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/

Oracle Virtualization

Oracle Virtualization:
If you are looking for Oracle Virtualization, the right place to go is:
http://blogs.oracle.com/virtualization/

I hope most of your queries will be answered here.

Oracle Press Releases

Oracle Press Releases:
See the latest news for Oracle Corporation. Follow the below link:
http://pressroom.oracle.com/search/search?group=PressReleases&keyword=

Oracle Licenses and Price

Oracle Licenses and Price:
Oracle products offering and pricing are given in more details at below link:
http://www.oracle.com/corporate/pricing/pricelists.html

Sun Oracle Exadata Storage Server

Oracle Exadata: Sun Oracle Exadata Storage Server:
Sun Oracle Exadata Storage Server is a storage product highly optimized for use with the Oracle database. Exadata delivers outstanding I/O and SQL processing performance for data warehousing applications by leveraging a massively parallel architecture to enable a dynamic storage grid for Oracle Database 11g deployments. Exadata is a combination of software and hardware used to store and access the Oracle database. It provides database aware storage services, such as the ability to offload database processing from the database server to storage, and provides this while being transparent to SQL processing and your database applications. Exadata storage delivers dramatic performance improvements, with unlimited I/O scalability, is simple to use and manage, and delivers mission-critical availability and reliability to your enterprise. Refer the below URL for more information
http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/bi/db/exadata/index.html

Sun Oracle Database Machine

Oracle Exadata: Sun Oracle Database Machine:
The Sun Oracle Database Machine provides an optimal solution for all database workloads, ranging from scan-intensive data warehouse applications to highly concurrent OLTP applications. With its combination of smart Oracle Exadata Storage Server Software, complete and intelligent Oracle Database software, and the latest industry standard hardware components from Sun, the Database Machine delivers extreme performance in a highly-available, highly-secure environment. With Oracle's unique clustering and workload management capabilities, the Database Machine is also well-suited for consolidating multiple databases onto a single grid. Delivered as a complete pre-optimized and pre-configured package of software, servers, and storage, the Sun Oracle Database Machine is simple and fast to implement and ready to tackle your large-scale business applications. Refer below URL for more details
http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/bi/db/exadata/index.html

Oracle Exadata

Oracle Exadata:
Do you know about Oracle Exadata?
"The world's first OLTP database machine with Sun flashfire technology."

Follow the below links for more information:
Oracle Unveils Exadata Version 2: The First Database Machine for OLTP:
http://www.oracle.com/us/corporate/press/033684

Sun Oracle Database Machine and Exadata Storage Server:
http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/bi/db/exadata/index.html

Refer the "Techical Information" section of the above link.

OCRCONFIG

Usage of ocrconfig to administer Oracle Cluster Registry:
Prerequisites:
Requires administrative previlege on UNIX based systems or as a user with administrator previleges on windows based systems.

Usage:
ocrconfig -option

Options:
-backuploc: To change an ocr backup file location.
-downgrade: To downgrade ocr to an earlier version.
-export: To export the contents of an ocr to a target file.
-help: to display help for ocrconfig tool.
-import: To import the ocr contents from a previously exported ocr file.
-overwrite: To update an ocr configuration that is recorded on the ocr with the current ocr configuration information that is found on the node from which you are running this command.
-repair: To update an ocr configuration on the node from which you are running this command with the new configuration information specified by this command
-restore: To restore an ocr from an automatically created ocr backup file.
-showbackup: To display ocr backup information.
-upgrade: To upgrade an ocr to a latest version.

RAC Administration and Maintenance Tasks

RAC Administration and Maintenance Tasks using ocrconfig, ocrdump, olsnodes, srvctl, crsctl, oifcfg, ocrcheck

This topic covers the following RAC maintenance activities:

1. Checking CRS status
2. Viewing name of the cluster
3. Viewing nodes configuraion
4. Checking votedisk information
5. Checking OCR disk information
6. Timeout settings in cluster
7. Add/Remove OCR files
8. Add/Remove votedisk
9. Backing up OCR
10. Backing up votedisk
11. Restoring OCR Devices
12. Restoring voting disk devices
13. Changing Public IPs and Virtual IPs

Refer the below link to learn more about the above maintenance activities.
http://www.oracledba.org/11g/rac/11g_RAC_Admin_Maintenance_Tasks.html

The above link will also give beautiful information and usage of the below tools:

1. ocrconfig
2. ocrdump
3. olsnodes
4. ocrcheck
5. crsctl
6. oifcfg
7. srvctl

WebLogic Configuration for RAC

How-To Configure and Use Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC) with Oracle WebLogic Server 10.3:
This demo shows how to configure Oracle WebLogic Server to work with Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC) as well as how to test the connections to the backend Oracle RAC nodes using a web application.

Oracle WebLogic Server 10.3 integrates Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC) features in Oracle Database 11g, minimizing database access time while allowing transparent access to rich pooling management functions that maximize both connection performance and availability.

There are multiple configuration options for Oracle RAC features within Oracle WebLogic Server. Oracle recommends using Oracle WebLogic Server JDBC multi data sources. This applies to scenarios with or without global transactions. Also you could configure Oracle WebLogic Server to use Oracle JDBC THIN driver’s connect-time failover as well as Fast Connection Failover from Oracle JDBC driver’s Implicit Connection Cache.

In this demo, we will configure and use Oracle WebLogic Server JDBC multi data sources for failover and load balancing.

Check the below URL for detailed steps:
http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/weblogic/howto/rac/index.html#

Task List for Physical Standby Database Creation

Task List: Preparing to create a physical standby database:
This section provides a checklist of tasks that you perform to create a physical standby database and synchronize it so that it is ready to begin managed recovery. Each step includes a reference to a section that provides additional information.

