<Insert Picture Here>

Things you always wanted to know about Oracle

Partitioning
Hermann Baer
Director Product Management, Data Warehousing
 Agenda

• Partitioning in a nutshell
• “Basics in 5 minutes”
• Partitioning benefits
• Faster - cheaper
• Partitioning for your business needs
• Better - new functionality of Oracle Database 11g
• Things you might not know ..
• Focus on Interval Partitioning versus Range Partitioning
• Q&A
The Concept of Partitioning
Simple Yet Powerful

RS ERS ERS A
D E D OR
D US
OR OR PE
R O
EU

B B
FE FE
N N
JA JA
Large Table Partition Composite Partition
Difficult to Manage Divide and Conquer Better Performance
Easier to Manage More flexibility to match
business needs
Improve Performance

Transparent to applications
 What is Oracle Partitioning?

It is
• Powerful functionality to logically partition objects into
smaller pieces
• Only driven by business requirements
• Partitioning for Performance, Manageability, and
Availability

It is not
• Just a way to physically divide – or clump - any large
data set into smaller buckets
• Enabling pre-requirement to support a specific
hardware/software design
• Hash mandatory for shared nothing systems
Physical versus Logical Partitioning
Shared Everything Architecture - Oracle

• Logical Partitioning
• Does not underlie any constraints
• SMP, MPP, Cluster, Grid does not matter
• Purely based on the business
requirement
• Availability. Manageability, Performance
• Beneficial for every environment
DB • Provides the most comprehensive
functionality
Physical versus Logical Partitioning
Shared Nothing Architecture

• Physical Partitioning
• Fundamental system setup
requirement
• Node owns piece of DB
• Enables parallelism
• Number of partitions is equivalent to min.
parallelism
DB DB DB • Always needs HASH distribution
• Equally sized partitions per node required
for proper load balancing
 Agenda

• Partitioning in a nutshell
• “Basics in 5 minutes”
• Partitioning benefits
• Faster - cheaper
• Partitioning for your business needs
• Better - new functionality of Oracle Database 11g
• Things you might not know ..
• Focus on Interval Partitioning versus Range Partitioning
• Q&A
 Faster

“Only work on the data that is relevant”

• Data Access
• Data Load
• Data Maintenance

• Faster response times

• Less system resources required
• Support for more users and/or a higher workload
 Partition for Performance

• Only relevant partitions will be accessed

06-Jan
• Static pruning with known values in advance
• Dynamic pruning uses internal recursive SQL to
06-Feb
find the relevant partitions
---Sales Table---

• Minimizes I/O operations

06-Mar
• Provides massive performance gains
06-Apr
SELECT sum(sales_amount)
FROM sales
06-May WHERE sales_date
BETWEEN ‘01-MAR-2006’ AND ‘31-MAY-2006’;
06-Jun
Partition for Manageability/Availability

Order Table
(partitioned by quarter)

Q4’05 Q1’06 Q2’06 Q3’06

Other data & queries not affected

 Cheaper

“Store data in the most appropriate manner”

• Find the balance between data importance,
storage performance, storage reliability, and
storage form
 Partition for Tiered Storage

ORDERS TABLE (7 years)

2003 2008 2009

95% Less Active 5% Active

Low End Storage Tier High End Storage Tier

2-3x less per terabyte

© 2009 Oracle Corporation

 Agenda

• Partitioning in a nutshell
• “Basics in 5 minutes”
• Partitioning benefits
• Faster - cheaper
• Partitioning for your business needs
• Better - new functionality of Oracle Database 11g
• Things you might not know ..
• Focus on Interval Partitioning versus Range Partitioning
• Q&A
 Model for your Business Needs

Power and flexibility comes with choices

• Partitioning method
• Range – List – Hash
• Single level and composite level Partitioning
• Partitioning key
• Real,virtual, or even referenced column(s),
• Partition granularity
• Year – month – day – hour - minute

