Understanding Oracle Client Version and Retrieving User Information

As a database administrator, having accurate information about users connected to the database is crucial. In this article, we will delve into the world of Oracle client versions and explore ways to retrieve user information, including their associated client version.

Problem Statement

The question arises when trying to gather information about users connected to the database using an older Oracle client version less than 19c. A query provided in a Stack Overflow post seems promising but fails to yield accurate results for a specific username. The goal is to identify the best approach to retrieve all user information, including their client version.

Understanding Oracle Client Versions

Oracle client versions are used by database users to connect to the database. Each client version corresponds to a specific release and patch level of the Oracle client software. Knowing the client version can provide valuable insights into the version of tools, libraries, and features being used by the user.

Analyzing the Provided Query

The original query provided attempts to gather information about users connected to the database using GV$SESSION and GV$SESSION_CONNECT_INFO views. However, it encounters issues when trying to retrieve the client version for a specific username. The query is:

SELECT S.SID, S.SERIAL#, S.USERNAME, TO_CHAR(S.LOGON_TIME, 'MON-DD-YYYY HH:MI:SS PM') LOGON_TIME, S.STATUS,
       N.AUTHENTICATION_TYPE, N.OSUSER, N.CLIENT_CONNECTION, N.CLIENT_VERSION, N.CLIENT_DRIVER
FROM GV$SESSION  S ,
       (SELECT DISTINCT D.SID, D.AUTHENTICATION_TYPE,D.OSUSER,D.CLIENT_CONNECTION,D.CLIENT_VERSION,D.CLIENT_DRIVER FROM GV$SESSION_CONNECT_INFO D) N
WHERE S.SID = N.SID
AND CLIENT_VERSION !='19.0.0.0.0'
AND CLIENT_VERSION !='19.3.0.0.0'
ORDER BY LOGON_TIME,SID;

This query joins the GV$SESSION view with a subquery that selects distinct information from the GV$SESSION_CONNECT_INFO view. However, it fails to yield accurate results for the specific username 'APN123', resulting in an unknown client version.

Impact of Using Incorrect Query

Using an incorrect or incomplete query can lead to inaccurate results and difficulties in troubleshooting issues related to Oracle clients. In this case, the query provided is insufficient to retrieve accurate information about users connected to the database using older Oracle client versions.

Alternative Approach: Retrieving User Information Using SYS.X$KUSECON

An alternative approach to gather user information, including their client version, involves using the SYS.X$KUSECON view. This view provides detailed information about each user’s authentication and connection details.

Here is an example query that creates a view to retrieve user information:

CREATE VIEW xksusecon AS
SELECT * FROM SYS.x$ksusecon;

This view can be used to gather more accurate information about users connected to the database, including their client version.

Modified Query Using SYS.X$KUSECON View

The modified query uses the SYS.X$KUSECON view to retrieve user information and extract the client version:

WITH x AS
 (SELECT DISTINCT ksusenum sid,ksuseclvsn,TRIM(TO_CHAR(ksuseclvsn,'xxxxxxxxxxxxxx')) to_c,
   TO_CHAR(ksuseclvsn,'xxxxxxxxxxxxxx') v
  FROM
    sys.xksusecon
 )
 SELECT x.sid,
   DECODE(to_c,'0','Unknown',TO_NUMBER(SUBSTR(v,8,2),'xx') || '.' ||  -- major_release
             SUBSTR(v,10,1)      || '.' ||  -- minor_release
             SUBSTR(v,11,2)      || '.' ||  -- intermediate_assembly
             SUBSTR(v,13,1)      || '.' ||  -- patch_level
             SUBSTR(v,14,2)) client_version,  -- port_mnt
   username,program, module
 FROM x, v$session s
 WHERE x.sid like s.sid AND type != 'BACKGROUND'
/

This query uses the SYS.X$KUSECON view to gather more accurate information about users connected to the database. It then extracts the client version from the ksuseclvsn value using a combination of string manipulation and arithmetic operations.

Conclusion

Retrieving user information, including their associated client version, is crucial in understanding the version of tools, libraries, and features being used by the user. By analyzing the provided query and exploring alternative approaches, such as using the SYS.X$KUSECON view, we can gather more accurate information about users connected to the database.

Best Practices

• Always use accurate and complete queries when gathering information about users connected to the database.
• Consider using views like SYS.X$KUSECON to retrieve detailed user information.
• Use string manipulation and arithmetic operations to extract client version details from query results.

Last modified on 2024-04-15