Oracle Database 11g: Advanced PL/SQL

Course Description

In this course, students learn to use the advanced features of PL/SQL in order to design and tune PL/SQL to interface with the database and other applications in the most efficient manner. Using advanced features of program design, packages, cursors, extended interface methods, and collections, students learn to write powerful PL/SQL programs. Programming efficiency, use of external C and Java routines, PL/SQL server pages, and fine-grained access are covered. Students learn to write PL/SQL routines that analyze the PL/SQL applications and caching techniques that can improve performance. Students are also introduced to Virtual Private Database (VPD) to implement security policies and they also learn techniques and tools to strengthen their applications against SQL injection attacks. Learn To: PL/SQL designing best practicesCreate PL/SQL applications that use collectionsImplement a virtual private database with fine-grained access controlWrite code to interface with external C and Java applicationsWrite code to interface with large objects and use SecureFile LOBsWrite and tune PL/SQL code effectively to maximize performance

Skills Gained

• Design PL/SQL packages and program units that execute efficiently
• Write code to interface with external applications and the operating system
• Create PL/SQL applications that use collections
• Write and tune PL/SQL code effectively to maximize performance
• Implement a virtual private database with fine-grained access control
• Write code to interface with large objects and use SecureFile LOBs

Who Can Benefit

• Application Developers
• Database Administrators
• PL/SQL Developer

Prerequisites

• Knowledge of SQL
• PL/SQL Programming experience

Syllabus

Introduction

• Course objectives
• Course agenda
• Tables and data used for this course
• Overview of the development environments: SQL Developer, SQL Plus

PL/SQL Programming Concepts Review

• Identify PL/SQL block structure
• Create procedures
• Create functions
• List restrictions and guidelines on calling functions from SQL expressions
• Create packages
• Review of implicit and explicit cursors
• List exception syntax
• Identify the Oracle supplied packages

Designing PL/SQL Code

• Describe the predefined data types
• Create subtypes based on existing types for an application
• List the different guidelines for cursor design
• Cursor variables

Using Collections

• Overview of collections
• Use Associative arrays
• Use Nested tables
• Use VARRAYs
• Compare nested tables and VARRAYs
• Write PL/SQL programs that use collections
• Use Collections effectively

Manipulating Large Objects

• Describe a LOB object
• Use BFILEs
• Use DBMS_LOB.READ and DBMS_LOB.WRITE to manipulate LOBs
• Create a temporary LOB programmatically with the DBMS_LOB package
• Introduction to SecureFile LOBs
• Use SecureFile LOBs to store documents
• Convert BasicFile LOBs to SecureFile LOB format
• Enable reduplication and compression

Using Advanced Interface Methods

• Calling External Procedures from PL/SQL
• Benefits of External Procedures
• C advanced interface methods
• Java advanced interface methods

Performance and Tuning

• Understand and influence the compiler
• Tune PL/SQL code
• Enable intra unit inlining
• Identify and tune memory issues
• Recognize network issues

Improving Performance with Caching

• Describe result caching
• Use SQL query result cache
• PL/SQL function cache
• Review PL/SQL function cache considerations

Analyzing PL/SQL Code

• Finding Coding Information
• Using DBMS_DESCRIBE
• Using ALL_ARGUMENTS
• Using DBMS_UTILITY.FORMAT_CALL_STACK
• Collecting PL/Scope Data
• The USER/ALL/DBA_IDENTIFIERS Catalog View
• DBMS_METADATA Package

Profiling and Tracing PL/SQL Code

• Tracing PL/SQL Execution
• Tracing PL/SQL: Steps

Implementing VPD with Fine-Grained Access Control

• Understand how fine-grained access control works overall
• Describe the features of fine-grained access control
• Describe an application context
• Create an application context
• Set an application context
• List the DBMS_RLS procedures
• Implement a policy
• Query the dictionary views holding information on fine-grained access

Safeguarding Your Code Against SQL Injection Attacks

• SQL Injection Overview
• Reducing the Attack Surface
• Avoiding Dynamic SQL
• Using Bind Arguments
• Filtering Input with DBMS_ASSERT
• Designing Code Immune to SQL Injections
• Testing Code for SQL Injection Flaws