While Oracle is constantly changing its database software, many programming techniques still apply to the various release levels. At the time of this review, the Oracle release widely available was 9.0.1.1. Thomas Kyte provides a well-written book targeted at programmers and DBA’s interested in understanding the various ways to utilize the Oracle database from release 7.3 through 8.1.7.

As an employee of Oracle, the author offers his insight into the architecture of the Oracle database. Chapter 2 illustrates the advantages and disadvantages of using Multi-threaded server (MTS) mode. The next several chapters cover transactions, redo and rollback, the various types of database tables, import and export, and a very good chapter on data loading. It is clear that the author has spent time listening to what readers want to know and demonstrates this by pointing out that Oracle’s date mask is a, “common point of confusion.”

In the chapter on tuning strategies, the author reminds us that an improperly designed database can be painful to fix. He emphasizes the importance of bind variables end then explains why. Coverage of how to extend the database includes using C-based external procedures with the Oracle Call Interface (OCI) and Java stored procedures. In the Appendix A, the book explains which of the Oracle 8i supplied PL/SQL packages are important and how to make the most of them. The book provides numerous examples and the reader should have a good knowledge of SQL and PL/SQL in order to understand them.

Overall, this book provides a wealth of information. The defense of why one should understand how the Oracle database works instead of just trying to use it as a black box is very convincing. Anyone buying this book should find several chapters of interest.

Review by: Bruce Hard