V$PGASTAT

V$PGASTAT displays PGA memory usage statistics as well as statistics about the automatic PGA memory manager when it is enabled (that is, when PGA_AGGREGATE_TARGET is set). Cumulative values in V$PGASTAT are accumulated since instance startup.

Column Datatype Description
NAME VARCHAR2(64) Name of the statistic (see Table 8-4)
VALUE NUMBER Statistic value
UNIT VARCHAR2(12) Unit for the value:
  • bytes

  • microseconds

  • percent


Table 8-4 V$PGASTAT Statistics

Statistic Name Description

aggregate PGA auto target

Amount of PGA memory the Oracle Database can use for work areas running in automatic mode. This amount is dynamically derived from the value of the PGA_AGGREGATE_TARGET initialization parameter and the current work area workload, and continuously adjusted by the Oracle Database.

If this value is small compared to the value of PGA_AGGREGATE_TARGET, then a large amount of PGA memory is used by other components of the system (for example, PL/SQL or Java memory) and little is left for work areas. The DBA must ensure that enough PGA memory is left for work areas running in automatic mode.

aggregate PGA target parameter

Current value of the PGA_AGGREGATE_TARGET initialization parameter. If this parameter is not set, then its value is 0 and automatic management of PGA memory is disabled.

bytes processed

Number of bytes processed by memory intensive SQL operators, cumulated since instance startup.

cache hit percentage

A metric computed by the Oracle Database to reflect the performance of the PGA memory component, cumulative since instance startup. A value of 100% means that all work areas executed by the system since instance startup have used an optimal amount of PGA memory.

When a work area cannot run optimal, one or more extra passes is performed over the input data. This will reduce the cache hit percentage in proportion to the size of the input data and the number of extra passes performed.

extra bytes read/written

Number of bytes processed during extra passes of the input data, cumulated since instance startup. When a work area cannot run optimal, one or more of these extra passes is performed.

global memory bound

Maximum size of a work area executed in automatic mode. This value is continuously adjusted by the Oracle Database to reflect the current state of the work area workload. The global memory bound generally decreases when the number of active work areas is increasing in the system.

If the value of the global bound decreases below 1 MB, then the value of PGA_AGGREGATE_TARGET should be increased.

max processes count

Maximum number of processes active at any one time since instance startup.

maximum PGA allocated

Maximum number of bytes of PGA memory allocated at one time since instance startup.

maximum PGA used for auto workareas

Maximum amount of PGA memory consumed at one time by work areas running under the automatic memory management mode since instance startup.

maximum PGA used for manual workareas

Maximum amount of PGA memory consumed at one time by work areas running under the manual memory management mode since instance startup.

over allocation count

This statistic is cumulative since instance startup. Over allocating PGA memory can happen if the value of PGA_AGGREGATE_TARGET is too small. When this happens, the Oracle Database cannot honor the value of PGA_AGGREGATE_TARGET and extra PGA memory needs to be allocated.

If over allocation occurs, then increase the value of PGA_AGGREGATE_TARGET using the information provided by the V$PGA_TARGET_ADVICE view.

PGA memory freed back to OS

Number of bytes of PGA memory freed back to the operating system, cumulated since instance startup.

process count

Number of processes active within up to the last 3 seconds.

recompute count (total)

Number of times the instance bound, which is a cap on the maximum size of each active work area, has been recomputed since instance startup. Generally, the instance bound is recomputed in the background every 3 seconds, but it could be recomputed by a foreground process when the number of work areas changes rapidly in a short period of time.

total freeable PGA memory

Number of bytes of PGA memory in all processes that could be freed back to the operating system.

total PGA allocated

Current amount of PGA memory allocated by the instance. The Oracle Database attempts to keep this number below the value of the PGA_AGGREGATE_TARGET initialization parameter. However, it is possible for the PGA allocated to exceed that value by a small percentage and for a short period of time when the work area workload is increasing very rapidly or when PGA_AGGREGATE_TARGET is set to a small value.

total PGA inuse

Indicates how much PGA memory is currently consumed by work areas. This number can be used to determine how much memory is consumed by other consumers of the PGA memory (for example, PL/SQL or Java).

total PGA used for auto workareas

Indicates how much PGA memory is currently consumed by work areas running under the automatic memory management mode. This number can be used to determine how much memory is consumed by other consumers of the PGA memory (for example, PL/SQL or Java).

total PGA used for manual workareas

Indicates how much PGA memory is currently consumed by work areas running under the manual memory management mode. This number can be used to determine how much memory is consumed by other consumers of the PGA memory (for example, PL/SQL or Java).