2 Oracle Audit Vault Server Preinstallation Requirements

This chapter describes the following Oracle Audit Vault Server (Audit Vault Server) preinstallation requirements. This chapter includes the following sections:

2.1 Becoming Familiar with the Features of Oracle Audit Vault

To plan the installation process, you must be familiar with the features of Oracle Audit Vault. Oracle Audit Vault Administrator's Guide discusses the basic features of Oracle Audit Vault.

2.2 Logging In to the System as the root User

Before you install the Oracle software, you must complete the tasks described in this chapter as the root user. Log in to your system as the root user.

2.3 Checking the Hardware Requirements

The system must meet the following minimum hardware requirements:

  • At least 1024 MB of available physical memory (RAM)

  • The following table gives the relationship between the available RAM and the required swap space:

    Available RAM Swap Space Required
    Between 1024 MB and 2048 MB 1.5 times the size of RAM
    Between 2049 MB and 8192 MB Equal to the size of RAM
    More than 8192 MB 0.75 times the size of RAM

  • Audit Vault Server installation disk space requirements

    • 2.6 GB of disk space for the Audit Vault Server software files in the Oracle base directory

    • 1.6 GB of additional disk space for the Audit Vault Server database files in the Oracle base directory. This is only if the database storage option is on the file system. For other storage options, such as Automatic Storage Management (ASM), the database files will be stored elsewhere. Also, this 1.6 GB of disk space is only the starting size. Consider the future growth of the database size, especially as the server collects more and more audit data.

To ensure that the system meets these requirements, perform the following tasks:

  1. To determine the physical RAM size, enter the following command:

    # grep MemTotal /proc/meminfo
    

    If the size of the physical RAM installed in the system is less than the required size, then you must install more memory before continuing.

  2. To determine the size of the configured swap space, enter the following command:

    # grep SwapTotal /proc/meminfo
    

    If necessary, see your operating system documentation for information about how to configure additional swap space.

  3. To determine the available RAM and swap space, enter the following command:

    # free
    

    Note:

    Oracle recommends that you take multiple readings for the available RAM and swap space before determining a value. This is because the available RAM and swap space keep changing depending on the user interactions with the computer.
  4. To determine the amount of disk space available in the /tmp directory, enter the following command:

    # df -k /tmp
    

    If there is less than 400 MB of disk space available in the /tmp directory, then complete one of the following steps:

    • Delete unnecessary files from the /tmp directory to meet the disk space requirement.

    • Set the TEMP and TMPDIR environment variables when setting the environment of the oracle users.

    • Extend the file system that contains the /tmp directory. If necessary, contact your system administrator for information about extending file systems.

  5. To determine the amount of free disk space on the system, enter the following command:

    # df -k
    
  6. To determine whether the system architecture can run the software, enter the following command:

    # grep "model name" /proc/cpuinfo
    

    Note:

    This command displays the processor type. Verify that the processor architecture matches the Oracle software release that you want to install. If you do not see the expected output, then you cannot install the software on this system.

2.4 Checking the Operating System Requirements

If Oracle Validated RPM is available for your distribution and installed, the RPM downloads the minimum number of packages required to run Oracle Clusterware and Oracle Database. The RPM also sets and verifies system parameters based on recommendations from the Oracle Validated Configurations program.

Unbreakable Linux Network (ULN) customers can obtain the Oracle Validated RPM by using up2date. If you are not a ULN customer, and you are running Red Hat Enterprise Linux or Oracle Linux, then you can obtain the Oracle Validated RPM at the following URLs:

Oracle Linux 4: http://oss.oracle.com/el4/oracle-validated/

Oracle Linux 5: http://oss.oracle.com/el5/oracle-validated/

If you are not a member of ULN or RHN (Red Hat support network) and you are an Oracle support customer, then you can download instructions to configure a script that replicates Oracle Validated RPM package downloads at the following URL:

https://support.oracle.com

Search for "minimal Linux"

If Oracle Validated RPM is not installed and depending on the products that you intend to install, verify that the software is installed on the system listed in Table 2-1. The procedure following Table 2-1 describes how to verify whether these requirements are addressed.

Note:

Oracle Universal Installer checks your system to verify that it meets the listed requirements. To ensure that your system passes these checks, verify the requirements before you start Oracle Universal Installer.

