Creating Databases with the Oracle Database Configuration Assistant

This chapter describes using the Oracle Database Configuration Assistant (DBCA) to create and delete Real Application Clusters databases. It explains how to decide whether to manually create your database and how to use the DBCA to delete Real Application Clusters databases. This chapter also briefly discusses migration and multiple Oracle homes issues.

The topics in this chapter include:

• Using the Database Configuration Assistant
• Benefits of Using the Oracle Database Configuration Assistant
• Creating the Database after Installation Using the Database Configuration Assistant
• Creating a Real Application Clusters Database with the DBCA
• Deleting a Database with the Database Configuration Assistant

Using the Database Configuration Assistant

The DBCA creates your database using the optimal flexible architecture (OFA). This means the DBCA creates your database files, including the default server parameter file, using standard file naming and file placement practices. The primary phases of DBCA processing are:

• Verify that you correctly configured the shared disks for each tablespace (for non-cluster file system platforms)
• Create the database
• Configure the Oracle network services
• Start the database instances and listeners

See Also: "Creating the Database after Installation Using the Database Configuration Assistant" for more information about using the DBCA in standalone mode The Oracle Net Services Administrator's Guide if you experience problems, for example, with the listener configuration, and for further information about Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)-compliant directory support Appendix A for more information about Oracle Flexible Architecture

Benefits of Using the Oracle Database Configuration Assistant

Oracle Corporation recommends that you use the DBCA to create your database. This is because the DBCA preconfigured databases optimize your environment to take advantage of Oracle9i features such as the server parameter file and automatic undo management. The DBCA also enables you to define arbitrary tablespaces as part of the database creation process. So even if you have datafile requirements that differ from those offered in one of the DBCA templates, use the DBCA. You can also execute user-specified scripts as part of the database creation process.

The DBCA and the Oracle Net Configuration Assistant also accurately configure your Real Application Clusters environment for various Oracle high availability features and cluster administration tools.

To manually create your Real Application Clusters database, refer to Chapter 5. The remainder of this chapter discusses using the DBCA to create a database.

Creating the Database after Installation Using the Database Configuration Assistant

If you do not create a database during installation, you can create one later using the DBCA in standalone mode. To do this, you must have configured each raw device as described in Chapter 2. In addition, you must have configured your network using the OracleNet Configuration Assistant, or you can configure it manually. The Global Services Daemon (GSD) must also be running on each node in your cluster before you create the database in standalone mode.

If you use one of the Universal Installer's database configuration types or one of the DBCA's templates that uses preconfigured datafiles, then during database creation the DBCA first verifies that you created the raw devices for each tablespace. If you have not properly set up the raw devices, the DBCA cannot create your database.

To start the DBCA, on one of the nodes:

• On UNIX, enter the command dbca from the $ORACLE_HOME/bin directory
• On Windows NT and Windows 2000, choose Start > Programs > Oracle - [HOME_NAME] > Database Administration > Database Configuration Assistant

Creating a Real Application Clusters Database with the DBCA

The following section describes how to use the Database Configuration Assistant to create a database for Real Application Clusters. When you run the DBCA, the first page displayed is the Database Configuration Assistant Welcome page for Real Application Clusters as shown in Figure 4-1. The DBCA only displays this page when it detects that your Cluster Manager (CM) software is running.

Figure 4-1 DBCA Welcome Page for Real Application Clusters

Text description of the illustration welcome.gif

See Also: The Oracle Database Configuration Assistant online help for DBCA more information

If the DBCA does not display the Real Application Clusters Welcome page with the Oracle Cluster Database option, then perform clusterware diagnostics by executing the lsnodes -v command and analyzing its output according to the following platform-specific instructions.

UNIX Clusterware Diagnostics

For UNIX platforms, execute the lsnodes -v command from the $ORACLE_HOME/bin directory. Refer to your vendor's clusterware documentation if the output indicates that your clusterware is not properly installed. Resolve the problem and then restart the DBCA.

Windows NT and Windows 2000 Clusterware Diagnostics

For Windows NT and Windows 2000 platforms, execute the lsnodes -v command from the %ORACLE_HOME%\bin directory.

lsnodes -v 

Refer to your clusterware documentation if the detailed output indicates that your clusterware is not running. Resolve the problem and then restart the DBCA.

