2 Pre-installation Tasks

Checking the Software Requirements on AIX

Check that the required software and patches are installed on the system.

Check for Required Software

Depending on the products that you intend to install, verify that the following software is installed on the system. The procedure following the table describes how to check these requirements.

bos.adt.base
bos.adt.lib
bos.adt.libm
bos.perf.libperfstat
bos.perf.perfstat
bos.perf.proctools

X11.motif.lib

mqm.Client.Bnd
mqm.Server.Bnd

vac.C

vacpp.cmp.core

To ensure that the system meets these requirements, follow these steps:

1. To determine which version of AIX is installed, enter the following command:

   # oslevel -r
   
   

   If the operating system version is lower than AIX 5.2.0.0 Maintenance Level 1 (5200-01), upgrade your operating system to this level. AIX 5L version 5.2 maintenance packages are available from the following Web site:

   http://www-912.ibm.com/eserver/support/fixes/
   
   

2. To determine whether the required filesets are installed and committed, enter a command similar to the following:

   # lslpp -l bos.adt.base bos.adt.lib bos.adt.libm bos.perf.perfstat \
    bos.perf.libperfstat bos.perf.proctools
   
   

   If a fileset is not installed and committed, then install it. See your operating system or software documentation for information about installing filesets.

Check for Required Patches

Depending on the products that you intend to install, verify that the following patches are installed on the system. The procedure following the table describes how to check these requirements.

To ensure that the system meets these requirements, follow these steps:

1. To determine whether an APAR is installed, enter a command similar to the following:

   # /usr/sbin/instfix -i -k "IY43980 IY44810 IY45462 IY45707 IY46214 IY46605 \
     IY48525 IY51801 IY56024"
   
   

   If an APAR is not installed, download it from the following Web site and install it:

   http://www-912.ibm.com/eserver/support/fixes/
   
   

2. To determine whether a PTF is installed, enter a command similar to the following:

   # lslpp -l -B U489726 U485561 ...
   
   

   If a PTF is not installed, download it from the following Web site and install it:

   http://www-912.ibm.com/eserver/support/fixes/
   
   

3. If you require a CSD for WebSphere MQ, see the following Web site for download and installation information:

   http://www.ibm.com/software/integration/mqfamily/support/summary/aix.html
   
   

4. To continue completing pre-installation tasks, go to the "Create Required UNIX Groups and User" section.

Checking the Software Requirements on HP-UX

Check that the required software and patches are installed on the system.

Check for Required Software

Depending on the products that you intend to install, verify that the following software is installed on the system. The procedure following the table describes how to check these requirements.

X11MotifDevKit

C-ANSI-C

ACXX

C-ANSI-C

ACXX

DCE-C-Tools
DCE-CDS-Server
DCE-Core
DCE-CoreAdmin
DCE-CoreTools
DCE-SEC-Server

To ensure that the system meets these requirements, follow these steps:

1. To determine which version of HP-UX is installed, enter the following command:

   # uname -a
   HP-UX hostname B.11.11 U 9000/800 109444686 unlimited-user license
   
   

   In this example, the version of HP-UX 11i is 11.11.

2. To determine whether a bundle, product, or fileset is installed, enter a command similar to the following, where level is bundle, product, or fileset:

   # /usr/sbin/swlist -l level | more
   
   

   If a required bundle, product, or fileset is not installed, you must install it. See your operating system or software documentation for information about installing products.

Check for Required Patches

Depending on the products that you intend to install, verify that the following patches are installed on the system. The procedure following the table describes how to check these requirements.

GOLDAPPS11i
GOLDBASE11i

http://www.hp.com/products1/unix/java/patches/index.html

To ensure that the system meets these requirements, follow these steps:

1. On PA-RISC systems only, enter the following command to determine whether the HP-UX 11i Quality Pack is installed:

   # /usr/sbin/swlist -l bundle | grep GOLD
   
   

   If the Quality Pack is not installed, or if the date is before June 2003, download the latest Quality Pack from the following Web site and install it:

   http://www.software.hp.com/SUPPORT_PLUS/qpk.html
   
   

2. To determine whether a patch is installed, enter a command similar to the following:

   # /usr/sbin/swlist -l patch | grep PHSS_28880
   
   

   Alternatively, to list all installed patches, enter the following command:

   # /usr/sbin/swlist -l patch | more
   
   

   If a required patch is not installed, download it from the following Web site and install it:

   http://itresourcecenter.hp.com
   
   

   If the Web site shows a more recent version of the patch, download and install that version.

3. If you require a CSD for WebSphere MQ, see the following Web site for download and installation information:

   http://www.ibm.com/software/integration/mqfamily/support/summary/hpx.html
   

Create Required Symbolic Links

To allow you to successfully relink Oracle products after installing this software, enter the following commands to create required X library symbolic links in the /usr/lib directory:

# cd /usr/lib
# ln -s libX11.3 libX11.sl
# ln -s libXIE.2 libXIE.sl
# ln -s libXext.3 libXext.sl
# ln -s libXhp11.3 libXhp11.sl
# ln -s libXi.3 libXi.sl
# ln -s libXm.4 libXm.sl
# ln -s libXp.2 libXp.sl
# ln -s libXt.3 libXt.sl
# ln -s libXtst.2 libXtst.sl

To continue completing pre-installation tasks, go to the "Create Required UNIX Groups and User" section.

Checking the Software Requirements on Linux

Check that the required software and patches are installed on the system.

Check for Required Software

Depending on the system architecture, verify that the software listed in one of the following tables is installed on the system:

• Table 2-1, "Software Requirements for Installations on x86 Systems"

• Table 2-2, "Software Requirements for Installations on Itanium Systems"

• Table 2-3, "Software Requirements for Installations on zSeries Systems"

Additionally, depending on the products that you intend to install or use, verify that the software listed in Table 2-4, "Product-Specific Software Requirements for Linux Systems" is installed.

