Best Oracle Books – Your shortcut to becoming an Oracle guru

In our Oracle book reviews we try to cover as many areas of the growing Oracle technology stack as possible. So far we have covered the following areas (includes links to friendly blogs).

Oracle Database

Best Oracle SQL books

Best Oracle 11g books

Best Oracle PL/SQL books

Best Oracle RAC books

Best Oracle Linux/Unix books

Best Oracle Performance Tuning books

Oracle Middleware

Best Oracle BPM books

Oracle Coherence books

Oracle Webcenter book

Oracle SOA Suite

Oracle Data Integration and Data Warehousing

Book Review: Oracle Information Integration

Oracle Data Warehousing books (BI-Quotient blog)

Oracle Applications

Hyperion books

A review of the best Oracle PL/SQL books.

Oracle PL/SQL Recipes: A Problem-Solution Approach (Expert’s Voice in Oracle).

Overview: This book is essentially a problem solving guide for those utilizing Oracle. It gives you the ability to easily look up the task that is giving you issues and see which pattern will provide you with the solution. Rather than being an overview of Oracle itself, this particular book is more along the lines of a cookbook.

Review: This book is ideal for those that are already well versed in the usage of Oracle PL/SQL and merely need help with various aspects of it. It begins with basic problems that may arise,  and then goes on to more complicated tasks, like unit testing and using Java. It’s a must-have for the novice Oracle PL/SQL user, as well as those who already have years of experience with the language under their belt.

Oracle Database 11g PL/SQL Programming Workbook.

Overview: Using real world examples, as well as exercises and projects, this book is designed to help novice and experienced Oracle users alike. It will help you to better understand PL/SQL, and will enable you to use functions and manage transactions, amongst many other Oracle PL/SQL related tasks.

Review: This books makes for a great reference guide for more experienced users, and as an informative and easy to navigate manual for those who are new to the language. Tests at the end of each section allow for programmers to get a grasp of the subject matter and the sample codes give you the ability to see the programming first hand. Probably the most effective thing about this workbook is the fact that it is straightforward and extremely easy to use as a reference. All of the best Oracle practices are in this book, which means that it is an invaluable tool for programmers.

Oracle PL/SQL Programming: Covers Versions Through Oracle Database 11g.

Overview: This book covers the areas of Oracle language fundamentals, the practices that are best used when dealing with Oracle’s procedural language, as well as coding techniques for the more advanced programmer. It is an updated version, so it includes the new and improved aspects of the Oracle 11g database.

Review: This is undoubtedly one of the best reference guides for more experienced programmers and is a great way to inform newer programmers of the ins and outs of PL/SQL. Though parts of the book can become a bit more difficult to understand and “wordy”, the book, overall, is good to have on hand when it comes to getting a PL/SQL program started and running smoothly, and to improve the performance of PL/SQL.

Recently published Oracle tutorials

Oracle Enterprise Manager 12c tutorial.

There is a new tutorial available on managing Oracle Fusion Apps with Enterprise Manager 12c

Another tutorial deals with using Enterprise Manager 12c in the cloud.

Java for beginners tutorial

Learn the core concepts of the Java programming language

Exadata free ebook

There is a free ebook on Exadata performance available for the iPad.

Weblogic training

You can now view a free Weblogic 11g admin training course online

Beyond the documentation. What every developer should know about Oracle SQL. Three Oracle SQL books reviewed.

When it comes to Oracle development nothing is more important than having a good grip on Oracle SQL. The problem is that working with Oracle can be very tricky, even for experts. In order to get the most out of Oracle, you need Oracle SQL books that can help guide you through the tougher parts of this skill, especially if you are only beginning to understand it. You might need a couple of Oracle SQL books just to refresh your memory, even if you are an expert. Here are three of the best books on Oracle SQL that 2011 brought about.

Pro Oracle SQL (Expert’s Voice in Oracle)

If you are looking for one of the very few Oracle SQL books on the market that really goes above and beyond when it comes to teaching the SQL language, then you need to buy Pro Oracle SQL. Written by Oracle ACE Karen Morten and her team, Pro Oracle SQL takes a white box approach to teaching you all about Oracle SQL.

It’s a book that has a lot of the basic foundation that you would need to use Oracle, but this isn’t its real focus. The real focus of Pro Oracle SQL is teaching you some of the things that most people wouldn’t expect Oracle SQL to do. It’s all about removing the mystery of Oracle SQL, and also teaching you how to make your databases as secure, easy to use, and manageable as possible. No wonder it’s one of the most highly rated Oracle books on Amazon!

Oracle SQL Recipes: A Problem-Solution Approach

Are you looking for Oracle SQL books that really just spell things out for you? If you are looking for a very direct approach, then Oracle SQL Recipes is a great book to pick up. The approach that this book takes is one that uses real-life examples, easy explanations, and also makes it easy to see what would be the solution to your problems.

