8
Understanding Oracle Enterprise Manager

Navigator Window  

The Navigator Window provides a hierarchical tree view of the network's nodes and services, and any objects they may contain. This enables easy object manipulation of all objects in the system.

Objects include nodes, databases, listeners, users, roles, and profiles. A node contains databases and listeners. A database contains users, roles, and profiles.

Each type of object in the Navigator tree list is identified by an icon and a name. An object in the tree can also be copied by dragging and dropping it. For example, you can drag and drop users from one database to another.

Depending on the applications installed, additional objects such as video servers can appear.  

Map Window  

The Map Window provides a customized, graphical representation of key objects (such as databases) created by an administrator to manage and monitor a subset or group of objects in the system. Objects can be grouped together based on any criteria, simplifying all operations performed on the group members.

The map is useful for environments with many databases and for visually representing problems detected by the Event Management System.  

Job Scheduling Window  

The Job Scheduling Window enables you to automate repetitive tasks and provide the kind of "lights out" management vital in a large, distributed environment.

You can schedule or cancel a job and view its status, or review historical information about jobs. You can also create and manage job scripts. See the section "Job Scheduling System" and Chapter 10, "Administering a Database" for additional information.  

Event Management Window  

The Event Management Window enables you to create and register event sets, modify or cancel registrations, view the status of services being monitored, view summary information about events that have occurred, and further manage event information.

You can choose to have the events of interest represented graphically on the Console when they are detected. The system can also notify you through e-mail or paging. See the section "Event Management System" and Chapter 10, "Administering a Database" for additional information.  

a variety of predefined job tasks  

You can schedule and run jobs on remote sites throughout the network, including:

• Backing up a database
• Starting up or shutting down databases or listeners
• Running SQL scripts or operating system programs

You can also submit your own custom jobs to the Job Scheduling System.  

stored and forwarding job scheduling  

You can submit a job once, regardless of the number of nodes on which the job runs or how often it must be executed. Oracle Enterprise Manager ensures that the job is run on schedule on all specified databases, and keeps a history of the job and record of the job's status. You can view information about the job in the Job Scheduling Window. (This is because the task of submitting and managing jobs is centralized in the Console.)

To schedule a job, you do not need to connect to the node on which the job runs. Instead, submit the job from the Console and specify the nodes or services on which it runs.

When you submit a job to one or more destinations, it is possible that any one of those sites may be down. If a site or its Oracle Intelligent Agent is down, the communication daemon queues job requests not delivered to the sites. Once the site can be contacted, the daemon submits the queued job to the agent.  

"lights out" management  

You can automate repetitive and periodic tasks and problem correction. If the job has to be executed periodically, the agents reschedule the job without your intervention. Messages about a job's status are reported back to the Console.

When you register an event to be monitored by Oracle Enterprise Manager, you can specify a fixit job, which is executed to correct the problem if the event occurs.  

cross-platform job scripts  

Jobs are implemented as Tool Command Language (Tcl) scripts. Tcl is a scripting language used to write both job and event scripts. Oracle has also extended Tcl (OraTcl) to include database-specific commands. With OraTcl, you can:

• Invoke operating system facilities, such as programs or shell scripts
• Execute SQL and PL/SQL scripts
• Start up and shut down Oracle databases
• Communicate with the Oracle Intelligent Agent

Although you submit a job from the Console, the job scripts themselves reside on the agent nodes. Because the manner in which a job is implemented can depend on the platform, each agent keeps its own set of job scripts.

This enables you to submit a job, such as backing up a database, without worrying about the specifics of the platform. For example, you can select a group of databases residing on Windows NT machines, and send one backup job request to back up the databases. The agents on those nodes run backup job scripts that are specific to their platforms.  

composite jobs  

You can combine two or more predefined jobs (such as backing up a database and then running a script) into one composite job. Each of the predefined jobs contained in the composite job is called a task.

Composite jobs can contain test conditions based on the success of a task. For example, if a composite job consists of two tasks, starting up a database and then running a SQL script, you can specify that the script be run only if the database was successfully started.  

scalability  

You can run jobs efficiently on multiple remote nodes. When you submit a job to run on a remote node, all the information needed to run the job is transferred to the agent servicing the node. When the job is executed, it is run by the agent on that node, minimizing network traffic between the remote node and the Console and daemon. The only communication between the agents and the Console and daemon are the initial transmission of job information and any subsequent messages about job status changes.

