5 Overview of the Installation Process

This chapter provides an overview of the process involved in installing the full release of Enterprise Manager Grid Control and patching it with the latest patch set release.

A full release refers to the first, complete Enterprise Manager 10g Grid Control Release 2 or higher software that was released for a particular platform. For example, Enterprise Manager 10g Grid Control Release 2 (10.2.0.1) was the full release for Linux platform. For more information about full releases and the platforms for which they have been released, see the Preface chapter of this guide.

A patch set release refers to the most recent patch set released with bug fixes, enhancements, and new value-added features. For example, Enterprise Manager 10g Grid Control Release 5 (10.2.0.5) is the latest patch set release.

Oracle always recommends you to use the latest patch set release to take full advantage of the enhancements made in the product. For example, if you want to install the latest patch set release, that is, Enterprise Manager 10g Grid Control Release 5 (10.2.0.5) patch set, then you must first install the full release of Enterprise Manager 10g Grid Control Release 2 or higher software that was released for your platform, and then apply the 10.2.0.5 patch set on it. This chapter helps you understand the overall process involved in installing the full release and then patching it with the latest patch set.

You can reach the latest patch set release of Enterprise Manager Grid Control using one of the following methods:

• You can install and configure Enterprise Manager Grid Control, and then patch it with the latest patch set.

• You can install only the software binaries of Enterprise Manager Grid Control, that is, without configuring it, and then directly patch it with the latest patch set. This is called the Installing Software-Only and Configuring Later installation method. For more information about this installation method and the circumstances under which you must use this method, see the overview provided in Installing 'Software-Only' and Configuring Later.

This chapter explains the process involved for these methods. In particular, this chapter covers the following:

• Installing and Configuring the Full Release, and then Patching

• Installing Only the Software Binaries of Full Release, and then Patching

Installing and Configuring the Full Release, and then Patching

The following is the process involved in installing and configuring the full release of Enterprise Manager Grid Control, and then patching it to the latest patch set release.

Table 5-1 Process Involved in Installing and Configuring the Full Release, and then Patching

Steps	Description	Related Links
Deciding on the Installation Type	Understand the different installation types available for Enterprise Manager Grid Control, and decide on the installation type you want to use to meet your requirements. This is critical because the components installed vary from one installation type to another, and the prerequisites to be met also are different for each installation type.	For high-level information about the installation types, see Understanding the Installation Types. For more detailed information, see the Overview sections: For Enterprise Manager Grid Control with a New database, see Overview. For Enterprise Manager Grid Control with an existing database, see Overview. For additional OMS, see Overview.
Meeting the Prerequisites	Meet all the prerequisites before starting the installation.	For Enterprise Manager Grid Control with a New database, see Prerequisites. For Enterprise Manager Grid Control with an existing database, see Prerequisites. For additional OMS, see Overview.
Installing the Base Release of Enterprise Manager Grid Control	Install the base release of Enterprise Manager Grid Control by following the installation instructions outlined in this guide.	For GUI-based installation: For Enterprise Manager Grid Control with a New database, see Installing Procedure. For Enterprise Manager Grid Control with an existing database, see Installation Procedure. For additional OMS, see Installation Procedure. For silent installation: For Enterprise Manager Grid Control with a New database, see Using Silent Mode to Install Enterprise Manager Grid Control Using a New Database. For Enterprise Manager Grid Control with an existing database, see Using Silent Mode to Install Enterprise Manager Grid Control Using an Existing Database. For additional OMS, see Using Silent Mode to Install Additional Management Service.
Troubleshooting Installation-Related Known Issues	While installing the base release, if you encounter any isssues, resolve them by following the workarounds documented in this guide.	Appendix A, "Troubleshooting Enterprise Manager"
Patching the Base Release to the Latest Release	Apply the latest patch set on the base release of Enterprise Manager Grid Control so that you have the most recent release. To do so, download the latest patch set from Oracle Technology Network (OTN) Web site and follow the installation instructions outlined in the Release Notes that is provided with the downloaded patch set.	You can download the patch set from: http://www.oracle.com/technology/software/products/oem/index.html
Troubleshooting Patching-Related Known Issues	While patching the base release, if you encounter any isssues, resolve them by following the workarounds documented in the Release Notes.

Installing Only the Software Binaries of Full Release, and then Patching

The following is the process involved in installing only the software binaries of the full release of Enterprise Manager Grid Control (and not configuring it), and then patching it to the latest patch set release.

Table 5-2 Process Involved in Installing Only the Software Binaries of Full Release, and then Patching

Steps	Description	Related Links
Deciding on the Installation Type	Understand the different installation types available for Enterprise Manager Grid Control, and decide on the installation type you want to use to meet your requirements. This is critical because the components installed vary from one installation type to another, and the prerequisites to be met also are different for each installation type.	For high-level information about the installation types, see Understanding the Installation Types. For more detailed information, see the Overview sections: For Enterprise Manager Grid Control with a New database, see Overview. For Enterprise Manager Grid Control with an existing database, see Overview. For additional OMS, see Overview.
Meeting the Prerequisites	Meet all the prerequisites before starting the installation.	For Enterprise Manager Grid Control with a New database, see Prerequisites. For Enterprise Manager Grid Control with an existing database, see Prerequisites. For additional OMS, see Prerequisites.
Installing Only the Software Binaries and Patching it Directly	Install only the software binaries of the full release of Enterprise Manager Grid Control, and patch it directly by following the installation instructions outlined in this guide.	For GUI-based installation: For Enterprise Manager Grid Control with an existing database, see Installing Enterprise Manager Grid Control Using an Existing Database. For additional OMS, see Installing Enterprise Manager Grid Control Using an Existing Database. For Silent installation: For Enterprise Manager Grid Control with a New database, see Installing Enterprise Manager Grid Control Using a New Database. For Enterprise Manager Grid Control with an existing database, see Installing Enterprise Manager Grid Control Using an Existing Database. For additional OMS, see Installing Additional Management Service.
Troubleshooting Known Issues	If you encounter any isssues, resolve them by following the workarounds documented in this guide and the Release Notes.	Appendix A, "Troubleshooting Enterprise Manager" Also see the Known Issues section of the Release Notes.