4
Creating Cluster Databases with the Database Configuration Assistant

This chapter describes using the Database Configuration Assistant (DBCA) to create and delete Oracle Real Application Clusters databases. This chapter also briefly discusses upgrades and multiple Oracle home considerations. The topics in this chapter include:

• Using the Database Configuration Assistant in Real Application Clusters
• Benefits of Using the Database Configuration Assistant
• Creating the Database after Installation Using the Database Configuration Assistant
• Creating a Real Application Clusters Database with the DBCA
• Deleting a Real Application Clusters Database with the DBCA
• Upgrading to Release 2 (9.2)
• Multiple Oracle Homes

  See Also: Oracle9i Real Application Clusters Administration for procedures on using the DBCA to add and delete instances

Using the Database Configuration Assistant in Real Application Clusters

The primary phases of DBCA processing are:

• If you did not use a cluster file system, then the DBCA verifies 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 listeners and database instances

  See Also: "Creating the Database after Installation Using the Database Configuration Assistant" for more information about using the DBCA in standalone mode The Oracle9i 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

Benefits of Using the Database Configuration Assistant

Oracle Corporation recommends that you use the DBCA to create your database. This is because the DBCA's 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 create site-specific tablespaces as part of the database creation process. Even if you have datafile requirements that differ from those offered by the DBCA templates, use the DBCA and modify the datafiles afterward. You can also execute user-specified scripts as part of the database creation process.

The DBCA and the Oracle Net Configuration Assistant also 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 did not create a database during installation, then you can create one later using the DBCA in standalone mode. To do this without a cluster file system, you must have configured each raw device as described in Chapter 2. In addition, you must have run the Oracle Net Configuration Assistant to configure your Oracle Net listener file, or you can configure your network 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 select a Universal Installer (OUI) database configuration type or one of the DBCA templates that uses preconfigured datafiles and if you do not have a cluster file system, 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, then you must replace the default datafiles with raw device names on the Storage page to continue database creation.

To start the DBCA, on one of the nodes:

To use the DBCA to create a Real Application Clusters database that uses datafiles from a CFS partition launch the DBCA as follows:

On UNIX, for example, create a directory on the CFS partition called oradata, change its ownership to oracle user, and execute the following command:

dbca -datafileDestination /oradata

On Windows, for example, create a directory on the CFS partition called oradata on the CFS partition, where the CFS partition drive name is p:, then execute the DBCA from the command prompt using the following syntax:

dbca -datafileDestination p:\oradata

Creating a Real Application Clusters Database with the DBCA

The following section describes how to use the DBCA to create a database for Real Application Clusters. The first page the DBCA displays is the Database Configuration Assistant Welcome page for Real Application Clusters 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

If the DBCA does not display the Real Application Clusters Welcome page with the Oracle cluster database option, then perform clusterware diagnostics as shown in the bulleted items in Step 6.

To create a Real Application Clusters database:

1. Select Oracle cluster database and click Next.

   Warning: You cannot successfully click Back after clicking Next. This prevents configuration problems that result from creating databases 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 Database Configuration Assistant Operations Page

   

   Text description of the illustration operatio.gif

   Note: The DBCA only enables Instance Management if there is at least one Real Application Clusters database configured on your cluster.

2. Select Create a database and click Next, and the DBCA displays the Node Selection page shown in Figure 4-3.

   Figure 4-3 Database Configuration Assistant Node Selection Page

   

   Text description of the illustration dbca_nod.gif

   The Node Selection page shows the nodes that the DBCA detects in your cluster.

3. If nodes are missing from the Node Selection page, then perform clusterware diagnostics as described under Step 6.
4. Select the nodes that you want to configure as members of your cluster database and click Next. The DBCA selects the local node by default.

   If the GSD is not running on any of the nodes, then the DBCA displays a dialog explaining how to start the daemon using the gsdctl start command.

   After you click Next, the DBCA displays the Database Templates page shown in Figure 4-4.

   Figure 4-4 Database Configuration Assistant Database Templates 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.

   The templates on this page include the Transaction Processing, General Purpose, and Data Warehouse preconfigured templates. These templates include datafiles and specially configured options for each environment. However, the New Database template does not include datafiles or the specially configured options.

   After you click Next, the DBCA displays the Database Identification page shown in Figure 4-5.

   Figure 4-5 Database Configuration Assistant 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.

   Note: The SID prefix must be between one and five characters in length and the database name can be up to eight characters in length and both must begin with an alphabetical character. The DBCA uses the SID prefix to generate a unique value for the ORACLE_SID for each instance.