Because jobs are run independently by agents, you can submit any number of jobs on multiple nodes without affecting the Console. For example, you can submit several jobs and then immediately start another task without waiting for the agents to schedule the jobs.

In addition, because there is an Oracle Intelligent Agent residing on each managed node, jobs can be run on multiple nodes simultaneously. For example, you can submit a job to run a report on multiple databases worldwide. The job is scheduled and run independently by the agent that services each database. Therefore, the jobs can be executed by their respective agents at the same time.  

security  

Jobs are normally run with your preferred credentials; therefore, you cannot run jobs to perform functions that you could not perform if you were logged into the machine directly.

Because jobs are categorized by service types, such as database or node, the Job Scheduling System knows which credentials to pass to the agent. If the job runs on a node, the Job Scheduling System passes either your preferred credentials for the node or, if none are specified, the user name and password used when logging into the Console. If the job runs on a service, such as a database, the Job Scheduling System also passes your preferred credentials to the service.

A job can also be run with the agent's credentials. This flexibility enables a site to easily incorporate the Job Scheduling System's authentication methods with existing security policies.  

Proactive Events Management  

You can automate problem detection and correction in response to an event. This ensures that a problem is corrected before it noticeably impacts end-users. You can also specify a fixit job to be run in response to a particular event. For example, you can have the Event Management System monitor the tablespace TEMP in the database HR_DB and generate an alert if TEMP runs out of free space. You can also have a datafile automatically added to TEMP if this event occurs.  

Unsolicited Error Detection  

You can detect events with tools and applications independent of the Oracle Intelligent Agents. These tools and applications can be integrated into the Event Management System and communicate directly with the Oracle Intelligent Agents. For example, a third-party application can detect an event on a node and report that event to the Oracle Intelligent Agent on that node. The Oracle Intelligent Agent then sends the message back to the Console.  

Scalability  

The Event Management System allows one person to monitor a large system. If you are responsible for 100 databases, you cannot connect to each database every day to check on performance. Using the Event Management System, you can effectively monitor all databases 24 hours a day, and be alerted if a problem is detected.

The Event Management System also enables you to focus on select systems and events. This control is vital in a large system. Rather than monitor all sites or a large number of sites, you can pinpoint only those services you want to monitor.

An administrator can monitor a large number of sites with minimal performance impact on the Console. Because the Oracle Intelligent Agents perform the monitoring independent of the Console, an administrator can monitor many sites without slowing other tasks.  

Predefined Event Sets  

Standard pre-defined event sets are provided. Advanced event sets are included with the optional Performance Pack.

The standard pre-defined events are the fault management events:

• Database up/down
• Listener up/down
• Node up/down

Pre-defined event sets included with the Performance Pack are:

• Space and resource management events, such as a disk becoming too full or a tablespace running out of extents
• Performance management events, such as a CPU load being abnormal or a database system statistic being too high

See the Oracle Enterprise Manager Performance Monitoring User's Guide and Chapter 11, "Monitoring a Database".  

Event Scripts  

As with jobs, events are OraTcl scripts that are stored on the Oracle Intelligent Agent node. Event scripts can save state information. Saving a state between executions of an event script enables the Oracle Intelligent Agent to remember if it has already detected a certain event and eliminate redundant event messages to the Console. This also enables event scripts to maintain a history of a database and adjust to behavior that is typical.

Note: Unlike job scripts, event scripts are run with the permissions of the Oracle Intelligent Agent.  

Optimized Intelligent Agents  

The optimized intelligent agent has been optimized to monitor large numbers of systems and events efficiently. Event tests are generally executed by the agent process directly and can be run quickly.  

Instance Manager  

This tool enables you to start up and shut down databases, examine and edit initialization parameters, manage in-doubt transactions, and manage user sessions.  