The procedure following the tables describes how to check these requirements.

make-3.79.1
glibc-2.2.4-32
gcc-2.96-128
gcc-c++-2.96-128
libstdc++-2.96-128
openmotif-2.1.30-11

make-3.79.1
gcc-3.2.3-34
glibc-2.3.2-95.20
compat-db-4.0.14-5
compat-gcc-7.3-2.96.128
compat-gcc-c++-7.3-2.96.128
compat-libstdc++-7.3-2.96.128
compat-libstdc++-devel-7.3-2.96.128
openmotif21-2.1.30-8
setarch-1.3-1

make-3.79.1
gcc-3.2.2-38
gcc-c++-3.2.2-38
openmotif-2.2.2-124

gcc-3.3.3-43
gcc-c++-3.3.3-43
glibc-2.3.3-98
libaio-0.3.98-18
libaio-devel-0.3.98-18
make-3.80
openmotif-libs-2.2.2-519.1

make-3.79.1
glibc-2.2.4-32
gcc-2.96-128
gcc-c++-2.96-128
libstdc++-2.96-128
openmotif-2.1.30-11
libaio-0.3.92-1
libaio-devel-0.3.92-1

make-3.79.1
gcc-3.2.3-20
gcc-c++-3.2.3-20
glibc-2.3.2-95.3
compat-db-4.0.14-5
compat-gcc-7.3-2.96.128
compat-gcc-c++-7.3-2.96.128
compat-libstdc++-7.3-2.96.128
compat-libstdc++-devel-7.3-2.96.128
openmotif21-2.1.30-8
setarch-1.3-1

make-3.79.1
gcc-3.2.2-23
gcc-c++-3.2.2-23
glibc-2.2.5-161
openmotif-2.2.2-125

gcc-3.3.3-43
gcc-c++-3.3.3-43
glibc-2.3.3-98
libaio-0.3.98-18
libaio-devel-0.3.98-18
make-3.80
openmotif-libs-2.2.2-519.1

gcc-3.2.2-29
gcc-c++-3.2.2-29
glibc-2.2.5-108
glibc-devel-32bit-8.1-9
libaio-0.3.15-106
make-3.79.1
binutils-2.14.90.0.5-41
openmotif-2.2.2-52

To ensure that the system meets these requirements, follow these steps:

1. To determine which distribution and version of Linux is installed, enter the following command:

   # cat /etc/issue
   
   

   
   

   Note: Only the distributions and versions listed in the previous table are supported. Do not install the software on other versions of Linux.

   
   

2. To determine whether the required kernel version is installed, enter the following command:

   # uname -r
   
   

   If the kernel version is lower than the required version, download and install the required version or a higher version from your Linux vendor's Web site.

3. To determine whether the required packages are installed, enter commands similar to the following:

   # rpm -q package_name
   
   

   If a package is not installed, install it from your Linux distribution media or download the required package version from your Linux vendor's Web site.

4. If you require a CSD for WebSphere MQ, see the following Web site for download and installation information:

   http://www.ibm.com/software/integration/mqfamily/support/summary/lin.html
   
   

5. To continue completing pre-installation tasks, go to the "Create Required UNIX Groups and User" section.

Checking the Software Requirements on Solaris

Check that the required software and patches are installed on the system.

Check for Required Software

Depending on the products that you intend to install, verify that the following software is installed on the system. The procedure following the table describes how to check these requirements.

SUNWarc
SUNWbtool
SUNWhea
SUNWlibm
SUNWlibms
SUNWsprot
SUNWtoo
SUNWi1of
SUNWi1cs
SUNWi15cs
SUNWxwfnt

SUNWsprox

http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/font-requirements.html

SUNWmfrun

To ensure that the system meets these requirements, follow these steps:

1. To determine which version of Solaris is installed, enter the following command:

   # uname -r
   5.9
   
   

   In this example, the version shown is Solaris 9 (5.9). If necessary, see your operating system documentation for information about upgrading the operating system.

2. To determine whether the required packages are installed, enter a command similar to the following:

   # pkginfo -i SUNWarc SUNWbtool SUNWhea SUNWlibm SUNWlibms SUNWsprot \
    SUNWsprox SUNWtoo SUNWi1of SUNWi1cs SUNWi15cs SUNWxwfnt
   
   

   If a package is not installed, then install it. See your operating system or software documentation for information about installing packages.

Check for Required Patches

Depending on the products that you intend to install, verify that the following patches are installed on the system. The procedure following the table describes how to check these requirements.

To ensure that the system meets these requirements, follow these steps:

1. To determine whether an operating system patch is installed, enter a command similar to the following:

   # /usr/sbin/patchadd -p | grep patch_number
   
   

   If an operating system patch is not installed, download it from the following Web site and install it:

   http://sunsolve.sun.com
   
   

2. If you require a CSD or a SupportPac for WebSphere MQ or MQSeries, see the following Web site for download and installation information:

   http://www.ibm.com/software/integration/mqfamily/support/summary/sun.html
   
   

3. To continue completing pre-installation tasks, go to the "Create Required UNIX Groups and User" section.

Checking the Software Requirements on Tru64 UNIX

Check that the required software and patches are installed on the system.

Check for Required Software

Depending on the products that you intend to install, verify that the following software is installed on the system. The procedure following the table describes how to check these requirements.

OSFCMPLRS
OSFLIBA
OSFPGMR
OSFSER
OSFX11

DCECDS
DECRTS
DCESEC

OSFXDEVX
OSFXINCLUDE
OSFXLIBA

MQS_CLIENT
MQS_SERVER

MQS_MQJAVA

DTCCMPLR

CXXBASE
CXXLIB
CXXOLD

To ensure that the system meets these requirements, follow these steps:

1. To determine which version of Tru64 UNIX is installed, enter the following command:

   # /usr/sbin/sizer -v
   Compaq Tru64 UNIX V5.1B (Rev. 2650); Mon Nov  3 10:13:28 PST 200
   
   

   In this example, the version shown is V5.1B. If necessary, see your operating system documentation for information about upgrading the operating system.

