Smart Database Technology

To test the email functionality of Dbvisit use the dbv_functions -m command.
This will send an email to the email address(es) specified by the ADMINS parameter in the Dbvisit Database Configuration (DDC) file.

For example for the w112g primary database run the command as follows:

$ dbv_functions -m w112g
=============================================================
Dbvisit Standby Database Technology (5.2.25.4075) (pid 3958)
dbv_functions started on dbvisit11: Fri Apr 30 15:38:57 2010
=============================================================

Sending schedular heartbeat message to dba_guru@companyxx.com.

This command can be used to test the email functionality is working. By default Dbvisit will send a test email every day to ensure the email functionality is still working. To specify the time that Dbvisit sends this test or heartbeat email is set by variable SEND_HEARTBEAT_TIME24. By default this is set to 7:00am.

It is also possible to send an attachment in the email. Specify the same command with a valid filename. This filename will then be emailed to the user specified by ADMINS as an attachment:

$ dbv_functions -m w112g dbv_w112g.env
=============================================================
Dbvisit Standby Database Technology (5.2.25.4075) (pid 3958)
dbv_functions started on dbvisit11: Fri Apr 30 15:38:57 2010
=============================================================

Attachment filesize is 33478 bytes

Sending schedular heartbeat message to dba_guru@companyxx.com.
with attachment dbv_w112g.env

In this example the DDC file (dbv_w112g.env) was sent to email dba_guru@companyxx.com as an attachment. You can use this command to send trace files or other relevant Dbvisit files to yourself.

The command can be run both on the primary and the standby database.

Welcome to the Dbvisit tip of the week.

To find transfer information about the last log that Dbvisit has transferred use the dbv_functions -N command run on the primary server. For example for the w112g primary database run the command as follows:

$ dbv_functions -N w112g
Dbvisit Database configuration (DDC) file dbv_w112g.env.
<<<>>>
oracle_sid             => w112g
sequence#              => 4
thread_num             => 1
log_id                 => 716466692
archive_name           => /oracle/flash_recovery_area/W112G/archivelog/2010_04_18/o1_mf_1_4_5wo
process_id             => 3748
process                => TRANSFER
timestamp              => 201004190307
datestamp              => 2010/04/19:03:07
start_time_date        => 2010/04/19:03:08
end_time_date          => 2010/04/19:03:08
source_host            => dbvisit51
destination_host       => dbvisit52
checksum               => cb3eacfd0be802c5999e9fd682c6c46b50a0ccba
size_in_bytes          => 9660283
size_in_mb             => 9.21
process_completed      => Y

To display information about a specific log file add the sequence number:

$ dbv_functions -N 3 w112g
Dbvisit Database configuration (DDC) file dbv_w112g.env.
<<<>>>
oracle_sid             => w112g
sequence#              => 3
thread_num             => 1
log_id                 => 716466692
archive_name           => /oracle/flash_recovery_area/W112G/archivelog/2010_04_17/o1_mf_1_3_5wl
process_id             => 3748
process                => TRANSFER
timestamp              => 201004190307
datestamp              => 2010/04/19:03:07
start_time_date        => 2010/04/19:03:07
end_time_date          => 2010/04/19:03:08
source_host            => dbvisit51
destination_host       => dbvisit52
checksum               => e6ab447f4c4df5bc64868a6b1baece595a8defbd
size_in_bytes          => 9433837
size_in_mb             => 9
process_completed      => Y

The above displays information about the transfer process. It is also possible to display information about the COMPRESS step:

$ dbv_functions -N 3 w112g COMPRESS
Dbvisit Database configuration (DDC) file dbv_w112g.env.
<<<>>>
oracle_sid             => w112g
sequence#              => 3
thread_num             => 1
log_id                 => 716466692
archive_name           => /oracle/flash_recovery_area/W112G/archivelog/2010_04_17/o1_mf_1_3_5wl
process_id             => 3748
process                => COMPRESS
timestamp              => 201004190307
datestamp              => 2010/04/19:03:07
start_time_date        => 2010/04/19:03:07
end_time_date          => 2010/04/19:03:07
source_host            => dbvisit51
destination_host       => dbvisit52
checksum               => 22e4ece6822f1ef951078992600f00a719de1a43
size_in_bytes          => 42861568
size_in_mb             => 40.88
process_completed      => Y

This shows that for sequence 3, the log file was 40Mb in size, and after compression and during transfer it was only 9Mb in size.

We have been working hard on a web based version of Dbvisit and although it is not yet finished we want to give a sneak preview of what the Dbvisit web based version will look like. Even though there will be a new GUI interface, the command line functionality will still be the same as with the current version if you prefer to use command line style.

The Dbvisit web based version will feature its own build in web server and will not rely on any external software, and is not build in APEX. The Dbvisit web based version will be platform independent and will work on Windows, Linux and Unix.

The Dbvisit web version main menu looks like this:

The menu items are easy to understand and are kept simple.

Click on “Setup” and the Dbvisit setup and configuration is an easy to use wizard which has most of the options already filled in and lets you know at which stage of the process you are:

Although Dbvisit is a background batch process, it can be run interactively through the web based version for testing purposes:

The “Standby Server” tab can be selected to run Dbvisit commands on the standby server.

The Dbvisit log files can also be easily displayed through the web based version. It will even show the Oracle Alert log:

As part of the web based version, Dbvisit will show details of the last transfer:

The sub menu provides additional functionality, which includes creating the standby database:

There will also be a reporting function which will report KPI’s like the log gap reports, time taken for the transfer process, size of the log files etc.

We are very excited about this release. There is still more development and testing to do before it can be released. There is no release date set, but as soon as we have a date, we will publish it here.  This version will be released as Dbvisit version 6.0.