Oracle® Database Vault

Release Notes

Release 2 (9.2.0.8) for Linux x86-64

E10099-04

June 2007

These Release Notes describe issues you may encounter with Oracle Database Vault Release 2 (9.2.0.8). The Oracle Database Vault installation is covered in detail in the Oracle Database Vault Installation Guide for Linux x86-64.

Note:

Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC) is not certified on Linux x86-64.

This document may be updated after it is released. To check for updates to this document and to view other Oracle documentation, see the Documentation section on the Oracle Technology Network (OTN) Web site:

http://www.oracle.com/technology/documentation/

This document contains the following sections:

1 Installation Issues and Recommendations

This section describes the known issues pertaining to installation. It also provides the workarounds that you can use.

1.1 DVCA Fails If the SID Is Longer than 8 Characters

Bug 5258820

Running Database Vault Configuration Assistant (DVCA) manually, after creating a new database in the Database Vault home, fails if the Oracle System Identifier (SID) for the database is longer than 8 characters.

The following steps reproduce the bug:

  1. Use Database Configuration Assistant (DBCA) to create a new database in an existing Database Vault home.

  2. Run DVCA on the newly created database:

    $ORACLE_HOME/bin/dvca -action option -oh oracle_home -jdbc_str jdbc_connection_string -sys_passwd SYS_password \
    -owner_account DV_owner_account_name -owner_passwd DV_owner_account_password \
    [-acctmgr_account DV_account_manager_account_name] [-acctmgr_passwd DV_account_manager_password] \
    [-logfile ./dvca.log] [-silent] [-nodecrypt][-lockout] [-languages {["en"],["de"],["es"],["fr"],["it"],["ja"], \
    ["ko"],["pt_BR"],["zh_CN"],["zh_TW"]}]
    
    

See Also:

Oracle Database Vault Installation Guide for Linux x86-64 for more information on running the DVCA command.

The reason for the bug is that the Oracle Net service name in the tnsnames.ora ($ORACLE_HOME/network/admin/tnsnames.ora) file is truncated to 8 characters.

The workaround for the bug is to change the truncated Net service name in the tnsnames.ora file to it's correct value. For example, say the SID for the database is ORACLEDB90, and the entry in tnsnames.ora appears as:

ORACLEDB = (DESCRIPTION = (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST ....

Replace the truncated entry in the tnsnames.ora file with the correct entry:

ORACLEDB90 = (DESCRIPTION = (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST ....

1.2 Cannot Install Oracle Database Vault in a Data Guard Environment

Bug 5577503

The Database Vault installer fails to install Database Vault in an existing physical standby database.

You can create a new physical standby database by using the following steps:

  1. Install Database Vault on the primary database.

  2. Create a physical standby database using a hot backup of the primary database. This backup should include the Oracle home.

  3. Set up communications between the primary and the physical standby database. Redo logs communicate changes from the primary database to the standby database.

See Also:

Oracle Data Guard Concepts and Administration for more information on creating a physical standby database

1.3 Invalid DVYSYS Objects Created After Running DVCA On a New Database Vault Database

Bug 5948835

After you create a new database in an existing Oracle Database Vault home and run Database Vault Configuration Assistant (DVCA) to configure the database, invalid DVSYS objects are created in the database. The following SQL query output illustrates the problem:

SQL> SELECT * FROM all_objects WHERE status='INVALID';
        .
OWNER                          OBJECT_NAME
------------------------------ ------------------------------
SUBOBJECT_NAME                  OBJECT_ID DATA_OBJECT_ID OBJECT_TYPE
------------------------------ ---------- -------------- ------------------
CREATED   LAST_DDL_ TIMESTAMP           STATUS  T G S
--------- --------- ------------------- ------- - - -
DVSYS                          DBMS_MACOLS
                                    33658                PACKAGE BODY
22-MAR-07 22-MAR-07 2007-03-22:08:09:56 INVALID N N N
.
DVSYS                          DBMS_MACOLS_SESSION
                                    33667                PACKAGE BODY
22-MAR-07 22-MAR-07 2007-03-22:08:09:56 INVALID N N N 

The problem occurs if you use one of the predefined database templates to create your database. Create the new database from scratch using the Custom Database option in the Database Configuration Assistant (DBCA) tool. Do not use one of the already provided templates like Data Warehouse, General Purpose, or Transaction Processing.

1.4 OUI Summary Screen Shows Latest CPU in the List of Products Being Uninstalled

Bug 5966314

After applying the latest Critical Patch Update (CPU), when you run Oracle Universal Installer (OUI) to install Oracle Database Vault, the latest CPU is listed in the products being uninstalled on the Summary screen. This is not a problem and should be ignored. The Database Vault installer does not rollback already applied patches. It just removes their entries from the inventory.

The current patchset contains patches that include all the fixes provided by already installed patches. Hence, OUI needs to remove the old entries from the inventory. OUI and the OPatch utility use the inventory for conflict detection of patches. Removing old patch entries from the inventory ensures that you do not get false errors related to patches in future.

