Oratop is a utility very similar in nature to the ‘top’ unix OS utility.

It provides an almost real-time overview of both RAC as well as single-instance database performance and can be used in combination with top to get a more complete overview of system performance and identify and monitor any activity causing bottlenecks.

Download the oratop executable for:

11gR2 on Linux x86-64 here.

12c on Linux x86-64 for use with 12c clients here.

11gR2 on Linux x86-32 here.

12c on Linux x86-32 for use with 12c clients here.

11gR2 for AIX here.

12c for AIX here.

Running oratop standalone

1. Log in to the system as the Oracle RDBMS software installation owner
2. Stage the oratop executable on the server on which the tool will be executed.  On a RAC system it is only necessary to stage the executable on one node as it is RAC aware.
3. Change the name of the executable, eg.
4. $ mv oratop* oratop

   Validate the permissions for oratop are 755 (-rwxr-xr-x). If the permissions are not currently set to 755, set the permissions on oratop as follows:

   $ chmod 755 oratop
5. 
6. Configure the execution environment as follows (if not already set accordingly)
7. Invoke the tool to monitor a local database as follows (interval can be any interval in seconds):
   $ ./oratop -i 10 / as sysdba
8. Non-dba privileged user requires specific grants to use the tool.  See User Guide for grants required.
9. Databases can be monitored remotely using a tns alias as described
10. $ ./oratop -i 10 username/password@tns_alias
    $ ./oratop -i 10 system/manager@tns_alias
11. To exit the program simply press the keyboard key “q”.  To abort, CTRL-C.

oratop: Release 14.1.2
Usage:
oratop [ [Options] [Logon] ]

Logon:
{username[/password][@connect_identifier] | / }
[AS {SYSDBA|SYSOPER}]

connect_identifier:
o Net Service Name, (TNS) or
o Easy Connect (host[:port]/[service_name])
Options:
-d : real-time (RT) wait events, section 3 (default is Cumulative)
-k : FILE#:BLOCK#, section 4 lt is (EVENT/LATCH)
-m : MODULE/ACTION, section 4 (default is USERNAME/PROGRAM)
-s : SQL mode, section 4 (default is process mode)
-c : database service mode (default is connect string)
-f : detailed format, 132 columns (default: standard, 80 columns)
-b : batch mode (default is text-based user interface)
-n : maximum number of iterations (requires number)
-i : interval delay, requires value in seconds (default: 5s)
-v : oratop release version number
-h : this help

By default, oratop will display the Top 5 Wait Events since instance start. To view the information real-time we can use ‘d‘.

oratop -i 10 username/password@tnsname

k = Events/Latches and File Number and Data Block.

m = Display of Programs and display of Modules.

s = Process Mode (default) and SQL Mode.

t = Tablespace information.