Practice Test: 1Z0-045 New Features for Oracle8i OCPs (Oracle Database 10g)This article is a comprehensive guide and practice-test resource for Oracle professionals preparing to transition from Oracle8i OCP to Oracle Database 10g by taking the 1Z0-045 exam, “New Features for Oracle8i OCPs.” It explains the exam focus, key 10g features relevant to 8i-certified DBAs, study strategies, common pitfalls, and a set of practice questions with explanations to help you assess readiness.
Who this exam is for
The 1Z0-045 exam is aimed at DBAs who already hold the Oracle8i OCP credential and need to validate their knowledge of the new features and changes introduced in Oracle Database 10g. The exam tests understanding of architecture changes, new tools, new SQL/PLSQL features, performance and tuning enhancements, manageability and recovery improvements, and utilities that simplify daily DBA tasks.
Exam focus areas (high level)
The 1Z0-045 exam concentrates on features added in Oracle Database 10g that are most relevant to DBAs familiar with Oracle8i. Key topic areas include:
- Automatic Storage Management (ASM) fundamentals and benefits
- Oracle Grid Computing concepts and Real Application Clusters (RAC) enhancements
- Automatic Workload Repository (AWR) and Automatic Database Diagnostic Monitor (ADDM)
- Enterprise Manager 10g (EM Grid Control and Database Control) improvements
- SQL and PL/SQL language enhancements (new functions, packages, and optimizations)
- Improved backup/recovery with RMAN enhancements and Flashback technologies
- Data Pump (expdp/impdp) replacing traditional export/import utilities
- New indexing and optimizer features (function-based, invisible indexes, optimizer improvements)
- Security enhancements (fine-grained auditing, Virtual Private Database improvements)
- Manageability features like Automatic Shared Memory Management (ASMM) and Automatic Undo Management (AUM)
Study strategy and resources
- Review official Oracle 10g New Features documentation and exam objectives. Focus on conceptual differences from Oracle8i, and practical usage scenarios.
- Hands-on practice: build a 10g lab (or use virtual appliances) to practice ASM, RMAN, Data Pump, Flashback, EM 10g, and RAC if possible. Practical experience cements theoretical knowledge.
- Read the Oracle Database 10g Administrator’s Guide, RMAN User’s Guide, and SQL/PLSQL new features chapters.
- Use practice exams and question banks to identify weak areas; review explanations thoroughly.
- Time-box study sessions by topic; allocate more time to hands-on and to areas that changed significantly since 8i (ASM, RMAN, Data Pump, AWR/ADDM).
Key differences from Oracle8i (concise)
- Storage: ASM simplifies storage management vs. manual file placement and use of raw devices in 8i.
- Management: EM Grid Control centralizes management across multiple targets; Database Control is improved for single-instance tasks.
- Diagnostics: AWR/ADDM provide automated performance data capture and analysis, replacing ad-hoc approaches common in 8i.
- Utilities: Data Pump offers faster, parallel export/import with remapping capabilities.
- Recovery: Flashback features provide faster logical recovery options; RMAN added improved features for incremental and block-level backups.
- Memory: ASMM allows DBAs to set SGA/PGA targets for dynamic memory distribution.
- SQL/PLSQL: new built-in functions, enhancements to collections, and native compilation options improve performance and capabilities.
Common pitfalls for 8i DBAs moving to 10g
- Assuming ASM is automatically configured; it requires planning and proper setup.
- Underestimating the value of AWR snapshots — not collecting baseline data reduces diagnostic effectiveness.
- Forgetting Data Pump’s parameter differences vs. exp/imp (DATA_OPTIONS, NETWORK_LINK, REMAP_SCHEMA).
- Misconfiguring RMAN retention policies or not using RMAN backups with Flash Recovery Area effectively.
- Neglecting to tune the optimizer with new statistics approaches and adaptive features.
Practice questions (with explanations)
Below are 20 practice questions reflecting the exam’s typical style. Answers are provided after each question with brief explanations to reinforce concepts.
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Which feature in Oracle 10g significantly simplifies management of database files and striping across disks?