The platform-specific hardware and software requirements included in this installation guide were current at the time this guide was published. However, because new platforms and operating system versions might be certified after this guide is published, review the certification matrix on the My Oracle Support (formerly OracleMetaLink) Web site for the most up-to-date list of certified hardware platforms and operating system versions. The My Oracle Support Web site is available at

https://support.oracle.com

Table 2-1 Operating System, Kernel Version, and Packages Requirements

Item Requirement

Operating system

One of the following operating system versions:

  • Oracle Enterprise Linux 4/Oracle VM

  • Oracle Enterprise Linux 5/Oracle VM

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS/ES 3.0 (Update 3 or later)

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS/ES 4.0/Oracle VM

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS/ES 5.0/Oracle VM

  • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9.0

  • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10.0

  • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11.0

The operating system requirements are the same as those for Oracle Database 10g release 2. If Oracle Database 10g release 2 is installed, then your system automatically meets these requirements.

Kernel version

The system must be running the following kernel version (or a later version):

Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS/ES 3.0:

2.4.21-27.EL

Note: This is the default kernel version.

Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS/ES 4.0/Oracle VM, Oracle Enterprise Linux 4/Oracle VM:

2.6.9-5.0.5.EL

Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS/ES 5.0/Oracle VM, Oracle Enterprise Linux 5/Oracle VM:

2.6.9

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9.0:

2.6.5-7.97

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10.0:

2.6.9

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11.0:

2.6.27.19

The kernel version requirements are the same as those for Oracle Database 10g release 2. If Oracle Database 10g release 2 is installed, then your system automatically meets the kernel version requirements.

Packages

The following packages (or later versions) must be installed:

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3.0:

make-3.79.1
binutils-2.14
gcc-3.2.3-34
glibc-2.3.2-95.20
compat-db-4.0.14-5
compat-gcc-7.3-2.96.128
compat-gcc-c++-7.3-2.96.128
compat-libstdc++-7.3-2.96.128
compat-libstdc++-devel-7.3-2.96.128
openmotif21-2.1.30-8
setarch-1.3-1
libaio-0.3.96

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.0, Oracle Enterprise Linux 4:

binutils-2.15.92.0.2-13.EL4
compat-libstdc++296-2.96-132.7.2
compat-db-4.1.25-9
control-center-2.8.0-12
gcc-3.4.3-22.1.EL4
gcc-c++-3.4.3-22.1.EL44
glibc-2.3.4-2.9
glibc-common-2.3.4-2.9
gnome-libs-1.4.1.2.90-44.1
libstdc++-3.4.3-22.1
libstdc++-devel-3.4.3-22.1
make-3.80-5
numactl-0.6.4.i386
pdksh-5.2.14-30
sysstat-5.0.5-1
xscreensaver-4.18-5.rhel4.2
setarch-1.6-1

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.0, Oracle Enterprise Linux 5:

binutils-2.17.50.0.6-2.el5
compat-libstdc++-33-3.2.3-61
elfutils-libelf-0.125-3.el5
elfutils-libelf-devel-0.125
gcc-4.1.1-52
gcc-c++-4.1.1-52
glibc-2.5-12
glibc-common-2.5-12
glibc-devel-2.5-12
glibc-headers-2.5-12
libaio-0.3.106
libaio-devel-0.3.106
libgcc-4.1.1-52
libstdc++-4.1.1
libstdc++-devel-4.1.1-52.e15
make-3.81-1.1
numactl-devel-0.9.8.i386
sysstat-7.0.0
unixODBC-2.2.11
unixODBC-devel-2.2.11

Packages

The following packages (or later versions) must be installed:

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9:

binutils-2.15.90.0.1.1-32.5
gcc-3.3.3-43.24
gcc-c++-3.3.3-43.24
glibc-2.3.3-98.28
gnome-libs-1.4.1.7-671.1
libstdc++-3.3.3-43.24
libstdc++-devel-3.3.3-43.24
make-3.80-184.1
pdksh-5.2.14-780.1
sysstat-5.0.1-35.1
xscreensaver-4.16-2.6

