What is a tablespace?

What is a tablespace?

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A tablespace is a logical storage unit of an Oracle database. It is a logical unit because a tablespace is not visible in the file system of the computer on which the database is present.

SYSTEM is the default tablespace of an Oracle database that stores data dictionary tables and indexes. The tablespace builds a bridge between the Oracle database and the file system in which the table's or the index's data is stored.

One can use multiple tablespaces that offer flexibility in performing database operations, such as separation of one application's data from another's data, storing different tablespace data files on separate disk drives to avoid input-output contentions, maintaining backups for individual tablespaces, and many more.

Note: Some operating systems limit the number of files that can be open simultaneously, which in turn affects the number of tablespaces available.

Due vigilance on the number of tablespaces opened has to be maintained, as it can exceed the operating system's limit of opening tablespaces. If there is a need to increase the size of tablespaces, then one or two large data files should be added, or the data files with the AUTO EXTEND clause should be created rather than having many small data files.

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