Preparing the Primary Database for Standby Database Creation:
Primary Node:
Enable Forced Logging
Create a Password File
Configure a Standby Redo Log
Set Primary Database Initialization Parameters
Enable Archiving

Step-by-Step Instructions for Creating a Physical Standby Database:
Primary Node:
Create a Backup Copy of the Primary Database Datafiles
Create a Control File for the Standby Database
Prepare an Initialization Parameter File for the Standby Database
Copy Files from the Primary System to the Standby System

Standby Node:
Set Up the Environment to Support the Standby Database
Start the Physical Standby Database
Verify the Physical Standby Database Is Performing Properly

Post-Creation Steps:
Primary/Standby Node:
Upgrade the data protection mode
Enable Flashback Database

Configure Standby Database using RMAN

Configure Physical Standby Database using RMAN:
Follow the below steps to configure physical standby database using RMAN

Target Database:
Make sure the target database is mount or on open stage.

$ export ORACLE_SID TEST
$ rman target /
RMAN> show all;
Using target database controlfile instead of recovery catalog RMAN configuration parameters are:
CONFIGURE RETENTION POLICY TO RECOVERY WINDOW OF 1 DAYS;
CONFIGURE BACKUP OPTIMIZATION OFF;CONFIGURE DEFAULT DEVICE TYPE TO DISK;
CONFIGURE CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP ON;
CONFIGURE CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP FORMAT FOR DEVICE TYPE DISK TO '/u01/oradata/backup/Oracle_Backups d_ F.rman';
CONFIGURE DEVICE TYPE DISK PARALLELISM 1;
CONFIGURE DATAFILE BACKUP COPIES FOR DEVICE TYPE DISK TO 1;
CONFIGURE ARCHIVELOG BACKUP COPIES FOR DEVICE TYPE DISK TO 1;
CONFIGURE CHANNEL DEVICE TYPE DISK FORMAT '/u01/oradata/backup/Oracle_Backups d_ F.rman';
CONFIGURE MAXSETSIZE TO UNLIMITED;
CONFIGURE SNAPSHOT CONTROLFILE NAME TO '/u01/oradata/backup/ORACLEORA92DATABASESNCFTEST.ORA';

2. Backup the current production database to create a standby database:

RMAN> backup database include current controlfile for standby plus archivelog;

3. Manually copy the backup sets from the production server to the DR Server (location of backups must match on both production and DR). Make sure all DR filesystems are identical with respect to the target database environment.

4. On the DR Server start up the TEST database in nomount mode. Make sure the parameter file and password file are all present at DR server at $ORACLE_HOME/dbs location for UNIX system.

$ set ORACLE_SID TEST
$ sqlplus /nolog
SQL> connect / as sysdba
SQL> startup nomount
SQL> exit

5. Create the standby database using RMAN. This assumes the database file structures will be identical on both servers. Also you have initialization parameter, password file and backup piece are all placed in their correct locations. The tnsnames.ora and listener.ora must have information for target and auxiliary database and listener is up.

$ RMAN target ‘sys/password@TEST’ auxiliary / (This is executed from DR server.)
RMAN> duplicate target database for standby nofilenamecheck dorecover;

6. Once the DR database is created, you will need to manually add a tempfile:

SQL> alter database open read only;
SQL> alter tablespace temp add tempfile ‘/u01/oradata/TEMP01.DBF’ size 500M;

7. Put the DR database into managed standby mode:

SQL> shutdown immediate
SQL> startup nomount
SQL> alter database mount standby database;
SQL> alter database recover managed standby database disconnect;

8. On the production database switch logs to initiate replication:

SQL> alter system switch logfile;

The configuration of Dataguard is now complete.

For more detailed information to create a Physical standby database using RMAN, refer the below URL:
http://www.idevelopment.info/data/Oracle/DBA_tips/RMAN_9i/RMAN9_32.shtml

ASM Commands

Summary of ASM Commands:
This section describes each individual ASMCMD command in detail:

cd: Changes the current directory to the specified directory.
du:Displays the total disk space occupied by ASM files in the specified ASM directory and all its subdirectories, recursively.
exit:Exits ASMCMD.
find:Lists the paths of all occurrences of the specified name (with wildcards) under the specified directory.
help:Displays the syntax and description of ASMCMD commands.
ls:Lists the contents of an ASM directory, the attributes of the specified file, or the names and attributes of all disk groups.
lsct:Lists information about current ASM clients.
lsdg:Lists all disk groups and their attributes.
mkalias:Creates an alias for a system-generated filename.
mkdir:Creates ASM directories.
pwd:Displays the path of the current ASM directory.
rm:Deletes the specified ASM files or directories.
rmalias:Deletes the specified alias, retaining the file that the alias points to.

Refer the below URL for more details on asmcmd for 10GR2:
http://www.mcs.csueastbay.edu/support/oracle/doc/10.2/server.102/b14215/asm_util.htm#table

Refer the below URL for more details on asmcmd for 11G Release 1:
http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B28359_01/server.111/b31107/asm_util.htm#table

RMAN Commands

RMAN Commands:
This chapter describes, in alphabetical order, Recovery Manager commands and subclauses. For a summary of the RMAN commands and command-line options, refer to "Summary of RMAN Commands".

http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B14117_01/server.101/b10770/rcmsynta.htm#77541

For command line options for the RMAN client, refer to "cmdLine".

To configure recovery catalog database refer the below URL:
http://oracledocaccess.blogspot.com/2009/06/configure-recovery-catalog.html

For RMAN concepts refer the below URL:
http://oracledocaccess.blogspot.com/2009/06/rman-concepts.html