Oracle7 Server Tuning
Reading Guide to the Oracle7 Server Library
This section describes the Oracle7 Server library and helps you decide which manuals in the library to read. It also recommends reading paths, which are diagramed in Figure 1.
Manuals for All Users
All users should begin with the manuals at the top of the diagram, Oracle7 Server Concepts and Oracle7 Server Migration. Oracle7 Server Concepts gives a brief description of each Oracle7 feature and presents the concepts that a new user must understand before reading other manuals. Oracle7 Server Migration lists the differences between each release of the Oracle Server. Current users should read Oracle7 Server Migration before upgrading to new releases of Oracle.
Administrator and Developer Paths
After reading Oracle7 Server Concepts and/or Oracle7 Server Migration, the reading path splits into the "Database Administrator's Path" and the "Application Developer's Path." Choose the appropriate path (or paths) for the tasks you need to do. For example, backing up the database is an administrative task, so it is documented in the Oracle7 Server Administrator's Guide. However, creating stored procedures is an application developer's task, so it is documented in the Oracle7 Server Application Developer's Guide.
Whichever path you follow, you might need to refer to the Oracle Network Products documentation. If you use Oracle in a networked environment (either client/server or distributed database), you use SQL*Net and other network products. For more information, see your Network Products documentation.
Administrator's Path
Typically, database administrators do a set of tasks related to the maintenance, security, and performance of the database. The manuals in the Administrator's Path explain the role of the database administrator and describe in detail how to do administrator's tasks.
Database administrators should become familiar with the Oracle7 Server Administrator's Guide. This manual contains most of the information that a database administrator needs. Oracle7 Server Utilities describes the auxiliary utilities provided with the Oracle Server, such as SQL*Loader, the Import utility, and the Export Utility.
Another manual that might be useful to database administrators is the Oracle Server Manager User's Guide. Server Manager is a graphical user interface for doing administrative tasks. If you are using Server Manager, you should refer to the Oracle Server Manager User's Guide.
Application
Developer's Path
As an application developer, you should learn about the many
Oracle7 features that can ease application development and
improve performance.
The Oracle7 Server Application Developer's Guide describes all the Oracle7 Server features that relate to application development. The PL/SQL User's Guide and Reference describes PL/SQL, a high-level programming language, which is Oracle Corporation's procedural extension to SQL. The Programmer's Guide to the Oracle Call Interface describes the Oracle Call Interface, with which you can build third-generation language (3GL) applications that access Oracle.
Oracle Corporation also provides the Pro* series of 3GL precompilers, which allow you to embed SQL and PL/SQL in your application programs. If you program in Ada, C/C++, COBOL, or FORTRAN, refer to the corresponding precompiler manual. For example, if you program in C or C++, refer to the Programmer's Guide to the Oracle Pro*C/C++ Precompiler.
Oracle CDE is a cooperative development environment that provides several tools including a form builder, reporting tools, and a debugging environment for PL/SQL. If you use Oracle CDE, refer to the appropriate Tools documentation.
Reference Manuals for All Users
Certain manuals provide reference material and guidance for both database administrators and application developers. After reading the appropriate manuals in each user path, you might want to refer to one of the reference manuals from time to time.
Oracle7 Server Tuning shows you how to diagnose performance problems and take corrective action. Oracle7 Server Messages lists all the messages and codes that Oracle can return. Oracle7 Server SQL Reference provides syntax diagrams and usage notes for all SQL used with the Oracle Server. Oracle7 Server Reference describes the Oracle data dictionary tables, initialization parameters, national language support features, and so on.
Manuals for
Oracle Options
You can purchase the Oracle Server with several options, which are described in separate manuals. If you purchased Oracle with one or more options, besides reading other manuals in the Oracle7 Server library, you should read the manuals that describe those options. For example, the manual that describes the Parallel Server option is Oracle7 Parallel Server.
Other Information
Oracle Corporation also publishes a file commonly named README.DOC, which is available on your distribution media. This file describes differences between minor releases of Oracle software that are not documented in new manuals. The exact name and location of this file vary by operating system. Read this file to learn about software changes that are not documented in the manuals.
For system-specific information about the Oracle Server, see your installation or user's guide and any available system release bulletins.