www.ukoug.org An independent publication not affiliated with Oracle Corporation Oracle SQL Developer Version 4.1 N E W & I M P R O V E D Oracle Scene Serving the Oracle Community Summer 15 Issue 57 Recovering & Restoring Datafiles Franck Pachot runs through contexts in RAC & Multitenant 12c instances What is XQuery? Ian Carpenter explains & shows how to use it from the Oracle Database Implementation Tactics Time-saving OEM 12c tips from Philip Brown This edition’s sponsor:
Transcript
www.ukoug.org An independent publication not affiliated with
Oracle Corporation
Oracle SQL Developer Version 4.1
NEW & IM PROVED
OracleSceneServing the Oracle Community
Summer 15 Issue 57Recovering & Restoring Datafiles Franck Pachot runs through contexts in RAC & Multitenant 12c instances
What is XQuery? Ian Carpenter explains & shows how to use it from the Oracle Database
Implementation TacticsTime-saving OEM 12c tips from Philip Brown
This edition’s sponsor:
It’s the dream of many finance users to be able to transform Microsoft Excel into a true reporting and analytics tool through which they can access their backend Oracle data. However, turning this dream into a reality can be challenging. It is relatively simple for Oracle users to access their static data in Microsoft Excel, but what’s the best way to perform detailed analysis of information in that environment? Is this data secure? How can users ensure that the information within these spreadsheets remains up-to-date and accurate?
To overcome these challenges, companies need a solution that will dynamically retrieve data from the Oracle system and use it to populate a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. Such a solution should provide:
• Accuracy and data integrity. With a solution that can retrieve data directly from the source tables within Oracle and dynamically deliver it in real time to Microsoft Excel, your company can be confident that users are working from the most up-to-date information available.
• A user-friendly experience. Finance users are generally very familiar and comfortable with Microsoft Excel, which is used in 98% of all reporting, budgeting, and analysis applications. Ensuring that these finance users can continue to work in that environment while accessing their Oracle data maximizes a company’s existing investments in both Oracle and Microsoft Excel.
• Auditability. With a solution that delivers Oracle data directly from the source, there’s less of a need for multiple linked cells, workbooks, and spreadsheets, making the auditing process much more intuitive and secure.
• A tactical implementation. Ensuring the automated integration of Oracle data into Microsoft Excel should not require a big-bang approach or any additional hardware or infrastructure. A tool that enables this integration should be able to be deployed in hours with very minimal IT intervention. Keep in mind that this tool’s purpose isn’t to replace your current business intelligence solutions, but to complement them.
Spreadsheet Server by Global Software, Inc. addresses all of these requirements. Created as a Microsoft Excel add-in, this tool automatically retrieves data from Oracle systems and pulls it dynamically into Microsoft Excel spreadsheets. Once the data is in Microsoft Excel, users can then generate reports and perform detailed drill downs, all from within the spreadsheet application. Some other features are:
• FSGs and Discoverer Report Conversion. With Spreadsheet Server for use with Oracle you can convert FSGs within minutes using our FSG report utility converter for 11i, R12 and beyond. Oracle Discoverer report conversions can be very time consuming and complicated. Through interaction with Discoverer Desktop command line and .Net scripting the SQL statements can be quickly exported and then easily converted for use with Spreadsheet Server. With our complimentary report building workshop, we can take your discoverer reports and illustrate how intuitive they are to develop in Spreadsheet Server.
• Ability to report on any Oracle module as well as non-Oracle data. Our extensive and ever growing Oracle EBS module content is readily available via our Query Exchange Portal. The cloud-based QueryExchange component of Spreadsheet Server gives customers the ability to select from prebuilt queries and tailor them to meet their specific needs. The Query Exchange includes both 11i and R12 pre-defined queries that are immediately ready for use, easily customizable if required and available for no cost to any licensed users. This suite of content includes both MOAC, HR Secured and unsecured queries as well. This data can be quickly configured to create presentation quality dashboards and reports with all the drill down functionality provided with the Spreadsheet Server product.