2. To determine whether Java SDK 1.4.2 is installed, enter the following command:

   # /usr/sbin/setld -i JAVA142 | more
   
   

   If Java SDK 1.4.2 is installed, this command displays the paths to all of the installed files. Note the path of the Java home directory. You must specify this value during the installation. The default path is:

   /usr/opt/java142
   
   

   If this command returns the message Unknown subset, Java SDK 1.4.2 is not installed. Download Java SDK 1.4.2-3 or higher from the following Web site and install it:

   http://www.compaq.com/java/download/index.html
   
   

3. To determine whether the required software subsets are installed, enter one of the following commands:

   • To view the list of all software subsets installed on the system, enter the following command:

     # /usr/sbin/setld -i | more
     
     

   • To determine whether a particular software subset is installed, enter a command similar to the following:

     # /usr/sbin/setld -i | grep subsetname
     
     

   If necessary, install the required software subset. If you require the Compaq C Compiler V6.5-207 (dtk), you can download it from the following Web site:

   http://www.tru64unix.compaq.com/dtk/
   
   

4. If you intend to use Oracle Messaging Gateway and require MQSeries classes for Java and MQSeries classes for Java Message Service (SupportPac MA88), download it from the following Web site:

   http://www.ibm.com/software/integration/support/supportpacs/individual/ma88.html
   

Check for Required Patches

Depending on the products that you intend to install, verify that the following patches are installed on the system. The procedure following the table describes how to check these requirements.

T64V51BB22AS0002-20030415

To determine whether the required patch kits are installed, enter the following command:

# /usr/sbin/dupatch -track -type kit

If this command does not display the identifiers shown in the previous table for the required patch kits (or the identifier for a higher patch kit level), download the latest patch kit from the following Web site and install it (registration is required to access this Web site):

http://itrc.hp.com/service/patch/mainPage.do

If you require a CSD for MQSeries, see the following Web site for download and installation information:

http://www.ibm.com/software/integration/mqfamily/support/summary/dig.html

Creating the Oracle Inventory Group

You must create the Oracle Inventory group if it does not already exist. The following subsections describe how to determine the Oracle Inventory group name, if it exists, and how to create it if necessary.

Determine Whether the Oracle Inventory Group Exists

When you install Oracle software on the system for the first time, the Installer creates the oraInst.loc file. This file identifies the name of the Oracle Inventory group and the path of the Oracle Inventory directory. To determine whether the Oracle Inventory group exists, enter the following command:

• AIX, Linux x86, or Linux Itanium:

  # more /etc/oraInst.loc
  
  

• Other operating systems:

  # more /var/opt/oracle/oraInst.loc
  
  

If the oraInst.loc file exists, the output from this command is similar to the following:

inventory_loc=/u01/app/oracle/oraInventory
inst_group=oinstall

The inst_group parameter shows the name of the Oracle Inventory group (oinstall).

Create the Oracle Inventory Group

If the oraInst.loc file does not exist, create the Oracle Inventory group as follows, depending on your operating system:

• AIX:

  1. Enter the following command:

     # smit security
     
     

  2. Choose the appropriate menu items to create the oinstall group.

  3. Press F10 to exit.

• Other operating systems:

  Enter the following command to create the oinstall group:

  # /usr/sbin/groupadd oinstall
  
  

Creating the OSDBA Group

You must create an OSDBA group in the following circumstances:

• An OSDBA group does not exist, for example, if this is the first installation of Oracle Database software on the system

• An OSDBA group exists, but you want to give a different group of UNIX users database administrative privileges in a new Oracle installation

If the OSDBA group does not exist or if you require a new OSDBA group, create it as follows, depending on your operating system. In the following procedure, use the group name dba unless a group with that name already exists.

• AIX:

  1. Enter the following command:

     # smit security
     
     

  2. Choose the appropriate menu items to create the dba group.

  3. Press F10 to exit.

• Other operating systems:

  Enter the following command to create the dba group:

  # /usr/sbin/groupadd dba
  

Creating an OSOPER Group (Optional)

Create an OSOPER group only if you want to identify a group of UNIX users with a limited set of database administrative privileges (SYSOPER operator privileges). For most installations, it is sufficient to create only the OSDBA group. If you want to use an OSOPER group, you must create it in the following circumstances:

• If an OSOPER group does not exist, for example, if this is the first installation of Oracle Database software on the system

• If an OSOPER group exists, but you want to give a different group of UNIX users database operator privileges in a new Oracle installation

If you require an new OSOPER group, create it as follows, depending on your operating system. In the following procedure, use the group name oper unless a group with that name already exists.

• AIX:

  1. Enter the following command:

     # smit security
     
     

  2. Choose the appropriate menu items to create the oper group.

  3. Press F10 to exit.

• Other operating systems:

  Enter the following command to create the oper group:

  # /usr/sbin/groupadd oper
  
  

Creating the Oracle Software Owner User

You must create an Oracle software owner user in the following circumstances:

• If an Oracle software owner user does not exist, for example, if this is the first installation of Oracle software on the system

• If an Oracle software owner user exists, but you want to use a different UNIX user, with different group membership, to give database administrative privileges to those groups in a new Oracle Database installation

Determine Whether an Existing Oracle Software Owner User Exists

To determine whether an Oracle software owner user named oracle exists, enter one of the following commands:

• Solaris:

  # id -a oracle
  
  

• Other operating systems:

  # id oracle
  
  

If the oracle user exists, the output from this command is similar to the following:

uid=440(oracle) gid=200(oinstall) groups=201(dba),202(oper)

If the user exists, determine whether you want to use the existing user or create a new user. If you want to use the existing user, ensure that the user's primary group is the Oracle Inventory group and that it is a member of the appropriate OSDBA and OSOPER groups. See one of the following sections for more information:

• If you want to use the existing Oracle software owner user, and the user's primary group is the Oracle Inventory group, see one of the following sections:

  • HP-UX Only: Creating an Unprivileged User

  • Verifying that the UNIX User nobody Exists

• To modify an existing user, see the "Modify an Existing Oracle Software Owner User" section.

