Setting up the Oracle install environment

Learning objective

After completing this topic, you should be able to recognize how to configure the Oracle install environment using the Oracle Universal Installer.

1. Starting the Oracle Universal Installer

The Oracle Universal Installer (OUI) enables you to install, upgrade, or uninstall Oracle database components.

Because the OUI uses a Java-based engine, it presents the same interface and installation choices regardless of the platform on which you use it.

In this case, you are installing Oracle Database 10g on a Linux platform.

The OUI supports

• web-based installation
• noninteractive installation
• automatic dependency detection
• multiple Oracle homes
• partial uninstallation
• multiple languages

web-based installation

The OUI can install Oracle software remotely over HTTP when you point it to a URL.

For example, you can use this feature to install Oracle in an online test environment.

noninteractive installation

You can run the OUI together with a prepared response file that contains installation specifications.

This method installs Oracle without any user interaction.

automatic dependency detection

The OUI automatically detects dependencies between Oracle components and adjusts the installation accordingly.

multiple Oracle homes

When you use multiple Oracle homes on a single computer, the OUI keeps an inventory of the names, components, and product versions for each of the Oracle homes.

partial uninstallation

You can use the OUI to remove individual components of a database system or you can use it to uninstall the entire database system.

multiple languages

The OUI supports multilingual installation.

It detects the language setting of the operating system and runs the Oracle installation in the same language.

Suppose you want to use the OUI to configure the Oracle install environment and create a database.

To do this, you must first log on to Linux as the "oracle" user and mount the Oracle Database 10g CD.

You then change directory to the CD and, from your home directory, execute the command ./runInstaller.

On running the OUI installation command, the Welcome page appears.

To start the software installation, you click Next.

In the Specify Inventory directory and credentials page, you must set the location of the inventory directory.

The OUI creates the inventory directory automatically to provide subdirectories for each product. Because it contains the bookkeeping for the OUI, you shouldn't delete any files from this directory.

The inventory holds data on every Oracle software product in all Oracle homes on the machine and non-Oracle products included with Oracle software, like the Java Runtime Environment (JRE).

Here you want to specify the location of the inventory directory as /u01/app/oracle/oraInventory.

You type oraInventory at the prompt and press Enter to complete the location of the inventory directory.

When installing software on a Linux or a UNIX system, the OUI also requires the name of the group that owns the base directory.

You have to select an operating system group name with permissions to update, install, and deinstall Oracle products.

You accept the default Operating System Group Name, oinstall, and click Next.

The Oracle Universal Installer dialog box appears, prompting you to run the script orainstRoot.sh as root. This script builds the inventory pointer file.

The OUI uses the inventory pointer file to find the inventory location. An example of the file is:

inventory_loc=/oracle/oraInventoryinst_group=oinstall

To run the file, you must leave the OUI and open a new terminal.

In the new terminal, you enter the commands

su

cd /u01/app/oracle/oraInventory

Now you need to run the orainstRoot.sh script.

You type orainstRoot.sh and press Enter.

Once you have run the script, you switch back to the OUI, and click Continue.

This brings you to the Specify File Locations page.

Question

Suppose you are using the OUI to install an Oracle database 10g on a Linux platform. On the Specify Inventory and credentials page, you want to set the location of the inventory directory, oraInventory. You have entered /u01/app/oracle/.

Complete the path of the inventory directory.

Answer

The full path of the inventory directory is /u01/app/oracle/oraInventory.

Question

Suppose you're installing Oracle on a UNIX OS.

Type the appropriate script as root.

Answer

To install Oracle on a UNIX OS, you enter orainstRoot.sh as root.

2. Specifying file locations and installation type

The Specify File Locations page provides a default location for the product's installation kit or stage.

You identify Oracle homes by name. The Oracle home name specifies the program group associated with a particular Oracle home and the Oracle services on the associated home.

The Oracle home name can be 1 to 16 characters in length and must contain alphanumeric characters and underscores only, with no spaces.

The OUI maintains the following Oracle homes on UNIX platforms:

• each Oracle home that the OUI created
• each home as defined in the /var/opt/oratab file (in Linux, /etc/oratab)
• the home saved in the ORACLE_HOME environment variable

The OUI maintains the following Oracle homes on Windows platforms:

• all Oracle homes that are already created using the OUI
• all homes created using the previous OUI (ORCA-based)
• the home saved in the ORACLE_HOME registry entry

Here you accept the default source and location paths, and click Next.

