Ask the Experts

How can I identify data files with active Oracle I/O?

Can you find the data files with active Oracle I/O without affecting the application? Oracle expert Brian Peasland answers this question and offers solutions in this tip. Continue Reading
Can I use special characters in Oracle table names?

Learn why you may want to avoid using special characters in Oracle table names when they also have meaning in utilities or SQL scripts in this tip from Oracle database expert Brian Peasland. Continue Reading
Performing an Oracle application backup: What is the best method?

Trying to perform an Oracle application backup? Learn about your options for Oracle application backups, including putting schemas in tablespaces and using exp/imp, in this tip from Oracle database expert Brian Peasland. Continue Reading
How to use a hierarchical query to generate ROWNUMs using PL/SQL

Want to generate numbers from SQL? Learn why using a PL/SQL hierarchical query may be a better solution than using a data dictionary view in this tip from PL/SQL expert Dan Clamage. Continue Reading
Server load problems after moving from Oracle 10g XE to 11g SE One

Experiencing server load problems when moving from Oracle 10g XE to 11g SE One? Learn ways to solve these server load issues in this tip from Oracle database expert Brian Peasland. Continue Reading

Minimize database downtime when moving an Oracle DB to a new server

Learn how to minimize database downtime when moving your Oracle 10gR2 database from a Windows 2003 32-bit server to a Windows 2008 64-bit server, using the Database Configuration Assistant, in this tip from an Oracle database expert. Continue Reading
Do I buy an extra license for an OAS to Fusion Middleware 11g upgrade?

Learn whether you need to buy an extra license when performing an upgrade from Oracle Application Server (OAS) to Oracle Fusion Middleware 11g for Forms and Reports in this tip from Oracle licensing expert Scott Rosenberg. Continue Reading
Licensing Dev and QA environments with Oracle SE in production

Do you need extra licenses for Dev and QA environments when you have Oracle Standard Edition (SE) in production? Learn about licensing Dev and QA environments in this tip from Oracle licensing expert Scott Rosenberg. Continue Reading
Understanding rollback in Oracle following SHUTDOWN IMMEDIATE

Oracle expert Brian Peasland explains the concept of rollback in Oracle, and explains how Oracle rollback works when a SHUTDOWN IMMEDIATE is issued. Continue Reading
How to perform incomplete recovery to overcome Oracle database error

Learn how to perform incomplete recovery in Oracle to overcome an error after restoring with RESETLOGs in this tip from Oracle expert Brian Peasland. Continue Reading
How to add disk to ASM diskgroup with two-way mirroring

Learn how to add disk to ASM diskgroup with two-way mirroring and how to specify a failgroup in this tip from Oracle expert Brian Peasland. Continue Reading

Do I have to license non-production databases supporting Oracle EBS?

Do I have to license non-production databases for Oracle EBS? Learn the answer from licensing expert Scott Rosenberg, who explains why you might have to license all database instances for EBS. Continue Reading
Understanding licensing for Oracle database failover

Oracle database failover nodes may need to be licensed on their own. Learn why and how to tell what qualifies as “failover” in this tip from Oracle licensing expert Scott Rosenberg. Continue Reading
Does Oracle support non-certified products?

Does Oracle support non-certified products and non-certified products? Learn more about what certified means in this tip from Oracle expert Brian Peasland. Continue Reading
Oracle backup and recovery strategies: Export dump vs. RMAN

Should you use an export dump or RMAN in your Oracle backup and recovery strategies? Learn about the importance of employing both in this tip from Oracle expert Brian Peasland. Continue Reading