Abstract: Techniques are described herein for cloning a database. According to some embodiments, a database server receives a request to clone a source database. In response to receiving the request, the database server retrieves a set of one or more storage credentials for a set of one or more respective storage systems on which a set of files of the source database are stored. The set of storage credentials grant permission to the database server to create snapshot copies on the set of storage systems. The database server generates, for a target database using the set of storage credentials, a snapshot copy of each respective file in the set of files of the source database. The snapshot copy of the respective file points to the same set of one or more data blocks as the respective file until at least one of the data blocks is modified.

Abstract: Techniques for common users and roles, and commonly-granted privileges and roles are described. In one approach, the DBMS of a container database allows for the creation of common roles and common users that are shared across the container database. Thus, when a common role or a common user is established, the common role or common user is propagated to each database of the container database. In another approach, the DBMS of a container database allows privileges and roles to be granted commonly or locally. When a privilege or role is granted commonly, the privilege applies in each of the databases of a container database. When a privilege or role is granted locally, the privilege applies only in the database to which the grantor of the privilege or role established a connection.

Abstract: A pluggable database is transported between a source DBMS and a destination DBMS, in a way that minimizes downtime of the pluggable database. While a copy of the pluggable database is being made at the destination DBMS, transactions continue to execute against the pluggable database at the source DBMS and change the pluggable database. Eventually, the transactions terminate or cease executing. Redo records generated for the transactions are applied to the copy of the pluggable database at the source DBMS. Undo records generated for at least some of the transactions may be stored in a separate undo log and transported to the destination DBMS. The transported pluggable database is synchronized at a destination DBMS in a “pluggable-ready state”, where it may be plugged into the destination container DBMS.

Abstract: Techniques for common users and roles, and commonly-granted privileges and roles are described. In one approach, the DBMS of a container database allows for the creation of common roles and common users that are shared across the container database. Thus, when a common role or a common user is established, the common role or common user is propagated to each database of the container database. In another approach, the DBMS of a container database allows privileges and roles to be granted commonly or locally. When a privilege or role is granted commonly, the privilege applies in each of the databases of a container database. When a privilege or role is granted locally, the privilege applies only in the database to which the grantor of the privilege or role established a connection.

Abstract: A remote control service on a mobile device interrogates a program on another computing device to obtain metadata describing the structure of information being displayed on the computing device. The remote control service then calculates a different data structure that is used to display a subset of the data on the display screen of the mobile device.

Abstract: A method system and program for performing a query in which context and information including opcodes accompanies an execution plan for the query. The opcodes determine operations to retrieve a set of bind variables. The execution plan and context information shared by a plurality of application programs.

Abstract: A container database stores redo records and logical timestamps for multiple pluggable databases. When it is detected that a first read-write instance of the pluggable database is opened and no other read-write instances of the pluggable database are open, offline range data associated with the pluggable database is updated. When it is detected that a second read-write instance of the pluggable database is closed, and the second read-write instance is the last open read-write instance, the offline range data associated with the pluggable database is updated. The pluggable database is restored to a logical timestamp associated with a restore request based on the offline range data.

Abstract: Techniques for common users and roles, and commonly-granted privileges and roles are described. In one approach, the DBMS of a container database allows for the creation of common roles and common users that are shared across the container database. Thus, when a common role or a common user is established, the common role or common user is propagated to each database of the container database. In another approach, the DBMS of a container database allows privileges and roles to be granted commonly or locally. When a privilege or role is granted commonly, the privilege applies in each of the databases of a container database. When a privilege or role is granted locally, the privilege applies only in the database to which the grantor of the privilege or role established a connection.

Abstract: A container database may contain multiple database dictionaries, each database dictionary defining a pluggable database. When database sessions are established on a container DBMS, each database session is given access to a pluggable database by establishing the respective database dictionary of the pluggable database as the database dictionary for that database session. Database commands issued through database session can only access the database objects defined in the database dictionary established for the database session.