• To create a new user, see the following section.

Create a New Oracle Software Owner User

If the Oracle software owner user does not exist or if you require a new Oracle software owner user, create it as follows, depending on your operating system. In the following procedure, use the user name oracle unless a user with that name already exists.

• AIX:

  1. Enter the following command:

     # smit security
     
     

  2. Choose the appropriate menu items to create the oracle user, specifying the following information:

     • In the Primary GROUP field, specify the Oracle Inventory group, for example oinstall.

     • In the Group SET field, specify the OSDBA group and if required, the OSOPER group, for example dba or dba,oper.

     
     

     Note: The UID for the oracle user must be less than 65536.

     
     

  3. Press F10 to exit.

  4. Set the password of the oracle user:

     # passwd oracle
     
     

• Other operating systems:

  1. To create the oracle user, enter a command similar to the following:

     # /usr/sbin/useradd -g oinstall -G dba[,oper] oracle
     
     

     In this command:

     • The -g option specifies the primary group, which must be the Oracle Inventory group, for example oinstall

     • The -G option specifies the secondary groups, which must include the OSDBA group and if required, the OSOPER group, for example dba or dba,oper

  2. Set the password of the oracle user:

     # passwd oracle
     
     

See one of the following sections to continue:

• HP-UX Only: Creating an Unprivileged User

• Verifying that the UNIX User nobody Exists

Modify an Existing Oracle Software Owner User

If the oracle user exists, but its primary group is not oinstall or it is not a member of the appropriate OSDBA or OSOPER groups, you can modify it as follows depending on your operating system:

• AIX:

  1. Enter the following command:

     # smit security
     
     

  2. Choose the appropriate menu items to modify the oracle user.

  3. In the Primary GROUP field, specify the Oracle Inventory group, for example oinstall.

  4. In the Group SET field, specify the required secondary groups, for example dba and oper.

  5. Press F10 to exit.

• Other operating systems:

  Enter a command similar to the following, specifying the primary group using the -g option and any required secondary groups using the -G option:

  # /usr/sbin/usermod -g oinstall -G dba[,oper] oracle
  
  

HP-UX Only: Creating an Unprivileged User

You must create a new unprivileged local user to own the extjob executable. You can use any user name for this user, but this document uses the name extjob. To create the extjob user, enter the following command:

# /usr/sbin/useradd extjob

To continue, see the "HP-UX Only: Grant Privileges to the OSDBA Group" section.

Verifying that the UNIX User nobody Exists

Before installing the software, verify that the UNIX user nobody exists on the system:

1. To determine whether the user exists, enter the following command:

   # id nobody
   
   

   If this command displays information about the nobody user, you do not have to create that user.

2. If the nobody user does not exist, enter one of the following commands to create it:

   • AIX:

     # smit security
     
     

     Specify the appropriate options to create an unprivileged nobody user, then press F10 to exit.

   • Other operating systems:

     # /usr/sbin/useradd nobody
     
     

HP-UX Only: Grant Privileges to the OSDBA Group

To enhance the performance of the software on HP-UX systems, you must grant several system privileges to the OSDBA group. Complete the following steps if you are installing the software on HP-UX:

1. Using any text editor, open the /etc/privgroup file, or create it if necessary.

2. Add or edit the following line, which begins with the name of the OSDBA group, specifying the privileges MLOCK, RTPRIO, and RTSCHED, that you want to grant to this group every time the system reboots:

   dba MLOCK RTPRIO RTSCHED
   
   

3. Save the file and exit from the text editor.

4. Enter the following command to grant the privileges to the OSDBA group:

   # /usr/sbin/setprivgrp -f /etc/privgroup
   
   

5. Enter the following command to verify that the privileges are set correctly:

   # /usr/bin/getprivgrp dba
   
   

Configuring Shell Limits and System Configuration Parameters on AIX

Oracle recommends that you set shell limits and system configuration parameters as described in this section.

Configure Shell Limits

Verify that the shell limits shown in the following table are set to the values shown. The procedure following the table describes how to verify and set the values.

To view the current value specified for these shell limits, and to change them if necessary, follow these steps:

1. Enter the following command:

   # smit chuser
   
   

2. In the User NAME field, enter the user name of the Oracle software owner, for example oracle.

3. Scroll down the list and verify that the value shown for the soft limits listed in the previous table is -1.

   If necessary, edit the existing value.

4. When you have finished making changes, press F10 to exit.

Configure System Configuration Parameters

Verify that the maximum number of processes allowed per user is set to 2048 or greater:

1. Enter the following command:

   # smit chgsys
   
   

2. Verify that the value shown for Maximum number of PROCESSES allowed per user is greater than or equal to 2048.

   If necessary, edit the existing value.

3. When you have finished making changes, press F10 to exit.

4. To continue completing pre-installation tasks, go to the "Identify Required Software Directories" section.

Configuring Kernel Parameters on HP-UX

Verify that the kernel parameters shown in the following table are set either to the formula shown, or to values greater than or equal to the recommended value shown. The procedure following the table describes how to verify and set the values.

To view the current value or formula specified for these kernel parameters, and to change them if necessary, follow these steps:

1. Follow these steps, depending on your platform:

   PA-RISC:

   1. Optionally, set the DISPLAY environment variable to specify the display of the local system:

      • Bourne, Bash, or Korn shell:

        # DISPLAY=local_host:0.0 ; export DISPLAY
        
        

      • C shell:

        # setenv DISPLAY local_host:0.0
        
        

   2. Start System Administration Manager (SAM):

      # /usr/sbin/sam
      
      

   3. Choose the Kernel Configuration area, then choose the Configurable Parameters area.

   4. Check the value or formula specified for each of these parameters and, if necessary, modify that value or formula.

      If necessary, see the SAM online help for more information about completing this step.

