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Oracle9i Release Notes
Release 2 (9.2.0.1.0) for AIX-Based 4.3.3 Systems (64-bit)
Part No. A97351-04

Copyright © 2002, 2003 Oracle Corporation All rights reserved.

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Oracle9i

Release Notes

Release 2 (9.2.0.1.0) for AIX-Based 4.3.3 Systems (64-bit)

April 2003

Part No. A97351-04

This document accompanies Oracle9i release 2 (9.2.0.1.0) for AIX-Based 4.3.3 Systems (64-bit). Its contents supplement or supersede information in the installation guide for this release, or in the Oracle9i documentation library.

Topics:

1 System Requirements

Except as noted here, system requirements are in the installation guide for this release, and are current as of the release date.

1.1 Hard Disk Space Requirements

The space requirements listed on the Available Products window apply to installations that include a database. If you select the Software Only configuration type, then you will require 3 GB.

1.2 Additional Required Patches

This section provides additional information on required patches, and supplements for inaccurate or superseded patches in the installation guide. Information for obtaining these patches is in the installation guide.

  • Real Application Clusters: If your cluster runs HACMP clusterware (instead of SP), then you must download and install the following patch: IY21047

  • JRE/JDK patches: The following information corrects patch labels in the installation guide:

    • 1.1.8: IY30886

    • 1.3.1: IY30887 (supersedes IY31033. Later Java 1.3.1 PTFs are also acceptable.)

  • AIX 4.3.3 Operating System Patch: IY30927


Note:

You must reboot the system after installing this patch.

1.3 Processor Requirements

This release requires 64-bit processors.

1.4 Updated Requirements

Oracle Corporation updates these release notes online at:

http://otn.oracle.com/docs/products/oracle9i/content.html

Refer also to the Certify Web Pages on OracleMetaLink, which provide certified configuration information for Oracle and non-Oracle products. To access Certify:

  1. Register or log in to OracleMetaLink at the following web address:

    http://metalink.oracle.com
    
    
  2. Select Product Lifecycle from the OracleMetalink navigation bar.

  3. Select Certifications in the Product Lifecycle window navigation bar.

1.5 Oracle Universal Installer Version Update

Oracle9i release 2 (9.2.0.1.0) uses Oracle Universal Installer 2.2.0.12.0. This version number of the Oracle Universal Installer supersedes the version listed in the installation guide.

2 Documentation

Additional product README files are located in their respective product directories under the $ORACLE_HOME directory and in the $ORACLE_HOME/relnotes directory.

2.1 Documentation Errata

The following is a list of errors in the documentation for this release.

2.1.1 PL/SQL Gateway

Appendix A, "Oracle9i Components," of the Oracle9i Installation Guide Release 2 (9.2.0.1.0) for UNIX Systems, lists the PL/SQL Gateway as a supported product. This release does not support PL/SQL Gateway.

2.1.2 Oracle Messaging Gateway

The Oracle Messaging Gateway section of Chapter 4, Post-Installation, pages 4-24 to 4-26 in Oracle9i Installation Guide Release 2 (9.2.0.1.0) for UNIX Systems, has examples that are incorrect.

In this section, make the following corrections:

  • Remove all mentions of $ORACLE_HOME/mgw/lib and $ORACLE_HOME/mgw/lib32 in the examples.Replace all references to LD_LIBRARY_PATH_32 with LD_LIBRARY_PATH.Substitute all references to $ORACLE_HOME in the examples with the actual directory path.

3 Installation Issues

This section provides information about the following topics:

3.1 Multiple CD-ROM Installation

During installation of Oracle9i release 2 (9.2.0.1.0), you will be prompted to insert additional CD-ROMs from the set that make up Oracle9i release 2 (9.2.0.1.0). After inserting the requested disk, change the path in the Disk Location text box to reflect the root directory of the newly-mounted CD-ROM.

For example, when you insert Disk 3 with a directory path of /cdrom/orcl920_3, change the path in the Disk Location dialog to /cdrom/orcl920_3.

3.2 runInstaller Script

Because it is necessary to insert and eject more than one CD-ROM during installation, you must not launch Oracle Universal Installer by running the runInstaller script from a shell where the current working directory is the CD-ROM mount point, or by clicking on the script in the File Manager window. In an X Window environment, this will cause the installation to fail because you can not eject a software CD-ROM until the installation session ends.

3.3 Installing Databases with Database Configuration Assistant

Review the following information before running Database Configuration Assistant.