1.5 Database Vault Installer Does Not Take You Back to the First Screen

Bug 5963717

When the user clicks Cancel, to cancel out an error, the Oracle Database Vault installer takes the user back to the Specify File Location screen and not the first screen.

The following steps reproduce the error:

  1. Run the Database Vault Installer for an Oracle Real Applications Cluster (RAC) node

  2. When prompted to shut down the database processes, shut down the database and the listener process leaving the Global Services Daemon (GSD) service running

  3. On the node list screen, the installer raises an error about the following process not being shut down:

    /private/qatest/9208DV/RC2/d3/jre/1.1.8/bin/../bin/sparc/native_threads/jre 
    
    
  4. Click Cancel. Click OK in the confirmation prompt.

  5. The installer takes you to the Specify File Location screen instead of the first screen.

The workaround is to click Back. This takes you to the first screen. An alternate workaround is to click Cancel to exit Oracle Universal Installer (OUI), and then start OUI again.

1.6 Global Services Daemon Needs to Be Started on the Remote Nodes

Bug 5971092

After installing Database Vault, the Global Services Daemon (GSD) service does not automatically start on the remote nodes. You need to manually start the GSD service on the remote nodes. You can then start the database and the listener process on the remote nodes. Use the following command to start the GSD service on an Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC) node:

$ORACLE_HOME/bin/gsdctl start

2 Usage Issues and Recommendations

This section discusses usage issues that you may encounter with Database Vault. It also provides the workarounds for these issues.

2.1 Accounts with DV_OWNER, DV_ADMIN, or DV_SECANALYST Role Cannot Use the ALTER USER Command

Bug 5161953

Accounts with the DV_OWNER, DV_ADMIN, or DV_SECANALYST role cannot run the following command:

ALTER USER user QUOTA UNLIMITED ON tablespace

The workaround is to REVOKE the role from the account, run the ALTER USER command, and then GRANT back the role to the account. This works if the account is not the DV_OWNER account that was created during installation. If the account is the DV_OWNER account created during installation, then you would need to use the following steps:

  1. Disable the Database Vault command rule for the ALTER USER command.

  2. Run the ALTER USER command.

  3. Re-enable the Database Vault command rule for the ALTER USER command.

2.2 Enabling a Realm Fails When a Realm Secured Object Is Invalid

Bug 5582720

Enabling a realm fails with the following error:

ORA-00942: Table or view does not exist

This might happen if you try to enable a realm on an invalid object. The workaround is to make sure that all objects protected by the realm are valid, before trying to enable the realm.

2.3 Command Rule SELECT Not Found for SYSADM.%

Bug 5508407

The following error is displayed when you try to update the owner or the rule set for the SELECT command rule:

Command Rule SELECT not found for schema.%

After the update has failed, you are not allowed to delete the command rule. You can use the following workaround steps:

  1. Login to SQL*Plus using the SYSTEM account. Run the following command:

    SQL>ALTER SYSTEM FLUSH SHARED_POOL;
    
    
  2. Delete the command rule.

  3. If you were trying to update the command rule, then re-create the command rule with the new parameters.

  4. Repeat Step 1 for the new command rule to take effect.

2.4 Factors with Validation Functions May Cause Invalid Cursor Errors

Bug 5953290

After including a validation function in a factor, you might get the ORA-01001 or ORA-07445 error when trying to use the factor in a command rule.

The workaround is to implement the validation logic in the factor function itself rather than using a validation function to implement the logic.

2.5 CREATE SESSION Privilege Is Controlled by the Data Dictionary Realm

Use the following steps to grant the CREATE SESSION privilege:

  1. Add the SYSTEM user to the data dictionary realm as an owner.

  2. Log in to SQL*Plus as the SYSTEM user.

  3. Grant the CREATE SESSION privilege.

  4. Enable the data dictionary realm.

3 Frequently Asked Questions on Installation

This section covers some of the frequently asked questions related to Database Vault installation. Oracle Database Vault installation is covered in detail in the Oracle Database Vault Installation Guide for Linux x86-64.

The installer does not detect my existing Release 2 (9.2.0.8) instance. What should I do?

To allow the installer to find the database instance information, you should check the following:

  • /etc/oratab has an entry for the database. The oratab entry for the database is case-sensitive. Ensure that this entry exactly matches your database.

  • All database names listed in /etc/oratab have unique system identifier (SID) names.

  • The file, /etc/oraInst.loc exists.

  • The oraInventory location is set in the /etc/oraInst.loc file.

  • The oraInventory location set in /etc/oraInst.loc is the same as the 9.2.0.8 Enterprise Edition database's oraInventory location.

  • The 9.2.0.8 database home does not have Oracle Database Vault in it.

I have installed Oracle Database Vault into an Oracle home that has multiple databases. How do I secure the other databases in the Oracle home?

