5 Preparing the Database for an Enterprise Deployment

This chapter describes procedures for preparing your database for an Oracle WebCenter Portal enterprise deployment. The procedures include initial setup of the database, loading the metadata repository, and backing up the database.

This chapter includes the following topics:

5.1 Overview of Preparing the Database for an Enterprise Deployment

For the WebCenter Portal enterprise topology, the database contains the Oracle Fusion Middleware Repository, which is a collection of schemas used by various Oracle Fusion Middleware components, such as the WebCenter Portal components, and OWSM. This database is separate from the Identity Management database, which is used in Identity Management Enterprise Deployment by components such as Oracle Internet Directory, DIP, and so on.

You must install the Oracle Fusion Middleware Repository before you can configure the Oracle Fusion Middleware components. You install the Oracle Fusion Middleware metadata repository into an existing database using the Repository Creation Utility (RCU), which is available from the RCU DVD or from the location listed in Table 2-2. For the enterprise topology, a Real Application Clusters (Oracle RAC) database is highly recommended.

Later on, when you configure WebCenter Portal components, the configuration wizard will prompt you to enter the information for connecting to the database that contains the metadata repository.

5.2 About Database Requirements

Before loading the metadata repository into your database, check that the database meets the requirements described in these subsections:

5.2.1 Database Host Requirements

On the hosts CUSTDBHOST1 and CUSTDBHOST2 in the data tier, note the following requirements:

  • Oracle Clusterware

    For 11g Release 1 (11.1) for Linux, refer to the Oracle Clusterware Installation Guide for Linux.

  • Oracle Real Application Clusters

    For 11g Release 1 (11.1) for Linux, refer to the Oracle Real Application Clusters Installation Guide for Linux and UNIX. For 10g Release 2 (10.2) for Linux, refer to Oracle Database Oracle Clusterware and Oracle Real Application Clusters Installation Guide.

  • Automatic Storage Management (optional)

    ASM gets installed for the node as a whole. It is recommended that you install it in a separate Oracle Home from the Database Oracle Home. This option comes in at runInstaller. In the Select Configuration page, select the Configure Automatic Storage Management option to create a separate ASM home.

5.2.2 Supported Database Versions

Oracle WebCenter Portal requires the presence of a supported database and schemas. To check if your database is certified or to see all certified databases, refer to the "Oracle Fusion Middleware 11g Release 1 (11.1.1.x)" product area on the Oracle Fusion Middleware Supported System Configurations page:

http://www.oracle.com/technology/software/products/ias/files/fusion_certification.html

To check the release of your database, you can query the PRODUCT_COMPONENT_VERSION view as follows:

SQL> SELECT VERSION FROM SYS.PRODUCT_COMPONENT_VERSION WHERE PRODUCT LIKE 'Oracle%';

Notes:

  • Oracle WebCenter Portal requires that the database used to store its metadata (either 10g or 11g) supports the AL32UTF8 character set. Check the database documentation for information on choosing a character set for the database.

  • For WebCenter Portal enterprise deployments, Oracle recommends using GridLink data sources to connect to Oracle RAC databases. To use the SCAN feature with GridLink, the Oracle RAC database version must be Oracle Database Server 11gR2 (Enterprise Edition, version 11.2 or later).

5.2.3 About Initialization Parameters

Ensure that the following initialization parameter is set to the required minimum value. It is checked by Repository Creation Utility.

Table 5-1 Required Initialization Parameters

Configuration Parameter Required Value Parameter Class

SOA

PROCESSES

300 or greater

Static

WebCenter Portal

PROCESSES

300 or greater

Static

SOA and WebCenter Portal

PROCESSES

600 or greater

Static

SOA, WebCenter Portal, and WebCenter Content

PROCESSES

700 or greater

Static


To check the value of the initialization parameter using SQL*Plus, you can use the SHOW PARAMETER command.

As the SYS user, issue the SHOW PARAMETER command as follows:

SQL> SHOW PARAMETER processes

Set the initialization parameter using the following command:

SQL> ALTER SYSTEM SET processes=300 SCOPE=SPFILE;

Restart the database.

Note:

The method that you use to change a parameter's value depends on whether the parameter is static or dynamic, and on whether your database uses a parameter file or a server parameter file. See the Oracle Database Administrator's Guide for details on parameter files, server parameter files, and how to change parameter values.

5.3 Creating Database Services

Oracle recommends that you configure a separate database service for each product suite, even when product suites share the same database. Oracle also recommends that the database service used is different from the default database service.

For more information about connecting to Oracle databases using services, see "Overview of Connecting to Oracle Database Using Services and VIP Addresses" in the Oracle Real Application Clusters Administration and Deployment Guide. For complete instructions on creating and managing database services, see "Introduction to Automatic Workload Management" in the Oracle Real Application Clusters Administration and Deployment Guide.

