Practical Oracle8i: Building Efficient Databases [Paperback]

In this book, one of the world's leading Oracle database consultants covers the real-world design and development issues most Oracle books ignore! Jonathan Lewis presents powerful techniques -- and errors to avoid -- if you want to build databases that meet their objectives, stay on budget, scale to support growth, and are easy to manage. Jonathan Lewis focuses on helping database designers and developers answer two essential questions: "How should I think when designing an Oracle-based application? And, how can I select the most appropriate Oracle features for my application, taking into account their interrelationships?" Drawing upon fifteen years experience as an Oracle database designer and consultant, he delivers an intimate understanding of the Oracle database engine, and all the guidance you need to use its key features most effectively. Coverage includes: tables and tablespaces, indexing, temporary space, files, views, partitioning, lots, simple and collection objects, LOBs, integrity, PL/SQL, autonomous transactions, RLS, PQO and OPS, replication, fallback, and much more. For every Oracle database designer, developer, and manager; and for any professional called upon to maintain or optimize Oracle-based databases.

What is really involved in building effective Oracle database systems, and how do you approach the endeavor in a way that increases your chances for success?

Practical Oracle8i™ offers a real-life approach to constructing Oracle databases--one that is geared toward solving important business problems. This book will help you devise appropriate strategies for database design that takes into account Oracle's technical underpinnings, hardware and user limitations, and tradeoffs between simplicity and efficiency. It discusses selecting the Oracle features needed to perform specific functions and demonstrates how to structure code most effectively for the features being implemented.

Practical Oracle8i™ presents an overview of Oracle that clearly explains the central functions that are key to Oracle's operation. In addition, the book presents the fundamentals of the system, covering the way in which data is stored, packed, and made visible, as well as the dynamic features involved in transactions and calculations. Specific topics covered include:

• A discussion of why Oracle projects fail
• Leveraging tablespaces
• Partitioning
• LOBs
• Autonomous transactions
• Row-level security for virtual private databases
• Parallel query and parallel server
• The new analytical functions introduced in Oracle 8.1.6

This book also provides a summary of the most useful new features of Oracle 8.1.5, practical tips for tuning performance and testing features, and information on the major space-management features of an Oracle database.

Written by one of the world's most knowledgeable and experienced Oracle database designers and programmers, Practical Oracle8i™ reveals the strategies, techniques, and insights that will enable you to understand the technology's full potential and put Oracle to work for successful database systems.

Jonathan Lewis is a leading independent database consultant with over fifteen years' experience helping clients design and implement Oracle database systems. Much of his career has been spent working around the problems caused by the inappropriate use of the technology. In addition, he is the Director for Products and Services for the UK Oracle Users Group and maintains a Web site of Oracle tips and advice.