A. Logical Volume Manager (LVM)
B. Automatic Storage Management (ASM)
C. Raw devices only
D. Oracle Managed Files (OMF)
Answer: B. Automatic Storage Management (ASM)
Explanation: ASM provides integrated volume management and file system capabilities for Oracle DB files, offering striping and mirroring without requiring third-party tools. OMF simplifies naming but does not provide ASM’s striping and redundancy features. -
Which 10g component captures and stores performance statistics for automatic diagnosis and long-term analysis?
A. STATSPACK
B. AWR (Automatic Workload Repository)
C. Alert Log
D. Trace files
Answer: B. AWR (Automatic Workload Repository)
Explanation: AWR collects, processes, and maintains performance statistics which ADDM uses to produce recommendations. STATSPACK existed earlier but AWR is the 10g feature. -
You need to move a schema from one 10g database to another while changing the schema name during import. Which utility supports this directly?
A. exp/imp
B. Data Pump (expdp/impdp)
C. SQL*Loader
D. RMAN
Answer: B. Data Pump (expdp/impdp)
Explanation: Data Pump supports REMAP_SCHEMA to change schema names during import; exp/imp lacks direct remap functionality. -
Which 10g feature allows fast logical undo of transactions and point-in-time table recovery without restoring backups?
A. Media Recovery
B. Flashback Query / Flashback Table
C. RMAN Incremental Backup
D. Binary replication
Answer: B. Flashback Query / Flashback Table
Explanation: Flashback features let you rewind data to previous states for logical recovery scenarios. -
What is the role of ADDM in 10g?
A. Replaces listener configuration
B. Automatically tunes SQL statements
C. Analyzes AWR data and provides diagnostic findings and recommendations
D. Manages ASM disks
Answer: C. Analyzes AWR data and provides diagnostic findings and recommendations
Explanation: ADDM uses AWR snapshots to identify performance bottlenecks and suggests corrective actions. -
Which parameter controls automatic memory management in Oracle 10g?
A. SGA_TARGET and PGA_AGGREGATE_TARGET
B. SGA_MAX_SIZE only
C. MEMORY_TARGET only
D. DB_CACHE_SIZE only
Answer: A. SGA_TARGET and PGA_AGGREGATE_TARGET
Explanation: ASMM uses SGA_TARGET and PGA_AGGREGATE_TARGET; Oracle 10g also introduced MEMORY_TARGET in later releases for single dynamic memory target (note: MEMORY_TARGET came in 10gR2). -
A DBA wants to run a query to find high-load SQL and see historical execution plans. Which 10g repository stores that information?
A. Control file
B. AWR (DBMS_WORKLOAD_REPOSITORY views)
C. Data Dictionary only
D. Flash Recovery Area
Answer: B. AWR (DBMS_WORKLOAD_REPOSITORY views)
Explanation: AWR stores SQL performance history and plans; related views like DBA_HIST_SQLSTAT provide historical metrics. -
Which security feature introduced enhancements in 10g for fine-grained auditing?
A. AUDIT_TRAIL = NONE
B. Fine-Grained Auditing (DBMS_FGA) improvements
C. Password file only
D. OS-level auditing exclusively
Answer: B. Fine-Grained Auditing (DBMS_FGA) improvements
Explanation: DBMS_FGA continued to evolve in 10g with more flexible policy management. -
Which tool provides a central console to manage multiple 10g targets, including databases and hosts?
A. SQL*Plus
B. Enterprise Manager Grid Control (EM Grid Control)
C. Data Guard Broker
D. OEM Database Control only for single instances
Answer: B. Enterprise Manager Grid Control (EM Grid Control)
Explanation: EM Grid Control manages multiple targets; Database Control manages a single database. -
Data Pump offers which advantage over the original export/import utilities?
A. Slower single-threaded operation
B. Support for parallel execution and network import/export
C. No support for remapping
D. Only works with 9i databases
Answer: B. Support for parallel execution and network import/export
Explanation: Data Pump is faster, supports parallelism, network_mode, and remapping. -
Which 10g feature provides a repository of statistics and trace information used by performance tools?