3.3.1 SYS and SYSTEM Password Change Requirement

If you use Database Configuration Assistant to create a database, be aware that it requires that you change the SYS and SYSTEM passwords at the end of the configuration process. This is a new security procedure designed to protect access to your data.

3.4 Database Migration

If you are upgrading from 8.0.6 to 9.2.0.1.0 and you have Oracle interMedia installed on your system, then you cannot use Database Migration Assistant. You must migrate the database manually. For information on manual database migration, refer to Oracle9i Database Migration Release 2 (9.2).

3.5 Installing with Response Files

For installation with a response file, the path to the response file must specify the full path on the system in order for Oracle Universal Installer to work properly.

3.6 Unzip Utility for Downloading and Installing Oracle Patches

Oracle9i release 2 (9.2.0.1.0) includes an unzip utility for uncompressing Oracle patches downloaded from OracleMetaLink. The utility is in the following directory:

$ORACLE_HOME/bin/

4 Product-Related Issues

This section provides information on the following topics:

4.1 Character Sets

Use the following information to set character settings to those required for your locale.

4.1.1 Oracle9i NCHAR Datatypes

In Oracle9i release 2 (9.2.0.1.0), the SQL NCHAR datatypes are limited to the Unicode character set encoding (UTF8 and AL16UTF16). Alternative character sets such as the fixed-width Asian character set JA16SJISFIXED in Oracle8i are no longer supported.

To migrate existing NCHAR, NVARCHAR, and NCLOB columns, export and import NCHAR columns, complete the following steps:

  1. Export all SQL NCHAR columns from Oracle8i.

  2. Drop the SQL NCHAR columns.

  3. Migrate the database to Oracle9i.

  4. Import the SQL NCHAR columns in to Oracle9i.

4.1.2 AL24UTFFSS Character Set

Oracle9i release 2 (9.2.0.1.0) does not support the Unicode character set AL24UTFFSS introduced in Oracle7. This character set was based on the Unicode standard 1.1, which is now obsolete.

Oracle9i release 2 (9.2.0.1.0) supports the Unicode database character sets AL32UTF8 and UTF8. These database character sets include the Unicode enhancements based on the Unicode standard 3.0.

To migrate the existing AL24UTFFSS database, upgrade your database character set to UTF8 before upgrading to Oracle9i. Oracle Corporation recommends that you use the Character Set Scanner for data analysis before attempting to migrate your existing database character set.

4.1.3 Character Set Scanner

Set the LIBPATH variable to include the $ORACLE_HOME/lib directory before running the Character Set Scanner (csscan) from the $ORACLE_HOME directory. If you do not correctly set the LIBPATH variable, then the csscan utility will fail.

4.2 Demo Schema

If you select a multibyte character set or UTF as the national character set in Oracle9i release 2 (9.2.0.1.0), then you must recreate the demo schema and the database installation.

For more information on creating schemas, schema dependencies and requirements, refer to the readme.txt file in the $ORACLE_HOME/demo/schema directory.

4.3 Oracle Advanced Security

If you install jsse.jar and jcert.jar as extensions (located in $JAVA_HOME/jre/lib/ext), then you must also install jssl-1_1.jar in the same directory.

4.4 Oracle Internet Directory (OID)

Review the following information if you intend to install Oracle Internet Directory (OID).

4.4.1 Starting Up OID Server

By default, the OID server is started on port 389. If this port is unavailable, then OID server is started on a different port, which is logged in the following file:

$ORACLE_HOME/ldap/install/oidca.out

4.4.2 Custom Installation and Global Database Name

When performing a custom Oracle Internet Directory installation, do not change the global database name or the Oracle SID.

4.4.3 Upgrade from Enterprise Edition Oracle9i or Oracle8i

If you installed either Oracle Internet Directory release 3.0.1.x and the complete release of Oracle9i (9.0.1) Enterprise Edition, or Oracle Internet Directory 2.1.1.x and the complete release of Oracle8i (8.1.7) Enterprise Edition in the same ORACLE_HOME, then you must first upgrade Oracle Internet Directory to the release 9.2.0.x.x version, and then upgrade as a separate step either Oracle9i Enterprise Edition release 1 (9.0.1) or Oracle8i release 3 (8.1.7) to Oracle9i Enterprise Edition release 2 (9.2.0.x.x).


See Also:

Oracle Internet Directory README for more information on Oracle Internet Directory utilities, and necessary pre-upgrade and post-upgrade tasks.

4.5 Oracle Real Application Clusters

Review the following section if you plan to install Oracle Real Application Clusters.