• Writeback to Oracle tables. With our Oracle ADI replacement you can write data from Microsoft Excel workbooks to any Oracle table that has write privileges. You can leverage Oracle EBS public APIs and open interfaces with no programming. You can create, modify or delete one or more set ups on each worksheet while adhering to Oracle development and security standards.
• QueryDesigner. Allows users to build dashboard views from within the Oracle environment or a relational database to be accessed, automated, and presented with our formula-driven methodology. Once the reports are created, the distribution utility automates the division of reports from within Microsoft Excel. Since most Oracle users already work closely with Microsoft Excel’s intuitive interface, they are able to use this add-in with a minimal learning curve.
With Spreadsheet Server by Global Software, Inc., companies can give their users a tool that enhances their Oracle user experience, leverages their Microsoft Excel knowledge base, and seamlessly integrates their Oracle data into the Microsoft Excel environment. To learn more, visit www.globalsoftwareinc.com
LEVERAGE THE ULTIMATE EXCEL-BASED REPORTING PLATFORM
FOR YOUR ORACLE® EBS DATA
Larry CucchiManaging Director
EMEA/APAC RegionsGlobal Software, Inc.
Make Your Oracle Data a Dynamic Part of Your Microsoft Excel Landscape
Spreadsheet Server Tool Makes It Possible
“Spreadsheet Server was the best thing
for finance and accounting.
I feel I am back to working for a Fortune 500
company again!”
Jean ChestelsonDirector, FP & A
International Vitamin Corporation
SPREADSHEET S E R V E R
by Global Software, Inc.
START IN EXCEL.
STAY IN EXCEL.
www.ukoug.org 03
18I/O ERROR ON A DATAFILE: INSTANCE CRASH OR DATAFILE OFFLINE? by Franck Pachot
Inside this issueOracle Scene Editorial TeamEditor: Brendan Tierney Email: [email protected]
UKOUG GovernanceA full listing of Board members, along with details of how the user group is governed, can be found at: www.ukoug.org/about-us/governance
UKOUG OfficeUK Oracle User Group, User Group House, 591-593 Kingston Road, Wimbledon London, SW20 8SA
TECHNOLOGYAll Change Querying XML Documents Using PL/SQL by Ian Carpenter 32Oracle RDBMS Read & Write Fundamentals by Martin Widlake 36Indexing Techniques For Time Series Data by James Checkley 42My Journey to Oracle ACE by René Antúnez 46
APPLICATIONSHCM Community Applications Innovation Day by Debra Lilley 05
EVENTSTech15 Super Sunday 17Conference Registration Now Open! 24Onsite Product Usability Testing Labs at Apps15 35
INTERVIEW15 Minutes with Linda Barker, UKOUG President 08
FOCUS ONMeet a Volunteer: Jason Arneil 22Get Certified! by Joel Goodman 41
ADVERTORIALLeading Edge in Innovation 26
REGULAR FEATURESNews & Reviews 06
12
OracleSceneD I G I T A L
View additional content and get more from your Oracle Scene at: www.ukoug.org/os
A High Level Understanding Towards Effective Oracle License Management by Sibaji Dey Choudhury 48Accelerate BI Apps Reporting Performance By Caching Stars Into TimesTen on Exalytics by Kiran Tailor 52Histograms - Pre-12c & Now by Anju Garg 57Next Gen: Birmingham City University Review by Jagdev Bhogal 65
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Join them now. @UKOUG
Welcome to Oracle Scene
It’s the dream of many finance users to be able to transform Microsoft Excel into a true reporting and analytics tool through which they can access their backend Oracle data. However, turning this dream into a reality can be challenging. It is relatively simple for Oracle users to access their static data in Microsoft Excel, but what’s the best way to perform detailed analysis of information in that environment? Is this data secure? How can users ensure that the information within these spreadsheets remains up-to-date and accurate?
To overcome these challenges, companies need a solution that will dynamically retrieve data from the Oracle system and use it to populate a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. Such a solution should provide:
• Accuracy and data integrity. With a solution that can retrieve data directly from the source tables within Oracle and dynamically deliver it in real time to Microsoft Excel, your company can be confident that users are working from the most up-to-date information available.
