Oracle RAC User Connections Test

This test reports the number and state of sessions of each user who is currently connected to the Oracle cluster. Using the metrics reported by this test, administrators can promptly isolate idle sessions, which are a drain on a cluster’s resources.

Note:

This test is applicable only for PDB (Pluggable Database) configuration of Oracle Clusters with Multi-tenant support.

Target of the test : Oracle RAC

Agent deploying the test : An internal/remote agent

Outputs of the test : One set of results for every user who is currently connected to the Oracle cluster

Configurable parameters for the test
Parameter	Description
Test Period	How often should the test be executed.
Host	The host for which the test is to be configured.
Port	The port on which the server is listening.
SCAN Name	SCAN stands for Single Client Access Name, it is a feature used in Oracle RAC environments that provide a single name for clients to access any Oracle Database running in the cluster. You can provide SCAN as an alternative to IP/Host Name. If this parameter value is provided, it will be used for connectivity otherwise IP/Hostname will be used.
ORASID	The variable name of the oracle instance.
Service Name	A Service Name exists for the entire Oracle RAC system. When clients connect to an Oracle cluster using the Service Name, then the cluster routes the request to any available database instance in the cluster. By default, the Service Name is set to none. In this case, the test connects to the cluster using the ORASID and pulls out the metrics from that database instance which corresponds to that ORASID. If a valid Service Name is specified instead, then, the test will connect to the cluster using that Service Name, and will be able to pull out metrics from any available database instance in the cluster. To know the Service Name of a cluster, execute the following query on any node in the target cluster: select name, value from v$parameter where name =’service_names’
User	In order to monitor an Oracle database server, a special database user account has to be created in every Oracle database instance that requires monitoring. A Click here hyperlink is available in the test configuration page, using which a new oracle database user can be created. Alternatively, you can manually create the special database user. When doing so, ensure that this user is vested with the select_catalog_role and create session privileges. The sample script we recommend for user creation (in Oracle database server versions before 12c) for eG monitoring is: create user oraeg identified by oraeg ; create role oratest; grant create session to oratest; grant select_catalog_role to oratest; grant oratest to oraeg; The sample script we recommend for user creation (in Oracle database server 12c) for eG monitoring is: alter session set container=<Oracle_service_name>; create user <user_name>identified by <user_password> container=current default tablespace <name_of_default_tablespace> temporary tablespace <name_of_temporary_tablespace>; Grant create session to <user_name>; Grant select_catalog_role to <user_name>; The name of this user has to be specified here.
Password	Password of the specified database user
Confirm Password	Confirm the password by retyping it here.
SSL	By default, this flag is set to No, as the target Oracle cluster is not SSL-enabled by default. If the target cluster is SSL-enabled, then set this flag to Yes.
SSL Cipher	This parameter is applicable only if the target Oracle Cluster is SSL-enabled, if not, set this parameter to none. A cipher suite is a set of cryptographic algorithms that are used before a client application and server exchange information over an SSL/TLS connection. It consist of sets of instructions on how to secure a network through SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) or TLS (Transport Layer Security). In this text box, provide a comma-seperated list of cipher suites that are allowed for SSL/TLS connection to the target cluster. By default, this parameter is set to none.
Truststore File	- This parameter is applicable only if the target Oracle Cluster is SSL-enabled, if not, set this parameter to none. TrustStore is used to store certificates from Certified Authorities (CA) that verify and authenticate the certificate presented by the server in an SSL connection. Therefore, the eG agent should have access to the truststore where the certificates are stored to authenticate and connect with the target cluster and collect metrics. For this, first import the certificates into the following default location <eG_INSTALL_DIR>/lib/security/mytruststore.jks. To know how to import the certificate into the truststore, refer toPre-requisites for monitoring Oracle Cluster. Then, provide the truststore file name in this text box. For example: mytruststore.jks. By default, none is specified against this text box.
Truststore Type	-This parameter is applicable only if the target Oracle Cluster is SSL-enabled, if not, set this parameter to none.Specify the type of truststore that contains the certificates for server authentication in this text box. For eg.,JKS. By default, this parameter is set to the value none.
Truststore Password	-This parameter is applicable only if the target Oracle Cluster is SSL-enabled, if not, set this parameter to none. If a Truststore File name is provided, then, in this text box, provide the password that is used to obtain the associated certificate details from the Truststore File. By default, this parameter is set to none.
Keystore File	This parameter is applicable only if the target Oracle Cluster is SSL-enabled, if not, set this parameter to none. Keystore contains the private keys for the certificates that the client can provide to the server upon request. eG agent requires access to the keystore where client certificate is stored to send that to the server so that the server validates the certificate against the one contained in its trustore. For this purpose, first create the client certificate in the following default location EG_INSTALL_DIR/jre/lib/security/mykeystore.jks. Then, provide the keystore file name in this text box. For example: mykeystore.jks. By default, none is specified against this text box.
Keystore Password	This parameter is applicable only if the target Oracle Cluster is SSL-enabled, if not, set this parameter to none. If a Keystore File name or file path is provided, then, in this text box, provide the password that is used to obtain the associated certificate details from the Keystore File.
Confirm Password	Confirm the Password for Keystore by retyping it here.
DD Frequency	Refers to the frequency with which detailed diagnosis measures are to be generated for this test. The default is 1:1. This indicates that, by default, detailed measures will be generated every time this test runs, and also every time the test detects a problem. You can modify this frequency, if you so desire. Also, if you intend to disable the detailed diagnosis capability for this test, you can do so by specifying none against DD frequency.
Detailed Diagnosis	To make diagnosis more efficient and accurate, the eG Enterprise embeds an optional detailed diagnostic capability. With this capability, the eG agents can be configured to run detailed, more elaborate tests as and when specific problems are detected. To enable the detailed diagnosis capability of this test for a particular server, choose the On option. To disable the capability, click on the Off option. The option to selectively enable/disable the detailed diagnosis capability will be available only if the following conditions are fulfilled: The eG manager license should allow the detailed diagnosis capability Both the normal and abnormal frequencies configured for the detailed diagnosis measures should not be 0.

