The OraPub Oracle Performance And Internals Q&A Bot has been available for several weeks. The questions everyone has asked, and the bot's responses have been amazing and sometimes not all that helpful.
Besides improving the underlying AI, what I have learned from analyzing everyone's questions and the bot's responses is that most questions could have resulted in better responses!
How could the inputs have resulted in a better bot response?
I noticed two main areas. First, the bot has limitations; there are certain tasks it is simply not designed to perform. Second, I observed that by making slight changes to the inputs provided to the bot, the responses could have been significantly improved.
Generally speaking, all the tips below revolve around helping the bot better understand your intentions. In other words, try to make it easy for the bot to comprehend your query, and you will likely receive a more helpful response.
So everyone knows, the bot receives two main inputs: your SITUATION and your QUESTION/REQUEST.
Bot Limitations
- The bot is unable to provide a specific contextual source, such as a URL, the name of a book, or a technical paper. Instead of inquiring about the source's location, ask about the specific content or information within the document.
- The bot does not retain memory of your previous submissions, including the most recent entry you made.
- The bot does not generate code or provide scripts.
Top Ten Tips For A Better Bot Experience
- Want a different and perhaps better response? Simply re-submit.
- The bot requires both your situation and your question. The SITUATION refers to the facts or circumstances you are facing, which are often quantifiable. These are not questions or requests. On the other hand, the QUESTION is your specific request or inquiry directed towards the bot, usually ending with a question mark. However, questions can also be formulated as commands, such as "I need a step-by-step solution."
- Don't start with the maximum level of detail. Consider starting with the medium level. Then, if the bot understands your question and is able to provide a pretty good response, then increase the detail level.
- A slight change in your input can result in a very different and perhaps more useful response. For example, instead of asking, "What does sql execute elapsed time being higher than db cpu time mean?" try something like, "How can elapsed time be larger than 'db cpu' time?" or "How can elapsed time be higher than cpu time?" or "How can elapsed time be higher than foreground process cpu consumption?"
- When using an acronym such as ASH, spell out the words in quotes and also provide the acronym.
- Trying framing the SITUATION to provide context for your QUESTION. For example:
- Situation: I need to restore my database using RMAN from a tape backup.
- Question: What are the steps I must follow to restore a database from a tape backup using RMAN?
- Instead of "100mils," try "100M," "100 million," or "one hundred million."
- While the bot's response may appear strange, unusual, or even incorrect, it can often be thought-provoking and spark creative and powerful solutions. When you provide an honest and genuine situation along with an honest question, lean into the bot's response. Many times, the bot can make connections and associations that we may have never considered or been aware of through our own education or experiences.
- Tell the bot what you need. For example, if you need detailed specific steps, ask for that.
- If you want specific information, make sure to request it while also providing specific details about the situation.
- Situation: 80% of "Database Time" (DB Time) is Oracle foreground process CPU consumption (DB CPU). Operating system CPU utilization is 87%.
- Question: What specific type of SQL or PL/SQL would be involved in this situation?
If you have any questions or need some help, feel free to email me.
Enjoy the bot! It's just the beginning.
All the best in your Oracle tuning and machine learning work,
Craig