Oracle 1Z0-076 key terms

A directory containing the Oracle software binaries for a specific release and patch level. Multiple Oracle Homes can coexist on one server, each associated with its own configuration and inventory metadata.

The root directory for all Oracle software and configuration files for a given installation. It provides a directory structure for Oracle Homes, diagnostic data, and administrative files.

A central registry (inventory.xml) that tracks installed Oracle products, their versions, and locations on a host. It is used by OPatch and installers to manage patches and upgrades.

A utility used to apply and roll back interim patches to Oracle software. It queries the Oracle Inventory and verifies patch conflicts and prerequisites before applying patches.

A tool that applies SQL changes required after an interim patch or upgrade to the database. It runs during database startup or manually to update the data dictionary.

The process of moving a database to a newer major release, involving changes to the data dictionary and software. It requires running scripts such as catupgrd.sql or using DBUA.

A binary server parameter file that stores initialization parameters persistently. It allows dynamic changes to be made with ALTER SYSTEM and survives instance restarts.

A text-based initialization parameter file that is read at instance startup. Changes require manual editing and a restart to take effect, unlike an SPFILE.

A configuration setting that controls the behavior of the Oracle instance, such as memory allocation, process limits, and file locations. Parameters can be static or dynamic.

A process that executes SQL statements on behalf of a user session. It reads data blocks into the buffer cache, performs sorting, and returns results to the client.

An Oracle process that performs essential maintenance tasks, such as writing data to disk (DBWn), managing redo (LGWR), and monitoring the instance (PMON, SMON).

The combination of memory structures (SGA) and background processes that manage an Oracle database. It exists in memory and is started when the database is mounted or opened.

A set of physical files on disk, including data files, control files, and redo log files, that store user data and metadata. It is mounted and opened by an instance.

System Global Area: a shared memory region that contains the buffer cache, shared pool, redo log buffer, and other structures. It is allocated when the instance starts.

Program Global Area: a private memory region allocated for each server process. It holds session-specific information such as sort areas and cursor state.

A component of the SGA that caches data blocks read from data files. It improves performance by reducing physical I/O and is managed using LRU lists.

A part of the SGA that stores shared SQL and PL/SQL areas, data dictionary caches, and control structures. It is essential for parsing and execution efficiency.

A portion of the shared pool that holds executable SQL and PL/SQL code, along with parse trees and execution plans. It enables sharing of cursors among sessions.

An operating system file that contains Oracle data blocks. Each data file belongs to exactly one tablespace and can be resized or moved while the database is open.

A small binary file that records the physical structure of the database, including data file locations, redo log information, and the current log sequence number. It is critical for recovery.

A file that records all changes made to the database, used for instance recovery and media recovery. Redo logs are written by the LGWR process in a circular fashion.

A logical storage container that groups related data files. It allows administrative control over disk space allocation and is used to separate user data from system data.

A set of extents allocated for a specific database object, such as a table or index. Segments reside in a tablespace and consist of one or more extents.

A contiguous set of data blocks within a data file, allocated as a unit for a segment. Extents are managed automatically by locally managed tablespaces.

A database mode in which redo log files are archived before being reused. It enables media recovery and is required for online backups and Data Guard.

The process of restoring a database to a consistent state after a failure, using redo and undo data. It can be instance recovery or media recovery.

Recovery Manager: a utility for backup, restore, and recovery of Oracle databases. It manages backup sets, image copies, and provides integrity checks.

A set of features that allows viewing or rewinding data to a previous point in time without restoring from backup. It includes Flashback Query, Flashback Table, and Flashback Database.

Data that records the before-image of changes made to the database, used for rollback, read consistency, and flashback operations. Undo is stored in undo segments.

A handle to a private SQL area in the PGA that holds parsed SQL statements and execution state. Cursors can be shared or private and are managed by the library cache.

A process that listens for incoming client connection requests and directs them to the appropriate database instance. It is configured using listener.ora and managed with lsnrctl.

A logical name that resolves to a connect descriptor, used by clients to connect to a database. It is defined in tnsnames.ora and can be resolved by a naming method.

A file-based repository that stores diagnostic data such as trace files, incident dumps, and health monitor reports. It is located under the ADR base directory.

A text file generated by Oracle processes that contains diagnostic information about errors or performance issues. Trace files are stored in the ADR and can be analyzed with tools like TKPROF.

Automatic Workload Repository: a built-in repository that collects performance statistics at regular intervals. It is used by ADDM and other tools for performance tuning.

Automatic Database Diagnostic Monitor: a tool that analyzes AWR data to identify performance bottlenecks and recommends solutions. It runs automatically after each AWR snapshot.

A tool that analyzes SQL statements and provides recommendations such as creating indexes, gathering statistics, or rewriting SQL to improve performance.

A feature that controls the allocation of CPU and other resources among sessions and consumer groups. It helps manage workload prioritization and prevent resource contention.