• A user-friendly experience. Finance users are generally very familiar and comfortable with Microsoft Excel, which is used in 98% of all reporting, budgeting, and analysis applications. Ensuring that these finance users can continue to work in that environment while accessing their Oracle data maximizes a company’s existing investments in both Oracle and Microsoft Excel.
• Auditability. With a solution that delivers Oracle data directly from the source, there’s less of a need for multiple linked cells, workbooks, and spreadsheets, making the auditing process much more intuitive and secure.
• A tactical implementation. Ensuring the automated integration of Oracle data into Microsoft Excel should not require a big-bang approach or any additional hardware or infrastructure. A tool that enables this integration should be able to be deployed in hours with very minimal IT intervention. Keep in mind that this tool’s purpose isn’t to replace your current business intelligence solutions, but to complement them.
Spreadsheet Server by Global Software, Inc. addresses all of these requirements. Created as a Microsoft Excel add-in, this tool automatically retrieves data from Oracle systems and pulls it dynamically into Microsoft Excel spreadsheets. Once the data is in Microsoft Excel, users can then generate reports and perform detailed drill downs, all from within the spreadsheet application. Some other features are:
• FSGs and Discoverer Report Conversion. With Spreadsheet Server for use with Oracle you can convert FSGs within minutes using our FSG report utility converter for 11i, R12 and beyond. Oracle Discoverer report conversions can be very time consuming and complicated. Through interaction with Discoverer Desktop command line and .Net scripting the SQL statements can be quickly exported and then easily converted for use with Spreadsheet Server. With our complimentary report building workshop, we can take your discoverer reports and illustrate how intuitive they are to develop in Spreadsheet Server.
• Ability to report on any Oracle module as well as non-Oracle data. Our extensive and ever growing Oracle EBS module content is readily available via our Query Exchange Portal. The cloud-based QueryExchange component of Spreadsheet Server gives customers the ability to select from prebuilt queries and tailor them to meet their specific needs. The Query Exchange includes both 11i and R12 pre-defined queries that are immediately ready for use, easily customizable if required and available for no cost to any licensed users. This suite of content includes both MOAC, HR Secured and unsecured queries as well. This data can be quickly configured to create presentation quality dashboards and reports with all the drill down functionality provided with the Spreadsheet Server product.
• Writeback to Oracle tables. With our Oracle ADI replacement you can write data from Microsoft Excel workbooks to any Oracle table that has write privileges. You can leverage Oracle EBS public APIs and open interfaces with no programming. You can create, modify or delete one or more set ups on each worksheet while adhering to Oracle development and security standards.
• QueryDesigner. Allows users to build dashboard views from within the Oracle environment or a relational database to be accessed, automated, and presented with our formula-driven methodology. Once the reports are created, the distribution utility automates the division of reports from within Microsoft Excel. Since most Oracle users already work closely with Microsoft Excel’s intuitive interface, they are able to use this add-in with a minimal learning curve.
With Spreadsheet Server by Global Software, Inc., companies can give their users a tool that enhances their Oracle user experience, leverages their Microsoft Excel knowledge base, and seamlessly integrates their Oracle data into the Microsoft Excel environment. To learn more, visit www.globalsoftwareinc.com
LEVERAGE THE ULTIMATE EXCEL-BASED REPORTING PLATFORM
FOR YOUR ORACLE® EBS DATA
Larry CucchiManaging Director
EMEA/APAC RegionsGlobal Software, Inc.
Make Your Oracle Data a Dynamic Part of Your Microsoft Excel Landscape
Spreadsheet Server Tool Makes It Possible
“Spreadsheet Server was the best thing
for finance and accounting.
I feel I am back to working for a Fortune 500
company again!”
Jean ChestelsonDirector, FP & A
International Vitamin Corporation
SPREADSHEET S E R V E R
by Global Software, Inc.
START IN EXCEL.
STAY IN EXCEL.