4.5.1 Restrictions for Installing Real Application Clusters

If you are installing Oracle9i release 2 (9.2.0.1.0) Real Applications Clusters on a cluster that already contains an ORACLE_HOME for a previous release of Real Application Clusters, then you must run the Oracle Universal Installer from the cluster node with the oraInventory installation registry. Doing this ensures that product installation inventories are synchronized on the nodes with information about existing ORACLE_HOME directories.

4.5.2 Additional Preinstallation Requirements for Real Application Clusters

The following requirements are in addition to those documented in the installation guide.

  • The user id (UID) of the oracle user needs to be less than 65536 for Real Application Cluster installs.

  • You need to create the directory /var/opt/oracle. This directory path is required for the srvConfig.loc file, which the Installer creates during Real Application Clusters installation and configuration.

4.5.3 Real Application Clusters Custom Installation Requirements

Complete the following tasks if you want to install Oracle Real Application Clusters:

4.5.3.1 DRSYS Tablespace and Oracle Enterprise Manager

If you plan to create an Oracle Enterprise Manager repository in an existing database, and you plan to use the DRSYS tablespace for the repository, then ensure that the DRSYS tablespace raw device data file has an additional 50 MB of free space. This is in addition to the 250 MB size documented for this raw device.

4.5.4 Real Application Clusters and Database Upgrade Assistant

If you use Database Upgrade Assistant to upgrade an earlier Oracle database version (the "source" database) to Oracle9i release 2 (9.2.0.1.0) (the "target" database), then the upgraded database will always use the server parameter file SPFILE by default to store init.ora file parameters. If the source database also uses SPFILE (either a cluster filesystem file or a shared raw device), then the upgraded target database also uses the same SPFILE.

If the source database does not use an SPFILE, then the target database uses a default server parameter file, spfile.ora, which is located in the $ORACLE_HOME/dbs/ directory.

If your platform does not support a cluster file system, then you must move the SPFILE to a shared raw device, using the following procedure:

  1. Create an SPFILE with the following commands:

    $ sqlplus "/ as sysdba"
    SQL> create pfile='?/dbs/initdbname.ora' from spfile='?/dbs/spfile.ora';
    SQL> create spfile='/dev/oracle_dg/dbname_spfile' frompfile='?/dbs/initdbname.ora';
    SQL> exit;
    
    

    where dbname is the name of your cluster database.

  2. Go to the $ORACLE_HOME/dbs directory using the following command:

    $ cd $ORACLE_HOME/dbs
    
    
  3. Create an $ORACLE_HOME/dbs/initsid.ora file, where sid is the system identifier of the instance on the node. The initsid.ora file must contain the following line:

    SPFILE='/dev/oracle_dg/dbname_spfile'
    
    
  4. Copy the initsid.ora file to the remote nodes on which the cluster database has an instance with the following commands:

    $ rcp initsid.ora nodex:$ORACLE_HOME/dbs/initsidx.ora
    
    

    where sidx is the system identifier of the instance on node x. Repeat the preceding rcp command for each member node of the cluster database.

  5. Restart the cluster database with the following command syntax:

    $ srvctl stop database -d dbname
    $ srvctl start database -d dbname
    
    

4.5.5 Real Application Clusters and Database Configuration Assistant

The following section provides information on using Database Configuration Assistant (DBCA) to create a Real Application Clusters database.

4.5.6 Placing Datafiles On a Shared Non-OFA Cluster Configuration

If your ORACLE_HOME directory is not on a shared cluster filesystem partition, but you want to place datafiles, controlfiles, redo log files, or other database files on a shared cluster filesystem partition, then invoke DBCA using the following syntax to create the cluster database:

$ dbca -datafileDestination pathname

where pathname is the location where you want files to be placed.

For example, to place datafiles in the path /ora/oradata, give the following command:

$ dbca -datafileDestination /ora/oradata

Note:

For optimal performance and data security, Oracle Corporation recommends that you configure your database in accordance with the Optimal Flexible Architecture (OFA) standard. For more information on OFA, refer to Oracle9i Administrator’s Reference for UNIX Systems.

4.5.7 Real Application Clusters Instance Management

After you create a cluster database using DBCA, SYSDBA privileges are revoked for all users. As SYSDBA, you must grant SYSDBA privileges explicitly to the database user account that you plan to use for adding or deleting an instance to or from the cluster database.

