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Introducing Oracle9i for 64-Bit Windows

This chapter introduces you to Oracle9i for 64-bit Windows and helps you plan your installation.

This chapter contains these topics:

Oracle9i for 64-Bit Windows Overview

Oracle9i for 64-bit Windows is a development and deployment platform for the Internet. Oracle9i for 64-bit Windows features include the following:

A built-in Java Virtual Machine (JVM) that lets you store and run Java code within an Oracle9i database
Support for SQLJ, a programming syntax that supports embedded SQL statements in Java programs
Integration with the Component Object Model (COM) and Microsoft Transaction Server

Planning Your Installation

This section provides information about Oracle Universal Installer, installation types, database configurations, and concepts you should be aware of in planning an installation.

Using Optimal Flexible Architecture

Oracle Corporation recommends using the Optimal Flexible Architecture (OFA) standard when installing and configuring Oracle9i databases. The OFA standard is a set of configuration guidelines for creating fast, highly available, reliable Oracle databases that require little maintenance. The following advantages are the most important:

Structured organization of directories and files and the consistent naming used for database files simplify database administration.
Distribution of I/O across multiple disks prevents performance bottlenecks caused by multiple read or write commands issued simultaneously to a single drive.
Distribution of applications across multiple disks safeguards against database failures.
Login home directories are not at risk when database administrators add, move, or delete Oracle home directories.
Multiple versions of application software can execute concurrently.
Software upgrades can be tested in an Oracle home in a separate directory from the Oracle home where your production database is located.

Note:
Oracle Universal Installer supports OFA, but does not require OFA.

Oracle Universal Installer Overview

Oracle Universal Installer is a Java-based graphical user interface (GUI) tool that enables you to install Oracle components from your CD. Oracle Universal Installer provides the following capabilities:

Component and suite installations
Globalization Support
Distributed installation support
Unattended "silent" installations using response files
Deinstallation of installed components

See Also:
Appendix C, "Advanced Installation" for more information about silent installations

Oracle Universal Installer Restrictions

Oracle Universal Installer executes with the following restrictions:

Oracle Universal Installer automatically installs Oracle's version of the Java Runtime Environment (JRE). This version is required to run Oracle Universal Installer and several Oracle assistants. Do not modify the JRE, unless doing so with a patch provided by OracleMetaLink. Visit:

http://metalink.oracle.com/
Oracle Universal Installer is capable of running a noninteractive installation of Oracle products and can optionally be configured for "silent" mode. Silent mode is a background process and does not display windows.

Installation of Oracle9i database components from a remote Terminal Services Client onto a Windows Server 2003 that is running a Terminal Server Service is not supported. If you attempt to install Oracle9i in this manner, many database configuration tools will stop responding. Start all the configuration tools from the Terminal Server console and not from the Terminal Services Client.

See Also:

Oracle Universal Installer Concepts Guide

This guide is included in your Oracle9i Database Documentation CD and is automatically installed on your hard drive during installation. To access this guide, choose Start > Programs > Oracle Installation Products > Universal Installer Concepts Guide.

Oracle9i Products for Installation

During installation, you are asked to choose one of three top-level components. These components are:

Each top-level component contains several installation types, each of which contains a series of individual components. The following sections list the three top-level components and their installation types.

Oracle9i Database

The Oracle9i Database is an object-oriented relational database management system, which consists of an Oracle database and an Oracle instance. There are four installation types:

Enterprise Edition: If you select this type, Oracle Universal Installer installs a preconfigured seed database, networking services, licensable Oracle options, Oracle utilities, database environment tools, and online documentation. It also installs those products most commonly used in data warehousing and transaction processing environments.
Standard Edition: If you select this type, Oracle Universal Installer installs a preconfigured seed database, networking services, and Oracle utilities.
Personal Edition: If you select this type, Oracle Universal Installer installs the same software as the Enterprise Edition installation type except Real Application Clusters, but supports only a single user development and deployment environment that requires full compatibility with Enterprise Edition and Standard Edition.
Custom: If you select this type, Oracle Universal Installer prompts you to select individual components to install from the components available.

Oracle9i Client

The Oracle9i Client is a front-end database application that connects to the database through one or more application servers. There are three Client installation types:

Administrator: If you select this type, Oracle Universal Installer installs networking services, utilities, and basic client software.
Runtime: If you select this type, Oracle Universal Installer installs networking services and support files.
Custom: If you select this type, Oracle Universal Installer prompts you to select individual components to install from the components available with Administrator and Runtime.