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10:

binutils-2.16.91.0.5
compat-libstdc++-5.0.7
gcc-4.1.0
glibc-2.4-31.63
glibc-devel-2.4-31.63
ksh-93r-12.9
libaio-0.3.104
libaio-devel-0.3.104
libelf-0.8.5
libgcc-4.1.0
libstdc++-4.1.0
libstdc++-devel-4.1.0
make-3.80
sysstat-6.0.2
unixODBC-2.2.11
unixODBC-devel-2.2.11

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11:

binutils-2.19
gcc-4.3
gcc-c++-4.3
glibc-2.9
glibc-devel-2.9
ksh-93t
libaio-0.3.104
libaio-devel-0.3.104
libgcc43-4.3.3_20081022
libstdc++33-3.3.3
libstdc++43-4.3.3_20081022
libstdc++43-devel-4.3.3_20081022
libstdc++-devel-4.3
make-3.81
sysstat-8.1.5

Packages

The package requirements are the same as those for Oracle Database 10g release 2. If Oracle Database 10g release 2 is installed, then your system automatically meets the package requirements.


To ensure that the system meets these requirements, perform the following tasks:

  1. To determine which distribution and version of Linux is installed, enter the following command:

    # cat /etc/issue
    

    Note:

    Only the distributions and versions listed in the previous table are supported. Do not install the software on other versions of Linux.
  2. To determine whether the required kernel is installed, enter the following command:

    # uname -r
    

    For example, the following output appears for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3.0:

    2.4.21-15.EL
    

    In this example, the output shows the kernel version (2.4.21) and errata level (15.EL) on the system.

    If the kernel version does not meet the requirement specified in Table 2-1, then contact your operating system vendor for information about obtaining and installing kernel updates.

  3. To determine whether the required packages are installed, enter commands similar to the following:

    # rpm -q package_name
    

    If a package is not installed, then install it from your Linux distribution media or download the required package version from the Web site of your Linux vendor.

2.5 Checking the Network Setup

Typically, the computer on which you want to install Oracle Audit Vault is connected to the network, has local storage to contain the Oracle Audit Vault installation, has a display monitor, and has a CD-ROM or DVD drive.

This section describes how to install Audit Vault Server on computers that do not meet the typical scenario. It covers the following cases:

2.5.1 Configuring Name Resolution

When you run Oracle Universal Installer, an error might occur if name resolution is not set up. To avoid this error, before you begin an installation, you must ensure that host names are resolved only through the /etc/hosts file.

To ensure that host names are resolved only through the /etc/hosts file:

  1. Verify that the /etc/hosts file is used for name resolution. You can do this by checking the hosts file entry in the nsswitch.conf file as follows:

    # cat /etc/nsswitch.conf | grep hosts
    

    The output of this command should contain an entry for files.

  2. Verify that the host name has been set by using the hostname command as follows:

    # hostname
    

    The output of this command should be similar to the following:

    myhost.us.example.com
    
  3. Verify that the domain name has not been set dynamically by using the domainname command as follows:

    # domainname
    

    This command should not return any results.

  4. Verify that the hosts file contains the fully qualified host name by using the following command:

    # cat /etc/hosts | grep `eval hostname`
    

    The output of this command should contain an entry for the fully qualified host name and for the localhost.

    For example:

    192.0.2.1         myhost.us.example.com     myhost
    127.0.0.1         localhost                 localhost.localdomain
    

    If the hosts file does not contain the fully qualified host name, then open the file and make the required changes in it.

2.5.2 Installing on DHCP Computers

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) assigns dynamic IP addresses on a network. Dynamic addressing enables a computer to have a different IP address each time it connects to the network. In some cases, the IP address can change while the computer is still connected. You can have a mixture of static and dynamic IP addressing in a DHCP system.

In a DHCP setup, the software tracks IP addresses, which simplifies network administration. This lets you add a new computer to the network without having to manually assign that computer a unique IP address.

Do not install Audit Vault Server in an environment where the IP addresses of the Audit Vault Server or the Oracle Audit Vault collection agent can change. If your environment uses DHCP, ensure that all Oracle Audit Vault systems use static IP addresses.

2.5.3 Installing on Multi-homed Computers

You can install Audit Vault Server on a multi-homed computer. A multi-homed computer has multiple network cards, which in turn, allows it to have multiple IP addresses. Each IP address is associated with a host name. In addition, you can set up aliases for the host name. By default, Oracle Universal Installer uses the ORACLE_HOSTNAME environment variable setting to find the host name. If the ORACLE_HOSTNAME environment variable is not set and you are installing Audit Vault Server on a computer that has multiple network cards, then Oracle Universal Installer determines the host name by using the first entry in the /etc/hosts file.