For example, to grant SYSDBA privileges to the administrative user SYS, issue the following commands:

$ sqlplus "/ as sysdba"
SQL> grant sysdba to sys;
SQL> exit;

4.5.8 Oracle Real Application Clusters and the IBM SP System

To ensure optimal performance of Oracle Real Application Clusters on an RS/6000 node cluster using IBM’s SP (Scalable POWERparallel) System, follow IBM's tuning instructions, which are available at the following Web sites:

http://www.rs6000.ibm.com/support/sp/perf
http://www.ibm.com/servers/eserver/pseries/library/wp_clustering.html

4.5.9 IBM GPFS and Real Application Clusters

The following is a list of additional system requirements to use General Parallel File System (GPFS) with Real Application Clusters:

  • GPFS version 1.5

  • IBM patch PTF U432784

  • IBM patch PTF U482785

4.5.10 Additional Parameter Configuration for Real Application Clusters

To run Oracle Real Application Clusters, you must increase the UDP send buffer size to at least 32k (32768 bytes). To do this, become root and enter the following command:

$ /etc/no -udp_sendspace=32768

You must run this command after every system reboot. Review the current setting of the UDP send buffer size with the following command:

$ /etc/no -a|grep udp_sendspace

The output lists the current udp_sendspace setting.

4.6 PL/SQL Native Compilation

This section provides additional information to assist in setting up and configuring native C code compilation of PL/SQL statements.

If you are a first-time user of native PL/SQL compilation, then Oracle Corporation recommends that you configure a test database first before proceeding to a production environment.

Back up your database before configuring the database for PL/SQL native compilation.

4.6.1 Determining Whether to Use PL/SQL Native Compilation

You must first determine if you increase performance by enabling PL/SQL native compilation.

For each program unit, interpreted PL/SQL is compiled into machine-readable m-code, which is stored in the database, and interpreted at runtime.

For PL/SQL statements using PL/SQL native compilation, Oracle9i takes PL/SQL statements and generates corresponding C-code. Oracle9i then uses the makefile $ORACLE_HOME/plsql/spnc_makefile.mk, and the supported operating system C compiler, linker, and make utilities, to compile and link the resulting C-code into shared libraries, which are stored externally from the database. These shared library files are then loaded and run when the corresponding PL/SQL statement is invoked at runtime. In accordance with OFA recommendations, the shared libraries should be stored near the data files.

C-code runs faster than PL/SQL, but it takes longer to compile than m-code.

PL/SQL native compilation provides the greatest performance gains for computation-intensive procedural operations. Examples of such operations are data warehouse applications, and applications with extensive server-side transformations of data for display. In such cases, expect speed increases of up to 30%.

For PL/SQL program units that merely invoke SQL statements, and do not implement significant procedural logic, the performance benefits of native compilation will be small. However, natively compiled PL/SQL will always be at least as fast as the corresponding interpreted code.

When you decide that you increase performance significantly in database operations using PL/SQL native compilation, Oracle Corporation recommends that you compile the whole database as NATIVE.

4.6.2 Required Parameters for PL/SQL Native Compilation

In all circumstances, whether you intend to compile a database as NATIVE, or you intend to compile individual PL/SQL units at the session level, you must set all required parameters.


Note:

The examples in this section for setting system parameters for PL/SQL native compilation assume a system using a server parameter file (SPFILE).

If you use a text initialization parameter file (PFILE, or initsid.ora), then ensure that you change parameters in your initialization parameter file, as indicated in the following table.


4.6.2.1 System Parameters

The following table lists the mandatory PL/SQL native compilation initialization parameters. They can be set only at the system level.

Parameter Characteristics
PLSQL_NATIVE_MAKE_UTILITY The full path to the make utility on your operating system. On AIX-Based 4.3.3 Systems (64-bit), the path is /usr/ccs/bin/make.
PLSQL_NATIVE_MAKE_FILE_NAME The full path to the makefile used to create the shared libraries that contain natively compiled PL/SQL code.
PLSQL_NATIVE_LIBRARY_DIR The full path and directory name used to store the shared libraries that contain natively compiled PL/SQL code.

In accordance with optimal flexible architecture (OFA) rules, Oracle Corporation recommends that you create the shared library directory as a subdirectory where the data files are located.

For security reasons, only the users oracle and root should have write privileges for this directory.

PLSQL_NATIVE_LIBRARY_SUBDIR_COUNT The number of subdirectories in the directory specified by the parameter PLSQL_NATIVE_LIBRARY_DIR.

Optional; use if the number of natively compiled C program units exceed 15000. If you need to set this option, refer to the section "Setting Up PL/SQL Native Library Subdirectories".

