, but the book just leaves off with learning the basics of writing the code.

Simply put, this book is a must have for any Oracle DBA. Many new and advanced features within Oracle are implemented using PL/SQL. As an Oracle DBA, you must have a firm grasp of this powerful language and how to take advantage of features in Oracle10g that include:*) Security*) Auditing*) Encryption*) Optimizing Performance*) Automating Tasks*) SchedulingTo start, Oracle PL/SQL for DBAs provides a solid foundation of the PL/SQL language including syntax, data types, cursors, control logic, exception handling, abstract data types, procedures, functions, and packages. The introduction is well written and packed with many explanations and examples. The book continues further to describe in great detail the use of cursors and table functions in chapters 2 and 3.At this point, the Oracle DBA should have a firm understanding of the language and move on to more DBA-specific features that involve the use of PL/SQL. Chapter 4 explorers the fundamentals of encryption and how to implement advanced encryption techniques within Oracle. The chapter focuses on the use of the PL/SQL packages DBMS_CRYPTO (Oracle10g R1 and higher) and DBMS_OBFUSCATION_TOOLKIT (earlier releases prior to Oracle10g R1). Algorithms like DES and Triple DES along with other encryption fundamentals like hashing and key management are explained in easy to understand terms and illustrations.Chapter 5 is dedicated to Row-Level Security. The authors do a fantastic job of explaining policies and how they work. Once again, the extensive amount of accurate examples is what makes this chapter easy to understand and implement. Special attention is paid to the use of the PL/SQL package DBMS_RLS and using it to create policies and control user access. A special section is provided on troubleshooting common errors with row-level security along with how to interpret and resolve them.Chapter 6 explains the use of Fine-Grained Auditing (FGA). Like previous chapters, the authors lay the foundation for why, how, and when to use this powerful feature along with specifics to how it works with different Oracle releases. The DBA will learn just what is captured with FGA and how to customize it to their environment. FGA makes use of the PL/SQL procedure DBMS_FGA. Detailed examples are provided for creating and editing policies along with methods for administrating FGA.Chapter 7 deals with generating random numbers and how to take advantage of DBMS_RANDOM. Here you will find great explanations of how to check for randomness and following statistical patterns. Again, all of this is put together with accurate examples.Chapter 8 was my favorite - Scheduling. This chapter focuses on DBMS_SCHEDULER - Oracle10g's replacement for DBMS_JOB. Sections are also provided on how to prioritize jobs with the use of Database Resource Manager (DBMS_RESOURCE_MANAGER).I enjoyed this book from front to back. Very well thought out explanations, real world examples and illustrations.

It's no surprise that learning Oracle is one of the most challenging things to do for any person that works in the IT field. This massive database application has a long and storied history, becoming one of the de facto standards for storing database on massive scales. A huge chunk of the web is stored on Oracle systems, and it's a system that keeps growing and expanding over time.With the complexity involved, it's nice that a book like this has been written so that DBAs can quickly get their feet wet with Oracle and learn the ins and outs in an efficient manner. At a size of 400+ pages, this is a nice guide to learn the basics of becoming an experienced Oracle DBA. Containing 8 chapters that cover the basics, this book covers Oracle up to Database 10g Release 2. It's up to date, written well, and a perfect companion resource on any DBAs desk.**** RECOMMENDED

While I'm still in the rather lenghty 1st chapter, I can state this book is just what I needed. More readable and helpful than the documentation, with enough detail for the DBA and occasional programmer.