Before You Begin

This guide is your primary source of introductory, post-installation, configuration, and administration information for Oracle8i Enterprise Edition.

Specific topics discussed:

Prerequisites
Intended Audience
How This Guide Is Organized
Documentation and Code Conventions

Prerequisites

This guide assumes that you are familiar with the following:

Windows NT, and have installed and tested it on your computer system
Object-relational database management concepts

Additional Information:

If you are not familiar with object-relational database management concepts, see Oracle8 Concepts.

Intended Audience

This guide is necessary for anyone installing, configuring, or administering Oracle8i Enterprise Edition.

Note:

This guide describes only the features of Oracle8i Enterprise Edition software that apply to the Windows NT, Windows 95, and Windows 98 operating systems. For information about Oracle8i Enterprise Edition that is applicable to all operating systems, see the other documentation included in your package, listed in "Online Documentation Set".

How This Guide Is Organized

This guide is organized as follows:

Chapter 1, "Getting Started with Your Documentation"

Introduces you to the Oracle8i Enterprise Edition documentation set. Read this chapter before installing or using Oracle8i Enterprise Edition.

Chapter 2, "Introducing Oracle8i Enterprise Edition"

Describes the basic components of Oracle8i Enterprise Edition.

Chapter 3, "Database Tools Overview"

Provides a list of preferred and optional tools you can use to perform common database administration tasks.

Chapter 4, "Multiple Oracle Homes and Optimal Flexible Architecture"

Describes how to use multiple Oracle homes and an Optimal Flexible Architecture (OFA) configuration for placement of database files. Read this chapter before installing Oracle8i Enterprise Edition.

Chapter 5, "Installing, Migrating, and Upgrading Databases"

Describes what to do if you have existing databases on your system and want to install the latest release of Oracle8i Enterprise Edition.

Chapter 6, "Post-Installation Configuration Tasks"

Describes or references the configuration tasks you must perform before using such products as Net8 and Oracle interMedia.

Chapter 7, "Starter and Custom Databases"

Describes how to install a starter or custom Oracle database. This chapter also describes the contents of the starter database.

Chapter 8, "Creating a Database"

Describes how to create a database automatically using Oracle Database Configuration Assistant, or manually using command line tools and the BUILD_DB.SQL script.

Chapter 9, "Administering a Database"

Describes how to administer a database.

Chapter 10, "Authenticating Database Users with Windows NT"

Describes how to authenticate Oracle database users with Windows NT.

Chapter 11, "Monitoring a Database"

Describes how to monitor Oracle8i Enterprise Edition.

Chapter 12, "Backing Up and Recovering Database Files"

Provides recommendations and procedures for backing up and recovering database files.

Chapter 13, "Developing Applications"

Describes Windows NT-specific issues for application developers.

Appendix A, "Directory Structures"

Describes the default directory structures created when you install Oracle8i Enterprise Edition, Oracle8i Client, or Programmer/2000.

Appendix B, "Oracle8i Database Specifications for Windows NT"

Describes Oracle8i Enterprise Edition initialization parameters, how to edit them, and Windows NT-specific values (and ranges) for them. This chapter also explains how to calculate database limits.

Appendix C, "Oracle 8i Configuration Parameters and the Registry"

Describes the use of the registry for various Oracle8i Enterprise Edition components. In addition, this chapter lists the recommended values and ranges for configuration parameters.

Appendix D, "Net8 Configuration Parameters, Services, and Port Numbers"

Describes Net8 registry parameters and subkeys, as well as advanced configuration for the NT and Windows platforms.

Appendix E, "National Language Support"

Explains the NLS_LANG configuration parameter and its components, and lists available options.

Appendix F, "Storing Tablespaces on Raw Partitions"

Describes how to create raw partitions for database tablespaces.

Appendix G, "SNMP Support"

Describes how to use Oracle SNMP Agent in Net8 for Windows NT and Windows 95/98.

Glossary

Provides brief descriptions of terms used throughout this guide.

Documentation and Code Conventions

The following conventions are used in this guide:

Convention Example Meaning

All uppercase plain C:\ORACLE\ORA81 Indicates command names, SQL reserved words, and keywords, as in ALTER DATABASE. All uppercase plain is also used for directory names and file names.

Italic

Used to indicate a variable:

file name
Used to indicate the title of a guide.

Indicates a value that you must provide. For example, if a command asks you to type file name, you must type the actual name of the file.

Square brackets [ ] X:\[PATHNAME]\ORACLE\
HOME_NAME Encloses optional items. For example, when you create an OFA-compliant Oracle home directory, you can place an optional pathname before the \ORACLE pathname.
Square brackets also indicate a function key, for example [Enter].

Choose Start > Choose Start > Programs > Oracle - HOME_NAME > Network Administration > Net8 Easy Config How to start a program. For example, to start Net8 Easy Config, you must click the Start button on the taskbar and then choose Programs, Oracle - HOME_NAME > Network Administration > Net8 Easy Config.

C:\> C:\ORACLE\ORADATA> Represents the Windows NT command prompt of the current hard disk drive. Your prompt reflects the subdirectory in which you are working. Referred to as the MS-DOS command prompt in this guide.

Backslash (\) before a directory name \ORADATA Indicates that the directory is a subdirectory of the root directory.