Much like the title suggests, this is one of the many Oracle SQL books that can be called a “step by step guide” to Oracle. Because of the way that the book is written, most people who use Oracle SQL Recipes find that the solutions that the book offers are very easy to apply. Complex tasks are made simple, difficult concepts are made understandable, and everything is spelled out in plain English. For beginners, this is one of the best picks on the shelves.

What I really love about this book is the cookbook style. For each imaginable problem in the SQL world it presents a solution.

Beginning Oracle SQL (Expert’s Voice in Oracle)

Looking for a book similar to Pro Oracle SQL, but made for a more inexperienced crowd? Beginning Oracle SQL is one of the best Oracle SQL books that you will find in this category. It’s a very easy to understand, very basic introduction to Oracle. Syntax, format, and the different uses Oracle SQL programming can have are all covered in this book. It also comes with plenty of examples to learn from, and gives you all the information that you need in order to get started. Another great book written by Karen Morten and her team.

Though there are many different Oracle SQL books you can peruse, the fact is that buying quality, detailed, and well-written books really matters. Don’t take chances by buying books that you are unsure of – buy the best Oracle SQL books of 2011 instead. You will not be disappointed.

Oracle Weblogic 12c released with new features

Recently Oracle have release Weblogic 12c.

Some of the highlights of this release are support for Java EE 6 and Java Server Faces 2.x. Weblogic 12c now also supports the Java API for RESTful Web Services (JAX-RS).

The administration console has also been enhanced and some new features for Enterprise Java Beans has been added.

For a full list of the new features have a look at the Weblogic documentation.

As of today no Weblogic 12c books have been published. I will let you know once they become available.

In the meantime have a look at my review of the best Weblogic 11g book on the market.

The Three Best Oracle 11g Books Reviewed. For DBAs and Developers. Beginners and advanced users.

Here are a few key books to peruse if you’re looking for more information on Oracle 11g:

Expert Oracle Database Architecture: Oracle Database 9i, 10g, and 11g Programming Techniques and Solutions

Overview: Instructs how to create scalable applications by utilizing Oracle database. Delves into Oracle’s most useful features, and gives evidential examples to guide you through the process.

Review: This book is a great read for developers and database administrators, as it is written by a knowledgeable Oracle exec. It is well organized and properly structured, so it makes for a fantastic reference source. Also, making it even easier to navigate are the references to previously mentioned topics, which are throughout the book, that provide simplicity to finding more information about a given Oracle subject even if it is located in entirely different chapter or section. The only complaint that might be made about this particular book is that it doesn’t specifically highlight the changes in Oracle from its previous versions in a way that it is easily accessible. Other than that, however, this Oracle guide is a must have.

Pro Oracle Database 11g Administration

Overview: Provides “real-world techniques” for those who are database administrators. Its target audience is new DBAs who strive to one day become experts in the Oracle field.

Review: Probably the most useful aspect that one will find among the pages of this book is that the author provides alternatives for successfully completing Oracle related tasks, and weighs the benefits and downsides of each alternative. It also covers a wide variety of Oracle subjects, from installation to managing users. A troubleshooting section is provided, as well, which reads as a step by step guide in fixing common problems that may arise. The one negative that this book contains, is its lack of a specific section devoted solely to new Oracle 11g features.

Expert Oracle 11g Administration

Overview: Serves as a handbook for new database administrators who are seeking a vast array of Oracle related knowledge in one place, in order to become professionals in the field.

Review: This book can best be described as the most comprehensive Oracle guidebook on the market today. At around 1400 pages, it provides database admins with a well organized and easy to navigate Oracle “encyclopedia”. The appendix at the back of the book is also very well done, as it makes it easy to find just about anything that the author touches upon with relative ease. Possibly its best feature is the simple way in which it was written, which provides an easy read for just about anyone. One of the downfalls of this book, however, is that it does contain a fair amount of mistakes, mainly present as factual errors. Overall though, it proves to be an excellent teaching aid and reference guide for new and experienced DBAs.

Oracle Exalogic Books, Weblogic, JRockit, and Oracle Coherenece

Oracle Exalogic is a mix of optimised Oracle hardware and software for an enterprise’s private cloud. Oracle claims that this balanced system will eliminate any application I/O bottlenecks.

A simplified explanation of Oracle Exalogic is that it is Exadata for the middle tier application infrastructure. While Exalogic is optimized for enterprise Java, it is also a suitable environment for the thousands of third-party and custom Linux and Solaris applications widely deployed on Java, .NET, Visual Basic, PHP, or any other programming language.

Unfortunately, as of the writing of this post no Exalogic books have been published. The good news, however, is that members of the Oracle Exalogic team are currently writing one. It will published in June 2012.

