A Frequently Asked Questions about Installation

Installing Oracle Database or Oracle Database Client

• I only need one instance of Oracle Database, or I just want to install a test database to get familiar with the product. How do I install Oracle Database for these situations?

• How do I create an Oracle database that can handle transaction-heavy or data warehousing applications?

• What's the best way to install multiple Oracle databases?

• How do I configure client connections to an Oracle database?

• What is the best way to install Oracle Database Client if my client nodes have limited disk space?

• How do I upgrade Oracle Database?

• The computers at my site have been configured to run as a cluster. How should I install Oracle Database?

• How do I migrate my non-Oracle databases to Oracle Database?

I only need one instance of Oracle Database, or I just want to install a test database to get familiar with the product. How do I install Oracle Database for these situations?

• If you want a quick installation using the default installation settings, then use Oracle Database Quick Installation Guide.

• If your site has special requirements, then see Oracle Database Installation Guide.

How do I create an Oracle database that can handle transaction-heavy or data warehousing applications?

If you want to create a starter database designed for transaction-heavy or data warehousing applications, then see Oracle Database Installation Guide. When you run Oracle Universal Installer, select the Advanced Installation method, and then select the database type you want in the Select Database Configuration window.

Alternatively, you can install Oracle OLAP during the Oracle Database installation. Oracle OLAP provides optimal support for database environments that must meet OLAP requirements. To do so, select Advanced Installation, then Custom, and from the Available Product Components window, select Oracle OLAP.

In an existing Oracle Database installation, you can run Oracle Database Configuration Assistant (DBCA) to create databases designed for data warehousing or transaction processing. To start DBCA, select Start, then Programs, then Oracle - HOME_NAME, then Configuration and Migration Tools, and then Database Configuration Assistant.

What's the best way to install multiple Oracle databases?

Use Oracle Database Installation Guide to install Oracle Database using either of the following methods:

• Installing with response files: This method lets you run Oracle Universal Installer at a command line using a response file that contains settings specific to each computer.

• Cloning an existing Oracle home: Install Oracle Database on one computer using interactive mode. Afterwards, you can clone its existing Oracle home in each location and then create a new database from there. You can also clone databases, which is described in Oracle Database Administrator's Guide.

How do I configure client connections to an Oracle database?

1. Install Oracle Database onto your server by using Oracle Database Installation Guide.

2. Use Oracle Database Client Installation Guide to install Oracle Database Client on each client node.

   If you have many client nodes, consider staging the software centrally, mapping the drive, and running Oracle Universal Installer in silent or noninteractive mode.

   If your client nodes only require a default installation into a new Oracle home directory, consider using Oracle Database Client Quick Installation Guide.

What is the best way to install Oracle Database Client if my client nodes have limited disk space?

1. Use Oracle Database Installation Guide to install Oracle Database onto your server.

2. Use Oracle Database Client Installation Guide or Oracle Database Client Quick Installation Guide to install Oracle Database Client on each client node, and select the Instant Client installation type.

   If you have many client nodes, consider running Oracle Universal Installer in silent or noninteractive mode.

How do I upgrade Oracle Database?

See Oracle Database Upgrade Guide.

The computers at my site have been configured to run as a cluster. How should I install Oracle Database?

Use any of the following installation scenarios:

• If you want to run a single-instance Oracle Database in a clustered environment, then install Oracle Clusterware either before or after you install Oracle Database.

• If you want a consolidated pool of storage for all databases in your cluster, then install Oracle Clusterware first and use Automatic Storage Management to manage this storage. Afterward, install Oracle Database (which can be either single instance or Oracle Real Application Clusters).

• If you plan to use Oracle Real Application Clusters, first install Oracle Clusterware, and then install Oracle Real Application Clusters.

See Oracle Database Oracle Clusterware and Oracle Real Application Clusters Installation Guide for your platform to install Oracle Clusterware or Oracle Real Application Clusters. Oracle Clusterware is available on the Oracle Clusterware installation media. Oracle Database Installation Guide explains how to install Automatic Storage Management as well as Oracle Database.

Oracle Clusterware is a key component required by Oracle Real Application Clusters installations. Oracle Clusterware is an integrated cluster management solution that can bind multiple servers together to act as a single system referred to as a cluster. It performs workload management and component restart. For example, when an instance supporting a particular service fails, Oracle Clusterware restarts the service on the next available instance that you have configured for that service. Oracle Clusterware can monitor non-Oracle programs, if they are defined within the Oracle Clusterware environment using the High Availability API.

How do I migrate my non-Oracle databases to Oracle Database?

Use Oracle Migration Workbench to migrate your non-Oracle databases and applications to Oracle. Oracle Migration Workbench software and documentation are available at

http://www.oracle.com/technology/migration/index.html

Installing Oracle Database Tools

• How do I install Oracle Application Server?