ORACLE_HOME and ORACLE_BASE Go to the ORACLE_BASE\ORACLE_HOME\RDBMS\ADMIN directory In previous releases when you installed Oracle8i Enterprise Edition, all subdirectories were located under a top level ORACLE_HOME directory, that by default was:

C:\ORANT for Windows NT

C:\ORAWIN95 for Windows 95/98

or whatever you may have called your Oracle home.
In this Optimal Flexible Architecture (OFA)-compliant release, all subdirectories are no longer under a top level ORACLE_HOME directory. There is now a new top-level directory called ORACLE_BASE that by default is C:\ORACLE. If you install Oracle8i Enterprise Edition release 8.1.5 on a clean computer (that is, there is no other Oracle software on the computer), the default settings for the first Oracle home directory is C:\ORACLE\ORA81. If you run Oracle Universal Installer again and install release 8.2.x, the second Oracle home directory is called \ORA82. These Oracle home directories are located directly under ORACLE_BASE.
All directory path examples in this guide follow OFA conventions.
See Chapter 4, "Multiple Oracle Homes and Optimal Flexible Architecture" for additional information on OFA compliances and for information on installing Oracle products in non-OFA compliant directories.

%ORACLE_HOME% SVRMGR> @%ORACLE_HOME%\ADMIN\DB_NAME\ADHOC\CATALOG.SQL In Server Manager commands, you may see %ORACLE_HOME%. Server Manager is able to locate your Oracle Home directory using the %ORACLE_HOME% variable. This convention can be used in Server Manager, SQL*Plus, Export Utility, and Import Utility.

HOME_NAME OracleHOME_NAMETNSListener Represents the Oracle home name.
The home name can be up to sixteen alphanumeric characters. The only special character allowed in the home name is the underscore.

HOMEID HOME0, HOME1, HOME2 Represents a unique registry subkey for each Oracle home directory in which you install products. A new HOMEID is created and incremented each time you install products to a different Oracle home directory on one computer. Each HOMEID contains its own configuration parameter settings for installed Oracle products.

Symbols period .
comma ,
hyphen -
semicolon ;
colon :
equal sign =
backslash \
single quote '
double quote "
parentheses ()
Symbols other than brackets and vertical bars must be entered in commands exactly as shown.

Convention	Example	Meaning
All uppercase plain	`C:\ORACLE\ORA81`	Indicates command names, SQL reserved words, and keywords, as in ALTER DATABASE. All uppercase plain is also used for directory names and file names.
Italic	Used to indicate a variable: file name Used to indicate the title of a guide.	Indicates a value that you must provide. For example, if a command asks you to type file name, you must type the actual name of the file.
Square brackets [ ]	X:\[PATHNAME]\ORACLE\ HOME_NAME	Encloses optional items. For example, when you create an OFA-compliant Oracle home directory, you can place an optional pathname before the \ORACLE pathname. Square brackets also indicate a function key, for example [Enter].
Choose Start >	Choose Start > Programs > Oracle - HOME_NAME > Network Administration > Net8 Easy Config	How to start a program. For example, to start Net8 Easy Config, you must click the Start button on the taskbar and then choose Programs, Oracle - `HOME_NAME > Network Administration > Net8 Easy Config.`
C:\>	`C:\ORACLE\ORADATA>`	Represents the Windows NT command prompt of the current hard disk drive. Your prompt reflects the subdirectory in which you are working. Referred to as the MS-DOS command prompt in this guide.
Backslash (\) before a directory name	`\ORADATA`	Indicates that the directory is a subdirectory of the root directory.
ORACLE_HOME and ORACLE_BASE	Go to the `ORACLE_BASE\ORACLE_HOME`\`RDBMS\ADMIN` directory	In previous releases when you installed Oracle8i Enterprise Edition, all subdirectories were located under a top level ORACLE_HOME directory, that by default was: `C:\ORANT` for Windows NT `C:\ORAWIN95` for Windows 95/98 or whatever you may have called your Oracle home. In this Optimal Flexible Architecture (OFA)-compliant release, all subdirectories are no longer under a top level `ORACLE_HOME` directory. There is now a new top-level directory called `ORACLE_BASE` that by default is `C:\ORACLE.` If you install Oracle8i Enterprise Edition release 8.1.5 on a clean computer (that is, there is no other Oracle software on the computer), the default settings for the first Oracle home directory is C:\ORACLE\ORA81. If you run Oracle Universal Installer again and install release 8.2.x, the second Oracle home directory is called `\ORA82.` These Oracle home directories are located directly under `ORACLE_BASE.` All directory path examples in this guide follow OFA conventions. See Chapter 4, "Multiple Oracle Homes and Optimal Flexible Architecture" for additional information on OFA compliances and for information on installing Oracle products in non-OFA compliant directories.
`%ORACLE_HOME%`	`SVRMGR> @%ORACLE_HOME%\ADMIN\DB_NAME\ADHOC\CATALOG.SQL`	In Server Manager commands, you may see `%ORACLE_HOME%.` Server Manager is able to locate your Oracle Home directory using the `%ORACLE_HOME%` variable. This convention can be used in Server Manager, SQL*Plus, Export Utility, and Import Utility.
`HOME_NAME`	Oracle`HOME_NAMETNSListener`	Represents the Oracle home name. The home name can be up to sixteen alphanumeric characters. The only special character allowed in the home name is the underscore.
`HOMEID`	`HOME0, HOME1, HOME2`	Represents a unique registry subkey for each Oracle home directory in which you install products. A new HOMEID is created and incremented each time you install products to a different Oracle home directory on one computer. Each HOMEID contains its own configuration parameter settings for installed Oracle products.
Symbols	period . comma , hyphen - semicolon ; colon : equal sign = backslash \ single quote ' double quote " parentheses ()	Symbols other than brackets and vertical bars must be entered in commands exactly as shown.