      
      

      Note: If you modify the value of a parameter that is not dynamic, you must reboot the system.

      
      

   Itanium:

   1. Enter the following command to start the kcweb application:

      # /usr/sbin/kcweb -F
      
      

   2. Check the value or formula specified for each of these parameters and, if necessary, modify that value or formula.

      If necessary, see the kcweb online help for more information about completing this step.

      
      

      Note: If you modify the value of a parameter that is not dynamic, you must reboot the system.

      
      

2. If necessary, when the system restarts, log in and switch user to root.

3. To continue completing pre-installation tasks, go to the "Identify Required Software Directories" section.

Configuring Kernel Parameters on Linux

Verify that the kernel parameters shown in the following table are set to values greater than or equal to the recommended value shown. The procedure following the table describes how to verify and set the values.

To view the current value specified for these kernel parameters, and to change them if necessary, follow these steps:

1. Enter the commands shown in the following table to view the current values of the kernel parameters:

   
   

   Note: Make a note of the current values and identify any values that you must change.

   
   

   Parameter	Command
   semmsl, semmns, semopm, and semmni	# /sbin/sysctl -a | grep sem This command displays the value of the semaphore parameters in the order listed.
   shmall, shmmax, and shmmni	# /sbin/sysctl -a | grep shm
   file-max	# /sbin/sysctl -a | grep file-max
   ip_local_port_range	# /sbin/sysctl -a | grep ip_local_port_range This command displays a range of port numbers.

   
   

2. If the value of any kernel parameter is different to the recommended value, complete the following steps:

   1. Using any text editor, create or edit the /etc/sysctl.conf file and add or edit lines similar to the following:

      
      

      Note: Include lines only for the kernel parameter values that you want to change. For the semaphore parameters (kernel.sem), you must specify all four values. However, if any of the current values are larger than the recommended value, specify the larger value.

      
      

      kernel.shmall = 2097152
      kernel.shmmax = 2147483648
      kernel.shmmni = 4096
      kernel.sem = 250 32000 100 128
      fs.file-max = 65536
      net.ipv4.ip_local_port_range = 1024 65000
      
      

      By specifying the values in the /etc/sysctl.conf file, they persist when you reboot the system.

   2. Enter the following command to change the current values of the kernel parameters:

      # /sbin/sysctl -p
      
      

      Review the output from this command to verify that the values are correct. If the values are incorrect, edit the /etc/sysctl.conf file, then enter this command again.

   3. On SUSE systems only, enter the following command to cause the system to read the /etc/sysctl.conf file when it reboots:

      # /sbin/chkconfig boot.sysctl on
      
      

Set Shell Limits for the oracle User

To improve the performance of the software on Linux systems, you must increase the following shell limits for the oracle user:

To increase the shell limits:

1. Add the following lines to /etc/security/limits.conf file:

   oracle              soft    nproc   2047
   oracle              hard    nproc   16384
   oracle              soft    nofile  1024
   oracle              hard    nofile  65536
   
   

2. Add or edit the following line in the /etc/pam.d/login file, if it does not already exist:

   session    required     /lib/security/pam_limits.so
   
   

3. Depending on the oracle user's default shell, make the following changes to the default shell start-up file:

   • For the Bourne, Bash, or Korn shell, add the following lines to the /etc/profile file (or the /etc/profile.local file on SUSE systems):

     if [ $USER = "oracle" ]; then
             if [ $SHELL = "/bin/ksh" ]; then
                   ulimit -p 16384
                   ulimit -n 65536
             else
                   ulimit -u 16384 -n 65536
             fi
     fi
     
     

   • For the C shell (csh or tcsh), add the following lines to the /etc/csh.login file (or the /etc/csh.login.local file on SUSE systems):

     if ( $USER == "oracle" ) then
             limit maxproc 16384
             limit descriptors 65536
     endif
     
     

4. To continue completing pre-installation tasks, go to the "Identify Required Software Directories" section.

Configuring Kernel Parameters on Solaris

Verify that the kernel parameters shown in the following table are set to values greater than or equal to the recommended value shown. The procedure following the table describes how to verify and set the values.

To view the current value specified for these kernel parameters, and to change them if necessary, follow these steps:

1. To view the current values of these parameters, enter the following commands:

   # grep noexec_user_stack /etc/system
   # /usr/sbin/sysdef | grep SEM
   # /usr/sbin/sysdef | grep SHM
   
   

2. If you must change any of the current values, follow these steps:

   1. Create a backup copy of the /etc/system file, for example:

      # cp /etc/system /etc/system.orig
      
      

   2. Open the /etc/system file in any text editor and, if necessary, add lines similar to the following (edit the lines if the file already contains them):

      set noexec_user_stack=1
      set semsys:seminfo_semmni=100
      set semsys:seminfo_semmns=1024
      set semsys:seminfo_semmsl=256
      set semsys:seminfo_semvmx=32767
      set shmsys:shminfo_shmmax=4294967295
      set shmsys:shminfo_shmmin=1
      set shmsys:shminfo_shmmni=100
      set shmsys:shminfo_shmseg=10
      
      

   3. Enter the following command to reboot the system:

      # /usr/sbin/reboot
      
      

   4. When the system restarts, log in and switch user to root.

3. To continue completing pre-installation tasks, go to the "Identify Required Software Directories" section.

Configuring Kernel Subsystem Attributes on Tru64 UNIX

Verify that the kernel subsystem attributes shown in the following table are set to values greater than or equal to the recommended value shown. The procedure following the table describes how to verify and set the values.