A. User-defined tables only
B. Automatic Workload Repository (AWR)
C. Control file archive
D. Listener log
Answer: B. Automatic Workload Repository (AWR) -
For physical standby databases and fast failover, which 10g technology is commonly used in conjunction with Data Guard?
A. RMAN only
B. Real Application Clusters (RAC) enhancements and Data Guard integration
C. Flashback only
D. Export/Import utilities
Answer: B. Real Application Clusters (RAC) enhancements and Data Guard integration
Explanation: 10g improved RAC and Data Guard capabilities for high availability scenarios. -
Which optimizer improvement in 10g can affect execution plans and requires updated statistics?
A. Rule-Based Optimizer only
B. Cost-Based Optimizer enhancements and adaptive features
C. No change from 8i
D. Only index hints matter
Answer: B. Cost-Based Optimizer enhancements and adaptive features
Explanation: 10g brought optimizer improvements; keeping statistics current is important. -
How does RMAN’s block change tracking feature help backups?
A. It tracks all logical changes for auditing only
B. It records which data blocks have changed to make incremental backups faster
C. It replaces redo logs
D. It’s only useful for archivelogs
Answer: B. It records which data blocks have changed to make incremental backups faster -
Which 10g feature automates space reclamation and simplifies management of backup files?
A. ASM only
B. Fast Recovery Area (Flash Recovery Area)
C. Tablespaces only
D. CONTROL_FILE_RECORD_KEEP_TIME
Answer: B. Fast Recovery Area (Flash Recovery Area) -
What is the benefit of function-based indexes introduced earlier and enhanced in 10g?
A. They store data physically in raw format only
B. They allow indexing expressions and functions to speed queries that use those expressions
C. They prevent optimizer use
D. They are deprecated in 10g
Answer: B. They allow indexing expressions and functions to speed queries that use those expressions -
Which feature in 10g enables DBAs to capture workload and replay it on test systems?
A. SQL*Loader
B. Database Replay and SQL Replay (introduced in later 10g/11g toolsets)
C. Stateless export
D. Flashback Query
Answer: B. Database Replay and SQL Replay
Explanation: Workload capture and replay features help testing; availability depends on specific 10g feature packs. -
When migrating from Oracle8i to 10g, what should DBAs do first to minimize compatibility issues?
A. Immediately upgrade production without testing
B. Build a test environment, run preupgrade checks, and review deprecated features
C. Remove all indexes before upgrade
D. Disable backups during migration
Answer: B. Build a test environment, run preupgrade checks, and review deprecated features -
Which 10g feature helps manage undo data automatically?
A. Manual rollback segments only
B. Automatic Undo Management (AUM) with UNDO tablespace and undo_retention parameters
C. Flashback only
D. USER_ROLLBACK_SEGMENTS parameter
Answer: B. Automatic Undo Management (AUM) with UNDO tablespace and undo_retention parameters -
Which view or package would you use to schedule and manage jobs in 10g?
A. DBMS_JOB only
B. DBMS_SCHEDULER (10g introduced enhanced scheduler)
C. Listener.ora
D. v$session only
Answer: B. DBMS_SCHEDULER (10g introduced enhanced scheduler)
Short practice-test scoring guide
- 18–20 correct: exam-ready for 1Z0-045 practical topics.
- 14–17 correct: good foundation; review hands-on areas (ASM, RMAN, Data Pump).
- <14 correct: focus on practical lab exercises and AWR/ADDM, backup/recovery, and Data Pump.
Final tips
- Focus on hands-on labs for ASM, RMAN, Data Pump, Flashback, and Enterprise Manager.
- Memorize key parameter names and utilities (SGA_TARGET, PGA_AGGREGATE_TARGET, REMAP_SCHEMA, expdp/impdp, DBMS_SCHEDULER).
- Use AWR/ADDM regularly to learn how 10g surfaces performance issues.
If you want, I can convert the practice questions into a timed mock exam, provide answer explanations in more depth, or generate a printable study sheet listing commands and example syntax for the most important 10g features.
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