• How do I administer and monitor my Oracle Database products?

• How do I manage security for my Oracle Database products?

• Does Oracle Database provide OLAP tools so that I can analyze data such as trends and time series in my database?

• Does Oracle Database provide data mining tools that I can use to find hidden meaning in my data and predict likely outcomes based on my data?

• How do I perform backup and recovery operations for Oracle Database?

How do I install Oracle Application Server?

See Oracle Application Server Installation Guide. How you install Application Server depends on whether you already have Oracle Database installed:

• If you do not have Oracle Database installed or you do not want Oracle Application Server to use any of your existing Oracle Databases, then Oracle Universal Installer lets you install Oracle Application Server with its own Oracle Database. This database is populated with the metadata that Oracle Application Server needs to run correctly.

• If you want Oracle Application Server to use an existing Oracle Database, then do the following:

  1. From the Oracle Application Server installation media, run Oracle Application Server Repository Creation Assistant to populate your database with the metadata that Oracle Application Server needs.

  2. Install the remaining Oracle Application Server components by following the instructions in the Oracle Application Server Installation Guide.

How do I administer and monitor my Oracle Database products?

To perform regular administrative functions such as creating, configuring, or deleting databases, or managing database templates, use one of the following methods:

To manage the single database and listener that you are installing:

1. Use Oracle Database Installation Guide to install Oracle Database.

2. From Oracle Database, use Oracle Database Configuration Assistant to manage your databases.

   You can also administer and monitor the database with Oracle Enterprise Manager Grid Control, which is installed by default with Oracle Database. Oracle Enterprise Manager Grid Control includes the Oracle Management Agent, Oracle Management Service, and Oracle Management Repository, as well as Grid Control, a browser-based central console through which administrators can perform all monitoring, administration, and configuration tasks for the enterprise.

   See Also:

   Oracle Enterprise Manager Grid Control Installation and Basic Configuration available on the Enterprise Manager Grid Control installation media

To perform advanced administration tasks, such as monitoring Oracle Database and managing multiple hosts, application servers, and databases including the one that you are installing, install Oracle Enterprise Manager as follows:

1. Use Oracle Database Installation Guide to install Oracle Database.

   If you plan to use Oracle Real Application Clusters, then install Oracle Database by using Oracle Database Oracle Clusterware and Oracle Real Application Clusters Installation Guide.

2. Use Oracle Enterprise Manager Grid Control Installation and Basic Configuration to install and configure Oracle Enterprise Manager. For postconfiguration tasks, use Oracle Enterprise Manager Advanced Configuration.

How do I manage security for my Oracle Database products?

Oracle provides a wide range of security solutions for your enterprise environment, including centralized administration and security features integrated with Oracle Internet Directory. The set of Oracle security services called Oracle Platform Security integrates the security features built into Oracle Database, Oracle Application Server, and the Oracle Identity Management infrastructure. Combined, these features enable the development and deployment of secure e-business applications.

Oracle Identity Management includes Oracle Internet Directory, a centralized repository that simplifies administration of users and applications in the Oracle environment by means of the following components:

• Oracle Internet Directory client tools, including LDAP command-line tools, the Oracle Internet Directory SDK, and Oracle Directory Manager.

• Oracle Internet Directory server components, including the directory server, the directory replication server, the directory integration server, and various tools for starting and stopping them.

Oracle Database includes the Oracle Internet Directory client tools, but not the Oracle Internet Directory server components. To install the Oracle Internet Directory server components, run Oracle Universal Installer from an Oracle Application Server 10g installation.

Does Oracle Database provide OLAP tools so that I can analyze data such as trends and time series in my database?

Yes, install Oracle OLAP, which is provided in the Oracle Database installation. Oracle OLAP provides optimal support for database environments that must meet OLAP requirements.

Use either of the following methods in Oracle Database Installation Guide to install Oracle OLAP:

• When you run Oracle Universal Installer, select the Custom installation type, and in the Available Product Components window, select Oracle OLAP.

  See Also:

  • Oracle OLAP Application Developer's Guide

  • Oracle OLAP Reference

  • Oracle OLAP DML Reference

  • Oracle OLAP Java API Reference

  • Oracle OLAP Analytic Workspace Java API Reference

• Select the Enterprise Edition installation type, and then in the Select Database Configuration window, select the Data Warehouse configuration.

  See Also:

  Oracle Database Data Warehousing Guide after installation

Does Oracle Database provide data mining tools that I can use to find hidden meaning in my data and predict likely outcomes based on my data?

Yes. Install Oracle Data Mining, which is provided in the Oracle Database installation. With the Oracle Data Mining option, you can create and execute predictive and descriptive data mining models that use a variety of algorithms.