PLSQL_NATIVE_C_COMPILER Do not set this parameter.
PLSQL_NATIVE_LINKER Do not set this parameter.

4.6.2.2 Session Level Initialization Parameter

The parameter PLSQL_COMPILER_FLAGS determines whether PL/SQL code is natively compiled or interpreted, and determines whether debug information is included. The default setting is INTERPRETED,NON_DEBUG. To enable PL/SQL native compilation, you must set the value of PLSQL_COMPILER_FLAGS to NATIVE.

If you compile the whole database as NATIVE, then Oracle Corporation recommends that you set PLSQL_COMPILER_FLAGS at the system level.

Use the following syntax to set this parameter:

SQL> alter dynamic set plsql_compiler_flags='FLAG_A, FLAG_B'

where:

  • The variable dynamic is either session or system.

  • The variable FLAG_A is the code method you select.

    The following are possible values for the variable FLAG_A:

    • INTERPRETED: compile in interpreted mode.

    • NATIVE: compile in native mode.

  • The variable FLAG_B is the debug option you select. For this release, you cannot select NATIVE,DEBUG.

    The following are possible values for the variable FLAG_B

    • DEBUG: PL/SQL modules are compiled with PROBE debug symbols.

    • NON_DEBUG: PL/SQL modules are compiled without PROBE debug symbols.

4.6.3 Setting up Databases for PL/SQL Native Compilation

Use the procedures in this section to set up databases for PL/SQL native compilation.

4.6.3.1 Creating a New Database for PL/SQL Native Compilation

If you use Database Configuration Assistant, then use its features to set the initialization parameters required for PL/SQL native compilation, as described in the preceding section, "Required Parameters for PL/SQL Native Compilation".

Refer to Table 2-2, "Precompilers and Tools Restrictions and Requirements" in Oracle9i Installation Guide Release 2 (9.2.0.1.0) for UNIX Systems to find the supported C compiler on your AIX-Based 4.3.3 Systems (64-bit) operating system, and determine from your system administrator where it is located on your system. You will need to provide the path during installation.

The PL/SQL native compilation makefile, spnc_makefile.mk, already has the path of the link editor utility on the AIX-Based 4.3.3 Systems (64-bit) operating system.

Determine if you need to set the initialization parameter PLSQL_NATIVE_DIR_SUBDIR_COUNT, and create PL/SQL native library subdirectories if necessary.

By default, PL/SQL program units are kept in one directory. However, if the number of program units exceeds 15000, then the operating system begins to impose performance limits. To work around this problem, Oracle Corporation recommends that you spread the PL/SQL program units in subdirectories.

If you have set up a test database, then use the following SQL query to determine how many PL/SQL program units you are using:

select count (*) from DBA_OBJECTS 
  where object_type in ( 
    select distinct object_type from dba_stored_settings 
      where object_type not like '%BODY%' );

If the application object count returned by this query is greater than 15,000, then complete the procedure described in the section "Setting Up PL/SQL Native Library Subdirectories".

4.6.3.2 Modifying an Existing Database for PL/SQL Native Compilation

To natively compile an existing Oracle9i database, complete the following procedure:

  1. Download scripts and follow the instructions at the following Web site:

    http://otn.oracle.com//tech/pl_sql/htdocs/README_2188517.htm
    
    
  2. Contact your system administrator to ensure that you have the required C compiler on your AIX 4.3.3 64-bit operating system, and obtain the path for its location. Use a text editor such as vi to open the file spnc_makefile.mk, and set the value of the variable CC to that path.

    Also ensure that the make and link editor utilities are in the default locations on the AIX 4.3.3 64-bit operating system.

  3. Set the value for the initialization parameter PLSQL_NATIVE_MAKE_FILE to the full path of the directory where the makefile shipped with Oracle9i for native PL/SQL compilation is installed. The filename is spnc_makefile.mk, and it is located in the directory plsql under $ORACLE_HOME, whose path you defined during installation.

    To confirm that the path is entered correctly, enter the following:

    select value from v$parameter where name = 'plsql_native_make_file_name'; 
    
    

    This statement should return a response similar to the following:

    VALUE 
    --------------------------------------------------------------
    /oracle/product/9.2.0/plsql/spnc_makefile.mk
    
    

    Note:

    You must use the full path of the ORACLE_HOME directory. You must not use an environmental variable such as $ORACLE_HOME in place of the full path.

