2 Setting Up Your Infrastructure

This chapter describes the infrastructure requirements you must meet before you start using the lifecycle management features. This chapter is essentially for administrators or designers who create the infrastructure. The requirements described in this chapter have to be performed just once.

This chapter covers the following:

2.1 Getting Started with Setting Up Your Infrastructure

This chapter helps you get started by providing an overview of all the steps involved in setting up your infrastructure. Consider this section to be a documentation map to understand the sequence of actions you must perform to successfully set up your infrastructure for carrying out all the lifecycle management tasks, including Patching and Provisioning.

Figure 2-1 is a pictorial representation of the sequence of steps you must perform in order to setup your infrastructure.

Figure 2-1 Setting Up Your Infrastructure WorkFlow

Surrounding text describes Figure 2-1 .

Click the reference links provided against the steps in the Table 2-1 for more information on each of the seactions.

Table 2-1 Getting Started with Setting Up Your Infrastructure

Step Description Reference Links

Step 1

Setting Up Software Library

Section 2.2

Step 2

Setting Up Credentials

Section 2.3

Step 3

Creating Enterprise Manager User Accounts

Section 2.4

Step 4

Setting Up My Oracle Support Credentials

Section 2.5

Step 5

Additional /Value Add setup (optional)

Configuring Self-Update

Section 2.6

Step 6

Additional /Value Add setup (optional)

Setting Up E-Mail Notifications

Section 2.7


Note:

Ensure that the OMS is patched appropriately to the required level. For information about the patches that need to be applied on the Enterprise Manager Cloud Control Management Server (OMS) for using the Provisioning and Patching features, see My Oracle Support note 427577.1.

2.2 Setting Up Oracle Software Library

Oracle Software Library (Software Library) is one of the core features offered by Oracle Enterprise Manager Cloud Control (Cloud Control). Technically, it is a storage location that stores certified software entities such as software patches, virtual appliance images, reference gold images, application software and their associated directive scripts. In addition to storing them, it also enables you to maintain versions, maturity levels, and states of these software entities.

To access the Software Library console page, in Cloud Control, from the Enterprise menu, select Provisioning and Patching and then, click Software Library. On the Software Library home page, as shown in Figure 2-2, there are two types of folders: Oracle-owned folders (marked by a lock symbol) and User-owned folders.

Figure 2-2 Software Library Console

Surrounding text describes Figure 2-2 .

To start using the Software Library to create and manage entities, the Software Library Storage Locations must be configured. System Administrators are responsible for configuring the Software Library storage locations, following which the Software Library becomes usable.

Cloud Control offers the following types of storage locations:

  • Upload File Locations: These locations are configured for storing files uploaded by Software Library as part of creating or updating an entity. The Upload File Locations support two storage options:

    1. OMS Shared File System

    2. OMS Agent File System

  • Referenced File Locations: These are locations that allow you to leverage the organization's existing IT infrastructure (like file servers, web servers, or storage systems) for sourcing software binaries and scripts. Such locations allow entities to refer to files without having to upload them explicitly to a Software Library storage. Referenced File Locations support three storage options:

    1. HTTP Locations

    2. NFS Locations

    3. Management Agent Locations

You can configure the storage locations from the Administration Console. To do so, in Cloud Control, from Setup menu, select Provisioning and Patching, then select Software Library. The Software Library Administration Page as shown in Figure 2-3 appears:

Figure 2-3 Software Library Administration

Surrounding text describes Figure 2-3 .

See Also:

For information on configuring Software Library, see Oracle Enterprise Manager Cloud Control Administrator's Guide

Note:

To run the procedure on a Windows host which involves executing some Software Library entities (for example, directive scripts), you (the Windows user) must be granted the following privileges:
  • Act as part of the operating system

  • Adjust memory quotas for a process

  • Logon as batch job

  • Replace a process level token

If not, the execution of the directive steps in the procedure may fail.

2.3 Setting Up Credentials

To perform any of the provisioning and patching tasks in Enterprise Manager Cloud Control, you need to set up Named Credentials for normal operating system user account (Oracle) and Named Credentials for privileged user accounts (root).

A Named Credential specifies a user's authentication information on a system. Named credentials can be a username and password pair such as the operating system login credentials, or the Oracle home owner credentials primarily used for performing operations such as running jobs, patching and other system management tasks.

Enterprise Manager Cloud Control enables you to register the system credentials as Named Credentials for normal user (Oracle). Alternately, if you have root privileges, you can even register the root account details as Named Credentials for the privileged users. Once they are registered as Named Credentials, you can save them as Preferred Credentials if you want.

The advantages of saving the credentials are:

  • You do not have to expose the credential details to all the users.

  • It saves time and effort as you do not have to specify the user name and password every time for each Oracle home or host machine, you can instead select a named profile that will use the saved credentials.

For more information on Named Credentials, see Oracle Enterprise Manager Cloud Control Security Guide.

