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Thanks, Bert.

Toad in a Secure Database Environment
PDF document, 422kb 

Overview: This paper examines options and makes "Best Practice" recomendations for Toad setup, configuration and administartive management. The prupose is to help DBA's successfully incorporate Toad within their secure database environments - that is making Toad operate within their shop's secruity guidelines and requirements.

Benchmarking Quick Bites
PDF document, 111kb

Overview: Normally, my white papers and PowerPoint presentations about benchmarking pick a particular area or focus – and drill deep into the performance issues and gains possible. But inevitably, many people email or stop up to ask me a bunch of very simple or generic questions. So I thought this time I’d write something to address those common questions which seem to get asked all the time.

Linux Maximus: Gladiator like Oracle Performance
PDF document, 304kb 

Overview: This paper is the first in a series where Benchmark Factory is used to optimize Oracle databases on Linux. This paper covers a simple assortment of tips, tricks, and techniques for maximizing the performance of Oracle on Linux. The idea was to capitalize upon Oracle and Linux low-hanging fruits – relatively simple tuning ideas so obvious as not to require benchmarking in order to be accepted.

Linux Maximus: The RAW Facts on File Systems
PDF document, 195kb

Overview: This paper is the second in a series where Benchmark Factory is used to optimize Oracle databases on Linux. This paper covers basic IO concepts for the Linux world: number and type of disk drives, logical volume managers and file systems. The idea was to establish that certain hardware and software configurations are the only real alternatives for true enterprise scaled implementations.

Tuning an Oracle9i Database Running Linux: Modern Tablespace Paradigms
PDF document, 160b

Overview: This paper is the third in a series where Benchmark Factory is used to optimize Oracle databases on Linux. This paper offers recommendations with Oracle 9i and later for adopting modern tablespace paradigms as yet another simple way to achieve optimal performance. Sometimes simply by embracing the newer tablespace management paradigms of more recent Oracle versions, DBA`s can obtain 10-20% improvements in data loading throughput, index creations and sustainable transactions per second for little or no cost.

Optimizing Oracle 10g on Linux Using Automated Storage Management
PDF document, 212kb

Overview: This paper is the fourth in a series where Benchmark Factory is used to optimize Oracle databases on Linux. This paper examines in great detail the fundamental architectural differences on Linux when using a LVM with cooked files versus Oracle 10g’s ASM (Automated Storage Management). Furthermore, it shows that even though the real benefits are simpler administration - there are nonetheless some performance gains as well.

Optimize Oracle 10g on Linux: Non-RAC ASM vs. LVM
PDF document, 283kb

Overview: This paper is the fifth in a series where Benchmark Factory is used to optimize Oracle databases on Linux. This paper examines in great detail the performance differences on Linux between using native file systems on an LVM versus Oracle 10g’s ASM (Automated Storage Management) for non-RAC databases. Specifically, it compares the new Linux LVM vs. ASM 2.0 on Redhat Advanced Server 4.0’s 2.6 kernel running Oracle 10g Release 2. In other words, it tests all the latest and greatest software technology currently available for non-RAC scenarios.

Flawless Logical to Physical Data Model Transformations 
Microsoft Word document, 991kb

Overview: This paper reviews the top 10 most common modeling issues faced when transforming data models from logical (i.e. business requirements) to physical (i.e. implementation).

Data Modeling: Its Really All About the Relationships
PDF document, 258kb 

Overview: This paper will focus on the trials and tribulations encountered while recently setting up a 10 node Linux Oracle RAC cluster. Some issues discussed include optimial Linux configuration, optimal ASM configuration, optimal instance configuration, and os/database monitoring techniques. The key points being stressed are that sometimes the obvious answwers do not scale well—without some old fashioned elbow grease being applied.

Data Modeling: Reality Requires Super and Sub Types
PDF document, 203kb

Overview: This paper is the third in a series where common data modeling design issues are identified and explained. This paper covers the proper use of entity super and sub-types - also known as generalization hierarchies. Most importantly, this papers explains the different physical impelmentation options availbe - with complete DDL examples and some advice.

 Lessons Learned During 10 Node Linux RAC Deployment
PDF document, 745kb

Overview: This paper will focus on the trials and tribulations encountered while recently setting up a 10 node Linux Oracle RAC cluster. Some issues discussed include optimial Linux configuration, optimal ASM configuration, optimal instance configuration, and os/database monitoring techniques. The key points being stressed are that sometimes the obvious answwers do not scale well—without some old fashioned elbow grease being applied.

 Engineering Better PL/SQL
PDF document, 456kb

Overview: This paper examines the PL/SQL development process and offers suggestions for increasing code quality through three automated techniques: best practices, code reviews, and common software engineering metrics. The prupose being to assist shops in their quest to improve their SEI capability maturity ratings from level-1 (initial) to level-4 (managed).