Abstract: A mechanism and system are provided for making available information that identifies participants of a distributed operation by registering the information with a name service. Once the participant information has been registered with the name service, the name service supplies the information to entities that request it. An example of a distributed operation is a distributed transaction executed by two or more database servers.

Abstract: A method of storing one or more database query language statements and performance information for each statement as a persistent database object is disclosed.

Abstract: A method for receiving a database query language statement and performance information about the statement at an optimizer and generating one or more tuning actions for the statement with the performance information is disclosed.

Abstract: A method to addresses structural performance problems of a database query language statement is provided. The method includes receiving a database query language statement at an optimizer, evaluating choices in a search space to generate an execution plan for the statement, and producing annotations to record one or more reasons for selecting each choice while generating the execution plan.

Abstract: A self-managing workload repository infrastructure (or “AWR” for Automatic workload repository) which is useful for a database server to collect and manage useful system performance statistics. The AWR runs automatically to collect performance data about the operation of the database system, and stores the data that it captures into the database. The collection process is done inside the database, and the collection process is highly efficient as data is retrieved directly from the shared memory of the database kernel. The data captured allows both system level and user level analysis to be performed without unduly impacting system performance, e.g., by eliminating or reducing the requirement to repeat the workload in order to diagnose problems. The AWR is configured to automatically capture snapshots of statistics data on a periodic basis as well as purge stale data on a periodic basis. The captured performance data includes one or more of the top N (e.g.

Abstract: An intelligent database infrastructure wherein the management of all database components is performed by and within the database itself by integrating management of various components with a central management control. Each individual database component, as well as the central management control, is self-managing. A central management control module integrates and interacts with the various database components. The database is configured to automatically tune to varying workloads and configurations, correct or alert about bad conditions, and advise on ways to improve overall system performance.

Abstract: A self-managing workload repository (AWR) infrastructure useful for a database server to collect and manage selected sets of important system performance statistics. Based on a schedule, the AWR runs automatically to collect data about the operation of the database system, and stores the data that it captures into the database. The AWR is advantageously designed to be lightweight and to self manage its use of storage space so as to avoid ending up with a repository of performance data that is larger than the database that it is capturing data about. The AWR is configured to automatically capture snapshots of statistics data on a periodic basis as well as purge stale data on a periodic basis. Both the frequency of the statistics data capture and length of time for which data is kept is adjustable. Manual snapshots and purging may also be performed. The AWR captured data allows for both system level and user level analysis to be automatically performed without unduly impacting system performance, e.g.

Abstract: Techniques for capturing samples of session activity in a database are provided. Session activity for active sessions is recorded at certain times over a time period. Accordingly, a sample of session activity is taken for sessions in a database.

Abstract: Techniques for self-diagnosing performance problems in a database are provided. The techniques include classifying one or more performance problems in a database system. One or more values for quantifying an impact of the one or more performance problems on the database system are then determined. The quantified values are determined based on the performance of operations in the database system. A performance problem based on the one or more quantified values is then determined. A solution for the performance problem is generated and may be outputted.

Abstract: Quantifying the impact of wasteful operations on a database system is provided. One or more operations that are determined to be wasteful are received. The impact of the wasteful operations on performance in a database may then be quantified. The database is monitored to determine when a wasteful operation is being performed. When a wasteful operation is detected, a time value is recorded of the time spent on processing the wasteful operation. The time value is stored and used to quantify an impact of a performance problem in a database. The time value may be stored and associated with other time values that are recorded for the same wasteful operation. Thus, the impact of wasteful operations that are performed and processed in a database may be determined.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for performing incremental refreshes to materialized views defined by one-to-one lossless joins. Each base table of the materialized view is selected to be processed as the current "selected table". During the processing, if the selected table is the right table of an outer join, then selected columns of rows of the materialized view are set to NULL based on rows of the selected table that have been updated or deleted in the selected table after a prior refresh operation. Then, NULL values in selected columns of the materialized view are updated to reflect new values caused by updates and inserts into the selected table that occurred after the prior refresh operation. If the selected table is not the right table of an outer join, then rows from the materialized view are deleted based on rows of the selected table that have been updated or deleted in the selected table after the prior refresh operation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for performing incremental refreshes to materialized views defined by one-to-N lossless joins. Each base table of the materialized view is selected to be processed as the current "selected table". The processing of the current selected table varies depending on whether the selected table is the right side table of an outer join. If the selected table is not the right table of an outer join, then the selected table is processed by (1) deleting rows from the materialized view based on rows of the selected table that have been updated or deleted in the selected table during the batch window, and (2) inserting rows into the materialized view based on updates and inserts into the selected table that occurred during the batch window. If the selected table is the right table of an outer join, then changes made to the selected table are processed in a way that reduces the number of changes that have to be made to the materialized view.