While most steps within a Deployment Procedure can be run as a normal user, there are some steps that require special permissions and privileges, and the Oracle account credentials or the root account credentials may not be sufficient. Under such circumstances, use authentication utilities to run some steps within the Deployment Procedure with the privileges of another user. The authentication utilities supported by Enterprise Manager Cloud Control are SUDO and PowerBroker. This support is offered using the Privilege Delegation mechanism available in Enterprise Manager Cloud Control.

For a conceptual overview of Privilege Delegation and the authentication tools supported by it, see Oracle Enterprise Manager Cloud Control Security Guide.

Table 2-2 lists the use cases pertaining to credentials, and describes the steps to be performed for setting up credentials for provisioning. Select the use case that best matches with the situation you are in, and follow the suggested instructions.

Table 2-2 Setting Up Enterprise Manager Credentials

Use Case Steps to be performed

If you do not have direct access or the required credentials for the normal operating system user account (Oracle)

OR

If you do not have direct access or the required credentials for the privileged account (root).

Do the following:

  1. Set up the Privilege Delegation as follows:

    1. Create Privilege Delegation (PDP) Template either for SUDO or PowerBroker. To do so, see ”Creating Privilege Delegation” section in Oracle Enterprise Manager Cloud Control Security Guide.

    2. Apply the created template on the Management Agents of the target hosts.

  2. Create Named Credentials for normal operating system user account (Oracle) with privileges to run as SUDO or PowerBroker, for more information see ”Creating Named Credentials” section in Oracle Enterprise Manager Cloud Control Security Guide.

    OR

    Create Named Credentials for privileged users account (root) with privileges to run as SUDO or PowerBroker, for more information see ”Creating Privileged Credentials” section in Oracle Enterprise Manager Cloud Control Security Guide.

  3. Save the Named credential for normal operating system account or the named credentials for the privileged user account as Preferred Credential. To do so, see ”Saving Preferred Credentials for Hosts and Oracle Homes” and ”Saving Preferred Credentials to Access My Oracle Support sections” in Oracle Enterprise Manager Cloud Control Security Guide.

If you have direct access or the required credentials for the normal operating system user account (Oracle)

OR

If you have direct access or the required credentials for the privileged account (root).

Do the following:

  1. Create Named Credentials for normal operating system user account (Oracle), for more information see ”Creating Named Credentials” section in Oracle Enterprise Manager Cloud Control Security Guide.

    OR

    Create Named Credentials for privileged user accounts (root) Credentials, for more information see ”Creating Privileged Credentials” section in Oracle Enterprise Manager Cloud Control Security Guide.

  2. Save the Named credential for normal operating system account or the named credentials for the privileged user account as Preferred Credential. To do so, see ”Saving Preferred Credentials for Hosts and Oracle Homes” and ”Saving Preferred Credentials to Access My Oracle Support sections” in Oracle Enterprise Manager Cloud Control Security Guide.


2.4 Creating Enterprise Manager User Accounts

This section describes the following:

2.4.1 Overview of User Accounts

From the Cloud Control, you can create and manage new Enterprise Manager Administrator accounts. Each administrator account includes its own login credentials, as well as a set of roles and privileges that are assigned to the account.

Surrounding text describes user_roles.gif.

Based on the accesses, the users can be classified as follows:

  • Super Administrator

  • Designers (EM_ALL_DESIGNER)

  • Operators (EM_ALL_OPERATOR)

Super Administrators

Super Administrators are powerful Cloud Control administrators with full access privileges on all targets. They are responsible for creating and administering accounts within the Cloud Control environment. For example, Super Administrators create the Designer and Operator roles, and grant these roles to different users and groups within their enterprise.

Designers

Designers are lead administrators with increased privileges on Deployment Procedures and Software Library. Starting with Cloud Control, designers can create deployment procedure templates using the Lock down feature, and save these templates to enforce standardization and consistency. Operator privileges are granted on these templates so that administrators who login as Operators can launch these templates, and run the Deployment Procedure successfully. Doing this ensures that the procedures are less error prone and more consistent.

For more information about saving deployment procedures using lock downs, see Section 50.6.2.1

Designers are responsible for performing all the design-time activities like:

  • Creating the provisioning profiles in the Software Library.

  • Creating components, directives, and images, and storing them in Oracle Software Library.

  • Customizing the default deployment procedures according to the needs of the organization.

  • Creating patch plans and patch templates.

The predefined Oracle role for a Designer is EM_ALL_DESIGNER, this role in turn includes fine grained roles where you can specifically set EM_PROVISIONING_DESIGNER for provisioning tasks, and EM_PATCH_DESIGNER for patching tasks. For more information about privilege grants to Designers, see Section 50.2.

Operators

Operators are administrators who have restricted privileges on a Deployment Procedure and Software Library. Normally, operators can view and submit a deployment procedure. The Designer user may also grant the Operator the necessary privileges on any targets or entities.