The book looks at configuration, optimization, security, and migration of legacy applications to the Oracle private cloud.

If you want to find out more about Exalogic, Weblogic, JRockit, and Oracle Coherence I recommend the book Oracle Information Integration, Migration and Consolidation, which I have reviewed in this post.

Financial analysis, planning, budgeting, forecasting, and reporting with Oracle Hyperion Financial Management

Hyperion and business performance management

Hyperion Solutions Corporation were bought over by Oracle in 2007 and now act as a subsidiary of the larger company. Before the takeover they operated as the creator of software to facilitate business performance management. Oracle have therefore been able to utilize Hyperion’s experience and expertise to sell products such as Oracle Hyperion Financial Management.

Enterprise performance management and Oracle Hyperion Financial Management

This software is a web based application which has been designed to offer a complete solution to an organization’s financial analysis and reporting needs. It can be fully integrated with the complete range of Oracle Hyperion financial products. It is only one component of the Oracle Enterprise Performance Management Suite, which includes applications for strategy management, financial reporting, and profitability management. Additional applications also provide solutions for planning, budgeting, and forecasting. The Oracle Hyperion Financial Management application can also be used in conjunction with other transactional systems not published by Oracle within an organization’s existing infrastructure.

Benefits: Reduce your time for financial reporting

The real benefit to finance teams using the Oracle Hyperion Financial Management application is in its capacity for improving financial analysis and reporting. It can reduce the time spent on reporting considerably, which frees up more time for the important act of data analysis. The software can therefore help businesses to streamline their operations, and to have a much more efficient financial management set-up. It consolidates financial data from multiple sources into one simple to use platform. Consequently, all financial and operating reporting can be done in a timely manner with the utmost of accuracy. The application is also completely scalable, and can continue to be used as a business develops without any additional IT support.

Compliance

Oracle Hyperion Financial Management ensures that financial reporting is not only efficient, but is also compliant with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). As a single comprehensive application it can actually reduce the costs associated with financial regulations compliance, thereby saving organizations substantial sums of money. It supports the collection and reporting of data according to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), as well as IFRS, and can facilitate an organization’s transition between the two. With further components designed for Solvency II reporting and sustainability reporting, Oracle Hyperion Financial Management can be seen to be a thoroughly comprehensive aid to financial management teams.

Summary

In short, the application is a time saving and cost effective solution to the financial management needs of organizations. Its capacity for fast and efficient consolidating of results is extremely advantageous, as is its ability to improve transparency and compliance in financial reporting. For these reasons it is a valuable tool for any financial professional.

Oracle Hyperion Financial Management books

We have reviewed the book Oracle Hyperion Financial Management Tips And Techniques in another section of the blog. It comes highly recommended is doing quite well in the Amazon bestseller lists.

Book Review: Expert Oracle GoldenGate.

The Content

This guide comprehensively explains how to easily install Oracle GoldenGate and how to use it for data replication. The authors use tutorials to show how GoldenGate environments should be designed and implemented. As the title suggests, the intention is for readers to become experts in the use of the software. The book is therefore very thorough, and also includes sections on troubleshooting and tuning GoldenGate for better performance.

The Audience

This book is a useful reference for a variety of database professionals, and in particular anybody who is required to use GoldenGate software. Oracle database administrators will find a lot of useful information contained within each section, as will any Oracle developers and technical managers. It is an important teaching aid for inexperienced DBAs, as well as for more experienced professionals who want to expand their knowledge.

The Review

This is a well written book, and provides an excellent overview of Oracle GoldenGate and its components. Whilst perhaps not quite as detailed as other guides it nevertheless contains a lot of technical expertise, and examples are well used to illustrate points throughout. The writing is highly readable, and the book should prove to be useful to anybody learning the intricacies of Oracle GoldenGate software.

Book review: Oracle WebCenter 11g Handbook

The Content

Oracle WebCenter 11g Handbook is focused on the development of Enterprise 2.0 applications. The authors explain in detail how to develop and deploy such applications, as well as how to test them. The development of portals and portlets are also discussed. A section on application tuning is an important addition, as is the large amount of information relating to security and debugging.

The Audience

This book is aimed at the variety of professionals who use Oracle WebCenter regularly. In particular, WebCenter architects and designers are sure to find information contained within to help them to build their knowledge and develop their skills. The book is written in such a way as to appeal to both experienced and inexperienced professionals alike.

The Review

This book represents a high quality, thorough guide to the workings of Oracle WebCenter. The writing makes the topics easy to understand, but a more liberal use of examples would have helped with clarification. The authors have done a good job of engaging the reader, and the amount of useful information contained in each chapter is impressive. For these reasons this book comes recommended.