COMMON MISTAKES WHEN IMPLEMENTING 12c
ORACLE ENTERPRISE MANAGERby Philip Brown
28
INTRODUCING ORACLE SQL DEVELOPER VERSION 4.1by Jeff Smith
52 www.ukoug.org
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Business Analytics
OracleSceneD I G I T A L
A common problem at most organisations is the speed of reports. Does your organisation require information instantly? Are they fed up of waiting and looking at blank screens? So you have purchased or thinking of purchasing an Exalytics machine. Did you know it is possible for you to place stars or your entire warehouse into memory as well as your aggregates to achieve dramatic reduction in query response times? In this article I will show you how this could be achieved. Kiran Tailor, Senior Oracle DB | BI Solutions Architect, CIMA
The Exalytics In-Memory machine features an optimised Oracle BI Foundation Suite that includes Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition. It can be installed with either Oracle TimesTen In-memory Database (IMDB) or an Oracle Database 12c with the in-memory option. Exalytics is an engineered system and most engineered systems have large system configurations with huge amounts of memory. Most users of Exalytics, who use TimesTen, will only be storing aggregates but by using the Oracle Data Warehouse Administration Console (DAC) it is possible to cache parts of or even a full Oracle BI Application warehouse into the TimesTen IMDB. The DAC can also be used to manage incremental refreshes of the TimesTen database. By placing stars or the entire warehouse into memory you can achieve a dramatic reduction in query response times.
The Data Warehouse Application Console (DAC) is used for the loading of Oracle Business Analytics Warehouse; it is used to
execute Extract Transform and Load ETL routines from your source database to a target database such as a warehouse. As well as using the DAC to load the warehouse, it can also be used to copy data to another target. In this article I will show you how you could use this data copy feature to enhance your existing DAC jobs to copy the data to another target. The target in this case is the TimesTen database which resides on the Exalytics machine where a schema called ‘supertest’ exists. TimesTen is a fully featured relational in-memory database (IMDB).
In this setup, we will use a common DAC/BI setup found across many organisations (Figure 1.1), we are using DAC 11.1.1.6.4 which is currently set up to do normal execution loads from an Oracle database (OLTP) to a warehouse (OLAP) and includes the in-memory property for the tables. The new setup would look like Figure 1.2.
Accelerate BI Apps Reporting Performance by Caching Stars into TimesTen on Exalytics
Business Analytics: Kiran Tailor
www.ukoug.org 53
What we will do is:
1) Configure another target TimesTen (IMDB) that resides on an Exalytics machine that has been already configured by the Oracle Engineered Systems installation and execute a job to copy a table from the OLAP to the IMDB, for your testing you could install a TimesTen database on a machine of your choice.
2) Configure the same job to copy incremental changes on the OLAP table to the IMDB.
Environmental PreparationIf your environment has the DAC client and DAC server on different machines, then this needs to be done on both machines.
1) Install the TimesTen 64 bit client installer to your DAC machine
2) Copy the TimesTen library .jar files to the DAC environmenta. Navigate to C:\TimesTen\tt1122_32\lib (the location of your
TimesTen Client installation)b. Select all .jar filesc. Copy to the local $DAC\lib folder (the location of your DAC
installation)d. Create an ODBC connection to the Times Ten server, name it
such as DACTT
Configure the DAC1) Start your DAC client2) Click Setup →, Physical Data Sources → New → fill in the
details as per (Figure 2), substituting table owner and table owner password relevant to your environment.
Click Test Connection (verify that DAC can connect to the TimesTen data source) → Click Save.
3) Create Logical connection ‘DACTT’ for the TimesTen database; Tools → Seed Data → Logical Data Sources → New (See Figure 3).
FIGURE 1.1: CURRENT SETUP FIGURE 1.2: NEW SETUP
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 3>>
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SUMMER 15
Business Analytics: Kiran Tailor
OracleSceneD I G I T A L
4) Create Task Phase ‘DataCopy to TimesTen’ for the datacopy process; Menu → Tools → Seed Data → Task Phases → New (See Figure 4).
5) Create an External Executor called ‘TT’ as per (Figure 5); Click Setup →, External Executors → New.
6) We are now going to select the tables that we want copied to TimesTen by going to the tables screen; Design → Tables; here we can select what tables we want to copy to our TimesTen IMDB by using the query function. For this example we have selected the table ‘People’ and checked the tick box ‘In Memory’ (Figure 6).