Clients must be able to access the computer either by using this host name or by using aliases for this host name. To verify this, ping the host name from the client computers using the short name (host name only) and the full name (host name and domain name). Both tests must be successful.

Setting the ORACLE_HOSTNAME Environment Variable

Use the following procedure to set the ORACLE_HOSTNAME environment variable.

For example, if the fully qualified host name is myhost.us.example.com, then enter one of the following commands:

Bourne, Bash, or Korn shell:

$ ORACLE_HOSTNAME=myhost.us.example.com
$ export ORACLE_HOSTNAME

C shell:

% setenv ORACLE_HOSTNAME myhost.us.example.com

2.5.4 Installing on Computers with Multiple Aliases

A computer with multiple aliases is registered with the naming service under a single IP address. The naming service resolves all of those aliases to the same computer. Before installing Audit Vault Server on a computer with multiple aliases, set the ORACLE_HOSTNAME environment variable to the computer whose host name you want to use.

2.6 Creating the Required Operating System Groups and Users

When it is installed, Oracle Validated Configuration RPM creates an oracle software owner (oracle), and the OSDBA group (dba) and Oracle Inventory group (oinstall), and completes most tasks discussed in this section. The RPM also updates sysctl.conf settings, system startup parameters, user limits, and driver parameters to values tested for performance. See Section 2.6.5 to verify that the unprivileged user nobody exists. See Section 2.4 for more information about Oracle Validated Configuration RPM.

If Oracle Validated Configuration RPM is not installed, then depending on whether you are installing Oracle software for the first time on this system and the products that you are installing, you may need to create several operating system groups and users. Log in to your system as the root user before you attempt to create these operating system groups and users.

If you are installing Audit Vault Server, it requires the following operating system groups and user:

  • The OSDBA group (dba)

    You must create this group the first time you install Audit Vault Server software on the system. It identifies operating system user accounts that have database administrative privileges (the SYSDBA privilege). The default name for this group is dba.

  • The OSOPER group (oper)

    This is an optional group. Create this group if you want a separate group of operating system users to have a limited set of administrative privileges (the SYSOPER privilege). By default, members of the OSDBA group also have the SYSOPER privilege.

  • An unprivileged user

    Verify that the unprivileged user nobody exists on the system. The nobody user must own the external jobs (extjob) executable after the installation.

The following operating system group and user are required for all installations:

  • The Oracle Inventory group (oinstall)

    You must create this group the first time you install Oracle software on the system. The usual name chosen for this group is oinstall. This group owns the Oracle inventory, which is a catalog of all Oracle software installed on the system.

    Note:

    If Oracle software is already installed on the system, then the existing Oracle Inventory group must be the primary group of the operating system user that you use to install new Oracle software. The following topics describe how to identify an existing Oracle Inventory group.
  • The Oracle software owner user (typically, oracle)

    You must create this user the first time you install Oracle software on the system. This user owns all software installed during the installation. This user must have the Oracle Inventory group as its primary group. It must also have the OSDBA and OSOPER groups as secondary groups.

    Note:

    In Oracle documentation, this user is referred to as the oracle user.

All installations of Oracle software on the system require a single Oracle Inventory group. After the first installation of Oracle software, you must use the same Oracle Inventory group for all subsequent Oracle software installations on that system. However, you can choose to create different Oracle software owner users, OSDBA groups, and OSOPER groups (other than oracle, dba, and oper) for separate installations. By using different groups for different installations, members of these different groups have DBA privileges only on the associated databases, rather than on all databases on the system.

See Also:

Oracle Database Administrator's Guide for more information about the OSDBA group and the SYSDBA and SYSOPER privileges

Note:

The following topics describe how to create local users and groups. As an alternative to creating local users and groups, you could create the appropriate users and groups in a directory service, for example, Network Information Services (NIS). For information about using directory services, contact your system administrator or see your operating system documentation.

The following topics describe how to create the required operating system users and groups:

2.6.1 Creating the Oracle Inventory Group

You must create the Oracle Inventory group if it does not already exist. The following topics describe how to determine the Oracle Inventory group name, if it exists, and how to create it if necessary.

