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Oracle Tips by Burleson |
New Technologies
Oracle is a broad topic; topics related to
Oracle and Oracle data storage are even broader. This section will
touch on several new technologies such as optical disk, RAM disk,
and tape systems that should be utilized with Oracle systems
whenever possible. Proper use of optical technology can result in
significant savings when large volumes of static data are in use in
the database (read-only). RAM drives can speed access to index and
small table data severalfold. High-speed tapes can make backup and
recovery go quickly and easily. Let’s examine these areas in more
detail.
Optical Disk Systems
WORM (write-once, read-many) or MWMR
(multiple-write, multiple-read) optical disks can be used to great
advantage in an Oracle system. Their main use will be in storage of
export and archive log files. Their relative immunity to crashes and
their long shelf life provide an ideal solution to the storage of
the immense amount of data that proper use of archive logging and
exports produce. As access speeds improve, these devices will be
worth considering for these applications with respect to Oracle.
They have also shown great benefits in read-only tablespaces and in
transportable tablespace sets, a new feature of Oracle8i and 9i,.
Tape Systems
Nine-track, 4mm, 8mm, and the infamous TK
series from DEC can be used to provide a medium for archive logs and
exports. One problem with doing so, however, most installations
require operator monitoring of the tape devices to switch cartridges
and reels. With the advent of stacker-loader drives for the
cartridge tapes, and tape libraries such as those provided by
StorageTek, this limitation has all but been eliminated in all but
the smallest shops.
Random Access Memory (RAM) Drives
Though RAM drives have been around for
several years, they have failed to gain the popularity their speed
and reliability would seem to warrant. One reason has been their
small capacity in comparison to other storage mediums. Several
manufacturers offer solid-state drives of steadily increasing
capacities. For index storage, these devices are excellent. Their
major strength is their innate speed. They also have onboard battery
backup sufficient to back up their contents to their built-in hard
drives. This backup is an automatic procedure invisible to the user,
as is the reload of data upon power restoration.
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