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About the Book

This eBook is about Oracle database internal storage formats, and I hope to reveal some deep insights into Oracle’s internal workings.This book is written for experienced database administrators and developers who are ready to go beyond the surface of Oracle database operations and explore the real internal structures that govern performance, storage, and behavior.

From the physical layout of data files to the granular organization of data blocks, this book provides an in-depth, technical look at:

• The structure of Oracle data blocks and the relationships between their internal layers

• How rows are stored, and how row chaining and row migration actually work under the hood

• Clustered table block formats and segment header block anatomy

• Index block structures and index search mechanisms

• A detailed examination of IOT (Index-Organized Tables) and their data block layout

• A deep analysis of LOB (Large Object) storage — both BasicFile and SecureFile — and how they are truly managed within Oracle

• Insights into Oracle internals not documented in the official Oracle manuals

With a focus on raw storage formats, block internals, and LOB architecture, this book exposes hidden behaviors and undocumented features that can help you troubleshoot advanced storage-related issues, design more efficient schemas, and understand Oracle like never before.

Whether you’re optimizing performance, debugging corruption, or simply curious about how Oracle works at the binary level, this book is your guide to the internals Oracle rarely talks about.

About the Author

XIN ZENGGUO