To view the current value specified for these kernel subsystem attributes, and to change them if necessary, follow these steps:

1. To view the current values of the subsystem attributes, enter commands similar to the following:

   # /sbin/sysconfig -q subsystem
   
   

   For example, to view attribute values for the ipc subsystem, enter the following command:

   # /sbin/sysconfig -q ipc
   
   

2. If you must change any of the current values, follow these steps:

   1. Create a backup copy of the /etc/sysconfigtab file, for example:

      # cp /etc/sysconfigtab /etc/sysconfigtab.orig
      
      

   2. Using any text editor, create a file similar to the following, specifying the subsystems and attributes that you want to modify:

      ipc:
           shm_max = 4278190080
           shm_min = 1
           shm_mni = 256
           shm_seg = 128
      
      proc:
           exec_disable_arg_limit = 1
           per_proc_stack_size = 8388608
           max_per_proc_stack_size = 33554432
           per_proc_data_size = 335544320
           max_per_proc_data_size = 335544320
           max_per_proc_address_space = 4294967296
           per_proc_address_space = 4294967296
      
      

   3. Enter a command similar to the following to add the subsystem attributes to the /etc/sysconfigtab file:

      # /sbin/sysconfigdb -m -f filename
      
      

      In this example, filename is the name of the file you created in step b.

   4. Enter the following command to reboot the system:

      # /sbin/shutdown -r now
      
      

   5. When the system restarts, log in and switch user to root.

Identifying Storage Requirements for ASM

To identify the storage requirements for using ASM, you must determine how many devices and the amount of free disk space that you require. To complete this task, follow these steps:

1. Determine whether you want to use ASM for Oracle database files, recovery files, or both.

   
   

   Note: You do not have to use the same storage mechanism for database files and recovery files. You can use the file system for one file type and ASM for the other.

   
   

   If you enable automated backups during the installation, you can choose ASM as the storage mechanism for recovery files by specifying an ASM disk group for the flash recovery area. Depending on how you choose to create a database during the installation, you have the following options:

   • If you select an installation method that runs DBCA in interactive mode, by choosing the Advanced database configuration option for example, you can decide whether you want to use the same ASM disk group for database files and recovery files, or you can choose to use different disk groups for each file type.

     The same choice is available to you if you use DBCA after the installation to create a database.

   • If you select an installation method that runs DBCA in non-interactive mode, you must use the same ASM disk group for database files and recovery files.

2. Choose the ASM redundancy level that you want to use for the ASM disk group.

   The redundancy level that you choose for the ASM disk group determines how ASM mirrors files in the disk group and determines the number of disks and amount of disk space that you require, as follows:

   • External redundancy

     An external redundancy disk group requires a minimum of one disk device. The effective disk space in an external redundancy disk group is the sum of the disk space in all of its devices.

     Because ASM does not mirror data in an external redundancy disk group, Oracle recommends that you use only RAID or similar devices that provide their own data protection mechanisms as disk devices in this type of disk group.

   • Normal redundancy

     In a normal redundancy disk group, ASM uses two-way mirroring by default, to increase performance and reliability. A normal redundancy disk group requires a minimum of two disk devices (or two failure groups). The effective disk space in a normal redundancy disk group is half the sum of the disk space in all of its devices.

     For most installations, Oracle recommends that you use normal redundancy disk groups.

   • High redundancy

     In a high redundancy disk group, ASM uses three-way mirroring to increase performance and provide the highest level of reliability. A high redundancy disk group requires a minimum of three disk devices (or three failure groups). The effective disk space in a high redundancy disk group is one-third the sum of the disk space in all of its devices.

     While high redundancy disk groups do provide a high level of data protection, you must consider the higher cost of additional storage devices before deciding to use this redundancy level.

3. Determine the total amount of disk space that you require for the database files and recovery files.

   Use the following table to determine the minimum number of disks and the minimum disk space requirements for the installation:

   Redundancy Level	Minimum Number of Disks	Database Files	Recovery Files	Both File Types
   External	1	1.15 GB	2.3 GB	3.45 GB
   Normal	2	2.3 GB	4.6 GB	6.9 GB
   High	3	3.45 GB	6.9 GB	10.35 GB

   
   

   If an ASM instance is already running on the system, you can use an existing disk group to meet these storage requirements. If necessary, you can add disks to an existing disk group during the installation.

   The following section describes how to identify existing disk groups and determine the free disk space that they contain.

4. Optionally identify failure groups for the ASM disk group devices.

   
   

   Note: You need to complete this step only if you intend to use an installation method that runs DBCA in interactive mode, for example, if you intend to choose the Custom installation type or the Advanced database configuration option. Other installation types do not enable you to specify failure groups.

   
   

   If you intend to use a normal or high redundancy disk group, you can further protect your database against hardware failure by associating a set of disk devices in a custom failure group. By default, each device comprises its own failure group. However, if two disk devices in a normal redundancy disk group are attached to the same SCSI controller, the disk group becomes unavailable if the controller fails. The controller in this example is a single point of failure.

   To protect against failures of this type, you could use two SCSI controllers, each with two disks, and define a failure group for the disks attached to each controller. This configuration would enable the disk group to tolerate the failure of one SCSI controller.

   
   

   Note: If you define custom failure groups, you must specify a minimum of two failure groups for normal redundancy disk groups and three failure groups for high redundancy disk groups.

   
   

5. If you are sure that a suitable disk group does not exist on the system, install or identify appropriate disk devices to add to a new disk group. Use the following guidelines when identifying appropriate disk devices:

   • All of the devices in an ASM disk group should be the same size and have the same performance characteristics.

   • Do not specify more than one partition on a single physical disk as a disk group device. ASM expects each disk group device to be on a separate physical disk.

   • Although you can specify a logical volume as a device in an ASM disk group, Oracle does not recommend their use. Logical volume managers can hide the physical disk architecture, preventing ASM from optimizing I/O across the physical devices.

   For information about completing this task, see the "Configuring Disks for ASM" section.

Using an Existing ASM Disk Group

If you want to store either database or recovery files in an existing ASM disk group, you have the following choices, depending on the installation method that you select:

• If you select an installation method that runs DBCA in interactive mode, by choosing the Advanced database configuration option for example, you can decide whether you want to create a new disk group or use an existing one.

  The same choice is available to you if you use DBCA after the installation to create a database.