  4. As the oracle user, create the PL/SQL native library directory for each Oracle database.


    Note:

    You must set up PL/SQL libraries for each Oracle database. Shared object (.so) files are logically connected to the database, as they are C-code counterparts to the m-code of interpreted statements that are stored in the database. They cannot be shared between databases. If you set up PL/SQL libraries to be shared, then the databases will become corrupted.

    Create a directory in a secure place, in accordance with OFA rules, to prevent .so files from unauthorized access.

    As .so files logically are a part of the database, ensure that they are backed up with the database.

    In addition, ensure that the OS utilities used for PL/SQL native compilation are writable only by a properly secured user.


  5. Using SQL, set the initialization parameter PLSQL_NATIVE_LIBRARY_DIR to the full path to the PL/SQL native library.

    For example, if the path to the PL/SQL native library directory is /oracle/oradata/mydb/natlib, then enter the following:

    SQL> alter system set plsql_native_libary_dir='/oracle/oradata/mydb/natlib'
    
    
  6. Determine if you need to set the initialization parameter PLSQL_NATIVE_DIR_SUBDIR_COUNT, and create PL/SQL native library subdirectories if necessary.

    By default, PL/SQL program units are kept in one directory. However, if the number of program units exceeds 15000, then the operating system begins to impose performance limits. To work around this problem, Oracle Corporation recommends that you spread the PL/SQL program units in subdirectories.

    If you have an existing database that you plan to migrate to the new installation, or if you have set up a test database, then use the following SQL query to determine how many PL/SQL program units you are using:

    select count (*) from DBA_OBJECTS 
      where object_type in ( 
        select distinct object_type from dba_stored_settings 
          where object_type not like '%BODY%' );
    
    

    If the application object count returned by this query is greater than 15,000, then complete the procedure described in the following section, "Setting Up PL/SQL Native Library Subdirectories".

  7. Set the remaining required initialization parameters as listed in the table in the preceding section "System Parameters".

  8. Create the following SQL program to confirm that PL/SQL native compilation is enabled:

    SQL> create procedure Hello is
    begin
       DBMS_Output.Put_line ( 'Hello NATIVE' );
    end Hello;
    
    
  9. Run the test SQL program Hello:

    SQL> execute Hello;
    
    

    If the program does not return the output "Hello NATIVE," then contact Oracle Support for assistance.

4.6.3.3 Setting Up PL/SQL Native Library Subdirectories

If you need to set up PL/SQL native library subdirectories, then use the following procedure:

  1. Create subdirectories sequentially in the form of d0, d1, d2, d3...dx, where x is the total number of directories. Oracle Corporation recommends that you use a script such as the following for this task:

    begin
    for j in 0..999
    loop
    Dbms_output.Put_Line ( ’mkdir d’ || To_Char(j) );
    end loop;
    end;
    
    
  2. To set the initialization parameter PLSQL_NATIVE_DIR_COUNT to enable access to the subdirectories, start SQL*Plus, and enter a SQL statement using the following syntax:

    SQL> alter system set plsql_native_library_subdir_count=number
    
    

    where the variable number represents the number of subdirectories that you create. For example, if you create 1000 subdirectories, then you would enter the following SQL statement:

    SQL> alter system set plsql_native_library_subdir_count=1000
    

4.6.4 Real Application Clusters and PL/SQL Native Compilation

To use PLSQL Native Compilation in a Real Application Clusters environment on AIX-Based 4.3.3 Systems (64-bit), you need to set the PLSQL_NATIVE_LIBRARY_DIR initialization parameter to a directory that resides on a General Parallel File System (GPFS).

4.6.5 Dependencies, Invalidation and Revalidation

This release handles dependencies between database objects in the same manner as in previous Oracle RDBMS versions. If an object that a natively compiled PL/SQL program unit depends on changes, then the PL/SQL module becomes invalid. The next time you execute the same program unit, the RDBMS attempts to revalidate the module. When you recompile a module as part of revalidation, the process uses the stored setting (the setting in place when the module last compiled and appeared in the USER/ALL/DBA_STORED_SETTINGS data dictionary views.).

The stored settings are only used when recompiling as part of revalidation. If a PL/SQL module is explicitly compiled through the SQL commands "create or replace" or "alter...compile", then the current session setting is used.

Natively compiled PL/SQL program units are dependent on their implementation shared libraries. The RDBMS is unable to track deletions or location changes of these library dependencies, as the shared libraries are on the OS file system, which is external to the database.

If you delete or move a shared library, then you will see an ORA-06549 error. The program unit is not marked invalid because the Oracle RDBMS cannot detect the removal until the module is executed. To recreate the missing library, you must explicitly recompile it, or recreate it from the source.