On the Select Installation Type page, you create the database for your installation.

You can choose from the following install types:

• Enterprise Edition
• Standard Edition
• Custom install

Enterprise Edition

The Enterprise Edition is a self-managing database that provides scalability, performance, high availability, and security for clustered and single-system configurations. For example, you might use the Enterprise Edition for online transaction processing and business intelligence.

The Enterprise Edition has many services that are not available with the Standard Edition. These include standby database features, extended security features, and features that support Enterprise Data Warehouses.

Standard Edition

The Standard Edition is typically used for small and medium business, and general departmental applications. It does not have all the options of the Enterprise Edition.

Custom install

The Custom install enables you to customize the Enterprise Edition by choosing individual components to install. This means you can add components to your current installation that are not usually installed, or you can save space on your installation by preventing the installation of unnecessary components.

You now want to specify the database installation type.

You click the Enterprise Edition option, and then click Next.

The Product-specific Prerequisite Checks page displays. This page shows the name, type and status for all prerequisite checks.

Before installation, the OUI verifies that the system meets all the minimum requirements for installing and configuring the chosen product.

The OUI runs automatic checks first. Afterwards, you can run any optional checks manually.

When the check completes successfully, a summary appears in the bottom half of the page.

You might have to verify a requirement if the OUI produces a warning during the execution, or if a manual check is unconfirmed.

In this example, the automatic checks have run successfully, and there is no need for manual checks, so you click Next to continue.

You can now select your database configuration options.

Question

Match each Oracle Database 10g database installation type to its appropriate use.

Options:

1. Enterprise Edition
2. Standard Edition
3. Custom install

Targets:

1. General departmental applications
2. Installation of individual components
3. Online transaction processing and business intelligence

Answer

You might use the Enterprise Edition for online transaction processing and business intelligence, the Standard Edition for general departmental applications, and the Custom install to prevent the installation of unnecessary components.

The Enterprise Edition provides scalability for clustered and single-system configurations.

The Standard Edition is typically used by small and medium businesses.

You use the Custom install type when neither the Enterprise Edition or the Standard Edition fit the needs of your installation.

Question

Suppose you want to specify the database installation type for Oracle on a UNIX OS.

This question requires you to Specify the installation type that enables you to add components to your current installation that are not usually installed, and ensure that the system meets the minimum requirements for installing and configuring the software. Which option performs this task?

Options:

1. Click the Enterprise Edition option, and click Next.
2. Click the Custom option, and click Next.

Answer

The Custom install is the installation type that enables you to add components to your current installation that are not usually installed, and ensure that the system meets the minimum requirements for installing and configuring the software.

Alternatively, you press Alt+C.

Question

Rank in the correct order the steps required to configure the Oracle install environment using the OUI.

Options

Option	Description
A	Execute orainstRoot.sh as the root user
B	Select the database installation type
C	View the prerequisite checks
D	Specify the inventory directory and credentials
E	Specify the file locations

Answer

Correct ranking

Option	Description
D	Specify the inventory directory and credentials The OUI creates the inventory directory automatically to provide subdirectories for each product.
A	Execute orainstRoot.sh as the root user The orainstRoot.sh script builds the inventory pointer file. The OUI uses the inventory pointer file to find the inventory location.
E	Specify the file locations This Specify File Locations page of the OUI provides a default location for the product's installation kit or stage.
B	Select the database installation type You can choose as your database installation type the Enterprise Edition, the Standard Edition, or the Custom install.
C	View the prerequisite checks Before installation, the OUI verifies that the system meets all the minimum requirements for installing and configuring the chosen product.

Summary

Using the Oracle Universal Installer (OUI), you can install, upgrade, and uninstall Oracle components and databases. Oracle includes a version of the OUI that supports web-based installation and multiple languages. You can run the OUI interactively, or you can automate it using a response file.

The OUI provides a default location for the product's installation kit. For your database installation type, you can select the Enterprise Edition, the Standard Edition, or you can customize your installation by choosing individual components to install. Before installation, the OUI checks the environment for the requirements necessary for a successful installation.