Note: If the DBCA Welcome page for Real Application Clusters does not display, it means the Database Configuration Assistant was unable to: Detect whether the operating system-specific clusterware is running on UNIX platforms Load the Cluster Manager software on Windows NT and Windows 2000 platforms

To create a Real Application Clusters database:

1. Select the Oracle Cluster Database option and click Next.
   

   Warning: You cannot click Back after clicking Next. This prevents configuration problems that result from installing software for both single instance and cluster database environments during the same DBCA session.

   After you click Next, the DBCA displays the Operations page shown in Figure 4-2.

   Figure 4-2 Operations

   
   
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2. Select the Create a Database option and click Next.
   
   After you click Next, The DBCA displays the Node Selection page shown in Figure 4-3.

   Figure 4-3 Node Selection Display Page

   
   
   Text description of the illustration dbca_nod.jpg
   The Node Selection Display page shows the nodes that the DBCA detects in your cluster.
   3. If nodes are missing from the Node Selection Display page, perform clusterware diagnostics as described under one of the following platform-specific headings, "UNIX Clusterware Diagnostics", or "Windows NT and Windows 2000 Clusterware Diagnostics".
   4. Select the nodes that you want to configure as members of your cluster database and click Next. The local node is always selected by default.
   If the GSD daemon is not running on any of the nodes, then the DBCA displays a dialog explaining how to start the daemon.
   After you click Next, the DBCA displays the Database Template Selection page as shown in Figure 4-4.

   Figure 4-4 Template Selection Page

   
   Text description of the illustration dbtempla.gif
   5. Select a template from which to create your cluster database and click Next. To create a preconfigured database, select a template that includes datafiles.
   Select one of the four database templates shown on this page. These include the Data Warehouse, Transaction Processing, and General Purpose templates. These templates include datafiles. However, the fourth template, New Database, does not include datafiles.
   After you click Next, the DBCA displays the Database Identification page as shown in Figure 4-5.

   Figure 4-5 Database Identification Page

   
   
   Text description of the illustration dbidenti.gif
6. Enter the global database name and the Oracle system identifier (sid) prefix for your cluster database and click Next.
   
   After you click Next, if you have selected the New Database template the DBCA displays the Database Options page as shown in Figure 4-6. If you selected one of the other preconfigured database options, then after you click Next the DBCA displays the Initialization Parameters page as shown in Figure 4-8.

   Figure 4-6 Database Options Page

   
   
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7. Select the options you want to configure in your cluster database and click Next.
   
   After you click Next, if you have selected the New Database template the DBCA displays the Database Connections Options page as shown in Figure 4-7.

   Figure 4-7 Database Connections Options Page

   
   
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8. Select the connection mode for your cluster database and click Next.
   
   After you click Next, the DBCA displays the Initialization Parameters page as shown in Figure 4-8.

   Figure 4-8 Initialization Parameters

   
   
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9. Select the File Locations tab on the Initialization Parameters page.
   
   If you select the Create persistent initialization parameter file (spfile) option, which is equivalent to the server parameter file, then you may need to modify the location for the server parameter file depending on the type of file system you use:
   • If you use a cluster file system, or if you have a single-node Real Application Clusters environment, then you can place the server parameter file on the file system.
   • If you do not have a cluster file system and you are not creating a single-node Real Application Clusters database, then you must enter a raw device name for the location of the server parameter file in the Persistent Parameters Filename field in the center of the Initialization Parameters page as shown in Figure 4-8.
     
     10. Review the parameter settings that the DBCA will configure in the server parameter file by clicking the All Initialization Parameters option.
   When you click All Initialization Parameters, the DBCA displays the All Initialization Parameters dialog in Figure 4-9.

   Figure 4-9 All Initialization Parameters Dialog

   
   
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   Instance-specific parameter settings for your Real Application Clusters database appear at the bottom of this dialog. The sid prefixes for these entries appear in the left-hand column.
   11. To review the instance-specific parameter settings, scroll down using the scroll bar on the right-hand side of the dialog.
   12. Use the check box in the Included (Y/N) column to indicate whether Oracle should place the parameter setting in your server parameter file.
   Oracle only places parameter entries from the All Initialization Parameters Dialog into the server parameter file if the entries have check marks in the Included (Y/N) column. Also note the following points about the All Initialization Dialog:
   • You cannot modify the sid in the Instance column
   • You can alter self-tuning parameters with this dialog, however, setting them to inappropriate values may disable Oracle's self-tuning features
   • You cannot specify instance-specific values for global parameters with the DBCA

Complete your entries in the All Initialization Parameters page and click Close. Make sure your entries for the File Locations tab, as well as for the other tabs, are correct for your Real Application Clusters database and click Next.

