Find available space in buffer cache

Question

Hi.
I want to find available space from buffer cache. First thought was to make it 8i-9i comp, by not using v$bh to calculate sum of memory and available space.
I have the following pl/sql block to calculate the values:
declare
num_free_blck integer;
num_all_blck integer;
num_used_blck integer;
overal_cache number := 0;
used_cache number := 0;
free_cache number := 0;
blck_size integer;
pct_free number := 0;
begin
select count(1) into num_free_blck from v$bh where status='free';
select count(1) into num_all_blck from v$bh;
select count(1) into num_used_blck from v$bh where status <> 'free';
select value into blck_size from v$parameter where name ='db_block_size';
used_cache := (blck_size * num_used_blck)/(1024*1024);
free_cache := (blck_size * num_free_blck)/(1024*1024);
overal_cache := (blck_size * num_all_blck)/(1024*1024);
pct_free := ((free_cache/overal_cache)*100);
dbms_output.put_line('There are '||num_free_blck||' free blocks in buffer cache');
dbms_output.put_line('There are '||num_used_blck||' used block in buffer cache');
dbms_output.put_line('There are totally '||num_all_blck||' blocks in buffer cache');
dbms_output.put_line('Overall cache size is '||to_char(overal_cache,'999.9')|| 'mb');
dbms_output.put_line('Used cache is '||to_char(used_cache,'999.9')||' mb');
dbms_output.put_line('Free cache is '||to_char(free_cache,'999.9')||' mb');
dbms_output.put_line('Percent free db_cache is '||to_char(pct_free,'99.9')||' %');
end;
The result of the execution is:
SQL> @c:\temp\bh
There are 3819 free blocks in buffer cache
There are 4189 used block in buffer cache
There are totally 8008 blocks in buffer cache
Overall cache size is 62.6mb
Used cache is 32.7 mb
Free cache is 29.8 mb
Percent free db_cache is 47.7 %
PL/SQL-prosedyren ble fullført.
SQL>
This is not correct according to the actuall size of the buffer cache:
SQL> select name,value from v$parameter where name='db_cache_size';
NAME
VALUE
db_cache_size
67108864
SQL>
Anyone that have an idea bout this?
Thanks
Kjell Ove

Answer 1

Mark D Powell wrote:
select decode(state,0,'Free',
1,'Read and Modified',
2,'Read and Not Modified',
3,'Currently being Modified',
'Other'
) buffer_state,
count(*)  buffer_count
from    sys.xx_bh
group by decode(state,0,'Free',
1,'Read and Modified',
2,'Read and Not Modified',
3,'Currently being Modified',
'Other'
Provided the OP figures out that xx_bh is probably a view defined by sys on top of x$bh this will get him the number of free buffers - which may be what he wants - but apart from that your query is at least 10 years short of complete, and the decode() of state 3 is definitley wrong.
The decode of x$bh.state for 10g is:
     decode(state,
          0,'free',
          1,'xcur',
          2,'scur',
          3,'cr',
          4,'read',
          5,'mrec',
          6,'irec',
          7,'write',
          8,'pi',
          9,'memory',
          10,'mwrite',
          11,'donated'
     ), and for 11g it is:
     decode(state,
           0, 'free',
           1, 'xcur',
           2, 'scur',
           3, 'cr',
           4, 'read',
           5, 'mrec',
           6, 'irec',
           7, 'write',
           8, 'pi',
           9, 'memory',
          10, 'mwrite',
          11, 'donated',
          12, 'protected', 
          13, 'securefile',
          14, 'siop',
          15, 'recckpt',
          16, 'flashfree', 
          17, 'flashcur',
          18, 'flashna'
     ), (At least, that was the last time I looked - they may have changed again in 10.2.0.5 and 11.2.0.2)
Regards
Jonathan Lewis