You would need to run Database Vault Configuration Assistant (DVCA) manually on the other databases. Refer to Appendix C in the Oracle Database Vault Installation Guide for Linux x86-64 for detailed instructions.

I have installed Oracle Database Vault on a Real Application Clusters (RAC) database instance. How do I secure the other nodes in the cluster?

You need to run DVCA manually on the other Oracle RAC nodes. Refer to Run DVCA to Set Instance Parameters in the Oracle Database Vault Installation Guide for Linux x86-64 for detailed instructions.

4 Miscellaneous Notes

This section contains miscellaneous notes not covered in the Oracle Database Vault documentation.

4.1 Snapshots and Materialized Views

The keyword SNAPSHOT is supported in place of MATERIALIZED VIEW for backward compatibility.

4.2 JOB_QUEUE_PROCESSES Initialization Parameter

The JOB_QUEUE_PROCESSES initialization parameter specifies the maximum number of processes that can be created for the execution of jobs. It specifies the number of job queue processes per instance.

This parameter must have a non-zero value. The default value for JOB_QUEUE_PROCESSES is 10.

4.3 Language Support in Database Vault

Database Vault supports the following languages:

  • de: German

  • en: American English

  • es: Spanish

  • fr: French

  • it: Italian

  • ja: Japanese

  • ko: Korean

  • pt_BR: Brazilian Portuguese

  • zh_CN: Simplified Chinese

  • zh_TW: Traditional Chinese

Make sure that the NLS_LANG parameter in your database corresponds to one of these languages before installing Database Vault. If the language setting in the NLS_LANG parameter is not compatible, then the Database Vault Administrator (DVA) application interface is not displayed properly.

4.4 Adding a Supported Language to the Database Vault Administrator Application

Use the following steps to add a supported language to an already installed instance of the Database Vault Administrator (DVA) application:

  1. Disable Database Vault.

    See Also:

    Appendix B, "Enabling and Disabling Oracle Database Vault" in the Oracle Database Vault Administrator's Guide
  2. Make sure that environment variables like ORACLE_HOME, PATH, ORACLE_SID, and LD_LIBRARY_PATH, are properly set.

  3. Run the following command:

    java -classpath $ORACLE_HOME/dv/jlib/dvca.jar:\
    $ORACLE_HOME/lib/xmlparserv2.jar:\
    $ORACLE_HOME/jdbc/lib/classes12.zip \
    oracle.security.datval.dvca.util.DvcaNLSLoader \
    "jdbc:oracle:oci:@database_sid" \
    dvsys dvsys_password file1 file2 ... fileN
    
    

    Here, file1 file2 ... fileN are the names of the language set files. The language files are a set of files with the following names:

    • code_language.dlf

    • factor_type_language.dlf

    • factor_language.dlf

    • rule_language.dlf

    • rule_set_language.dlf

    • realm_language.dlf

    For example, to enable support for Japanese language, use the following command:

    java -classpath $ORACLE_HOME/dv/jlib/dvca.jar:\
    $ORACLE_HOME/lib/xmlparserv2.jar:\
    $ORACLE_HOME/jdbc/lib/classes12.zip \
    oracle.security.datval.dvca.util.DvcaNLSLoader "jdbc:oracle:oci:@db1" \
    dvsys oracle $ORACLE_HOME/dv/admin/code_ja.dlf
    
    

    Note:

    You can either repeat the preceding command for each file in the language set, or use a single command with the language specific file names separated by whitespace characters.
  4. Enable Database Vault.

    See Also:

    Appendix B, "Enabling and Disabling Oracle Database Vault" in the Oracle Database Vault Administrator's Guide

5 Documentation Accessibility

Our goal is to make Oracle products, services, and supporting documentation accessible, with good usability, to the disabled community. To that end, our documentation includes features that make information available to users of assistive technology. This documentation is available in HTML format, and contains markup to facilitate access by the disabled community. Accessibility standards will continue to evolve over time, and Oracle is actively engaged with other market-leading technology vendors to address technical obstacles so that our documentation can be accessible to all of our customers. For more information, visit the Oracle Accessibility Program Web site at

http://www.oracle.com/accessibility/

Accessibility of Code Examples in Documentation

Screen readers may not always correctly read the code examples in this document. The conventions for writing code require that closing braces should appear on an otherwise empty line; however, some screen readers may not always read a line of text that consists solely of a bracket or brace.

Accessibility of Links to External Web Sites in Documentation

This documentation may contain links to Web sites of other companies or organizations that Oracle does not own or control. Oracle neither evaluates nor makes any representations regarding the accessibility of these Web sites.

TTY Access to Oracle Support Services

Oracle provides dedicated Text Telephone (TTY) access to Oracle Support Services within the United States of America 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For TTY support, call 800.446.2398.


Oracle Database Vault Release Notes Release 2 (9.2.0.8) for Linux x86-64

E10099-04

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