GLOSSARY

agent

A process on a managed node that is responsible for all SNMP transactions on that node. The agent accepts requests from the management station and answers them by returning data. It also initiates traps when exceptional conditions are detected.

ASN.1

Abstract Syntax Notation One. The notation used to define MIB variables.

control file

An administrative file that is required to start and run a database system. The control file records the physical structure of the database.

DBA_DATA_FILES

A data dictionary view that displays information about database files. Fields in DBA_DATA_FILES are used to retrieve the value of the rdbmsDbInfoSizeAllocated variable and derive the values of the rdbmsDbInfoSizeAllocated and rdbmsDbInfoSizeUsed variable (in Oracle's implementation of the standard RDBMS MIB (RFC 1565)). Also, some of the variables in the oraDbDataFileTable of the private Oracle Database MIB correspond directly to a single column of DBA_DATA_FILES.

DBA_FREE_SPACE

A data dictionary view that displays information about free extents in all tablespaces. DBA_FREE_SPACE is used to derive the value of the rdbmsDbInfoSizeUsed variable (in Oracle's implementation of the public RDBMS MIB (RFC 1565)).

dynamic performance table

See V$ table.

INIT.ORA configuration file

A database system file containing a list of parameters that are read when the database system is started. The parameters identify the database and control system wide resources. By affecting the size of the SGA, they also impact the performance of the instance. Values for each variable in the oraDbConfigTable of the private Oracle Database MIB are retrieved directly from a corresponding parameter in INIT.ORA.

Interchange

See Oracle MultiProtocol Interchange.

instance

As defined for the Oracle7 server, an instance includes the background processes and memory areas required to access an ORACLE database. In SNMP, an instance has a different meaning. For objects that appear in tables, each row in the table represents an instance of that object.

library

A collection of one or more PL/SQL program units that are stored together in a file or database, and that can be referenced by several displays at once.

library cache

A memory structure containing shared SQL and PL/SQL areas. The library cache is one of three parts of the shared pool.

Listener

A protocol independent application listener that receives connections on behalf of applications running over a variety of underlying protocols. The Listener is a component of SQL*Net, Oracle's remote data access product.

managed node

A platform, such as a UNIX server, on which objects to be monitored or managed reside.

managed object

Any entity, device, node, such as a LAN server, gateway, or client application, that can be queried by a management station for its current status.

management application

A software application that can be integrated with a management framework to accomplish more specialized network or database tasks.

management framework

A software package used to view and react to information retrieved using the SNMP protocol. See also management application.

management station

A node from which objects are monitored or managed using the SNMP protocol. Also known as management console, management system or managing node.

master agent

A process that accepts queries from the management framework and communicates with the application in order to answer the query.

MIB

Management Information Base. The collection of variables that can be queried to describe attributes of an object, such as the use, performance, and initialization parameters of a database server, for example.

MultiProtocol Interchange

See Oracle MultiProtocol Interchange.

Names

See Oracle Names.

Network Services MIB

A public MIB (RFC 1565) that contains generic variables designed to apply to all types of network service applications. Oracle has implemented those variables of this MIB that are relevant to the Oracle7 Server, the Oracle MultiProtocol Interchange, and the Oracle Names products.

object identifier

A sequence of elements, as specified by the SNMP standard (RFC 1442), that uniquely identifies each object. An object identifier (OID) is a sequence of elements that indicates a hierarchical organization of identifiers.

OID

See object identifier.

OID subtree

The portion of a MIB tree that is specific to a given entity. The subtree for the Oracle enterprise is 1.3.6.1.4.1.111. All of the variables in the Oracle MIBs begin with this OID subtree. Also called root OID.

Oracle Database MIB

This private MIB serves to extend the functionality of the public RDBMS MIB. The Oracle Database MIB contains additional RDBMS statistics that are specific to the Oracle7 architecture.

Oracle MultiProtocol Interchange

A product that provides application connectivity across multiple network protocols.

Oracle Names

A product that provides a directory service, by making database address and database link information available to all nodes throughout the network.