Determining Whether the Oracle Inventory Group Exists

When you install Oracle software on the system for the first time, Oracle Universal Installer creates the oraInst.loc file. This file identifies the name of the Oracle Inventory group and the path of the Oracle Inventory directory.

To determine whether the Oracle Inventory group exists, enter the following command:

# more /etc/oraInst.loc

If the output of this command shows the oinstall group name, then the group already exists.

If the oraInst.loc file exists, then the output from this command is similar to the following:

inventory_loc=/u01/app/oracle/oraInventory
inst_group=oinstall

The inst_group parameter shows the name of the Oracle Inventory group, oinstall.

Creating the Oracle Inventory Group

If the oraInst.loc file does not exist, then create the Oracle Inventory group by entering the following command:

# /usr/sbin/groupadd oinstall

2.6.2 Creating the OSDBA Group

You must create an OSDBA group in the following circumstances:

  • An OSDBA group does not exist, for example, if this is the first installation of Oracle software on the system

  • An OSDBA group exists, but you want to give a different group of operating system users database administrative privileges in a new Oracle installation

If the OSDBA group does not exist or if you need a new OSDBA group, then create it as follows. In the following command, use the group name dba unless a group with that name already exists.

# /usr/sbin/groupadd dba

2.6.3 Creating an OSOPER Group (Optional)

Create an OSOPER group only if you want to identify a group of operating system users with a limited set of database administrative privileges (SYSOPER operator privileges). For most installations, it is sufficient to create only the OSDBA group. If you want to use an OSOPER group, then you must create it in the following circumstances:

  • If an OSOPER group does not exist, for example, if this is the first installation of Oracle software on the system

  • If an OSOPER group exists, but you want to give a different group of operating system users database operator privileges in a new Oracle installation

If you need a new OSOPER group, then create it as follows. In the following command, use the group name oper unless a group with that name already exists.

# /usr/sbin/groupadd oper

2.6.4 Creating the Oracle Software Owner User

You must create an Oracle software owner user in the following circumstances:

  • If an Oracle software owner user does not exist, for example, if this is the first installation of Oracle software on the system

  • If an Oracle software owner user exists, but you want to use a different operating system user, with a different group membership, to give database administrative privileges to those groups in a new Oracle installation

2.6.4.1 Determining Whether an Oracle Software Owner User Exists

To determine whether an Oracle software owner user named oracle exists, enter the following command:

# id oracle

If the oracle user exists, then the output from this command is similar to the following:

uid=440(oracle) gid=200(oinstall) groups=201(dba),202(oper)

If the user exists, then determine whether you want to use the existing user or create another Oracle software owner (oracle) user. If you want to use the existing user, then ensure that the primary group of the user is the Oracle Inventory group and that it is a member of the appropriate OSDBA and OSOPER groups.

Note:

If necessary, contact your system administrator before using or modifying an existing user.

See one of the following sections for more information:

  • To modify an existing Oracle software owner user, see Section 2.6.4.3.

  • To create an Oracle software owner user, see the following section.

2.6.4.2 Creating an Oracle Software Owner User

If the Oracle software owner user does not exist or if you need a new Oracle software owner user, then create it as follows. In the following procedure, use the user name oracle unless a user with that name already exists.

  1. To create the oracle user, enter a command similar to the following:

    # /usr/sbin/useradd -g oinstall -G dba[,oper] oracle
    

    In this command:

    • The -g option specifies the primary group, which must be the Oracle Inventory group, for example, oinstall.

    • The -G option specifies the secondary groups, which must include the OSDBA group and, if required, the OSOPER group (for example, dba or dba, oper).

  2. Set the password of the oracle user:

    # passwd oracle
    

See Section 2.6.5 to continue.

2.6.4.3 Modifying an Oracle Software Owner User

If the oracle user exists, but its primary group is not oinstall or it is not a member of the appropriate OSDBA or OSOPER groups, then enter a command similar to the following to modify it. Specify the primary group using the -g option and any required secondary group using the -G option:

# /usr/sbin/usermod -g oinstall -G dba[,oper] oracle

2.6.5 Verifying That the User nobody Exists

Before installing the software, perform the following procedure to verify that the nobody user exists on the system:

  1. To determine whether the user exists, enter the following command:

    # id nobody
    

    If this command displays information about the nobody user, then you do not have to create that user.

