Chapter 12. Using the Scheduler to Automate Tasks
ORACLE DATABASE 10G: ADMINISTRATION II EXAM OBJECTIVES COVERED IN THIS CHAPTER:
Automating Tasks with the Scheduler
Simplify management tasks by using the Scheduler.
Create a job, program, schedule, and window.
Reuse Scheduler components for similar tasks.
View information about job executions and job instances.
NOTE
Exam objectives are subject to change at any time without prior notice and at Oracle's sole discretion. Please visit Oracle's Training and Certification website (http://www.oracle.com/education/certification/) for the most current exam objectives listing.
As an Oracle database administrator, you might find that an inordinate amount of your time is spent performing routine tasks. Unfortunately, routine tasks come with the territory, and that is unlikely to change in the foreseeable future. Handling these routine tasks manually is an invitation for problems. Mistakes can be made, or even worse, the tasks will be forgotten and not run at all.
To resolve this dilemma, Oracle Database 10g (Oracle 10g) introduced the Oracle Scheduler, a new feature that makes the scheduling of routine tasks a simple matter. The Oracle Scheduler is a major advancement over the old DBMS_JOB scheduling system found in previous Oracle versions. It corrects many of the nagging idiosyncrasies while adding powerful new features such as the calendaring syntax, a flexible method of defining repeat intervals for Scheduler jobs.
In this chapter, you will learn how the Scheduler works and how to create and manage Scheduler elements. First, you will get an overview of the terminology and components that make up the Scheduler. You will learn the underlying architecture of the Scheduler and how all the pieces fit together.
Next, you will learn about Scheduler jobs and how to create and manage them. You will also learn about job groups and how they can be used to simplify the management of jobs, as well as to prioritize job execution.
You will also learn about Scheduler programs, which define the work that will be performed. You'll learn to create and manage schedules, which define when jobs will be run and how often they will be repeated. You'll learn how to define complex repeat intervals using Oracle's new calendaring syntax.
Next, you will learn about windows and window groups, which allow you to switch resource plans based on a schedule. And, lastly, you will learn about the Scheduler views that are available to you.