Abstract: A database may facilitate zero-downtime upgrades by concurrently maintaining multiple editions of database objects for use by both pre-upgrade and post-upgrade clients of a database application. Operations performed within the database are associated with an edition based on, for example, an initiating client or transaction. When an operation references an object or data, the database automatically performs the operation using the object or data associated with the edition with which the operation is itself associated. The database may determine the associated edition without explicit identification of the associated edition in a query or in code. Thus, no client or stored procedure code changes are necessary to reflect a new edition added during an update. Data changes in one edition may be automatically and immediately propagated to the other edition through the use of cross-edition triggers, thereby allowing both pre-upgrade and post-upgrade clients to remain fully functional throughout an upgrade.

Abstract: Disclosed are improved methods, systems, and media for cursor sharing and cursor pruning. According to some approaches, existing child cursors are distinguished using a cursor sharing criteria node structure. A sharing criteria node (also referred to as a “diagnostic” node) is created when a sharing criteria mismatch/failure happens. The node contains information about why the child cursor could not be shared and also information that can be used to quickly re-evaluate this sharing criterion in the future.

Abstract: Disclosed are improved methods, systems, and mediums for cursor sharing and cursor pruning. According to some approaches, existing child cursors are distinguished using a cursor sharing criteria node structure. A sharing criteria node (also referred to as a “diagnostic” node) is created when a sharing criteria mismatch/failure happens. The node contains information about why the child cursor could not be shared and also information that can be used to quickly re-evaluate this sharing criterion in the future.

Abstract: Versioned metadata allows multiple versions of metadata for a given object to exist concurrently on a system thereby supporting the parallel execution of operations which would otherwise be mutually exclusive. Metadata updates are permitted while other objects maintain access to another version of the metadata through a versioning infrastructure. The versioning infrastructure allows the creation of new versions of metadata, maintains obsolete versions in the system as long as they are being used by any object, and deletes the obsolete versions once they are no longer in use.

Abstract: A method system and program for performing a query in which context and information including opcodes accompanies an execution plan for the query. The opcodes determine operations to retrieve a set of bind variables. The execution plan and context information shared by a plurality of application programs.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for efficiently managing cached objects is provided. A mapping is a typed relationship between cached objects. A base object contains content, and a mapped object is mapped to a base object when there is a particular relationship between the mapped object and the base object. The type of mapping defines how the objects in the relationship are treated when the mapped object is created, read, or written. At creation time, the mapping type may define how the mapping relationship is recognized. Sometimes recognizing a relationship requires establishing equivalence between the objects. At read and write time, the mapping type may define on which object a mutual exclusion lock is held, which content is returned or which object's content is updated. A wide range of applications can benefit from enhanced object caching performance, and in addition, application may define application-specific semantics on mapping types as well.

Abstract: A method system and program for performing a query in which context and information including opcodes accompanies an execution plan for the query. The opcodes determine operations to retrieve a set of bind variables. The execution plan and context information shared by a plurality of application programs.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for updating databases are disclosed. An update vector for an object is created for identifying updated attributes. A dependent object is identified and a dependency vector of the dependent object is compared with update vector to determine whether the dependent object depends on the updated attributes.

Abstract: A standby database system or another replica data system replicates changes, made to data blocks at a source database system or another primary data copy, to replicas of the data blocks at the standby database system or other replica. While replicating the changes to the data blocks thereof, the standby database system (or other replica) receives queries (or reads) issued thereto and computes the queries based on data read from the data blocks thereof.

Abstract: A standby database system or another replica data system replicates changes, made to data blocks at a source database system or another primary data copy, to replicas of the data blocks at the standby database system or other replica. While replicating the changes to the data blocks thereof, the standby database system (or other replica) receives queries (or reads) issued thereto and computes the queries based on data read from the data blocks thereof.

Abstract: A database may facilitate zero-downtime upgrades by concurrently maintaining multiple editions of database objects for use by both pre-upgrade and post-upgrade clients of a database application. Operations performed within the database are associated with an edition based on, for example, an initiating client or transaction. When an operation references an object or data, the database automatically performs the operation using the object or data associated with the edition with which the operation is itself associated. The database may determine the associated edition without explicit identification of the associated edition in a query or in code. Thus, no client or stored procedure code changes are necessary to reflect a new edition added during an update. Data changes in one edition may be automatically and immediately propagated to the other edition through the use of cross-edition triggers, thereby allowing both pre-upgrade and post-upgrade clients to remain fully functional throughout an upgrade.