Working with securefile and basicfile tablespaces in SQL databases

21 Sep 2023

databases

In SQL databases, tablespaces are used to organize and store data. They provide a way to manage and allocate disk space to the different objects within a database. Two common types of tablespaces used in SQL databases are Securefile and Basicfile tablespaces.

Basicfile Tablespaces

A Basicfile tablespace is the traditional type of tablespace used in SQL databases. It can store both table and index data, but it lacks certain advanced features. Here are some key points about Basicfile tablespaces:

Created using the CREATE TABLESPACE statement, specifying the DATAFILE parameter to indicate the location of the files on the disk.
Provide efficient storage for large amounts of data without advanced features.
Suitable for applications with simple storage needs and limited access patterns.
Allows the use of operating system block size for better performance.

Example code for creating a Basicfile tablespace:

CREATE TABLESPACE basic_ts
DATAFILE '/path/to/datafile01.dbf' SIZE 100M;

Securefile Tablespaces

A Securefile tablespace is an enhanced type of tablespace that offers additional features and improved performance for storing large objects such as LOBs (Large Objects). Here are some important facts about Securefile tablespaces:

Introduced in newer versions of SQL databases (e.g., Oracle Database 11g and above).
Provide advanced compression, encryption, and deduplication options to enhance data security and storage efficiency.
Support for parallelism and allow direct access to LOB data for improved performance.
Enable features like deferred segment creation and in-memory caching.

Example code for creating a Securefile tablespace:

CREATE TABLESPACE secure_ts
DATAFILE '/path/to/datafile02.dbf'
SIZE 500M
SEGMENT SPACE MANAGEMENT AUTO;

Conclusion

Understanding the differences between Securefile and Basicfile tablespaces is crucial for effective database management. Consider using Basicfile tablespaces for simple storage needs, while Securefile tablespaces are recommended for storing large objects and when advanced features like encryption and compression are required.

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