  2. If the nobody user does not exist, then enter the following command to create it:

    # /usr/sbin/useradd nobody
    

2.7 Checking the Kernel Parameters

Note:

The kernel parameter and shell limit values shown in the following section are recommended minimum values only or the value checked at the time of the installation. For production database systems, Oracle recommends that you tune these values to optimize the performance of the system. See your operating system documentation for more information about tuning kernel parameters.

When it is installed, Oracle Validated Configuration RPM sets and verifies system parameters based on recommendations from the Oracle Validated Configurations program following an operating system installation. See Section 2.4 for more information about Oracle Validated Configuration RPM.

If Oracle Validated Configuration RPM is not installed, verify that the kernel parameters shown in the following table are set to values greater than or equal to the recommended minimum value shown or the value checked at the time of the installation.

Parameter Value File
semmsl

semmns

semopm

semmni

250

32000

100

128

/proc/sys/kernel/sem
shmall 2097152 /proc/sys/kernel/shmall
shmmax Half the size of physical memory (in bytes) /proc/sys/kernel/shmmax
shmmni 4096 /proc/sys/kernel/shmmni
file-max 65536 /proc/sys/fs/file-max
ip_local_port_range Minimum:1024

Maximum: 65000

/proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_local_port_range
rmem_default 262144 /proc/sys/net/core/rmem_default
rmem_max 262144 /proc/sys/net/core/rmem_max
wmem_default 262144 /proc/sys/net/core/wmem_default
wmem_max 262144 /proc/sys/net/core/wmem_max

Note:

If the current value for any parameter is higher than the value listed in this table, then do not change the value of that parameter.

To view the current values specified for these kernel parameters, and to change them if necessary:

  1. Enter the commands shown in the following table to view the current values of the kernel parameters:

    Note:

    • You will need root privileges to run the commands.

    • Make a note of the current parameter values and identify any values that you must change.

    Parameter Command
    semmsl, semmns, semopm, and semmni # /sbin/sysctl -a | grep sem

    This command displays the value of the semaphore parameters in the order listed.

    shmall, shmmax, and shmmni # /sbin/sysctl -a | grep shm

    This command displays the details of the shared memory segment sizes.

    file-max # /sbin/sysctl -a | grep file-max

    This command displays the maximum number of file handles.

    ip_local_port_range # /sbin/sysctl -a | grep ip_local_port_range

    This command displays a range of port numbers.

    rmem_default # /sbin/sysctl -a | grep rmem_default
    rmem_max # /sbin/sysctl -a | grep rmem_max
    wmem_default # /sbin/sysctl -a | grep wmem_default
    wmem_max # /sbin/sysctl -a | grep wmem_max

  2. If the value of any kernel parameter is different from the recommended minimum value, then complete the following procedure:

    Using any text editor, create or edit the /etc/sysctl.conf file, and add or edit lines similar to the following:

    Note:

    Include lines only for the kernel parameter values that you want to change. For the semaphore parameters (kernel.sem), you must specify all four values. However, if any of the current values are larger than the recommended value, then specify the larger value. You should set the value of kernel.shmmax to 536870912; however, Oracle recommends that you set kernel.shmmax to 2 GB, as shown in the following example. Do not set it lower than 536870912.
    kernel.shmall = 2097152
    kernel.shmmax = 2147483648
    kernel.shmmni = 4096
    kernel.sem = 250 32000 100 128
    fs.file-max = 65536
    net.ipv4.ip_local_port_range = 1024 65000
    net.core.rmem_default = 262144
    net.core.rmem_max = 262144
    net.core.wmem_default = 262144
    net.core.wmem_max = 262144
    

    If you specify the values in the /etc/sysctl.conf file, they persist when you restart the system.

