Data Masking

Data Masking
Recently I came across few Oracle links which tells a lot about Data Masking. Here are few links which gives you a great idea about the data masking feature of Oracle and the usage. It also covers the licensing part too.
Oracle Data Masking Pack:
Oracle Data Masking Pack provides a comprehensive easy-to-use solution to share production data with internal and external entities while preventing sensitive or confidential parts of the information from being disclosed to unauthorized parties. The solution replaces sensitive data in databases with realistic-looking, scrubbed data based on masking rules and conditions. QA staff can now use real data to represent authentic application and database scenarios in their testing processes without violating privacy policies or laws.
https://shop.oracle.com/pls/ostore/f?p=ostore:product:3264476248645124::NO:RP,3:P3_LPI,P3_PROD_HIER_ID:4509221213031805719914,4509951127051805720010#

Replacing Sensitive Data Using the Data Masking Pack:
This tutorial shows you how to identify sensitive data, select appropriate mask formats for the sensitive fields, apply the mask and then replace the sensitive fields in the production version.
This tutorial covers the following topics:
Overview
Prerequisites
Managing the Data Masking Format Library
Identifying Sensitive Data for Masking
Creating Data Masking Definitions for Your Application Schema
Exporting Mask Definitions to XML
Importing Data Masking Definitions
Creating and Applying a User-Defined Mask
Summary
Refer the below link for more details and screen shots.
http://www.oracle.com/technology/obe/obe10gemgc_10204/datamask/datamask.htm
Oracle Data Masking Pack Demo:
Refer the below link for a demo on Data masking.
http://download.oracle.com/technology/products/oem/screenwatches/data_masking/index.html

Active Data Guard and Snapshot Standby Features Of 11G

Active Data Guard and Snapshot Standby Features Of 11G
This is a nice database article to see active data guard and snapshot standby features in 11G. It also covers the below topics:
1: Activate Real Time Query on a physical standby database
2: Convert a physical standby database to snapshot standby mode
3: Utilize a snapshot standby database for testing application changes
4: Convert a snapshot standby database back to physical standby mode
http://www.databasejournal.com/features/oracle/article.php/3834931/article.htm

Configuring Dataguard Broker

Configuring Dataguard Broker:
This is a beautiful database article to configure dataguard broker in 11G . It also covers the below topics:
1: Demonstrates how to set up and utilize Data Guard Broker features in Oracle Database 11g.
2: Configuration of standby redo logs on the standby database.
3: Configuration of the primary and standby databases to ensure successful setup of Data Guard Broker
4: Data Guard Broker configuration on primary and standby database servers
5: Using Data Guard Broker to perform a switchover operation
6: Using Data Guard Broker to perform a switchback operation
http://www.databasejournal.com/features/oracle/article.php/3822176/Configuring-Data-Guard-Broker.htm
I hope the above link will definitely help you to configure and use data guard broker in your environment.

Installing Solaris 10 Virtual Machine Using Oracle VM Manager

Installing Solaris 10 Virtual Machine Using Oracle VM Manager:
Hope this will help. A stepwise process to install solaris 10 virtual machine.
http://blogs.oracle.com/virtualization/2010/02/installing_solaris_10_virtual.html

Oracle VM

Techincal Information Of Oracle VM:
Oracle VM is free, next generation, scalable server virtualization software that supports Oracle and non-Oracle applications. Oracle VM provides an easy-to-use graphical interface for creating and managing virtual server pools running on x86 and x86-64-based systems across an enterprise; both Linux and Windows guests are supported. Part of Oracle VM includes the Xen hypervisor, and Oracle's engineering team contributes heavily to feature development of Xen mainline software. Refer the link below to collect technical information related to Oracle VM.
http://www.oracle.com/us/technologies/virtualization/024974.htm

Larry Ellison

Larry Ellison:
If you do not know who is Larry Ellison then read this.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Ellison

Global Product Security

The Oracle Global Product Security Blog:
If you are looking for a place to watch security related information for Oracle products, refer the below blog:
http://blogs.oracle.com/security/