• If you select an installation method that runs DBCA in non-interactive mode, you must choose an existing disk group for the new database; you cannot create a new disk group. However, you can add disk devices to an existing disk group if it has insufficient free space for your requirements.

To determine whether an existing ASM disk group exists, or to determine whether there is sufficient disk space in a disk group, you can use Oracle Enterprise Manager Grid Control or Database Control. Alternatively, you can use the following procedure:

1. View the contents of the oratab file to determine whether an ASM instance is configured on the system:

   • Solaris:

     # more /var/opt/oracle/oratab
     
     

   • Other operating systems:

     # more /etc/oratab
     
     

   If an ASM instance is configured on the system, the oratab file should contain a line similar to the following:

   +ASM:oracle_home_path:N
   
   

   In this example, +ASM is the system identifier (SID) of the ASM instance and oracle_home_path is the Oracle home directory where it is installed. By convention, the SID for an ASM instance begins with a plus sign.

2. Set the ORACLE_SID and ORACLE_HOME environment variables to specify the appropriate values for the ASM instance that you want to use.

3. Connect to the ASM instance as the SYS user with SYSDBA privilege and start the instance if necessary:

   # $ORACLE_HOME/bin/sqlplus "SYS/SYS_password as SYSDBA"
   SQL> STARTUP
   
   

4. Enter the following command to view the existing disk groups, their redundancy level, and the amount of free disk space in each one:

   SQL> SELECT NAME,TYPE,TOTAL_MB,FREE_MB FROM V$ASM_DISKGROUP;
   
   

5. From the output, identify a disk group with the appropriate redundancy level and note the free space that it contains.

6. If necessary, install or identify the additional disk devices required to meet the storage requirements listed in the previous section.

   
   

   Note: If you are adding devices to an existing disk group, Oracle recommends that you use devices that have the same size and performance characteristics as the existing devices in that disk group.

   
   

Configuring Disks for ASM

The following sections describe how to configure the disks that you want to use in an ASM disk group. It includes information about the following:

• Configuring Disks for ASM on AIX

• Configuring Disks for ASM on HP-UX

• Configuring Disks for ASM on Linux

• Configuring Disks for ASM on Solaris

• Configuring Disks for ASM on Tru64 UNIX

Configuring Disks for ASM on AIX

To configure disks for use with ASM on AIX, follow these steps:

1. If necessary, install the disks that you intend to use for the ASM disk group and reboot the system.

2. To make sure that the disks are available, enter the following command:

   # /usr/sbin/lsdev -Cc disk
   
   

   The output from this command is similar to the following:

   hdisk0 Available 1A-09-00-8,0  16 Bit LVD SCSI Disk Drive
   hdisk1 Available 1A-09-00-9,0  16 Bit LVD SCSI Disk Drive
   hdisk2 Available 17-08-L       SSA Logical Disk Drive
   
   

3. If a disk is not listed as available, enter the following command to configure the new disks:

   # /usr/sbin/cfgmgr
   
   

4. Enter the following command to identify the device names for the physical disks that you want to use:

   # /usr/sbin/lspv | grep -i none
   
   

   This command displays information similar to the following for each disk that is not configured in a volume group:

   hdisk2     0000078752249812   None
   
   

   In this example, hdisk2 is the device name of the disk and 0000078752249812 is the physical volume ID (PVID). The disks that you want to use might have a PVID, but they must not belong to a volume group.

5. Enter commands similar to the following to clear the PVID from each disk device that you want to use:

   # /usr/sbin/chdev -l hdiskn -a pv=clear
   
   

6. Enter commands similar to the following to change the owner, group, and permissions on the character raw device file for each disk that you want to add to the disk group:

   # chown oracle:dba /dev/rhdiskn
   # chmod 660 /dev/rhdiskn
   

   
   

   Note: If you are using a multi-pathing disk driver with ASM, make sure that you set the permissions only on the correct logical device name for the disk.

   
   

7. If you also want to use raw devices for storage, see the "Configure Raw Devices" section.

   Otherwise, see the "Stop Existing Oracle Processes" section.

Configuring Disks for ASM on HP-UX

To configure disks for use with ASM on HP-UX, follow these steps:

1. If necessary, install the disks that you intend to use for the ASM disk group.

2. To make sure that the disks are available, enter the following command:

   # /usr/sbin/ioscan -fun -C disk
   
   

   The output from this command is similar to the following:

   Class  I  H/W Path    Driver S/W State   H/W Type     Description
   ==========================================================================
   disk    0  0/0/1/0.6.0 sdisk  CLAIMED     DEVICE       HP   DVD-ROM 6x/32x
                          /dev/dsk/c0t6d0   /dev/rdsk/c0t6d0
   disk    1  0/0/1/1.2.0 sdisk  CLAIMED     DEVICE      SEAGATE ST39103LC
                          /dev/dsk/c1t2d0   /dev/rdsk/c1t2d0
   
   

   This command displays information about each disk attached to the system, including the block device name (/dev/dsk/cxtydz) and the character raw device name (/dev/rdsk/cxtydz).

3. If the ioscan command does not display device name information for a device that you want to use, enter the following command to install the special device files for any new devices:

   # /usr/sbin/insf -e
   
   

4. For each disk that you want to add to a disk group, enter the following command to verify that it is not already part of an LVM volume group:

   # /sbin/pvdisplay /dev/dsk/cxtydz
   
   

   If this command displays volume group information, the disk is already part of a volume group. The disks that you choose must not be part of an LVM volume group.

   
   

   Note: If you are using different volume management software, for example VERITAS Volume Manager, see the appropriate documentation for information about verifying that a disk is not in use.

   
   

5. Enter commands similar to the following to change the owner, group, and permissions on the character raw device file for each disk that you want to add to a disk group:

   # chown oracle:dba /dev/rdsk/cxtydz
   # chmod 660 /dev/rdsk/cxtydz
   

   
   

   Note: If you are using a multi-pathing disk driver with ASM, make sure that you set the permissions only on the correct logical device name for the disk.