If we had more than one table in the list we can set multiple tables by positioning your cursor on one of the table names in the list → Right-Click → Update Records → Select In Memory → Click Set Values → Check In Memory → Check Update Referenced Records → Click OK.
7) We now need to make sure that, for all the tables we want to copy, we have the columns in the column tab populated; so
with the cursor on one of the table names in the list → Right-Click → Import From database → Import Database Columns → Select the Datasource for the OLAP → Read Columns → Import Columns → Click OK.
8) For all the tables we have selected in section 6, we need to make sure the column ‘In Memory’ in the column tab is checked for all the columns; with your cursor on 1 column → Right-Click → Update Records → Select In Memory → Click Set Values → Check In Memory → Check Update Referenced Records → Click OK.
9) We can now generate the scripts to be run on the TimesTen database. Within the Design → Tables tab, Query for the table/s we are copying Right-Click → Generate DW Table Scripts → select ‘All Records in the list’, do not execute, just copy the file contents and run as script on the TimesTen server this will create the schema.
10) The data copy can be a full load or an incremental load. For an incremental load we need to identify the changed data. During each load in this example we will be using the field etl_proc_wid to distinguish load changes. Within the Design → Tables tab, Query for the table/s we are copying with which we want to do incremental loads, Right-Click → Generate Data Copy Tasks → All Records in the list. For the Primary Logical Source - choose your connection to the OLAP; Primary Logical Target – choose your TimesTen connection; for your task phase – DataCopy To TimesTen (See Figure 7).
*If we were doing full loads every time, we just select the tables we only want to do full loads and untick Enable Incremental Data Copy in the pop up screen above.
11) We will now create the subject area to run these Data Copy tasks; Design → Subject Areas → New → ’Enter a name of your choice’ → Save.
12) Select the Tasks tab for your subject area, in the name field query for DATA* and then select ADD/ADD ALL → OK.
13) We will now create the global parameters that will be needed for the data copy to work; Design → Source System Parameters → New; Create the two parameters in Figure 8.
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 6
FIGURE 7
Business Analytics: Kiran Tailor
www.ukoug.org 55
Field Parameter 1 Parameter 2
Name DataCopyUniqueKey DataCopyIncrementalFilter
Data Type Text Text
Load Type Both Both
Value Static ROW_WID ETL_PROC_WID>=@DAC_$$ETL_PROC_WID
Parameter 1 tells the data copy tasks what the unique identifier is for the tables, so by checking if the row exists in the target table it will do an update or an insert.
Parameter 2 is used by the data copy tasks to identify the rows that have been inserted or changed by the last load and need to be copied to your IMDB target.
14) Now that we have finished the configuration, we can build the execution plan. Execute Execution Plans New; give your execution plan a name and save. With your new execution plan selected, navigate to the Subject Areas tab, → Add/Remove → Go → Select your subject area you used in section 11 → Add → OK.
15) We now need to generate the logical to physical maps, With your new execution plan selected, navigate to the Connectivity Parameters, → Generate, Update the value columns so they point to the correct value, you will find this easier if you kept the logical and physical names the same in the earlier tasks.
16) When we run this plan we can schedule this to run after our normal load to the OLAP warehouse, so we need to tell the plan how to identify the last load. With your new execution plan selected, navigate to the Execution Parameters → New, (See Figure 9 for the values). → Save.
Field Value
Name $$ETL_PROC_WID
Data Type SQL
Load Type Incremental
Value
select max(etl_proc_wid) from w_etl_defn_run where etl_defn_name = ‘<Name of execution plan that needs to be copied>’
Logical Data Source DBConnection_DAC
17) Build the execution plan and run; Execute → Execution Plans → Select your plan → Build; → Built you can Run Now.
Next StepsSo we have loaded data into the tables, what do we need to do now? All we need to do now is, in the RPD via the admin tool, for the objects that have been moved to in-memory (TimesTen), change the database type for your physical object to TimesTen v11 and fill in the details for your call interface, such as the TimesTen ODBC, username and password.