Use the following method in Oracle Database Installation Guide to install Oracle Data Mining:

1. When you run Oracle Universal Installer, select the Enterprise Edition installation type.

2. In the Select Database Configuration window, select the General Purpose configuration.

If you want the database to execute predefined mining models, but not support model creation, install the Data Mining Scoring Engine instead of Oracle Data Mining. Use the following method in Oracle Database Installation Guide to install the Data Mining Scoring Engine:

1. When you run Oracle Universal Installer, select the Custom installation type.

2. In the Available Product Components window, select Data Mining Scoring Engine.

How do I perform backup and recovery operations for Oracle Database?

Use Oracle Database Recovery Manager (RMAN), which is a backup and recovery tool integrated into Oracle Database. This tool satisfies the demands of high-performance, manageable backup and recovery. Recovery Manager is native to the database, automatically tracks database structure changes, and optimizes operations accordingly. In addition, Recovery Manager is integrated with leading tape media management products, so that Oracle database backups can be integrated with your existing networked data protection infrastructure.

Installing Oracle Database with Oracle Applications

• How do I install my Oracle applications with Oracle Database?

• How do I create Web applications that communicate with Oracle Database?

• How do I automate and streamline my processes for both traditional applications-based workflow and as e-business integration workflow?

• Which Web server can my Oracle applications use?

• How do I migrate my non-Oracle applications to Oracle Database?

How do I install my Oracle applications with Oracle Database?

In most cases, install Oracle Database itself, then install the Oracle application. The Oracle Universal Installer for that application prompts you for the connection information. Check the application documentation requirements.

If you need to implement your applications with Oracle Real Applications Clusters databases, see Oracle Database Oracle Clusterware and Oracle Real Application Clusters Administration and Deployment Guide.

How do I create Web applications that communicate with Oracle Database?

Install Oracle HTML DB and Oracle HTTP Server:

1. Use Oracle Database Installation Guide to install Oracle Database.

2. Use Oracle Database Companion CD Installation Guide to install Oracle HTML DB and Oracle HTTP Server.

   The following components are available on the Oracle Database Companion CD installation media:

   • JPublisher

   • Natively Compiled Java Libraries

   • Oracle Database Examples

   • Oracle HTML DB

   • Oracle HTTP Server

   • Oracle Workflow server and middle-tier components

   • Oracle Text Supplied Knowledge Bases

   If you only need to install these products using the default settings into a new Oracle home, consider using Oracle Database Companion CD Quick Installation Guide.

How do I automate and streamline my processes for both traditional applications-based workflow and as e-business integration workflow?

Install Oracle Workflow:

1. Use Oracle Database Installation Guide to install Oracle Database.

2. Use Oracle Database Companion CD Installation Guide to install Oracle Workflow.

Which Web server can my Oracle applications use?

Install Oracle HTTP Server:

1. Use Oracle Database Installation Guide to install Oracle Database.

2. Use Oracle Database Companion CD Installation Guide to install Oracle HTTP Server.

How do I migrate my non-Oracle applications to Oracle Database?

Use Oracle Migration Workbench to migrate your non-Oracle applications to Oracle. Oracle Migration Workbench software and documentation are available at:

http://www.oracle.com/technology/migration/index.html

Installing Oracle Database Heterogeneous Connectivity Tools (Gateways)

• How can my AS/400 application access data in an Oracle database?

• How can my Oracle applications access data in a non-Oracle database system?

How can my AS/400 application access data in an Oracle database?

Use Oracle Access Manager for AS/400, which enables AS/400 applications to access data in an Oracle database. To install Oracle Access Manager for AS/400, see Oracle Access Manager for AS/400 Installation and User's Guide for IBM iSeries OS/400.

How can my Oracle applications access data in a non-Oracle database system?

Use the following connectivity tools to enable Oracle applications to access data in non-Oracle databases:

• Oracle Transparent Gateway: Integrates a non-Oracle database into your Oracle Database environment.

• Oracle Procedural Gateway: Enables Oracle PL/SQL applications to integrate with APPC-enabled transactions, or access messages in IBM WebSphere MQ.

You can install the Gateway product on a computer independent of the Oracle application, Oracle database, and non-Oracle database.

For example, suppose you have the following scenario:

• Oracle Database is installed on a Linux computer.

• The Oracle application is installed on a Microsoft Windows computer and accesses data from the Oracle database on the Linux computer.

• The Oracle application needs to join data in a DB2 database on Solaris Operating System and an Oracle Database on Linux.

You have the option of installing the Transparent Gateway for DRDA on the Solaris computer where DB2 is running, on Linux where Oracle is running, or on a third computer.

Table A-1 lists the non-Oracle database systems that you can access from Oracle applications, and the Gateway products that are available for those systems.