Run-time connection load balancing requires configuring Oracle RAC Load Balancing Advisory with service-level goals for each service for which load balancing is enabled. You can configure the Oracle RAC Load Balancing Advisory for SERVICE_TIME or THROUGHPUT. Set the connection load balancing goal to SHORT. For 10g and 11g Release1 databases, use the DBMS_SERVICE package for this modification. For 11g Release 2 use the srvctl command utility instead.

This section includes the following topics:

5.3.1 Creating Database Services for 10g and 11g Release 1 (11.1) Databases

Use the DBMS_SERVICE package to create and modify 10g and 11g Release 1 database services:

  1. Logon to SQL*Plus and create the service:

    sqlplus "sys/password as sysdba"
     
    SQL> EXECUTE DBMS_SERVICE.CREATE_SERVICE
    (SERVICE_NAME => 'wcpedg.mycompany.com',
    NETWORK_NAME => 'wcpedg.mycompany.com',
    ); 
    

    Note:

    Use lowercase letters for the service name of the Oracle RAC database, followed by the domain name. For example:

    wcpedg.mycompany.com

    Note:

    Enter the EXECUTE DBMS_SERVICE command shown on a single line.

    For more information about the DBMS_SERVICE package, see the Oracle Database PL/SQL Packages and Types Reference.

  2. Add the service to the database and assign it to the instances using the srvctl command:

    srvctl add service -d wcdb -s wcpedg.mycompany.com -r wcdb1,wcdb2
    
  3. Start the service:

    srvctl start service -d wcdb -s wcpedg.mycompany.com
    

    Note:

    For complete instructions on creating and managing database services with SRVCTL, see "Administering Services with SRVCTL" in the Oracle Real Application Clusters Administration and Deployment Guide.

  4. Modify the service for the appropriate service goals:

    SQL>EXECUTE DBMS_SERVICE.MODIFY_SERVICE (service_name => 'wcpedg.mycompany.com',goal => DBMS_SERVICE.GOAL_THROUGHPUT, clb_goal =>DBMS_SERVICE.CLB_GOAL_SHORT);
    

    Or

    SQL>EXECUTE DBMS_SERVICE.MODIFY_SERVICE (service_name => 'wcpedg.mycompany.com', goal => DBMS_SERVICE.GOAL_SERVICE_TIME, clb_goal =>DBMS_SERVICE.CLB_GOAL_SHORT);
    

5.3.2 Creating Database Services for 11g Release 2 (11.2) Databases

Use the srvctl utility to create and modify 11g Release 2 (11.2) database services:

  1. Logon to sqlplus and create the service:

    sqlplus "sys/password as sysdba"
     
    SQL> EXECUTE DBMS_SERVICE.CREATE_SERVICE
    (SERVICE_NAME => 'wcpedg.mycompany.com',
    NETWORK_NAME => 'wcpedg.mycompany.com',
    ); 
    

    Note:

    Use lowercase letters for the service name of the Oracle RAC database, followed by the domain name. For example:

    wcpedg.mycompany.com

    Note:

    Enter the EXECUTE DBMS_SERVICE command shown on a single line.

    For more information about the DBMS_SERVICE package, see the Oracle Database PL/SQL Packages and Types Reference.

  2. Add the service to the database and assign it to the instances using srvctl:

    srvctl add service -d wcdb -s wcpedg.mycompany.com -r wcdb1,wcdb2
    

    Note:

    For complete instructions on creating and managing database services with SRVCTL, see "Administering Services with SRVCTL" in the Oracle Real Application Clusters Administration and Deployment Guide.

  3. Start the service:

    srvctl start service -d wcdb -s wcpedg.mycompany.com
    
  4. Modify the service for the appropriate service goals:

    srvctl modify service -d wcdb -s wcpedg.mycompany.com -B SERVICE_TIME -j SHORT
    

    Or

    srvctl modify service -d wcdb -s wcpedg.mycompany.com -B THROUGHPUT  -j SHORT
    

5.4 Loading the Oracle Fusion Metadata Repository in the Oracle RAC Database

The Repository Creation Utility (RCU) is available from the RCU distribution. The RCU used to seed the database must match the patch set level of the Oracle WebCenter Portal installation. This means that if you install Oracle WebCenter Portal 11gR1 (11.1.1.6) in this enterprise deployment, you must use RCU 11gR1 (11.1.1.6).

To load the Oracle Fusion Middleware Repository into a database:

  1. Open the Repository Creation Utility (RCU) distribution.

  2. Start RCU from the bin directory in the RCU home directory:

    cd RCU_Home/bin

    ./rcu

  3. In the Welcome screen, click Next.

  4. In the Create Repository screen, select Create to load component schemas into a database. Click Next.

  5. In the Database Connection Details screen, enter the correct information for your database:

    • Database Type: select Oracle Database.