SummaryIn this article we have successfully loaded a table into a TimesTen IMDB that resides on an Exalytics box. Using the same principal, you could choose as many tables as you wish and gain dramatic performance improvements. Your limitation would only be the amount of memory you have available. Even though we have used an Exalytics box which comes with a minimum of 1 TB of RAM, you could use any hardware of your choice. So if your warehouse is smaller than the amount of memory you have available, there is no reason why you can’t load your entire warehouse into memory and achieve dramatic reduction in query response times. You don’t need to be a massive company with a massive warehouse to benefit.
The question is, would you use TimesTen IMDB or an Oracle Database 12c with the In-Memory option?
With Oracle Database 12c In-Memory, you would not have to configure ETLs to load data into memory, you would simply enter a command ‘alter table People inmemory’ done. Also with this, there will be no need to make repository changes that we mentioned in the next steps as the database will decide when to pull from memory and when to pull from disks.
With TimesTen and this method of loading data into memory, everything is in-memory whereas with 12c you are at the mercy of the optimizer, so your query may come from the in-memory column store or the row-based table on disk.
By placing everything in a separate TimesTen IMDB you would need to maintain what you place in-memory and keep changes in the warehouse in-synch with the TimesTen database, which can be done using the Oracle DAC as demonstrated here.
TimesTen takes a while to start up, but once started all queries get full in-memory performance, whereas 12c In-Memory column store can take a while to populate after the database has started causing the initial queries to hit the row store. So if you’ve dropped Analytical indexes because you are using the 12c In-Memory option, then you may get performance degradation while the column store loads.
>>
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A well indexed database (i.e. one where the indexing is well matched to the query workload) will typically perform as well as, or even better than, a column store that does not use indexes. The ‘value’ of 12c In-Memory is that full table scans become very fast so queries for which you do not have the right indexes can still perform well. The downside is that scanning all that data fast uses a lot of CPU; and if you do it in parallel you will use even more CPU. So while 12c In-Memory may make some types of ‘ad hoc’ queries much faster, that typically comes at the cost of much higher CPU usage (compared to the case where there was indexing to support the queries), which may in turn reduce the level of concurrent users that you can sustain.
Even though we used the DAC in this scenario, there is no reason why you can’t use Oracle ODI as an alternative to implement this kind of set up.
As to the question of whether to use TimesTen or Database 12c In-Memory with Exalytics, it would have to be which option best suits your organisation.
ABOUTTHEAUTHOR
Kiran TailorSenior Oracle DB | BI Solutions Architect, CIMA
Kiran Tailor is a Senior Oracle DB | BI Solutions Architect. He has extensive experience working in the areas of BI, Analytics, Data Warehousing, Exalytics, OBIEE, BI Apps, Informatica, Times Ten and Databases for over 16 Years. He started working in Oracle Forms and quickly moved to database administration before moving to business analytics/intelligence. For the last 4 years he has been extensively been working with the Oracle Development Teams in San Francisco and the UK on OBIEE (Exalytics). He has presented at Oracle Open world, Oracle Analytics Summit and other events. He works at CIMA (Chartered Institute of Managements Accountants), CIMA is the world’s largest and leading professional body of management accountants. Kiran regularly contributes to the UKOUG community dedicating time to reviewing article submissions and conference papers.
Our Apps15 and Tech15 conference agendas feature content streams for delegates interested in Big Data, Data Warehousing and Business Analytics.
The Business Analytics agenda will open with Nick Whitehead, Oracle’s Functional Lead for Business Analytics in EMEA, who will deliver the community keynote on Oracle’s strategy and roadmap. This will be followed by three days of sessions from technical and functional experts and users.
DAY STREAMS
7 December: Business Analytics 8 December: Business Analytics, Big Data & Data
Warehousing9 December: Business Analytics, Big Data & Data
Warehousing
Delegates will have the flexibility to attend both Apps15 and Tech15 sessions. Visit the event websites above to view the sessions and register your place.
Get the Inside Trackwww.apps15.ukoug.org | www.tech15.ukoug.org SuperSunday
