In this blog post, we will explore how to perform parallel loading of data using SQL Loader. Parallel loading is a technique that can significantly improve the performance and speed of data loading into a database.

Table of Contents

• Introduction to SQL Loader
• Parallel Loading
• Configuring Parallel Loading
• Conclusion

Introduction to SQL Loader

SQL Loader is a utility provided by Oracle to load data from external files into Oracle database tables. It is a powerful tool that can handle large datasets and automate the data loading process.

Parallel Loading

By default, SQL Loader loads data in a serial manner, meaning it processes one record at a time. However, when dealing with large volumes of data, this serial approach can be time-consuming. Parallel loading allows for loading data in parallel, dividing the data across multiple processes or threads, thereby speeding up the data loading process.

Configuring Parallel Loading

To enable parallel loading using SQL Loader, you need to perform the following steps:

1. Create a table with parallel loading enabled:

   CREATE TABLE my_table (
     column1 VARCHAR2(100),
     column2 NUMBER
   )
   PARALLEL;
   

2. Modify the control file used by SQL Loader to specify parallel loading:

   LOAD DATA
   INFILE '<path_to_input_file>'
   INTO TABLE my_table
   PARALLEL
   (
     column1 CHAR(100),
     column2 INTEGER EXTERNAL
   )
   

3. Run SQL Loader with parallel loading enabled:

   sqlldr CONTROL='<path_to_control_file>' LOG='<path_to_log_file>' BAD='<path_to_bad_file>'
   

Conclusion

Parallel loading using SQL Loader is a powerful technique to improve the performance and speed of data loading in Oracle databases. By distributing the data loading process across multiple processes or threads, it allows for faster loading of large datasets. Consider using parallel loading when dealing with large volumes of data to optimize the data loading process.

#sql #sqlloader