For example, use the following procedure to recreate the shared library that contains the "Hello" test program:

$ sqlplus scott/tiger

SQL> alter session set plsql_compiler_flags='NATIVE'

Session altered

SQL> alter procedure Hello compile;

Procedure altered.

SQL> exit

$ ls /usr/app/oracle/product 9.2.0.1.0/plsql_libs

HELLO__SCOTT__0.so

If you delete a PL/SQL program unit on the Oracle RDBMS, the shared libraries on the OS file system remain; you must delete these files manually when they are no longer needed.


See Also:

Oracle9i Database Reference, PL/SQL User’s Guide and Reference, and Note 151224.1 on OracleMetalink.

5 Platform-Specific Product Support Update

The following product information in this section supersedes the information in the installation guide or the administrator’s reference for Oracle9i release 2 (9.2.0.1.0) on AIX-based 4.3.3 systems.

6 Post-Installation Issues

The following sections provided information on issues that can occur during post-installation.

6.1 Control File Size Limits

In addition to the database, a number of other Oracle features use control files to record metadata. The size of the minimum data block size that your operating system permits limits the maximum size of the control files. On AIX, the minimum data block size is 2048 bytes, and the maximum size of control files is 10000 database blocks.

6.2 LIBPATH Environment Variable

Make sure that you set the LIBPATH environment variable in the .profile or .login file before you use the database. The LIBPATH is a required variable for Java applications at runtime. Set it to $ORACLE_HOME/lib32:$ORACLE_HOME/lib.

6.3 How to Determine Whether Segments or Tablespaces are Using Compression

The following section provides additional information about database management.

6.3.1 Segments and Compression Settings

To find out which database segments are using compression, log in to the database as the user SYS, and create the view all_segs with the following create or replace view statement:

SQL> create or replace view all_segs
     (owner, segment_name,
       partition_name, spare1
as
select u.name, o.name, o.subname, s.spare1
from sys.user$ u, sys.obj$ o, sys.ts$ ts, sys.sys_objects so,
     sys.seg$ s, sys.file$ f
where s.file# = so.header_file
   and s.block# = so.header_block
   and s.ts# = so.ts_number
   and s.ts# = ts.ts#
   and s.ts# = so.object_id
   and o.owner# = u.user#
   and s.type# = so.object_type_id
   and s.ts# = f.ts#
   and s.file# = f.relfile#
union all
select u.name, un.name, NULL, NULL
from sys.user$ u, sys.ts$ ts, sys.undo $ un, sys.seg$ s,
     sys.file$ f
where s.file# = un.file#
   and s.block# = un.block
   and s.ts# = un.ts#
   and s.ts# = ts.ts#
   and s.user# = u.user#
   and s.type# in (1, 10)
   and un.status$ != 1
   and un.ts# = f.ts#
   and un.file# = f.relfile#
union all
select u.name, to_char(f.file#)|| '.' || to_char(s.block#), NULL, NULL
from sys.user$ u, sys.ts$ ts, sys.seg$ s, sys.file$ f
where s.ts# = ts.ts#
   and s.user# = u.user#
   and s.type# not in (1, 5, 6, 8, 10)
   and s.ts# = f.ts#
   and s.file# = f.relfile#
/

After creating this view, you can issue queries against the view to find out whether or not a segment currently is compressed, as illustrated in the following examples:

  • To determine if a segment is currently compressed, apply the following predicate in a query to the column spare1:

    bitand(spare1, 2048) > 0
    
    

    For example, to see if segments currently are compressed, issue a statement similar to the following:

    SQL> select * from all_segs where bitand(spare1,2048) > 0;
    
    
  • To determine if a segment contains any compressed blocks, apply the following predicate in a query:

    bitand(spare1, 4096) > 0
    
    

    For example, to see which segments contain any compressed blocks, issue a statement similar to the following:

    SQL> select * from all_segs where bitand(spare1, 4096) > 0;
    

6.3.2 Tablespaces and Compression Settings

When you want to determine the compression settings on a table space, log in as SYS, and create the view compression_ts with the following create or replace view statement:

SQL> create or replace view compression_ts (tablespace_name, flags) as select ts.name, ts.flags from
sys.ts$ ts where ts.online$ !=3;

After creating this view, you can issue queries against it to find out the compression state of tablespaces, such as determining if a tablespace is currently set as DEFAULT COMPRESS, or DEFAULT NOCOMPRESS, as illustrated in the following examples:

  • To determine if a tablespace is currently set as DEFAULT COMPRESS, use the following predicate:

    bitand(flags, 64) > 0
    
    

    For example, to see which tablespaces are currently DEFAULT COMPRESS, issue a statement similar to the following:

    SQL> select * from compression_ts where bitand(flags, 64) > 0
    
    
  • To determine if a tablespace is currently set as DEFAULT NOCOMPRESS, use the following predicate:

    bitand(flags, 64) == 0
    
    

    For example, to see which tablespaces are currently DEFAULT NOCOMPRESS, issue a statement similar to the following:

    select * from compression_ts where bitand(flags, 64) == 0;
    

7 Alerts

The following section provides information about forthcoming product changes.

7.1 Using SYS.DUAL for Updates

Starting with the Oracle10i release, using the table SYS.DUAL for updates will be prohibited. If you need to update SYS.DUAL to enforce concurrency control of your application, then Oracle Corporation recommends that you use dbmslock.sql as a viable alternative. SYS.DUAL will still be available for selections.

8 Known Bugs

The following is a list of known bugs that affect Oracle9i release 2 (9.2.0.1.0):

8.1 Error in JSP/Servlet Script

There is a path error in the $ORACLE_HOME/bin/ojspc script. This path error causes the script to fail. To correct this error:

  1. Open the script

  2. Find $ORACLE_HOME/jsp/lib/servlet.jar

  3. Correct it to read $ORACLE_HOME/lib/servlet.jar

  4. Save the script

8.2 Error Installing OLAP CWMLITE Tablespace

During installation, if you select Online Analytic Processing (OLAP) services, perform multiple installations on the same system, and create new databases during these installations, then CWMLite might have an invalid OLAP CWMLITE tablespace registry. Oracle Corporation assigned bug identification number 2359208 to track this problem.

To work around this problem, use the following procedure after you complete the installation:

  1. Ensure that the database and the listener are running.

  2. Using the following command, start SQL*Plus as the administrative user SYS:

    sqlplus "/ as sysdba"
    
    
  3. Using the following command, enable the display of text within the PL/SQL block:

    SQL> set serveroutput on;
    
    
  4. Using the following command, verify whether the OLAP CWMLITE tablespace is valid:

    SQL> execute dbms_output.put_line(sys.dbms_registry.is_valid(’AMD’));
    
    

    If the preceding command returns 0, then the OLAP CWMLITE tablespace is invalid. Go to step 5.

    If the preceding command returns 1, then the OLAP CWMLITE tablespace is valid, and you do not need to perform any further tests.

  5. If the OLAP CWMLITE tablespace is invalid, turn on echoing using the following command:

    SQL> execute cwm2_olap_manager.Set_Echo_on;
    
    
  6. Validate the OLAP CWMLITE tablespace using the following command:

    SQL> execute cwm2_olap_installer.Validate_CWM2_Install;
    
    

    After entering the preceding command, the OLAP CWMLITE registry is validated. During this process, screen messages list database objects such as Dimension, Dimension Attribute, and Level, and where these objects are created.

  7. When the output stops, enter the following command to verify that the OLAP CWMLITE registry is now valid:

    SQL> execute dbms_output.put_line(sys.dbms_registry.is_valid('AMD'));
    
    

    If the preceding command returns 0, then the OLAP CWMLITE registry is still invalid. Review your installation logs for other errors.

    If the preceding command returns 1, then the OLAP CWMLITE tablespace is valid, and you do not need to perform any further tests.

9 Documentation Accessibility

Our goal is to make Oracle products, services, and supporting documentation accessible, with good usability, to the disabled community. To that end, our documentation includes features that make information available to users of assistive technology. This documentation is available in HTML format, and contains markup to facilitate access by the disabled community. Standards will continue to evolve over time, and Oracle Corporation is actively engaged with other market-leading technology vendors to address technical obstacles so that our documentation can be accessible to all of our customers. For additional information, visit the Oracle Accessibility Program Web site at http://www.oracle.com/accessibility/.

Accessibility of Code Examples in Documentation

JAWS, a Windows screen reader, may not always correctly read the code examples in this document. The conventions for writing code require that closing braces should appear on an otherwise empty line; however, JAWS may not always read a line of text that consists solely of a bracket or brace.

Accessibility of Links to External Web Sites in Documentation

This documentation may contain links to Web sites of other companies or organizations that Oracle Corporation does not own or control. Oracle Corporation neither evaluates nor makes any representations regarding the accessibility of these Web sites.