Transparency is equally important

• Concurrent and automatic partition maintenance operations
• Partition creation on demand
 Oracle Partitioning:
Over Ten Years of Development
Core functionality Performance Manageability
Oracle8 Range partitioning “Static” partition Basic maintenance
Global range indexes pruning operations: add,
drop, exchange
Oracle8i Hash and composite Partition-wise joins Merge operation
range-hash partitioning “Dynamic” pruning
Oracle9i List partitioning Global index
maintenance
Oracle9i R2 Composite range-list Fast partition split
partitioning

Oracle10g Global hash indexes Local Index

maintenance
Oracle10g R2 1M partitions per table “Multi-dimensional” Fast drop table
pruning
Oracle More composite choices Interval Partitioning
Database 11g REF Partitioning Partition Advisor
Virtual Column
Partitioning
 Agenda

• Partitioning in a nutshell
• “Basics in 5 minutes”
• Partitioning benefits
• Faster - cheaper
• Partitioning for your business needs
• Better - new functionality of Oracle Database 11g
• Things you might not know ..
• Focus on Interval Partitioning versus Range Partitioning
• Q&A
 Partitioning in Oracle Database 11g
Interval Partitioning

• Partitions are created automatically as data arrives

S
DER
OR S
D ER
OR S
DER
OR

B
FE MA
R
R
N AP
JA B R
FE MA
N B
JA FE
N
JA
 Interval Partitioning

• Interval Partitioning
• Full automation for equi-sized range partitions
• Partitions are created as metadata information only
• Start Partition is made persistent
• Segments are allocated as soon as new data arrives
• No need to create new partitions
• Local indexes are created and maintained as well
• Interval Partitioning is almost a transparent extension
to range partitioning
• .. But interval implementation introduces some subtle
differences
 Interval Partitioning

• As easy as One, Two, Three ..

CREATE TABLE sales (order_date DATE, ...)
PARTITON BY RANGE (order_date)
INTERVAL(NUMTOYMINTERVAL(1,'month')
(PARTITION p_first VALUES LESS THAN ('01-JAN-2006');

Table SALES

... ... ...

Jan 2006 Feb 2006 Mar 2006 Jan 2007 Oct 2009 Nov 2009

First segment is created

 Interval Partitioning

• As easy as One, Two, Three ..

CREATE TABLE sales (order_date DATE, ...)
PARTITON BY RANGE (order_date)
INTERVAL(NUMTOYMINTERVAL(1,'month')
(PARTITION p_first VALUES LESS THAN ('01-JAN-2006');

Table SALES

... ... ...

Jan 2006 Feb 2006 Mar 2006 Jan 2007 Oct 2009 Nov 2009

New segment is automatically allocated

INSERT INTO sales (order_date
DATE, ...)
VALUES ('04-MAR-2006',...);
 Interval Partitioning

• As easy as One, Two, Three ..

CREATE TABLE sales (order_date DATE, ...)
PARTITON BY RANGE (order_date)
INTERVAL(NUMTOYMINTERVAL(1,'month')
(PARTITION p_first VALUES LESS THAN ('01-JAN-2006');

Table SALES

... ... ...

Jan 2006 Feb 2006 Mar 2006 Jan 2007 Oct 2009 Nov 2009

... whenever data for a new partition arrives

INSERT INTO sales (order_date
DATE, ...)
VALUES ('17-OCT-2009',...);
 Interval Partitioning

• Interval partitioned table can have classical range and

automated interval section
• Automated new partition management plus full partition
maintenance capabilities: “Best of both worlds”

Table SALES

... ... ...

Jan 2006 Feb 2006 Mar 2006 Jan 2007 Oct 2009 Nov 2009
Range partition section

1. MERGE and move old partitions for ILM

 Interval Partitioning

• Interval partitioned table can have classical range and

automated interval section
• Automated new partition management plus full partition
maintenance capabilities: “Best of both worlds”

Table SALES

... ... ...

