Oracle 11g Database DBA New Features

Database Capture/replay database workloads : Allows the total database workload to be captured, transferred to a test database created from a backup or standby database, then replayed to test the affects of an upgrade or system change. Currently, they are working to a capture performance overhead of 5%, so you could conceivably capture real production workloads.  Source Mr. Tim

Automatic Memory Tuning: Automatic PGA tuning was introduced in Oracle 9i. Automatic SGA tuning was introduced in Oracle 10g. In 11g, all memory can be tuned automatically by setting one parameter. You literally tell Oracle how much memory it has and it determines how much to use for PGA, SGA and OS Processes. Maximum and minimum thresholds can be set. Source Mr. Tim

Interval partitioning for tables 

Improved table/index 

Faster DML triggers : Create a disabled trigger; specify trigger firing order

Improved NFS data file management

RMAN UNDO bypass

Virtual columns/indexes : User can create Virtual index on table. This Virtual index is not visible to optimizer, so it will not affect performance, Developer can user HINT and see is Index is useful or not.Invisible Indexesprevent premature use of newly created
indexes

Fine grained access control for Utl_TCP: in 10g  all port are available, now it is controlled.

Data Guard supports "Flashback Standby"

New Trigger features

Partitioning by logical object and automated partition creation.

LOB's - New high-performance LOB features.

Automatic Diagnostic Repository (ADR)

Incident Packaging Service (IPS)

Feature Based Patching

New Oracle11g Advisors

Enhanced Read only tables

Table trigger firing order

Enhanced Index rebuild online :  Online index build with NO pause to DML. 

No recompilation of dependent objects:
       When  A) Columns added to tables
                   B)  Procedures added to packages

Improved optimizer statistics collection speed

New default audit settings :- Oracle database where general database auditing was "off" by default, logging is intended to be enabled by default with the Oracle Database 11g beta secure configuration.  Notable performance improvements are planned to be introduced to reduce the performance degradation typically associated with auditing.

passwords are expected to also become case sensitive
This and other changes should result in better protection against brute force attacks and password guessing scenarios.  For example, in addition to limiting the number of failed login attempts to 10 (default configuration in 10gR2), Oracle 11g beta’s planned default settings should expire passwords every 180 days, and limit to seven the number of times a user can login with an expired password before disabling access. Source

 Online index build with NO pause to DML

 Read only table :-
    alter table t read only
    alter table t read write

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