Configuring Operating Systems for Oracle AI Database on Linux

Guidelines for Linux Operating System Installation

Complete Linux operating system configuration and hardware checks before installing Oracle software. Ensure the deployment follows the security practices documented by the Linux distribution vendor and verify that the selected operating system is supported.

Completing a Minimal or Default Linux Installation

Perform either a minimal or default Linux installation. Minimal installations require the Oracle AI Database Preinstallation RPM or manual installation of required packages, while default installations include most dependencies and reduce verification effort; Oracle recommends using default packages without customizing the RPM selection.

About Oracle Linux with the Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel

Oracle Linux includes the Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel (UEK), which is enabled by default and optimized for Oracle database, middleware, and hardware workloads. Oracle strongly recommends UEK, although an RHEL-compatible kernel is available when strict compatibility is required. UEK is the standard kernel for Oracle products, Exadata, benchmarks, and the preinstallation RPM, while Ksplice enables live kernel updates without restarts.

Configuring HugePages on Linux

Configure Linux HugePages to reduce page-management overhead and improve TLB performance for Oracle AI Database. Reserve at least 30 percent of system memory for standard pages and no more than 70 percent for HugePages, configure the oracle user’s memlock limit, assign its group to vm.hugetlb_shm_group, and persist the settings through sysctl configuration. After database creation, calculate the required HugePages value using the recommended script, set vm.nr_hugepages, verify allocation, and restart instances as needed.

Restrictions for HugePages and Transparent HugePages Configurations

Use standard HugePages for Oracle AI Database and configure Transparent HugePages as madvise on UEK7 and later kernels for optimal performance rather than disabling it. Transparent HugePages allocate memory dynamically through the kernel, whereas standard HugePages reserve non-swappable memory at startup; memory reserved for standard HugePages must be deducted when calculating available RAM and swap requirements.

Setting Transparent HugePages to madvise

On Oracle Linux and RHEL systems using UEK7 or later, set the kernel parameter transparent_hugepage=madvise in the GRUB configuration, regenerate the boot configuration, and restart the system. The setting can be applied immediately through the relevant sysfs entry, and its status should be verified using the appropriate Oracle Linux or RHEL Transparent HugePages path.

About Installation Fixup Scripts

Oracle Universal Installer generates runfixup.sh scripts when required installation prerequisites are incomplete. These scripts can adjust kernel parameters, create and secure the central inventory directory, correct installation-owner group memberships, and set shell limits without requiring a restart. Fixup scripts do not replace complete prerequisite verification; use the installer’s integrated CVU checks or cluvfy for additional validation.

Additional Drivers and Software Packages for Linux

Optional Linux components may be installed according to workload requirements, including the latest PAM library for external scheduler authentication, OCFS2 kernel and tools modules for supported Oracle Linux clusters, Messaging Gateway dependencies, current unixODBC packages for ODBC applications, and LDAP packages for directory-based features when not included in a default installation. Programming environments require supported Java, C/C++, COBOL, Unzip, and Tar versions, while web browsers are needed only for Enterprise Manager Cloud Control; OCFS2, Messaging Gateway, and some related features are not supported on Linux Arm.

Checking Kernel and Package Requirements for Linux

Verify the installed Linux distribution and release, inspect the running kernel with uname -r to confirm required errata, and query required RPMs with rpm -q or architecture-aware RPM commands. Install any missing or outdated packages and kernel updates from the Linux distributor before beginning the Oracle installation.

Setting Clock Source for VMs on Linux x86-64

For Linux x86-64 virtual machines, Oracle recommends using the tsc clock source when available. Confirm availability, set it as the active source, verify the change, and add clocksource=tsc to the GRUB kernel command line so the setting persists after reboot; regenerate the GRUB configuration afterward.

Confirming Host Name Resolution

Ensure the installation host name resolves through DNS, NIS, or a centrally maintained /etc/hosts file. Use ping with the host name to confirm successful name resolution and network reachability before installing Oracle AI Database.

Using Automatic SSH Configuration During Installation

Cluster installations require passwordless SSH and SFTP between all member nodes so Oracle Universal Installer and configuration assistants can execute remote commands and transfer files. OUI can configure SSH automatically for the installation user, but login profiles must not produce terminal output or run commands such as stty; otherwise, configure SSH manually. For rare Clusterware AttachHome failures, set LoginGraceTime 0 in the SSH daemon configuration on every node.

Verifying the Disk Input Output Scheduler on Linux 8 and Later Systems

Review the disk I/O scheduler on every cluster node and consult the storage vendor for the appropriate Oracle ASM configuration. Oracle generally recommends mq-deadline for rotational disks and none for SSD or NVMe devices on supported Linux 8-or-later and SLES 15-or-later systems; verify the active scheduler through the device’s /sys/block/.../queue/scheduler entry.

Verifying Digital Signature and Integrity of Installation Archive Files

Oracle AI Database 26ai installation archives are digitally signed to verify package integrity before extraction. Use Java jarsigner -verify for a quick validation or add -verbose:summary -certs to inspect signer, certificate-chain, timestamp, digest, and signature details; a successful verification reports jar verified.
Read More: Verifying Digital Signature and Integrity of Installation Archive Files