Oracle7 Server

The relational database management system (RDBMS) developed and sold by Oracle Corporation. This RDBMS includes the database that stores information, as well as the server software that accesses and manipulates that information.

pin

Execution of an item in the library cache.

RDBMS MIB

A proposed standard MIB for relational databases that has been defined by the IETF Working Group. This MIB allows for database discovery, identification of the database, and characterization of database size and activity level.

registration

The method by which a subagent, acting on behalf of a managed object, such as a listener or an Oracle7 server, notifies a master agent of two things: first, that it will accept requests from the master agent for information, and second, the list of items (the MIB) for which it will provide information.

server

As defined in RFC 1565 (the standard RDBMS MIB) an independent entity that provides access to one or more databases.

SGA

See Shared Global Area.

Shared Global Area

The shared segment containing temporary data caches used by the Oracle7 Server during database operation. The SGA is initialized when the server is started, and unavailable when the server is not running. Also known as System Global Area.

shared pool

The portion of the SGA, created on instance startup, that contains shared memory constructs such as shared SQL areas. A shared SQL area is required to process every unique SQL statement submitted to a database. A single shared SQL area is used by multiple applications that issue the same statement, leaving more shared memory for other uses.

SNMP.ORA

A configuration file for a managed node. SNMP.ORA contains a list of parameters that are read when an Oracle subagent is started.

subagent

A process that receives queries for a particular application from the master agent, and sends the answers back to the master agent.

System Global Area See Shared Global Area

V$ table

A generic term for a virtual table which allows the user to access memory structures within the SGA. V$ tables can be used to monitor the performance of processes of an Oracle instance. These tables are also called dynamic performance tables, because they are continuously updated while a database is open and in use. The values of many private Oracle Database MIB variables are retrieved directly from corresponding variables in V$ tables.

V$DATABASE

The dynamic performance table containing database information from the control file.

V$FILESTAT

The dynamic performance table containing file read/write statistics for an Oracle7 database. Some of the variables in the oraDbDataFileTable of the private Oracle Database MIB are retrieved directly from a single column of V$FILESTAT .

V$INSTANCE

The dynamic performance table containing information on the state of the current instance.

V$LIBRARYCACHE

The dynamic performance table containing measures of all library cache activity since the most recent instance startup. Values for each variable in the oraDbLibraryCacheTable of the private Oracle Database MIB are retrieved directly from a corresponding variable in V$LIBRARYCACHE.

V$LICENSE

The dynamic performance table containing information on license limits.

V$ROWCACHE

The dynamic performance table containing measures of all data dictionary activity since the most recent instance startup. Values for each variable of the oraDbRowCacheTable of the private Oracle Database MIB are retrieved directly from a corresponding variable in V$ROWCACHE

V$SESSTAT

The dynamic performance table containing the current statistics on total memory used for each current session. In the multi-threaded server architecture, Oracle stores session information in the shared pool, rather than in the memory of user processes. While no variables in the private Oracle Database MIB correspond directly to those in V$SESSTAT, V$SYSSTAT is derived from V$SESSTAT. See also V$SYSSTAT.

V$SGA

The dynamic performance table containing summary information on the System Global Area of an Oracle7 database. The values of each variable in the oraDbSGATable of the Oracle Private Database MIB are retrieved directly from a corresponding variable in V$SGA.

V$SGASTAT

The dynamic performance table containing detailed information on the System Global Area of an Oracle7 database. Values for each variable in the oraDbSGAStatTable of the private Oracle Database MIB are retrieved directly from a corresponding variable in V$SGASTAT.

V$SYSSTAT

The dynamic performance table containing the current system-wide value for each variable in V$SESSTAT. Values for each variable in the oraDbSysTable of the private Oracle Database MIB are retrieved directly from a corresponding variable in V$SYSSTAT.

V$TABLESPACE

The dynamic performance table containing measures of tablespace activity for an Oracle7 database since the last instance startup. Values for each variable in the oraDbTablespaceTable of the Oracle Private Database MIB are retrieved directly from a corresponding variable in V$TABLESPACE.

V$VERSION

The dynamic performance table containing version numbers of core library components in the Oracle Server. See also library.