
Introduction
What is Server Manager?
Server Manager is Oracle's database administration tool. The graphical component of Server Manager (Server Manager/GUI) allows you to perform database administration tasks with the convenience of a graphical user interface (GUI). The line mode component of Server Manager (Server Manager/LineMode) provides a line mode interface.
Server Manager and Database Administration
Server Manager is designed to provide administrative functionality via an easy-to-use interface. You can use Server Manager to:
- Perform traditional administrative tasks, such as database startup, shutdown, backup, and recovery. Rather than manually entering the SQL commands to perform these tasks, you can use Server Manager's graphical interface to execute the commands quickly and conveniently by pointing and clicking with the mouse.
- Concurrently perform multiple tasks. Because you can open multiple windows simultaneously in Server Manager, you can perform multiple administrative and non-administrative tasks concurrently.
- Administer multiple databases. You can use Server Manager to administer a single database or to simultaneously administer multiple databases.
- Centralize database administration tasks. You can administer both local and remote databases running on any Oracle platform in any location worldwide. In addition, these Oracle platforms can be connected by any network protocol(s) supported by SQL*Net and the MultiProtocol Interchange.
- Dynamically execute SQL, PL/SQL, and Server Manager commands. You can use Server Manager to enter, edit, and execute statements. Server Manager also maintains a history of statements executed. Thus, you can re-execute statements without retyping them, a particularly useful feature if you need to execute lengthy statements repeatedly.
- Perform administrative tasks using Server Manager's line mode interface when a graphical user interface is unavailable or undesirable.
Portability
Server Manager is available for multiple GUI environments, yet adopts the native look and feel of the platform on which it is running. Server Manager running on Motif looks like a Motif application, and Server Manager running on Windows looks like a Windows application.
Supported Oracle Server Releases
You can use Server Manager to administer any database running Oracle7 release 7.0 or later. You can also simultaneously administer different databases running different releases of Oracle7.
Server Manager/LineMode
For those environments that do not support a graphical user interface, or for those times when a command line interface is desirable, Server Manager for Line Mode provides a conversational line mode. In line mode, you can explicitly execute commands on a command line.
You may want to use Server Manager in line mode when a graphical device is unavailable, such as when dialing-in from a non-GUI terminal, or when performing unattended operations, such as when running nightly batch jobs or batch scripts that do not require user intervention. For more information about using Server Manager in line mode, see "Using Server Manager in Line Mode" in the Oracle Server Manager User's Guide.
Server Manager Release 2.3.2 Enhancements
A number of enhancements have been made to functional areas in Server Manager release 2.3.2 with release 7.3 of the Oracle7 server. The major enhancements are briefly noted here; a detailed description is provided
.
- Storage management options
A new Coalesce option in the Tablespace menu allows you to defragment a tablespace.
In the Tablespace list, two new columns display the percentages of blocks and extents coalesced.
PENDING OFFLINE has been added to the list of possible values for the Status of a rollback segment in the Rollback list.
The Apply option in the Recovery menu of the Recovery drawer displays additional information on the current state of the database recovery process.
- Enhanced SQL commands with release 7.3 of the Oracle7 server can be issued in the SQL Worksheet and when using Oracle Server Manger in line mode.
The following are known limitations of Server Manager release 2.3.2:
- The Administration Manager component of Oracle Server Manager assumes that users have full DBA privileges. Without being granted SELECT ANY TABLE privilege, the user will not be able to view the information contained in most areas of this component. For the user to make changes it is necessary to have been granted the DBA role. However, all users are able to use Oracle Server Manager in line mode and the SQL Worksheet component of the graphical version of Oracle Server Manager.
- Oracle Server Manager cannot enable default roles. If the user has been granted the DBA role, the DBA role should be the user's default role.
- Oracle Server Manager's Schema subsystem is not fully implemented. Users may view lists of objects in Server Manager's Schema subsystem, but cannot make any changes.
- When Server Manager is used to administer an Oracle7 release 7.0.16 database, Server Manager cannot alter or drop objects with 30-byte long names. This problem should not occur with any other versions of the Oracle database.
- The lines of text in the History window in the Apply Recovery Archives dialog box do not scroll properly and should be scrolled manually.
- When very long lines of text are saved to a spool file or printed to the screen with the SQL Worksheet component or with Server Manager in line mode, Server Manager is forced to insert newlines into the output. This is a result of operating system-specific limits on line lengths. This will generally occur when querying tables with many columns, or when the display width is set to a large value.