Schema Manager  

This tool enables you to create, edit, and examine status, owner, creation date, and last date modified information for the following schema objects:

• clusters
• database links
• functions and procedures
• indexes
• packages and package bodies
• refresh groups
• sequences
• snapshots and snapshot logs
• synonyms
• tables
• triggers
• views

Security Manager  

This tool enables you to create, alter, and drop users, roles, and profiles, and add multiple privileges and roles for database users. Security Manager controls the security of Oracle databases. Profiles and roles assigned to a set of users are in constant change. Security Manager simplifies making changes by providing security lists that an administrator uses to determine which profiles and roles have been assigned to a set of users. Use property sheets to then determine the security parameters for each database. Required changes can then be made quickly.  

Storage Manager  

This tool enables you to perform DBA tasks associated with managing database storage. These tasks include managing tablespaces and rollback segments, and adding and renaming datafiles. You can also launch database tools and utilities from the application.  

SQL Worksheet  

This tool enables you to enter SQL statements, PL/SQL code, and DBA commands dynamically, and run scripts stored as files. The SQL Worksheet maintains a history of the commands entered, enabling you to edit and re-execute an earlier command without retyping it. You can drag a SQL file and drop it into a worksheet to load it. You can have multiple SQL Worksheets open at a time, each separate from others. Therefore, you can commit or roll back work in each worksheet independently.  

Backup Manager  

This tool enables you to perform tablespace backups, create backup scripts guided by a backup wizard, and administer redo logs. The Backup Manager manages the following groups:

• database
• tablespace
• datafiles

The Backup Manager simplifies backups through the use of a backup wizard. The Backup Wizard enables you to specify the:

• status of the database required to complete the backup
• particular tablespaces of the database to be backed up
• backup method to be used
• name of the file that contains the backup job script you are creating using the Tablespace Backup Wizard

Data Manager  

This tool enables you to automate (through wizards) the transfer of data to and from an Oracle database. Data Manager also provides job tasks that can be submitted with the Job Scheduling System. The Data menu of Data Manager includes Export, Import, and Load wizard options for:

• Exporting data to a file. This option transfers data from an Oracle database to an Oracle binary operating system file. The file can then be used with the import operation.
• Importing data from a file. This option transfers data to an Oracle database that has been exported from another Oracle database.
• Loading data from an external file. This option loads data from operating system files, such as text files, to an Oracle database.

Oracle Software Manager  

This tool enables you to manage software from a central location across the enterprise with:

• An integrated toolset for managing software in a distributed fashion
• A next generation architecture that offers network scalability through an advanced client-agent-server paradigm
• An easy-to-use graphical user interface that allows administrators to easily run software configuration jobs and track assets across the entire network

The Oracle Enterprise Manager/Oracle Software Manager (OSM) network is comprised of one or more Oracle Enterprise Manager/OSM installations, each administering host servers that contain Oracle Intelligent Agents. The Oracle Intelligent Agent can have clients that are administered as part of the network.

OSM uses a lightweight store-and-forward messaging system that keeps network traffic to a minimum. In the event of network problems, any message that is waiting to be sent, either from the Console or the agent, is held until the network is back online. Communications between the Console and agents are not resource intensive; they require only one connection per agent. If a host becomes unavailable, the connection is freed.  

Tree Lists  

All tools have a tree list of managed objects similar to the Navigator tree list in the Console. For example, in the Security Manager, the tree list has containers for users, roles, and profiles. These containers can be expanded or collapsed by clicking the + or - icons to the left of the container.  

Multi-column Lists  

A multi-column list is displayed when you select a group container. Each row in the list provides a quick view of summary information about objects in the selected container. Additionally, you can select and alter items through their respective property sheets.  

Property Sheets  

A property sheet is a dialog box used to specify options when you are creating or altering a composite instance, such as a user or tablespace. A property sheet consists of one or more pages that are labeled with page tabs. By default, one page is open when the sheet is entered, but all pages show page tabs. To access another page, select its page tab.  

Record and Play Back  

The integrated applications also provide a "record and play back" mechanism that makes it easy to record a task and perform it at multiple locations. For example, if you want to assign several privileges to a set of users who exist on ten databases, use the Security Manager and the logging mechanism to record the granting of the privileges, then use the Job Control System to perform the assignment at the ten databases.  

Basic/Advanced User Modes  

Advanced Mode displays additional property sheets that enable you to access an application's advanced database administration features.