Measurements made by the test
Measurement	Description	Measurement Unit	Interpretation
Total connections:	Indicates the total number of connections currently established by this user on the cluster.	Number
Active connections:	Indicates the number of connections of this user that are currently active.	Number	The detailed diagnosis of this measure, if enabled, will provide the complete details of the active sessions of a particular user. Using this information, you can understand how each of the connections were made - i.e., using which program - from where - i.e., from which host – and to which cluster node.
Inactive connections:	Indicates the number of sessions initiated by this user that are currently idle.	Number	Ideally, the value of this measure should be low. A high value is indicative of a large number of idle sessions, which in turn causes the unnecessary consumption of critical server resources. Idle sessions also unnecessarily lock connections from the connection pool, thereby denying other users access to the server for performing important tasks. The detailed diagnosis of this measure, if enabled, will provide the complete details of the idle sessions of a particular user. Using this information, you can understand how each of the idle connections were made - i.e., using which program - from where - i.e., from which host - and to which cluster node.
Background connections:	Indicates the number of background processes that were started when sessions are initiated by this user.	Number	Ideally, the value of this measure should be low. The detailed diagnosis of this measure, if enabled, will provide the complete details of the background sessions of a particular user. Using this information, you can understand how each of the background connections were made - i.e., using which program - from where - i.e., from which host – and to which cluster node.
Blocked connections:	Indicates the number of sessions initiated by this user were blocked.	Number	Blocking occurs when one session holds a lock on a resource that another session is requesting. As a result, the requesting session will be blocked - it will hang until the holding session gives up the locked resource. In almost every case, blocking is avoidable. In fact, if you find that your session is blocked in an interactive application, then you have probably been suffering from the lost update bug as well, perhaps without realizing it. That is, your application logic is flawed and that is the cause of blocking. The five common DML statements that will block in the database are INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, MERGE and SELECT FOR UPDATE. Ideally, the value of this measure should be low. A high value may cause unnecessary consumption of critical server resources thereby blocking access to potential active sessions. The detailed diagnosis of this measure, if enabled, will provide the complete details of the blocked sessions of a particular user. Using this information, you can understand how each of the blocked connections were made - i.e., using which program - and from where - i.e., from which host.
Cached connections:	Indicates the number of sessions of this user that were cached for future use.	Number	Ideally, the value of this measure should be low. The detailed diagnosis of this measure, if enabled, will provide the complete details of the cached sessions of a particular user. Using this information, you can understand how each of the cached connections were made - i.e., using which program - from where - i.e., from which host – and to which cluster node.
Killed connections:	Indicates the number of sessions of this user that were terminated due to inactivity.	Number	Ideally, the value of this measure should be low. The detailed diagnosis of this measure, if enabled, will provide the complete details of the killed sessions of a particular user. Using this information, you can understand how each of the killed connections were made - i.e., using which program - from where - i.e., from which host – and to which cluster node.
Sniped connections:	Indicates the number of sessions of this user that were idle for a period more than the profile’s maximum idle time while waiting for a client’s response.	Number	Ideally, the value of this measure should be low. The detailed diagnosis of this measure, if enabled, will provide the complete details of the sniped sessions of a particular user. Using this information, you can understand how each of the sniped connections were made - i.e., using which program - from where - i.e., from which host – and to which cluster node.