Expert Oracle Database Architecture: Oracle Database 9

Chapter 14. Parallel Execution

Parallel execution, a feature of Oracle Enterprise Edition (it is not available in the Standard Edition), was first introduced in Oracle version 7.1.6 in 1994. It is the ability to physically break a large serial task (any DML, or DDL in general) into many smaller bits that may all be processed simultaneously. Parallel executions in Oracle mimic the real-life processes we see all of the time. For example, you would not expect to see a single individual build a house; rather, many people team up to work concurrently to rapidly assemble the house. In that way, certain operations can be divided into smaller tasks and performed concurrently; for instance, the plumbing and electrical wiring can take place concurrently ...