32位系统上如何让Oracle数据库使用超过2G内存

今天一个朋友问到这个问题，记录一下。

32位系统都有个地址空间的问题，它限制了可以使用的Oracle SGA大小。

32位Windows有两个boot设置:/3G允许进程使用3GB的用户地址空间;/PAE允许进程使用超过4GB的内存。
修改boot.ini如下，然后重启系统。
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows Server 2003, Enterprise" /fastdetect /3G /PAE
如果启用/3G，可以设置Oracle SGA大小到接近3GB；如果启用/PAE，再设置use_indirect_data_buffer=TRUE和db_block_buffers，data buffer大小不受4GB限制，可以很大。

而32位Linux下增大SGA limits需要relink；设置ramfs和use_indirect_data_buffer可以支持很大的data buffer。

Get out of ORA-28002: the password will expire within n days

Today, a colleage meet this ORA-28002 when starting Content Server. It's a bit annoying.
So try to find the way to get out of this error.

This post does great to explain the problem. While even followed its solution B, the ORA-28002 remains there.
Then from Metalink note 162818.1, "ORA-28002 On User Connection Immediately After PASSWORD_LIFE_TIME Changed", it is known that "Accounts that have entered their grace
period will have to change their passwords.", even though the PASSWORD_LIFE_TIME is set back to unlimited.
Final workaround is altering user's password to the previous one. It doesn't change password, but bypass the annoying password life management.

Steps to record:
1. check out the password limits set to the user.
SQL> select LIMIT, RESOURCE_NAME from dba_profiles where RESOURCE_NAME in 'PASSWORD_GRACE_TIME','PASSWORD_LIFE_TIME','PASSWORD_REUSE_MAX','PASSWORD_REUSE_TIME') and PROFILE=(select profile from dba_users where username=);

2. check out the profile of the user.
SQL> select profile from dba_users where username=;

3. alter the profile, set the limits to unlimited.
SQL> alter profile limit PASSWORD_LIFE_TIME UNLIMITED;
SQL> alter profile limit PASSWORD_GRACE_TIME UNLIMITED;

4. if the user has entered the grace period (ORA-28002 when login), the password has to be altered. Fortunately you need not really change it.
SQL> alter user identified by ;

That's all.

Virtualization is amazing

I knew VMWare before. I even tried VMWare Workstation before. I thought virtualization tech is interesting, but performance-slow and resource-inefficiency.
Until now, I found that the new company proactively utilizes various VMWare products, such as ESX Server, Virtual Center and Lab Manager. They are awasome. Tremendous installation/setup time are saved. Repeated tasks are automated. Daily works are extremely simplied. Productivity are largely promoted.

Check out this video of Lab Manager. http://download3.vmware.com/demos/labmanager/

EMC buying VMWare is a great deal. Don't let it slip way.

Oracle to Acquire BEA Systems

Oracle to Acquire BEA Systems
"The addition of BEA products and technology will significantly enhance and extend Oracle's Fusion middleware software suite," said Oracle CEO Larry Ellison.
终于把BEA买下来了，是个好事。一直觉得OC4J不咋的，希望WebLogic以后做为Fusion middleware的核心。