Operators use the infrastructure created by designers and perform run-time activities like:

  • Accessing the provisioning profiles present in the Software Library for provisioning procedures.

  • Launching software deployments to provision software on selected targets.

  • Patching software deployments using patch plans and patch templates.

The predefined Oracle role for an Operator is EM_ALL_OPERATOR, this role in turn includes fine grained roles where you can specifically set EM_PROVISIONING_OPERATOR for provisioning tasks, and EM_PATCH_OPERATOR for patching tasks. For more information about privilege grants to Operators, see Section 50.2.

Note:

Designers can choose to perform both design-time and run-time activities, but operators can perform only run-time activities.

2.4.2 Creating Designer User Account

To create a Designer user account, follow these steps:

  1. In Cloud Control, from the Setup menu, select Security, then select Administrators.

  2. On the Administrators page, click Create.

  3. In the Create Administrator wizard, do the following:

    1. On the Properties page, specify the name Designer and provide a password. Leave the other fields blank, and click Next.

    2. On the Roles page, select EM_ALL_DESIGNER, and click Next.

      Note:

      You can alternately restrict the Designer access to either Provisioning or Patching domains. For granting privileges explicitly for Provisioning, select the EM_PROVISION_DESIGNER role. Similarly, for granting designer privileges explicitly for Patching, select the EM_PATCH_DESIGNER role.
    3. On the Target Privileges page, select the targets privileges that must be granted to a Designer user account. For information about the target privileges available to an Administrator with Designer role, see Section 50.2.1

    4. On the Resource Privileges page, select the privileges to be explicitly granted for each of the resource types.

    5. On the Review page, review the information you have provided for this user account, and click Finish.

2.4.3 Creating Operator User Account

To create an Operator user account, follow these steps:

  1. In Cloud Control, from the Setup menu, select Security, then select Administrators.

  2. On the Administrators page, click Create.

  3. In the Create Administrator wizard, do the following:

    1. On the Properties page, specify the name Operator and provide a password. Leave the other fields blank and click Next.

    2. On the Roles page, select EM_ALL_OPERATOR, and click Next.

      Note:

      You can alternately restrict the Operator access to either Provisioning or Patching domains. For granting privileges explicitly for Provisioning, select the EM_PROVISION_OPERATOR role. Similarly, for granting designer privileges explicitly for Patching, select the EM_PATCH_OPERATOR role.
    3. On the Target Privileges page, select the targets privileges that must be granted to an Operator user account. For information about the target privileges available to an Administrator with Operator role, see Section 50.2.1

    4. On the Resource Privileges page, select the privileges to be explicitly granted for each of the resource types.

    5. On the Review page, review the information you have provided for this user account, and click Finish.

2.5 (Optional) Setting Up My Oracle Support

For Cloud Control to connect to My Oracle Support for Agent Patching, patching other targets, MOS related tasks, and for Self-Update tasks, you must ensure that you set the proxy server settings and register the details. To do so, follow the instructions outlined in Section 42.2.3.2.

Note:

Beginning with Enterprise Manager Cloud Control 12c Release 3 (12.1.0.3), My Oracle Suppot accesses support.oracle.com directly. This means that you must provide network access to this URL, or grant proxy access to it from any client that will access My Oracle Support.

2.6 (Optional) Configuring Self-Update

The Self Update feature enables you to obtain information about updates to Cloud Control components. The Self Update home page can be used to obtain information about new updates and provides a common workflow to review, download and apply the updates. The Self Update console automatically informs you whenever new updates that are applicable to your installation are made available by Oracle.

Software Library components and directives that you can use for provisioning and patching are called provisioning entities. A Provisioning bundle refers to a specific provisioning or patching area, such as database provisioning or FMW provisioning through which Cloud Control delivers updates to customers.

Note:

Ensure that the user has VIEW_ANY_SELFUPDATE privileges

For applying Oracle-supplied updates to provisioning entities, follow these steps:

  1. In Cloud Control, from the Setup menu, select Extensibility, then select Self Update.

  2. Schedule to download provisioning bundle. The Self-update framework downloads the bundle to a well-defined location. For more information about Self-Update, see Oracle Enterprise Manager Cloud Control Administrator's Guide.

  3. From the Actions menu, select Subscribe to ensure that you receive notification whenever a provisioning bundle is available for download.

  4. In the Updates Home page, select update of Type Provisioning Bundle and from the Actions menu, select Open.

  5. Apply the provisioning bundle updates manually. Follow instructions as per selected provisioning bundle to apply the update manually.

  6. In the Updates Home page, verify that the update is applied.

2.7 (Optional) Setting Up E-mail Notifications

Cloud Control can send e-mail notification every time you run a Deployment Procedure. However, by default, Deployment Procedures do not have this feature enabled. To configure them to send e-mail notifications, you must customize the Deployment Procedure.

For information on how you can customize Deployment Procedures and set up e-mail notifications, see Chapter 51.