Appendix A       Tips for Installing Oracle Software




Installing Oracle 8i On Solaris*

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If you already have Oracle 8i installed without "JServer and interMedia" option, then refer to installation of interMedia option documents.

*Source: For more information see the Oracle 8i Installation Guide, Release 2 (8.1.6) for SunSPARC Solaris.

Configuring the Unix Kernel for Oracle 8i

1. To configure the Unix kernel for Oracle 8i, configure the Unix kernal IPC parameters to accommodate the SGA structure of Oracle. To do this, add the following parameters to the /etc/system file to configure the Unix kernel with the minimum recommended values:

   set shmsys:shminfo_shmmax=4294967295
   set shmsys:shminfo_shmmin=1
   set shmsys:shminfo_shmmni=100
   set shmsys:shminfo_shmseg=10
   set semsys:seminfo_semmni=100
   set semsys:seminfo_semmsl=100
   set semsys:seminfo_semmns=200
   set semsys:seminfo_semopm=100
   set semsys:seminfo_semvmx=32767

2. Reboot the system for these parameters to take effect.

Note: If you are running other applications on the same Solaris server, you should set these values accordingly.

Creating Unix Groups for the Oracle Universal Installer

Use the groupadd utility to create a group named dba or some other name of your choice.

If you choose a name other than dba, you will be prompted to enter it later during the install. The OUI assigns the database administrator and operator rights to this group by default.

Use the groupadd utility to create a group named oinstall. This group will own the Oracle Universal Installer (OUI) orainventory. The user account that runs the installation must be a member of this group.

Creating a Unix Account to Own the Oracle Software

The Oracle account is the Unix account that owns the Oracle 8i software after installation. You must run the OUI from this account.

To create a Unix account to own the Oracle software:

1. Use the useradd utility to create an Oracle account with the following properties:

   Login name	oracle
   Default GID	Corresponding to the oinstall group
   Home Directory	Choose a home directory consistent with the other home directories

2. Confirm your addition from the /etc/passwd file. The new login remains locked until the password command is executed.

3. Choose a password for the oracle user.

Note: Do not use root account as your Oracle account.

Setting Up Tasks for the Oracle Universal Installer

This procedure describes the pre-configuration tasks required prior to running the Oracle Universal Installer (OUI). The OUI is the proprietary Oracle application installer.

1. Set permission for file creation.

2. Open the .profile or .cshrc file for the Oracle account and type in umask 022 . This sets file creation permissions for the Oracle account. This ensures group and other have read and execute permissions on the files that the OUI creates, but not write permission.

Note: You can check that this setting of permission was done properly by typing in umask at the Unix prompt. It should return the value 022. If it doesn't return this exact value, then try again to set umask to 022 in the .cshrc file.

3. Set the following environment variables in your .profile or .cshrc file:

   ORACLE_BASE=/software_mount_point/app/oracle

   (that is, the location where you want Oracle installed such as /home/app/oracle)

   ORACLE_HOME=$ORACLE_BASE/product/8.1.6

1. Update the environment for the current shell session by entering the following:

   #. ./.profile (for Bourne/Korn shell ), or
   #source .cshrc (for C Shell)

Using the Oracle Universal Installer

1. Log in as the Oracle user.

2. Start the OUI by entering ./runInstaller at the Unix prompt after going to the CD-ROM mount-point directory (usually is/cdrom).

3. Enter the desired value of the directory location in the destination field of File Locations dialogue box, if it does not show up by default.  It is recommended that you follow Optimal Flexible Architecture (OFA) - Compliant installation.  The OUI will be guiding you through the process.

4. Enter the fully qualified name of the workstation or server with the desired database name as the prefix, when prompted for a Global Database Name. The OUI automatically assigns the Data Service Identifier (SID) as the name of the database you specified as the prefix in the Global Database name.  For example,  <sid name>.<hostname>.<dns domain name>.  Note the SID for future reference. For example, if you enter vortex.machinename.domain.com as the global database name, then the SID is automatically assigned as vortex.  Not entering domainname.com may give Oracle Listener problems while using interMedia option.

5. Choose the character set and national character set as being UTF8 and make it compatible with Oracle 8.1.0 if you decide to do a custom install. For more information, see the "Procedures for the Oracle User" section.

6. If you decide to do a typical install Oracle creates a sample database by default. This is created with the character set as US7ASCII. Use the Oracle Database Assistant ($ORACLE_HOME/bin/dbassist) to drop the default database. Recreate it with the character set and the national character set as UTF8, and compatible with Oracle 8.1.0 or higher. To do this, perform the following steps at the end of the typical installs:
   • Start the Database Configuration Assistant from $ORACLE_HOME/bin/dbassist/.

   • Choose Delete Database from the Assistant and delete the default database. The Assistant will request confirmation. Click OK to confirm your deletion of the database.

   • Launch the Database Configuration Assistant again and choose Create Database now.

   • Select Custom for Database Type.

   • Select Oracle JServer and "Oracle interMedia" option, if not selected by default.

   • Select "8.1.0" (or higher) for "Compatible Parameter", and make sure that you select "UTF8" for both "Character Set" and "National Character Set" options.

The Oracle Universal Installer (OUI) installs the root.sh script in the ORACLE_HOME directory and prompts you to run the root.sh script. Log in as the root user and run the script:

%cd $ORACLE_HOME

%./root.sh

This script sets the necessary file permissions for Oracle products and allows you to do other root-related configurations.

• After the installation is complete, edit init<SID>.ora file in $ORACLE_BASE/admin/$ORACLE_SID/pfile and uncomment rollback segment.

• Finally, shut down and start up the database.

Procedures for the Root User

Set the following environment variables in the.profile or .cshrc file of the Oracle account.

LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$ORACLE_HOME/lib

PATH=${PATH}:$ORACLE_HOME/bin

ORACLE_SID=(SID specific in the OUI)

CLASSPATH=$ORACLE_HOME/jlib:$ORACLE_HOME/product/jlib

To set a common environment for Oracle users, run the oraenv script if you are using Bourne or Korn shell or the coraenv script if you are using the C shell by including the following in your .profile or .cshrc file:

For the Bourne or Korn Shell:

ORAENV_ASK=NO

./usr/local/bin/oraenv

For the C Shell:

set ORAENV_ASK=NO

source $ORACLE_HOME/bin/coraenv

unset ORAENV_ASK

Procedures for the Oracle User

In case of database creation using scripts, make sure that the database creation is done using "UTF8" as character set and national character set. Also, make sure that the initSID.ora parameter "compatible" is set to "8.1.0".

Creating a Custom iPlanet Market Maker Database

• Make sure that you can connect to the database using service name with sqlplus system/password@service_name before you start the installation. The installation process uses service name to connect to the database.

• Make sure that listener.ora and the tnsnames.ora have SID entry of "PLSExtProc" for interMedia option.

• To note the service name to use, view the $ORACLE_HOME/network/admin/tnsnames.ora file.