1 Introduction to Large Objects and SecureFiles

Large Objects are used to hold large amounts of data inside Oracle Database, SecureFiles provides performance comparable to file system performance, and DBFS provides file system interface to files stored in Oracle Database.

• What Are Large Objects?
  Large Objects (LOBs), SecureFiles LOBs, and Database File System (DBFS) work together with various database features to support application development.
• Where Should We Use LOBs?
  Large objects are suitable for semistructured and unstructured data.
• LOB Classifications
  LOBs store a variety of data such as audio, video, documents, and so on. Based on the type of data stored in the LOB or memory management mechanism used, there are different classifications.
• LOB Locator and LOB Value
  A LOB instance has a locator and a value. A LOB locator is a reference, or a pointer, to where the LOB value is physically stored. The LOB value is the data stored in the LOB.
• LOB Restrictions
  You have to keep a few restrictions in mind while working with LOB data.
• How to Navigate This Book
  This section elaborates how to navigate this book using a flow chart that provides information about the relevant chapters you must read for understanding various concepts or performing various tasks.