    • Host Name: Enter the name of the node that is running the database. For the Oracle RAC database, specify the VIP name or one of the node names as the host name: CUSTDBHOST1-VIP.

    • Port: Enter the port number for the database: 1521.

    • Service Name: Enter the service name of the database:wcpedg.mycompany.com

    • Username: SYS

    • Password: Enter the password for the SYS user.

    • Role: SYSDBA

    Click Next.

  6. If you get this warning message: The database you are connecting is with non-UTF8 charset, if you are going to use this database for multilingual support, you may have data loss. If you are not using for multilingual support you can continue, otherwise we strongly recommend using UTF-8 database.

    Click Ignore or Stop.

  7. In the Select Components screen, do the following:

    1. Select Create a New Prefix, and enter a prefix to use for the database schemas. For example, wcpedg. Prefixes are used to create logical groupings of multiple repositories in a database. For more information, see Oracle Fusion Middleware Repository Creation Utility User's Guide.

    2. Note the name of the schema because you will need the information later on.

    3. Select the following:

      • AS Common Schemas:

        - Metadata Services

      • SOA Infrastructure:

        - SOA and BPM Infrastructure

        - User Messaging Service

      • WebCenter Portal (select all schemas):

        - Spaces and Services

        - Portlet Producers

        - Activity Graph and Analytics

        - Discussions

        Note:

        This will auto-select Metadata Services as well.

      • WebCenter Content:

        - Oracle WebCenter Content Server - Complete

    Click Next.

  8. In the Schema Passwords screen, select Use main schema passwords for auxiliary schemas and click Next. In the subsequent screen refresh, enter the schema passwords for all components.

    Tip:

    Note the name of the schema because the upcoming steps require this information.

  9. In the Map Tablespaces screen, choose the tablespaces for the selected components, and click Next.

    A confirmation dialog is displayed stating that any tablespace that does not already exist in the selected schema will be created. Click OK to acknowledge this message.

  10. In the Summary screen, click Create.

  11. In the Completion Summary screen, click Close.

  12. Verify that the required schemas are created by connecting to the database with the new user added:

    ORACLE_HOME/bin/sqlplus
    

    For example, log in as the WCPEDG_WEBCENTER user and enter the password. A simple verification can be performed by querying the schema version registry:

    -bash-3.00$ $ORACLE_HOME/bin/sqlplus WCPEDG_WEBCENTER/password as SYSDBA
    SQL> SELECT version, status FROM schema_version_registry where owner = 'WCPEDG_WEBCENTER';
    
    VERSION STATUS-----------------------------------------11.1.1.6.0 VALID
    

About Oracle WSM policies and the OWSM MDS schemas

If Oracle WSM is part of your WebCenter Portal enterprise deployment, Oracle recommends using the identity management database to store the Oracle WSM policies. Use the IM database connection information for the OWSM MDS schemas instead of the information used for the rest of SOA/WebCenter Portal schemas. To create the required schemas in the database, repeat the steps above (run RCU again) using the IM database information, but select only AS Common Schemas: Metadata Services in the Select Components screen (step 7). See Section 15, "Integrating an Enterprise Deployment with Oracle Identity Management" for information on using the identity management database to store the Oracle WSM policies.

5.5 Configuring SOA Schemas for Transactional Recovery Privileges

You need the appropriate database privileges to allow the Oracle WebLogic Server transaction manager to query for transaction state information and issue the appropriate commands, such as commit and rollback, during recovery of in-flight transactions after a WebLogic Server container crash.

These privileges should be granted to the owner of the soainfra schema, as determined by the RCU operations.

To configure the SOA schemas for transactional recovery privileges:

  1. Log on to sqlplus as a user with sysdba privileges. For example:

    sqlplus "/ as sysdba"
    
  2. Enter the following commands:

    SQL> Grant select on sys.dba_pending_transactions to wcpedg_soainfra_soainfra;
    
    Grant succeeded.
     
    SQL> Grant force any transaction to wcpedg_soainfra_soainfra;
     
    Grant succeeded.
     
    SQL> 
    

5.6 Backing Up the Database

After you have loaded the metadata repository into your database, make a backup before installing the software for your enterprise deployment.

Backing up the database is for the explicit purpose of quick recovery from any issue that may occur in the further steps. You can choose to use your backup strategy for the database for this purpose or simply make a backup using operating system tools or RMAN for this purpose. Oracle recommends to use Oracle Recovery Manager for the database, particularly if the database was created using Oracle ASM. If possible, you can also perform a cold backup using operating system tools such as tar.