    On SUSE systems only, enter the following command to ensure that the system reads the /etc/sysctl.conf file when it restarts:

    # /sbin/chkconfig boot.sysctl on
    

Setting Shell Limits for the Oracle User

To improve the performance of the software on Linux systems, you must increase the following shell limits for the oracle user:

Shell Limit Item in limits.conf Hard Limit
Maximum number of open file descriptors nofile 65536
Maximum number of processes available to a single user nproc 16384

To increase the shell limits:

  1. Add the following lines to the /etc/security/limits.conf file:

    oracle               soft    nproc   2047
    oracle               hard    nproc   16384
    oracle               soft    nofile  1024
    oracle               hard    nofile  65536
    
  2. Add or edit the following line in the /etc/pam.d/login file, if it does not already exist:

    session    required     /lib/security/pam_limits.so
    
  3. Depending on the default shell of the oracle user, make the following changes to the default shell startup file:

    • For a Bourne, Bash, or Korn shell, add the following lines to the /etc/profile file (or the /etc/profile.local file on SUSE systems):

      if [ $USER = "oracle" ]; then
              if [ $SHELL = "/bin/ksh" ]; then
                    ulimit -p 16384
                    ulimit -n 65536
              else
                    ulimit -u 16384 -n 65536
              fi
      fi
      
    • For a C shell (csh or tcsh), add the following lines to the /etc/csh.login file (or the /etc/csh.login.local file on SUSE systems):

      if ( $USER == "oracle" ) then
              limit maxproc 16384
              limit descriptors 65536
      endif
      

2.8 Identifying the Required Software Directories

You must identify or create the following directories for the Oracle software:

2.8.1 Oracle Base Directory

The Oracle base directory is a top-level directory for Oracle software installations. On Linux systems, the Optimal Flexible Architecture (OFA) guidelines recommend that you use a path similar to the following for the Oracle base directory:

/mount_point/app/oracle_sw_owner

In this example:

  • mount_point is the mount point directory for the file system that will contain the Oracle software.

    The examples in this guide use /u01 for the mount point directory. However, you could choose another mount point directory, such as /oracle or /opt/oracle.

  • oracle_sw_owner is the operating system user name of the Oracle software owner, for example, oracle.

You can use the same Oracle base directory for more than one installation or you can create separate Oracle base directories for different installations. If different operating system users install Oracle software on the same system, then each user must create a separate Oracle base directory. The following example Oracle base directories could all exist on the same system:

/u01/app/oracle
/u01/app/orauser
/opt/oracle/app/oracle

The following topics describe how to identify existing Oracle base directories that might be suitable for your installation and how to create an Oracle base directory if necessary.

Regardless of whether you create an Oracle base directory or decide to use an existing one, you must set the ORACLE_BASE environment variable to specify the full path to this directory.

2.8.2 Oracle Inventory Directory

The Oracle Inventory directory (oraInventory) stores an inventory of all software installed on the system. It is required by, and shared by, all Oracle software installations on a single system. The first time you install Oracle software on a system, Oracle Universal Installer prompts you to specify the path to this directory. Oracle recommends that you choose the following path:

oracle_base/oraInventory

Oracle Universal Installer creates the directory that you specify and sets the correct owner, group, and permissions for it. You do not need to create it.

Note:

All Oracle software installations rely on this directory. Ensure that you back it up regularly.

Do not delete this directory unless you have completely removed all Oracle software from the system.

2.8.3 Oracle Home Directory

The Oracle home directory is the directory where you choose to install the software for a particular Oracle product. You must install different Oracle products, or different releases of the same Oracle product, in separate Oracle home directories. When you run Oracle Universal Installer, it prompts you to specify the path to this directory and a name that identifies it. The directory that you specify must be a subdirectory of the Oracle base directory. Oracle recommends that you specify a path similar to the following for the Oracle home directory:

oracle_base/product/10.2.3/av_1

Oracle Universal Installer creates the directory path that you specify under the Oracle base directory. It also sets the correct owner, group, and permissions on it. You do not need to manually create this directory on your system.

2.9 Identifying or Creating an Oracle Base Directory

Before starting the installation, you must either identify an existing Oracle base directory or if required, create one. This section contains the following topics:

Note:

You can choose to create an Oracle base directory, even if other Oracle base directories exist on the system.

2.9.1 Identifying an Existing Oracle Base Directory

Existing Oracle base directories might not have paths that comply with Optimal Flexible Architecture (OFA) guidelines. However, if you identify an existing Oracle Inventory directory or existing Oracle home directories, then you can usually identify the Oracle base directories, as follows:

  • To identify an existing Oracle Inventory directory

    Enter the following command to view the contents of the oraInst.loc file:

    # more /etc/oraInst.loc
    

    If the oraInst.loc file exists, then the output from this command is similar to the following:

    inventory_loc=/u01/app/oracle/oraInventory
    inst_group=oinstall
    

    The inventory_loc parameter identifies the Oracle Inventory directory (oraInventory). The parent directory of the oraInventory directory is typically an Oracle base directory. In the previous example, /u01/app/oracle is an Oracle base directory.