   After you click Next, if you selected the New Database template, then the DBCA displays the Database Features page 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 shown in Figure 4-8.

   Figure 4-6 Database Configuration Assistant Database Features Page

   

   Text description of the illustration dboption.gif

7. Select the database features to configure in your cluster database and click Next. If you selected the New Database template, then the DBCA displays the Database Connection Options page shown in Figure 4-7.

   Figure 4-7 Database Configuration Assistant Database Connection Options Page

   

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

   Figure 4-8 Database Configuration Assistant Initialization Parameters Page

   

   Text description of the illustration fileloc2.gif

9. Select the File Locations tab on the Initialization Parameters page.

   If you select Create server parameter file (spfile), then you may need to modify the location for the server parameter file depending on the type of file system you use as described for the following conditions:

   • 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 use 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 Server Parameters Filename field in the center of the Initialization Parameters page shown in Figure 4-8.
10. Select the Archive tab on the Initialization Parameters page to see the archive log destination settings.

    

    Text description of the illustration archivet.gif

    Note: The DBCA does not enable you to specify archive log destinations on a per-instance basis. To set the archive log destination for each instance follow the procedures under the heading "Setting the Log Mode".

11. Click All Initialization Parameters and the DBCA displays the All Initialization Parameters dialog similar to the one in Figure 4-9. Carefully review the parameter settings displayed in this dialog because the DBCA will configure these settings in your server parameter file.

    Figure 4-9 All Initialization Parameters Dialog

    

    Text description of the illustration allparam.gif

    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.

12. To review the instance-specific parameter settings, scroll downward using the scroll bar on the right-hand side of the dialog.
13. Use the check box in the Included (Y/N) column to indicate whether the DBCA should place the parameter setting in your server parameter file.

    The DBCA only places a parameter entry into the server parameter file if the entry displays a check mark in the Included (Y/N) column on the All Initialization Parameters dialog. Also note the following about the All Initialization Parameters dialog:

    • You cannot modify the sid in the Instance column.
    • You can alter self-tuning parameters with this dialog. However, setting these parameters to inappropriate values may disable the Oracle self-tuning features.
    • You cannot specify instance-specific values for global parameters with the DBCA.
14. Complete your entries in the All Initialization Parameters dialog and click Close. Make sure that your entries for the File Locations tab and the other tabs are correct for your Real Application Clusters database, click Next, and the DBCA displays the Database Storage page similar to the page in Figure 4-10.

    Figure 4-10 Database Configuration Assistant Database Storage Page

    

    Text description of the illustration dbstor2.gif

    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.

15. 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 raw device names on this page for each control file, datafile, and redo log group file.
    • For Windows NT and Windows 2000, if the default symbolic links exist, then the DBCA replaces the default datafiles with these symbolic link names and displays them in the Storage page. If the symbolic links do not exist, then the DBCA displays the default file system datafile file names on the Storage page. In this case, replace these default datafile file names with the symbolic link names.

    If you select a template that includes datafiles, then the Storage page does not display tablespace information. Instead, the Storage page displays default datafile file names that you must replace with raw device file names. If you are creating a database with a preconfigured database template, then the Storage page does not enable you to change tablespace sizes.

16. To rename default file names because you used a template that includes datafiles, click the default file name and overwrite it.
17. Click Next after completing your entries on the Database Storage page and the DBCA displays the Creation Options page shown in Figure 4-11.

    Figure 4-11 Database Configuration Assistant Creation Options Page

    

    Text description of the illustration creatopt.gif

18. Select the database options that you want to use, for example:
    • Create Database--creates the database
    • Save as a Database Template--creates a template that records 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, the DBCA displays a Summary dialog similar to the dialog in Figure 4-12.

    Figure 4-12 Database Configuration Assistant Summary Dialog

    

    Text description of the illustration createsu.gif

19. Review the Summary dialog information and click OK. To stop the database creation process, click Cancel.

    After you click OK, the DBCA displays a password page similar to the page in Figure 4-13.

    Figure 4-13 Database Configuration Assistant Password Page

    

    Text description of the illustration password.gif

    Use the password page to override the default password settings for the SYS and SYSTEM user accounts.

20. You must change the default passwords for the user accounts SYS and SYSTEM by entering and confirming new passwords for these accounts and clicking OK. If you click OK, then the DBCA validates the passwords, saves the new passwords and exits.

