1. Platform Guide
  2. Database Tools on Windows
  3. Choosing a Database Tool

Choosing a Database Tool

Database tools is a collective term for tools, utilities, and assistants that you can use to perform database administration tasks.

Some database tools perform similar tasks, though no one database tool performs all the database administration tasks.

Parent topic: Database Tools on Windows

Database Tools and Operating System Compatibility

Almost all the database tools are available on all supported versions of Windows.

The exception is Oracle SQL Developer is available only at Oracle Technology Network (OTN). See

http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/developer-tools/sql-developer/overview/index.html

Parent topic: Choosing a Database Tool

Preferred Database Tools

Lists the various database tools you can use to perform common database administration tasks.

Oracle recommends you use tools listed in the "Preferred Tool" column of the table. After choosing a tool to perform a task, go to Preferred Database Tools from the Start Menu, for instructions on how to start the tool.

Note:

The VOLSIZE parameter for the Export and Import utilities is not supported on Windows. If you attempt to use the utilities with the VOLSIZE parameter, then error LRM-00101 occurs. For example: 

D:\> exp system full=y volsize=100m;
Password: password
LRM-00101: unknown parameter name 'volsize'
EXP-00019: failed to process parameters, type 'EXP HELP=Y' for help
EXP-00000: Export terminated unsuccessfully

Table 2-1 Preferred Database Tools

Administration Task Preferred Tool Other Tools

Create database services

Database Configuration Assistant

ORADIM

Delete database services

Database Configuration Assistant

ORADIM

Change passwords in the database password file

ORAPWD

ORADIM

Update the password of an Oracle Home User

Oracle Home User Control

None

Migrate database users to a directory

User Migration Utility

None

Migrate a database

Oracle Database Upgrade Assistant

Upgrade Information Tool

Export data

Data Pump Export (EXPDP)

Export (EXP)

Import data

Data Pump Import (IMPDP)

Import (IMP)

Load data

Oracle Enterprise Manager Load Wizard

SQL*Loader (SQLLDR)

Back up database

Oracle Enterprise Manager Backup Wizard

Recovery Manager (RMAN)

OCOPY

Recover database

Oracle Enterprise Manager Recovery Wizard

Recovery Manager (RMAN)

OCOPY

Store encrypted and decrypted Oracle Wallet (Oracle Advanced Security and security PKI integration)

Oracle Wallet Manager

None

Grant database roles

Oracle Enterprise Manager Database Express

Local Users and Groups

SQL*Plus

Create database objects

Oracle Enterprise Manager Cloud Control

SQL*Plus

  • ORADIM can set a password only when none was previously set. If a password has been previously set, then ORADIM can change it only by deleting and re-creating Oracle Database services. Starting with Oracle Database 12c Release 1 (12.1), ORADIM creates the Oracle Database service, Oracle VSS Writer service, and Oracle Scheduler service to run under the Oracle Home User account. If this account is a Local or a Domain User Account, then ORADIM prompts for the password for that account and accepts the same through stdin.

    It is possible to specify both the Oracle Home User and its password using the -RUNAS osusr[/ospass] option to oradim. If the given osusr is different from the Oracle Home User, then the Oracle Home User is used instead of osusr along with the given ospass.

  • User Migration Utility can migrate local or external users to enterprise users.

    For more information, see "Using the User Migration Utility" in Oracle Database Enterprise User Security Administrator's Guide.

  • Oracle Database Upgrade Assistant can upgrade the following databases to the current release: Oracle9i Release 2 (9.2), Oracle Database 10g Release 1 (10.1), Oracle Database 10g Release 2 (10.2), Oracle Database 11g Release 1 (11.1), and Oracle Database 11g Release 2 (11.2). Oracle Database Upgrade Assistant can also be used to apply patch sets.

  • Data Pump Export and Data Pump Import are preferred for Oracle Database 10g Release 1 (10.1) and later data; Export and Import are preferred for earlier data.

  • If you back up files while you are shutting down the database, then your backup is invalid. You cannot use an invalid backup to restore files at a later date.

  • You cannot use earlier versions of Oracle Wallet Manager to manage Oracle Database 10g Release 1 (10.1) and later wallets that contain password-based credentials for authentication to Oracle Internet Directory. These credentials are placed in the wallet when an Oracle Database server is registered in Oracle Internet Directory.

    The database wallet that Oracle Database Configuration Assistant automatically generates during database registration can be used only with Oracle Database 10g Release 1 (10.1) or later. You cannot use this database wallet for earlier versions of the database, nor can you use it for Oracle Internet Directory Release 9.0.4 or earlier.

See Also:

Parent topic: Choosing a Database Tool