This book is an anthology of effective database management techniques representing the collective wisdom of the OakTable Network. With an emphasis upon performance--but also branching into security, national language, and other issues--the book helps you deliver the most value for your company's investment in Oracle Database technologies. You'll learn to effectively plan for and monitor performance, to troubleshoot systematically when things go wrong, and to manage your database rather than letting it manage you. What you'll learn * Adopt a rational approach to database management; eliminate guesswork * Add value to your organization as a database professional * Manage and optimize performance * Exploit different platform technologies * Secure your organization's data * Gain deep understanding of database internals and structures Who this book is for This book is aimed at Oracle database administrators who want to further their careers by implementing sound and proven database administration practices--and especially repeatable and predictable practices--in their daily work. Table of Contents * Battle Against Any Guess * A Partly Cloudy Future * Developing a Performance Methodology * The DBA as Designer * Running Oracle on Windows * Managing SQL Performance * PL/SQL and the CBO * Understanding Performance Optimization Methods * Choosing a Performance Optimization Method * Managing the Very Large Database * Statistics * Troubleshooting Latch Contention * Measuring for Robust Performance * User Security * Securing Data