Tuning the Redo Path

By Ahmed Baraka

Oracle© Database Performance Tuning - a course by Ahmed Baraka

 Objectives
In this lecture, you should learn how to perform the following:
• Describe the redo path components
• Describe the rules of sizing redo log files
• List the redo path wait events and understand their meanings
• Describe the redo path performance issue common root causes
• Analyze the 'log file sync' event
• Perform tuning automatic checkpoint
• Understand the guidelines on placing the redo log files in disks

Oracle© Database Performance Tuning - a course by Ahmed Baraka

 Oracle Database Memory Architecture

Instance
SGA
Buffer Shared Pool Java Large Redo Log
Cache Pool Pool Buffer
Library Cache

Data Dict. Cache

PGA
SQL Work Private Session
Area SQL Area Memory

Oracle© Database Performance Tuning - a course by Ahmed Baraka

 The Redo Path in Oracle Database

SGA
Server Buffer Cache
Redo Log
Processes
Buffer

Oracle© Database Performance Tuning - a course by Ahmed Baraka

 The Redo Path in Oracle Database

SGA
Server Buffer Cache
Redo Log
Processes
Buffer

Changed block

Oracle© Database Performance Tuning - a course by Ahmed Baraka

 The Redo Path in Oracle Database

SGA
Server Buffer Cache
Redo Log
Processes
Buffer

Changed block

Undo record

Oracle© Database Performance Tuning - a course by Ahmed Baraka

 The Redo Path in Oracle Database

SGA
Server Buffer Cache
Redo Log
Processes
Buffer

Changed block

Undo record

Redo record

Oracle© Database Performance Tuning - a course by Ahmed Baraka

 The Redo Path in Oracle Database

SGA
Server Buffer Cache
Redo Log
Processes
Buffer

LGWR
Changed block Online Redo
Log Files
Undo record
Group 1
Redo record
Group 2

Group 3

Oracle© Database Performance Tuning - a course by Ahmed Baraka

 The Redo Path in Oracle Database

SGA
Server Buffer Cache
Redo Log
Processes
Buffer

LGWR
Changed block Online Redo
Log Files
Undo record
Group 1
Redo record
Group 2

Group 3

Oracle© Database Performance Tuning - a course by Ahmed Baraka

 The Redo Path in Oracle Database

SGA
Server Buffer Cache
Redo Log
Processes
Buffer

ARCH
LGWR Archived Redo
Changed block Log Files
Online Redo
Log Files
Undo record
Group 1 Arc 1
Redo record
Group 2 Arc 2

Group 3 Arc n

Oracle© Database Performance Tuning - a course by Ahmed Baraka

 The Redo Path in Oracle Database

SGA
Server Buffer Cache
Redo Log
Processes
Buffer

ARCH
DBWR LGWR Archived Redo
Changed block Log Files
Online Redo
Log Files
Undo record
DB File 1 Group 1 Arc 1
Redo record
DB File 2 Group 2 Arc 2

DB File 3 Group 3 Arc n

Oracle© Database Performance Tuning - a course by Ahmed Baraka

 The Redo Path in Oracle Database

SGA
Server Buffer Cache
Redo Log
Processes
Buffer

notify ARCH
DBWR LGWR Archived Redo
Changed block Log Files
Online Redo
Log Files
Undo record
DB File 1 Group 1 Arc 1
Redo record
DB File 2 Group 2 Arc 2

DB File 3 Group 3 Arc n

Oracle© Database Performance Tuning - a course by Ahmed Baraka

 The Redo Path in Oracle Database

SGA Redo Path

Server Buffer Cache
Redo Log
Processes
Buffer

ARCH
DBWR LGWR Archived Redo
Changed block Log Files
Online Redo
Log Files
Undo record
DB File 1 Group 1 Arc 1
Redo record
DB File 2 Group 2 Arc 2

DB File 3 Group 3 Arc n

Oracle© Database Performance Tuning - a course by Ahmed Baraka

 Sizing Redo Log Files
• Small redo log files
- Wait for the ARC to finish ( log file switch (archiving needed))
- Wait for the DBWR to finish (log file switch (checkpoint
incomplete))

• Large redo log files provide better performance

- Could impact the instance recovery time
- Instance recovery time can be tuned using FAST_START_MTTR_TARGET

• Switch log should occur at most once every twenty minutes

- Query the view $LOG_HISTORY or check the alert log file

• Consult the Redo Log File Size Advisor ( FAST_START_MTTR_TARGET

must be set)
Oracle© Database Performance Tuning - a course by Ahmed Baraka
 Redo Path Wait Events
Wait Event Description
log file switch LGWR is writing faster than the ARC is copying the redo log files to the
(archiving needed) archive destination.
log file switch Log switch is waiting for the DBWR to finish its checkpoint
(checkpoint incomplete)
log archive I/O Archiver is waiting for the I/O destination
log file space Cannot write into the log buffer because it is full
log file sync Wait for the write to the redo log to complete

Oracle© Database Performance Tuning - a course by Ahmed Baraka

 Redo Path Performance Issue Common Root Causes
• Undersized redo log files
• Archive destination is running out of free space
• Archiver is not able to read redo logs fast enough or write the archive
logs fast enough
• Issues with the remote shipped archive logs

Oracle© Database Performance Tuning - a course by Ahmed Baraka

 About 'log file sync' Event
• Waiting time for the LGWR to flush the log buffer
• If the average time waited is low (<10ms), but the number of waits are
high, then the application might be committing after every statement
• If the average time waited is high (>10ms), then examine the session
waiting for this event

Oracle© Database Performance Tuning - a course by Ahmed Baraka

 Tuning Automatic Checkpoint
• Aims at reducing instance recovery time by setting a recovery time
target
• The database sets the automatic checkpoint frequency accordingly
• Is enabled by setting the FAST_START_MTTR_TARGET
• Once set, you can obtain information about the instance recovery time
from V$INSTANCE_RECOVERY:
Column Description
ESTIMATED_MTTR Estimated instance recovery time based on current workload
TARGET_MTTR Effective MTTR (the recovery time that can be set)
OPTIMAL_LOGFILE_SIZE The optimal redo log file size as estimated by the Redo Log File
Size Advisor

Oracle© Database Performance Tuning - a course by Ahmed Baraka

 Placing Redo Log Files in Disks
• With machines with different disk performance specifications, place the
redo log files in the high-performance disks
• Avoid RAID 5 on disks configured to store redo log files
• Use RAID 1+0

Oracle© Database Performance Tuning - a course by Ahmed Baraka

 Summary
In this lecture, you should have learnt how to perform the following:
• Describe the redo path components
• Describe the rules of sizing redo log files
• List the redo path wait events and understand their meanings
• Describe the redo path performance issue common root causes
• Analyze the 'log file sync' event
• Perform tuning automatic checkpoint
• Understand the guidelines on placing the redo log files in disks

Oracle© Database Performance Tuning - a course by Ahmed Baraka