Jan 2006 Feb 2006 Mar 2006 Jan 2007 Oct 2009 Nov 2009
Range partition section Interval partition section

1. MERGE and move old partitions for ILM

1. Insert new data VALUES ('13-NOV-2009')
• - Automatic segment creation
 Interval Partitioning

• Range partitioned tables can be extended into interval

partitioned tables
• Simple metadata command
• Investment protection

Table SALES

... ...
2005 Q1 2006 Q2 2006 Oct 2006
 Interval Partitioning

• Range partitioned tables can be extended into interval

partitioned tables
• Simple metadata command
• Investment protection

Table SALES

... ... ...

2005 Q1 2006 Q2 2006 Oct 2006
Old range partition table New monthly
Interval partitions

ALTER TABLE sales (order_date DATE, ...)

SET INTERVAL(NUMTOYMINTERVAL(1,'month');
 Interval Partitioning
Transition Point

How to identify range and interval partitions?

• Internal concept of a ‘transition point’
• Separates range from the interval partitions
• Starting point of equi-sized partitions
• Starting point for data placement calculation
• Exposed in data dictionary views, e.g. *_TAB_PARTITIONS
• New column INTERVAL = [YES|NO] (11.2)
• Extract from the dictionary prior to 11.2
SELECT subname,
decode(bitand(tp.flags, 32768), 32768, 'YES', 'NO')
FROM tabpart$ tp, obj$ o
WHERE tp.obj#=o.obj# and o.name='TOTO123';
SUBNAME DEC
------------------------------ ---
P1 NO
SYS_P81 YES
 Interval versus Range Partitioning

• Partition bounds
• Interval partitions have lower and upper bound
• Range partitions only have upper bounds
• Lower bound derived by previous partition
• Partition naming
• Interval partitions cannot be named in advance
• Use the PARTITION FOR (<value>) clause
• Range partitions must be named
 Interval versus Range Partitioning, cont.

• Partition merge
• Multiple non-existent interval partitions are silently merged
• Only two adjacent range partitions can be merged at any
point in time
• Number of partitions
• Interval partitioned tables have always one million partitions
• Non-existent partitions “exist” through INTERVAL clause
• No MAXVALUES clause for interval partitioning
• Maximum value defined through number of partitions
and INTERVAL clause
• Range partitioning can have up to one million partitions
• MAXVALUES clause defines most upper partition
 Interval versus Range Partitioning
Partition Bounds

• Partition bounds for range partitioning

• Partitions only have upper bounds
• Lower bound derived through upper bound of previous
partition

Jan 2008 Feb 2008 Mar 2008 Apr 2008 May 2008 Jun 2008 Jul 2008

VALUES LESS THAN (‘01-JUN-2009')

VALUES LESS THAN (‘01-JUL-2009')

 Interval versus Range Partitioning
Partition Bounds

• Partition bounds for range partitioning

• Partitions only have upper bounds
• Lower bound derived through upper bound of previous
partition

Jan 2008 Feb 2008 Mar 2008 Apr 2008 Jun 2008 Jul 2008

VALUES LESS THAN (‘01-MAY-2008')

VALUES LESS THAN (‘01-JUL-2008')

• Drop of previous partition moves lower boundary

• “June 2008” now spawns 01-MAY-2008 to 30-JUN-2008
 Interval versus Range Partitioning
Partition Bounds

• Partition bounds for interval partitioning

• Partitions have upper and lower bounds
• Derived by INTERVAL function and last range partition

Jan 2008 Feb 2008 Mar 2008 May 2008 Jun 2008 Jul 2008

VALUES LESS THAN (‘01-APR-2008')

LESS THAN (’01-APR-2008’ + 2 x INTERVAL (1 MONTH))
LESS THAN (’01-APR-2008’ + 3 x INTERVAL (1 MONTH))
 Interval versus Range Partitioning
Partition Bounds

• Partition bounds for interval partitioning

• Partitions have upper and lower bounds
• Derived by INTERVAL function and last range partition

Jan 2008 Feb 2008 Mar 2008 Jun 2008 Jul 2008

VALUES LESS THAN (‘01-APR-2008')

