Expert Oracle Database Architecture: 9i and 10g Programming Techniques and Solutions

CHAPTER 14Parallel 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. Rarely would you expect to see a single individual build a house; it is far more common for many teams of people to work concurrently to rapidly assemble the house. In that way, certain operations can be divided into smaller tasks and performed concurrently. For example, the plumbing and electrical wiring can take place at the ...