After you click Next, the DBCA displays the Database Storage page in Figure 4-10.

Figure 4-10 Database Storage Page

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Use the Database Storage page to enter file names for each tablespace such as SYSTEM, USERS, TEMP, DRSYS, TOOLS, INDX, and so on. The Storage page displays these file names in the Datafiles folder.

14. To enter file names for these objects on the Database Storage page, click the Tablespaces icon to expand the object tree. Then click the tablespace objects under the tree and replace the default file names with the actual raw device names.

Platform-specific issues for entering file names in the Database Storage page are:

• On UNIX, if you have not set the DBCA_RAW_CONFIG environment variable, then the DBCA displays default datafile names. You must override these names to provide file names for the control files, datafiles, and redo log groups on this page.
• For Windows NT and Windows 2000, the filenames are default symbolic link names. You can change these if you named your symbolic links differently from the Oracle recommendations. If you override these default symbolic link names, then enter names that incorporate your database name to simplify administration.

If you select a template that includes datafiles, the Storage page does not display tablespace information. Instead, the Storage page displays temporary datafile names that you must rename. If you are creating a database with a preconfigured database template, then the Storage page does not allow you to change tablespace sizes.

15. To rename temporary file names if you used a template that includes datafiles, click on the temporary file name and overwrite it.
16. Click Next when you have completed entering data on the Database Storage page.
    
    After you click Next, the DBCA displays the Creation Options page on which you can select the database creation options you want to use. For example:
    • Create Database--creates the database now
    • Save as a Database Template--creates a template that captures the structure of the database, including user-supplied inputs, initialization parameters, and so on, which you can later use to create a database
    • Generate Database Creation Scripts--generates database creation scripts
    After you click Finish on the Creation Options page, the DBCA displays a summary page similar to the page in Figure 4-11.

    Figure 4-11 DBCA Summary Page

    
    
    Text description of the illustration createsu.jpg
17. Review the information on the Summary page and click OK. The DBCA then displays database creation progress indicators.
    
    At this point in the installation process you have:
    • Created an operative Real Application Clusters database
    • Configured the network for the cluster database
    • Started the services if you are on a Windows NT or Windows 2000 platform
    • Started the instances and listeners

Deleting a Database with the Database Configuration Assistant

This section explains how to use the Database Configuration Assistant (DBCA) to delete a database.

Using the DBCA to delete a database removes a database's initialization parameter files, instances, OFA structure, and network configuration. However, the DBCA does not remove datafiles if you placed the files on raw partitions.

To delete a database with the DBCA:

1. Start the DBCA on one of the nodes:
   
   • On UNIX, execute the dbca command from the $ORACLE_HOME/bin directory
   • On Windows NT and Windows 2000, choose Start > Programs > Oracle - [HOME_NAME] > Database Administration > Database Configuration Assistant
   The Welcome page appears as shown earlier in this chapter in Figure 4-1.
2. Select the Oracle Cluster Database option and click Next.
   
   After you click Next, The DBCA displays the Operations page as shown in Figure 4-12.

   Figure 4-12 Operations

   
   
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3. Click the Delete a database option and click Next.
   
   After you click Next, the DBCA displays the List of Databases page similar to the one in Figure 4-13.

   Figure 4-13 Oracle Database Configuration Assistant Database List of Databases Page

   
   
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4. If your user ID and password are not operating-system authenticated, then the List of Databases page displays the user name and password fields. If these fields appear, then enter a user ID and password that has SYSDBA privileges.
5. Select the database you want to delete and click Finish.
   
   After you click Finish, the DBCA displays an alert dialog showing the database name and associated instances that the DBCA is going to delete. This alert dialog also displays the node or nodes on which the instances exist as shown in Figure 4-14:

   Figure 4-14 Oracle Database Configuration Assistant Database Deletion Alert Dialog

   
   
   Text description of the illustration dbca_del.jpg
6. Click OK to complete the deletion of the database and its associated files, services, and environment settings, or click Cancel to stop the operation.
   
   When you click OK, the DBCA continues the operation and deletes all the associated instances for this database. The DBCA also removes the parameter files, password files, OracleServicesid services, and oratab entries.