LESS THAN (’01-APR-2008’ + 2 x INTERVAL (1 MONTH))
LESS THAN (’01-APR-2008’ + 3 x INTERVAL (1 MONTH))
• Drop does not impact partition boundaries
• “June 2008” still spawns 01-JUN-2008 to 30-JUN-2008
 Interval versus Range Partitioning
Partition Bounds

• Partition bounds for interval partitioning

• Partitions have upper and lower bounds
• Derived by INTERVAL function and last range partition

Jan 2008 Feb 2008 Mar 2008 Jun 2008 Jul 2008

VALUES LESS THAN (‘01-APR-2008')

LESS THAN (’01-APR-2008’ + 2 x INTERVAL (1 MONTH))
LESS THAN (’01-APR-2008’ + 3 x INTERVAL (1 MONTH))
• There is on untouchable partitions
• You cannot remove the highest range partition because it is
needed for the interval calculation
 Interval versus Range Partitioning
Partition Naming

• Range partitions can be named

• System generated name if not specified
SQL> alter table t add partition values less than(20);
Table altered.
SQL> alter table t add partition P30 values less than(30);
Table altered.

• Interval partitions cannot be named

• Always system generated name
SQL> alter table t add partition values less than(20);
*
ERROR at line 1: ORA-14760: ADD PARTITION is not permitted on Interval partitioned
objects

• Use new deterministic partition extension

‘PARTITION FOR (<value>)’ clause
SQL> alter table t1 rename partition for (9) to p_10;
Table altered.
 Interval versus Range Partitioning
Partition Merge

• Merge two adjacent partitions for range partitioning

• Upper bound of higher partition is new upper bound
• Lower bound derived through upper bound of previous
partition

Jan 2008 Feb 2008 Mar 2008 Apr 2008 May 2008 Jun 2008 Jul 2008

MERGE PARTITIONS MAY_2008, JUN_2008 INTO PARTITION MAY_JUNE_2008

 Interval versus Range Partitioning
Partition Merge

• Merge two adjacent partitions for range partitioning

• Upper bound of higher partition is new upper bound
• Lower bound derived through upper bound of previous
partition

Jan 2008 Feb 2008 Mar 2008 Apr 2008 May_June 2008 Jul 2008

MERGE PARTITIONS MAY_2008, JUN_2008 INTO PARTITION MAY_JUNE_2008

• New segment for merged partition is created

• Rest of the table is unaffected
 Interval versus Range Partitioning
Partition Merge

• Merge two adjacent partitions for interval partitioning

• Upper bound of higher partition is new upper bound
• Lower bound derived through lower bound of first partition

Jan 2008 Mar 2008 Apr 2008 May 2008 Jun 2008 Jul 2008

MERGE PARTITIONS MAY_2008, JUN_2008 INTO PARTITION MAY_JUNE_2008

 Interval versus Range Partitioning
Partition Merge

• Merge two adjacent partitions for interval partitioning

• Upper bound of higher partition is new upper bound
• Lower bound derived through lower bound of first partition

Jan 2008 Mar 2008 Apr 2008 May_June 2008 Jul 2008

MERGE PARTITIONS MAY_2008, JUN_2008 INTO PARTITION MAY_JUNE_2008

• New segment for merged partition is created

• Holes before the highest non-interval partition will be
silently “merged” as well
• Interval only valid beyond the highest non-interval partition
 Interval Partitioning

• Interval Partitioning
• Benefit of full automation
• Should be considered for every range partitioned table
• Segments are allocated as soon as new data arrives
• No need to create new partitions
• Local indexes are created and maintained as well
• Interval Partitioning can be considered a natural
extension of range partitioning
• Most people will not experience any difference
• … but be aware of the subtle differences
 Summary

• Partitioning in a nutshell
• Partitioning is simple yet very powerful
• Partitioning benefits
• Everybody will benefit
• Partitioning for your business needs
• Model for your needs
• Things you might not know ..
• Interval Partitioning versus Range Partitioning
• There is always room for improvements
• Any ideas?? Email hermann.baer@oracle.com
• Q&A
Q&A
For More Information

search.oracle.com

Oracle Partitioning

or
oracle.com