impdp with in Peoplesoft database

I was very enthusiat by the new features offered by the Oracle import dump, the new import utility in 10g.
Especially with the option NETWORK_LINK which allow us to do an import in a database through a database link directly from the database source, without having the need of the creation of any dump file.
It is very useful regarding the size of Peoplesoft database dump, several dozen of Gb.
Until today, to save disk space, it was common to use an old export utility into a dump file and compress on the fly. Same for the import, uncompress and import into database on fly.
Since it is not possible to do with expdp, the NETWORK_LINK should offer a good alternative.

Unfortunately, two mains points make it impossible to use :

1. NETWORK_LINK does not work with tables containing LONG datatype.
It is not a joke, but Peoplesoft database (before the Peoplesoft version 9.0 and Peopletools 8.49) still contains a lot of tables like that. I was very disapointed by this limitation, and I was surprised because nothing in the documentation say anything about that limitation. You could read the Metalink note 6630677.8 (IMPDP skips table exported just before table with LONG column using NETWORK_LINK - seems to be fixed in 11.1.0.6).
Ok, we could find a workaround and work through a file for these tables (with LONG datatype column in it), even if it's a pity. Or work with the very old, but much more robust SQL*Plus command COPY.

2. There is a bug in the number of imported rows reported in the log file (known bug #7146127, not solved yet). In some cases, for tables containing a lot of columns (I don't know what's the number to hit this error), it is reported 1 imported row in the log file, even if it imported several of thousands of rows. So, now how to prove how many have been imported ? Run a count against every single imported tables ? Not acceptable.

Here is the output of number of columns by tables (Peoplesoft HRMS9, Peopletools 8.49) :
Nb tables with less than 100 columns.................. : 42655
Nb tables with more than 100 and less than 200 columns : 171
Nb tables with more than 200 columns.................. : 21

What else ? Still stuck with exp/imp utility despite they are old.

Enjoy,

Oracle 11.1.0.6_1013

Last month, October 2008, Oracle has released a new version of the initial patchset level of 11gR1 - 11.1.0.6 - downloadable on http://download.oracle.com
If you start a new project with in 11gR1 database, take care to have this version, the file is suffixed by _1013.
This new recut of the 11gR1 include a bug fix - see the Metalink note 738115.1 for more information.

Enjoy,

Metalink3, the end of Peoplesoft GSC, future of database support

Yesterday, Firday 7th, November 2008, the website Metalink3 has take in place of the Peoplesoft Global Support Center (http://www.peoplesoft.com).
That was expected since Oracle bought Peoplesoft. Finally, it is happening.
It is a very big change for Peoplesoft cutomers.
For who work on Peoplesoft for several years, that means a lot of habits have to be change (started with the severity scale and basics words as "case" becoming "SR").

Awaiting the effectivness of the replacement (from the coming Monday, after the outage during this week-end), the Metalink3 was available in "reduce" mode without all the features. That is more likely the Oracle classic Metalink site we know for the database support.

Moreover, it has been already announced, the Metalink3 website will become also the support website for the Oracle Database, eBusiness... the date is not defined yet.

Well, hopefully, that'll help,

Enjoy,

Nicolas.

Oracle 11g patch set 1 (11.1.0.7)

Few days ago the Oracle 11g patch set 1 - 11.1.0.7 - has been out for Windows plateform (it was already available for Lunix few weeks ago).
Time to upgrade my Personal Edition database :
SQL> select * from v$version;

BANNER
------------------------------------------------------------------
Personal Oracle Database 11g Release 11.1.0.7.0 - Production
PL/SQL Release 11.1.0.7.0 - Production
CORE 11.1.0.7.0 Production
TNS for 32-bit Windows: Version 11.1.0.7.0 - Production
NLSRTL Version 11.1.0.7.0 - Production

SQL>

OTN forums : 28 days later, what else ?

In reference to the horror movie 28 days later.

Tomorrow, already 4 weeks later. Or 28 days later... (to continue the movie reference, read this article : 500)
28 days after the OTN forum's software upgrade. And ?

Well, a lot of posts have been written about new features around the blogoshpere- like the most (in)famous point system.

So, 28 days later, where are we ? Instability is still the main problem, at least from some part of the world.We have to be patient, or learn patience... down... up... down... up... and network issue...

Instability.

The top user list has been dropped down. Since OTN forums is cumulated points and no more the number of posts for the top10 users, everyone have seen his point counter dropped to 0.
Ok, if this is not a problem in the two major forum (Database - General and SQL & PL/SQL) where there is enough activity to show this activity, I think this is a real problem on some less popular forum like one of my favorite - Peoplesoft.
Between instability, no more people in the top users list, and a point system not very well explained, people are went away. There was some sort of activities in such forum, but since... there is very, very, very few.

Less acitvity.

Then, some new behaviours have been seen. Ok, there is an report abuse button, very good. But...
Sometimes, there are a bunch of answers without more questions about the requirements where it would be required. Pity.
Some people copy&paste what they found over Internet/Metalink without given the link reference, and they got points, because the OP doesn't realize the plagiarism (it seems to me it happens much more than before). Pity.
Sometimes answers are marked as correct when obviously it is not. Pity.
Sometimes answers are marked as correct for giving a link to http://tahiti.oracle.com/. Does that make sense ?
Sometimes people claim their points. Pity. Did they claimed a thanks before ?
It is interesting to see how point system has motivated some people to try their chance, and also to "reactivate" some old account. Indeed, I haven't seen so much active "old" account since a while.
I have no statistics, but seems to be a lot of new users have been created after the upgrade...
In the mean time, a lot of other people disappeard.
Coincidence ?

New people. New behaviour.

Well, finally, it seems we got a new "OTN forums world", like a new world 28 days after pandemic with only few survivors.

I wish a long and a workable life to the OTN forums.

Have fun,

Oracle Open World 2008

I'm registered for the Oracle Open World 2008 in San Fancisco, California, 21-25 September.
First time I'll go there, it seems very interesting.
I'll post later here the conferences I'll try to follow (some about Oracle database, some about Peoplesoft/Peopletools).

Enjoy,

A bare-metal virtualization for free

Yesterday, VMWare announced one of their products, VMWare ESXi, will be provide for free later next week.
Very interesting for whom want test, learn and work on a bare-metal virtualization software, hypervisor, for free.
This is a little bit different than VMWare Server, but also make a more robust and perfomant system. The main difference is about host OS, VMWare Server need one whereas VMWare ESXi don't need it - it's bootable -, however it required a dedicated machine.
A test should come soon here.

Enjoy,