Oracle9i Management and Integration

There are two Management and Integration installation types for this release:

Oracle Internet Directory: If you select this type, Oracle Universal Installer installs a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)-enabled Oracle Internet Directory database, LDAP-enabled client tools, and the Oracle Internet Directory database schema.
Custom: If you select this type, Oracle Universal Installer prompts you to select individual components to install from the components available with Oracle Internet Directory.

See Also:
Appendix A, "Individual Components Available for Installation" for a list of individual components installed with each installation type

Licensing Information

Although the component CDs in your CD pack contain many Oracle components, you may use only those components for which you have purchased licenses. Those components that require separately purchased licenses are identified in their descriptions in Appendix A, "Individual Components Available for Installation".

Oracle Support Services does not provide support for components for which licenses have not been purchased.

Oracle9i Options Requiring a License

The following products require a separate license:

Oracle Advanced Security
Oracle Data Mining
Oracle Label Security
Oracle OLAP
Oracle Partitioning
Oracle Real Application Clusters
Oracle Spatial
See Also:

Global License Terms for additional licensing information

"Component Descriptions"

Release Documentation

The following manuals are not included on the Oracle9i Database Documentation CD:

This installation guide and Oracle9i Database Release Notes for Windows

To access these documents before installation, open start_here.htm in the \doc directory on the first component CD.

To access these documents after installation, go to Start > Programs > Oracle - HOME_NAME > Release Documentation or open start_here.htm in the ORACLE_BASE\ORACLE_HOME\doc directory on your hard drive.
Oracle Fail Safe documentation

This document is on the Oracle Fail Safe product CD, shipping in a subsequent CD pack.

What Documentation Do I Read First?

The Oracle 32-bit documentation set is provided in both HTML and PDF formats and is available on Oracle Technology Network (OTN) at

http://otn.oracle.com/documentation/.

Oracle Corporation recommends that you read or review the documentation listed in Table 1-1 before you install Oracle components. This helps ensure that you make the correct decisions during Oracle component installation.

Table 1-1 What Documentation Do I Read First?

For Information About...	See...
Important last-minute installation and configuration information	Oracle9i Database Release Notes for Windows (double-click `start_here.htm` in the `\doc` directory on the first component CD.) Note: After installation, view README files for additional components in the `ORACLE_BASE``\``ORACLE_HOME``\relnotes` directory.
How to obtain customer support	`http://www.oracle.com/support/`
Basic database concepts and administration	Oracle9i Database Concepts Oracle9i Database Administrator's Guide Oracle9i Database Platform Guide for Windows
Networking concepts and administration	Oracle9i Net Services Administrator's Guide
Creating a correctly configured Oracle9i database from the start	Oracle9i Database Platform Guide for Windows Oracle9i Database Administrator's Guide Oracle9i Database Performance Tuning Guide
Installing all Oracle components available on the CD	Chapter 4, "Installing Oracle Components"
Installing Oracle components in multiple homes on a computer	"Using Optimal Flexible Architecture" "Multiple Oracle Homes and Optimal Flexible Architecture" of Oracle9i Database Platform Guide for Windows
Installing Oracle Real Application Clusters	Oracle9i Real Application Clusters Documentation Online Roadmap Oracle9i Real Application Clusters Setup and Configuration Appendix B, "Oracle Real Application Clusters Preinstallation Tasks"
Noninteractive installation using response files	"About Oracle Components in Noninteractive Mode"

Getting Started with Installation

You are now ready to begin the installation process. To start quickly, follow these chapters in the order listed:

To...	See...
Find out about installation requirements for: Each installation type Individual components Single Oracle home components Networking protocols and vendors	Chapter 2, "Preinstallation Requirements"
Select a method for creating your Oracle9i database and configuring your Oracle Net Services networking environment	Chapter 3, "Selecting Database Creation and Oracle Net Services Configuration Methods"
Perform preinstallation tasks for Oracle Real Application Clusters clustered databases	Appendix B, "Oracle Real Application Clusters Preinstallation Tasks"
Install and deinstall Oracle components	Chapter 4, "Installing Oracle Components"
Install Oracle components noninteractively	"About Oracle Components in Noninteractive Mode"

1 Introducing Oracle9i for 64-Bit Windows