    If you create a database using the DBCA in silent mode and use the -passwordDialog true parameter, then the DBCA displays the password page and requires that you change the default passwords for these user accounts. You can later activate locked accounts manually by using, for example, ALTER USER statements.

    The DBCA password page also provides access to the Password Management page that enables you to selectively unlock and specify new passwords for other Oracle9i default user accounts.

    After you complete this step, at this point in the database creation process you have:

    • Created the Real Application Clusters data dictionary views
    • 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 listeners and database instances

Deleting a Real Application Clusters Database with the DBCA

This section explains how to delete a Real Application Clusters database with the DBCA. Using the DBCA to delete a database removes a database's initialization parameter files, instances, OFA structure, and Oracle network configuration. However, this process does not remove datafiles if you placed the files on raw devices or 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] > Configuration and Migration Tools > Database Configuration Assistant

   The DBCA Welcome page appears as shown earlier in this chapter in Figure 4-1.

2. Select Oracle cluster database and click Next.

   After you click Next, The DBCA displays the Operations page in Figure 4-14.

   Figure 4-14 Database Configuration Assistant Operations Page

   

   Text description of the illustration operdel.gif

3. Select Delete a database, click Next, and the DBCA displays the List of Cluster Databases page similar to the page in Figure 4-15.

   Figure 4-15 Database Configuration Assistant List of Cluster Databases Page

   
   Text description of the illustration dbcacr10.gif
   
   
4. If your user ID and password are not operating-system authenticated, then the List of Cluster Databases page displays the user name and password fields. If these fields appear, then enter a user ID and password that has SYSDBA privileges.

   See Also: "Database Password and Role Management in Real Application Clusters"

5. Select the database that you want to delete and click Finish.

   After you click Finish, the DBCA displays a Database Deletion Summary dialog showing the database name and associated instances that the DBCA is going to delete. This Summary dialog, which is similar to the dialog in Figure 4-16, also describes the node on which each instance resides.

   Figure 4-16 Database Configuration Assistant Database Deletion Summary Dialog

   

   Text description of the illustration dbcadel.gif

6. Click OK to begin 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 of the associated instances for this database. The DBCA also removes the parameter files, password files, OracleServicesid services, and oratab entries.

   At this point, you have accomplished the following:

   • Recycled the listeners associated with the selected database
   • Deleted the selected database from the cluster
   • Deleted the selected database's services for Windows NT or Windows 2000
   • Deleted the Oracle Net configuration for the database
   • Deleted the OFA directory structure from the cluster
   • Deleted the datafiles if these were not on raw devices

Upgrading to Release 2 (9.2)

If the Oracle Universal Installer (OUI) detects an earlier version of Oracle, then the Installer prompts you to upgrade to Oracle9i release 2 (9.2). Select the upgrade option to upgrade to Oracle9i release 2 (9.2).

Co-Existence of Oracle Versions on the Same Cluster

The compatible co-existence of different versions of Oracle database software depends on your operating system platform.

For UNIX operating systems, whether different versions of Oracle can exist on the same cluster is platform-dependent. Refer to your platform-specific Oracle documentation for more information about version co-existence.

For Windows NT and Windows 2000 platforms, as long as your Oracle database software versions are greater than 8.1, they can co-exist on the same cluster when you install them in different locations with different Registry keys. This means that you cannot have different versions of Oracle with version numbers that are older than release 8.1 on the same cluster. For example, a release 1 (9.0.1) Real Application Clusters database and a release 8.0 Oracle Parallel Server database cannot co-exist on the same cluster.

Co-Existence of Operating System-Dependent Clusterware on Windows Platforms

For Windows NT and Windows 2000, operating system-dependent (OSD) clusterware from Oracle9i release 2 (9.2) can co-exist with previous versions. However, only one version can be active at a time. In addition, an earlier version of the OSD cannot support a later version of the database. Only Oracle9i release 2 (9.2) is backward compatible with Oracle9i release 1 (9.2).

Rolling Upgrades

The term rolling upgrades refers to upgrading different databases or different instances of the same database in Oracle9i Real Application Clusters one at a time, without stopping the database. Release 2 (9.2) of Oracle9i Real Application Clusters does not support rolling upgrades.

Multiple Oracle Homes

Oracle9i Real Application Clusters on UNIX, Windows NT, and Windows 2000 platforms supports multiple Oracle homes, just as the single-instance Oracle9i Enterprise Edition database does. The multiple homes feature enables you to install one or more releases on the same machine in multiple Oracle home directories.