In Oracle 12C it’s possible to define LOB storage method during import time independent from export settings.

It gives more flexibility during importing data.

impdp .. TRANSFORM=LOB_STORAGE:SECUREFILE|BASICFILE|DEFAULT|NO_CHANGE

• DEFAULT – no lob storage clause is set for CREATE TABLE
• NO_CHANGE – use settings from dump file
• BASICFILE – creates LOBs as basicfile
• SECUREFILE – creates LOBs as securefile
• Can be set in PL/SQL using DBMS_DATAPUMP.METADATA_TRANSFORM

Example

Imports data and sets LOBs as SECUREFILE

impdp hr/hr DIRECTORY=dpdump_dir DUMPFILE=hr.dmp
TRANSFORM=LOB_STORAGE:SECUREFILE

Have a fun 🙂

Tomasz

In Oracle 12C it’s possible to specify during import compressions settings for a table independent from export settings.

It gives more flexibility during importing data.

impdp .. 
TRANSFORM=TABLE_COMPRESSION_CLAUSE:NONE|"<compression type>"

• NONE – compression ignored during import, taken from tablespace settings
• <compression type> – valid compression clause:
  • NOCOMPRESS : Disables table compression.
  • COMPRESS : Enables basic table compression.
  • ROW STORE COMPRESS: Same as COMPRESS.
  • ROW STORE COMPRESS BASIC : Same as COMPRESS.
  • ROW STORE COMPRESS ADVANCED : Enables advanced compression, also known as OLTP compression.
  • COLUMN STORE COMPRESS FOR {QUERY|ARCHIVE} : Hybrid Columnar Compression (HCC) available in Exadata and ZFS storage appliances.
• Can be set in PL/SQL using DBMS_DATAPUMP.METADATA_TRANSFORM

Example

Import data with dedicated compression type

impdp hr/hr DIRECTORY=dpdump_dir DUMPFILE=hr.dmp
TRANSFORM=TABLE_COMPRESSION_CLAUSE:"ROW STORE COMPRESS"

Have a fun 🙂
Tomasz

There is new option to pass in silent mode encryption password in Oracle 12C during exporting sensitive data. In new version user is asked about password during execution of export.

expdp ... ENCRYPTION_PWD_PROMPT=Y ...
...
Password: <user is asked for encryption password>

In previous version encryption password was explicit passed to expdp using parameter ENCRYPTION_PASSWORD. So could be visible via ps command or in a expdp parameter script.

Features:

• new parameter ENCRPTION_PWD_PROMPT as default set to N
• if the parameter is set to Y then user is asked for encryption password during export
• the password is not visible via commands like PS nor stored in scripts
• old 11g ENCRYPTION_PASSWORD and ENCRYPTION_PWD_PROMPT=Y can’t be used in the same time and generate an error

Have a fun 🙂
Tomasz

This feature extends functionality of Data Pump 12C. It allows to export views as tables.

expdp .. VIEWS_AS_TABLES=[schema_name.]view_name ...

Features

• new parameter for expdp VIEWS_AS_TABLES
• it exports view as table definition plus data
• it exports dependent objects like constraints(on the view) and grants(on the view)
• very useful to export subset of a data from table(s) via complex view
• during import as first step table is created then data is imported
• it can be exported in PL/SQL using DBMS_DATAPUMP.METADATA_FILTER
• doesn’t support views that reference object type or functions
• unloads data as unencrypted format

Examples

Export of view emp_view”as table and table departments

expdp hr/hr DIRECTORY=dpdump_dir DUMPFILE=hr.dmp
VIEWS_AS_TABLES=emp_view TABLES=departments

Export of two views as tables emp_view and oe.orders_v

expdp hr/hr DIRECTORY=dpdump_dir DUMPFILE=hr.dmp
VIEWS_AS_TABLES=emp_view,oe.orders_v

Import of exported view as table emp_view and rename the table as emp_new_table

impdp hr/hr DIRECTORY=dpdump_dir DUMPFILE=hr.dmp
VIEWS_AS_TABLES=emp_view REMAP_TABLE=emp_view:emp_new_table

Import through data base link db_link via view emp_v and loading it directly to existing table employees

impdp hr/hr VIEWS_AS_TABLE=emp_v NETWORK_LINK=db_link
REMAP_TABLE=emp_v:employees TABLE_EXISTS_ACTION=append

Have a fun 🙂

Tomasz

It’s very nice feature available in Data Pump 12C. It allows to disable generation of redo logs during import of  a data into database.

impdp .. TRANSFORM=DISABLE_ARCHIVE_LOGGING:Y|N[:TABLE|INDEX]

Features

• DISABLE_ARCHIVE_LOGGING as default is set to N
• it’s possible to set it only for TABLES or INDEXES or for both
• if used then once import is finished original logging settings for imported objects are restored
• redo data is not written into disk
• faster load data into database less I/O operations
• great for large data loads or populating new databases
• It’s recommended to make a full database backup  after such load
• small amount of log activity is still still generated by the import
• FORCE LOGGING set on database level will ignore the settings
• operations against master data pump table(the table stores activity of data pump jobs)  are always using logging option

Examples

Disable logging for whole imported file so for tables and indexes

impdp hr/hr DIRECTORY=dpdump_dir DUMPFILE=hr.dmp SCHEMAS=hr 
TRANSFORM=DISABLE_ARCHIVE_LOGGING:Y

Disable logging just for indexes

impdp hr/hr DIRECTORY=dpdump_dir DUMPFILE=hr.dmp SCHEMAS=hr 
TRANSFORM=DISABLE_ARCHIVE_LOGGING:Y:INDEX

Disable logging just for indexes – different way

impdp hr/hr DIRECTORY=dpdump_dir DUMPFILE=hr.dmp SCHEMAS=hr 
TRANSFORM=DISABLE_ARCHIVE_LOGGING:Y
TRANSFORM=DISABLE_ARCHIVE_LOGGING:N:TABLE

Have a fun 🙂
Tomasz

New privileges READ, READ ANY TABLE have appeared  in Oracle Database 12c.

They are available since release 12.1.0.2.

They work almost the same as standard SELECT and SELECT ANY TABLE except SELECT and SELECT ANY TABLE can do additionally

--acquires exclusive lock on a table
LOCK TABLE <TABLE_NAME> IN EXCLUSIVE MODE;

--acquires row lock on a table rows
SELECT … FROM <TABLE_NAME> FOR UPDATE;

So simple grant SELECT lets users to make harm(can block other users) in a database just by executing above commands. It’s time to start using READ and READ ANY TABLE to avoid it and improve security.

You can grant/revoke them to the same objects like SELECT:

• tables
• views
• materialized views
• synonyms

GRANT READ ON test_table TO tomasz;
GRANT READ ON test_view TO tomasz;
GRANT READ ANY TABLE TO tomasz;

REVOKE READ ON test_view FROM tomasz;
REVOKE READ ANY TABLE FROM tomasz;

Have a fun 🙂

Tomasz