  • To identify existing Oracle home directories

    Enter the following command to view the contents of the oratab file:

    # more /etc/oratab
    

    If the oratab file exists, then it contains lines similar to the following:

    *:/u03/app/oracle/product/1.0.0/db_1:N
    *:/opt/orauser/infra_904:N
    *:/oracle/9.2.0:N
    

    The directory paths you specify on each line identify Oracle home directories. Directory paths that end with the user name of the Oracle software owner that you want to use are valid choices for an Oracle base directory. If you intend to use the oracle user to install the software, then you could choose one of the following directories from the previous example:

    /u03/app/oracle
    /oracle
    

    Note:

    If possible, choose a directory path similar to the first (/u03/app/oracle). This path complies with the OFA guidelines.

Before deciding to use an existing Oracle base directory for this installation, ensure that it satisfies the following conditions:

  • It should not be on the same file system as the operating system.

  • It must have sufficient free disk space as described in the table in Section 2.3.

    To determine the free disk space on the file system where the Oracle base directory is located, enter the following command:

    # df -h oracle_base_path
    

If an Oracle base directory does not exist on the system or if you want to create an Oracle base directory, then complete the steps in Section 2.9.2.

2.9.2 Creating an Oracle Base Directory

Before you create an Oracle base directory, you must identify an appropriate file system with sufficient free disk space, as indicated in the table in Section 2.3.

To identify an appropriate file system:

  1. Use the df -k command to determine the free disk space on each mounted file system.

  2. From the display, identify a file system that has appropriate free space.

  3. Note the name of the mount point directory for the file system that you identified.

To create the Oracle base directory and specify the correct owner, group, and permissions for it:

  1. Enter commands similar to the following to create the recommended subdirectories in the mount point directory that you identified, and set the appropriate owner, group, and permissions on them:

    # mkdir -p /mount_point/app/oracle_sw_owner
    # chown -R oracle:oinstall /mount_point/app/oracle_sw_owner
    # chmod -R 775 /mount_point/app/oracle_sw_owner
    

    For example, if the mount point you identify is /u01 and oracle is the user name of the Oracle software owner, then the recommended Oracle base directory path is:

    /u01/app/oracle
    
  2. When you configure the environment of the oracle user (see Section 2.6.4), set the ORACLE_BASE environment variable to specify the Oracle base directory that you created.

2.10 Creating Directories for Oracle Audit Vault Database Files

If you choose to place the Oracle Audit Vault database files on a file system, then use the following guidelines when deciding where to place them:

  • The default path suggested by Oracle Universal Installer for the database file directory is a subdirectory of the Oracle base directory.

  • You can choose either a single file system or more than one file system to store the database files:

    • If you want to use a single file system, then choose a file system on a physical device that is dedicated to the database.

      For best performance and reliability, choose a redundant arrays of independent disks (RAID) device or a logical volume on more than one physical device and implement the stripe-and-mirror-everything (SAME) methodology.

    • If you want to use more than one file system, then choose file systems on separate physical devices that are dedicated to the database.

      This method enables you to distribute physical I/O and create separate control files on different devices for increased reliability. It also enables you to fully implement the OFA guidelines.

  • For optimum performance, the file systems that you choose should be on physical devices that are used only by the database.

  • The oracle user must have write permissions to create the files in the path that you specify.

2.11 Setting the DISPLAY Environment Variable

Before you begin the Audit Vault Server installation, you should check to see that the DISPLAY environment variable is set to a proper value. For example, for the Bourne, Bash, or Korn shell, you would enter the following commands, where myhost.us.example.com is your host name:

$ DISPLAY=myhost.us.example.com:1.0
$ export DISPLAY

For example, for the C shell, you would enter the following command, where myhost.us.example.com is your host name:

% setenv DISPLAY myhost.us.example.com:1.0

2.12 Setting the Correct Locale

Ensure that the NLS_LANG environment variable is not set.

For example, for C shell:

unsetenv NLS_LANG

For example, for Bourne, Bash, or Korn shells:

unset NLS_LANG