Wednesday, October 05, 2005

Oracle - Python wish list

For my upcoming Oracle - Python talks at OOUG and (maybe) COLLABORATE 06, I want to write a nice Python script in realtime, before the very eyes of the audience, like a cooking show hostess would. I'm having trouble deciding on an objective for the script, though. The ideal script would make Oracle people sit up and scream, "I want that! That power must be mine!" It should also
  • Be very Oracle relevant
  • Be something that can't be done with SQL or PL/SQL alone
  • But still use some SQL (to demonstrate cx_Oracle)
  • Not duplicate the function of any existing Oracle utility or Oracle Enterprise Manager (this one worries me since I don't even know everything OEM can do)
  • Be writeable within an hour (shouldn't be a problem)
I'm brainstorming for ideas, but I don't know if any of them are really "it".
  • Compare parameters in INIT.ORA to live database (this is what I used for my paper)
  • Condense or groom a TKPROF output file
  • Populate a database table from a website (but what website? What's cool enough?)
  • Find and compare TNSNAMES.ORA files scattered across filesystem. Find TNSNAMES entries that are "dead" (unpingable).
  • Format alert.ora for better readability; color-code messages?
  • Measure log switch frequency from alert.ora
  • Find obsolete (unused) configuration files like init.ora, ORACLE_HOMEs, etc.
  • Clean up PATH (mine gets cluttered with droppings from various installs/uninstalls)
Any comments on these? Anything you'd like to put on the wish list? Let your imagination run wild - what wishes would you make to a magic Oracle genie? That's the kind of "gotta have it" feeling I'd like to produce.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hello ,

Here are some ideas :
- Tools using cx_Oracle on sourceforge
cx_OracleDBATools
OraSchemaDoc
HyperSql
hyperschema Database Mapper
DBDoc schema documentation generator

- Others
Create a Python embedded in Oracle as Embedded Perl at OraNails !
SchemaSpy : analyzes schema metadata, letting you click through the hierarchy of tables' parent/child relationships either graphically or through tables.
Add an API to 'Reverse Engineering a Data Model' from Eve Andersson
Read Perl for Oracle DBA book from O'Reilly

at finally brainstorm all these with Freemind !