   
   

6. If you also want to use raw devices for storage, see the "Configure Raw Devices" section.

   Otherwise, see the "Stop Existing Oracle Processes" section.

Configuring Disks for ASM on Linux

On Linux systems, Oracle provides an ASM library driver that you can use to simplify the configuration and management of the disk devices that you want to use with ASM. If you intend to use ASM for database storage on Linux, Oracle recommends that you install the ASM library driver and associated utilities and use them to configure the devices that you want to include in an ASM disk group. If you do not use the ASM library driver, you must bind each disk device that you want to use to a raw device. The following sections describe how to configure disks using each method:

• Configuring Disks for ASM Using the ASM Library Driver

• Configuring Disks for ASM Using Raw Devices

configure

# /etc/init.d/oracleasm configure

enable
disable

# /etc/init.d/oracleasm enable

start
stop
restart

# /etc/init.d/oracleasm restart

createdisk

# /etc/init.d/oracleasm createdisk DISKNAME devicename

deletedisk

# /etc/init.d/oracleasm deletedisk DISKNAME

querydisk

# /etc/init.d/oracleasm querydisk {DISKNAME | devicename}

listdisks

# /etc/init.d/oracleasm listsdisks

scandisks

# /etc/init.d/oracleasm scandisks

Configuring Disks for ASM on Solaris

To configure disks for use with ASM on Solaris, follow these steps:

1. If necessary, install the disks that you intend to use for the disk group and reboot the system.

2. On SPARC systems only, enter the following commands to identify devices that are part of a logical volume manager (LVM) disk group:

   
   

   Note: The following command displays information about VERITAS Volume Manager disks. If you use a different LVM, see the appropriate documentation for information about determining which disk devices it is managing.

   
   

   # vxdiskconfig
   # /usr/sbin/vxdisk list
   
   

   If this command displays disk group information associated with a disk device, the disk is already part of an LVM disk group. Do not use disks that are part of an LVM disk group.

3. To create or identify the disk slices (partitions) that you want to include in the ASM disk group, follow these steps:

   1. To list the disks attached to the system, enter the following command:

      # /usr/sbin/format
      
      

      The output from this command is similar to the following:

      AVAILABLE DISK SELECTIONS:
             0. c0t0d0 <ST34321A cyl 8892 alt 2 hd 15 sec 63>
                /pci@1f,0/pci@1,1/ide@3/dad@0,0
             1. c1t5d0 <SUN9.0G cyl 4924 alt 2 hd 27 sec 133>
                /pci@1f,0/pci@1/scsi@1/sd@5,0
      
      

      This command displays information about each disk attached to the system, including the device name (cxtydz).

   2. Enter the number corresponding to the disk that you want to use.

   3. On x86 systems only, use the fdisk command to create a Solaris partition on the disk if one does not already exist.

      Solaris fdisk partitions must start at cylinder 1, not cylinder 0. If you create a new fdisk partition, you must label the disk before continuing.

   4. Enter the partition command, followed by the print command to display the partition table for the disk that you want to use.

   5. If necessary, create a single whole-disk slice, starting at cylinder 1.

      
      

      Note: To prevent ASM from overwriting the partition table, you cannot use slices that start at cylinder 0 (for example, slice 2).

      
      

   6. Make a note of the number of the slice that you want to use.

   7. If you modified a partition table or created a new one, enter the label command to write the partition table and label to the disk.

   8. Enter q to return to the format menu.

   9. If you have finished creating slices, enter q to quit from the format utility. Otherwise, enter the disk command to select a new disk and repeat steps b to g to create or identify the slices on that disks.

4. If you plan to use existing slices, enter the following command to verify that they are not mounted as file systems:

   # df -k
   
   

   This command displays information about the slices on disk devices that are mounted as file systems. The device name for a slice includes the disk device name followed by the slice number, for example cxtydzsn, where sn is the slice number.

5. Enter commands similar to the following to change the owner, group, and permissions on the character raw device file for each disk slice that you want to add to a disk group:

   # chown oracle:dba /dev/rdsk/cxtydzs6
   # chmod 660 /dev/rdsk/cxtydzs6
   
   

   In this example, the device name specifies slice 6.

   
   

   Note: If you are using a multi-pathing disk driver with ASM, make sure that you set the permissions only on the correct logical device name for the disk.

   
   

6. If you also want to use raw devices for storage, see the "Configure Raw Devices" section.

   Otherwise, see the "Stop Existing Oracle Processes" section.

Configuring Disks for ASM on Tru64 UNIX

To configure disks for use with ASM on Tru64 UNIX, follow these steps:

1. If necessary, install the disks that you intend to use for the disk group and reboot the system.

2. To make sure that the disks are available, enter the following command:

   # file /dev/rdisk/dsk*c
   
   

   The output from this command is similar to the following:

   /dev/rdisk/dsk0c:       character special (19/38) SCSI #1 "RZ1CB-CA" disk #2
              (SCSI ID #1) (SCSI LUN #0)
   /dev/rdisk/dsk10c:   character special (19/218) SCSI #2 "RZ1DB-CS" disk #4
              (SCSI ID #2) (SCSI LUN #0)
   /dev/rdisk/dsk11c:   character special (19/234) SCSI #2 "RZ1DB-CS" disk #5
              (SCSI ID #3) (SCSI LUN #0)
   /dev/rdisk/dsk12c:   character special (19/250) SCSI #2 "RZ1DB-CS" disk #6
              (SCSI ID #4) (SCSI LUN #0)
   
   

   This command displays information about each disk attached to the system, including the raw character device name for partition c, which represents the entire disk (/dev/rdisk/dsknc).

3. From the list, identify the device names for the disk devices that you want to add to a disk group.

4. To determine whether the disk is unused, enter a command similar to the following:

   # /sbin/disklabel dskn
   
   

   This command displays information about the partitions on the disk, and identifies whether they are in use.

5. Enter the following command to verify that the device you identified is not used in an AdvFS domain:

   # ls /etc/fdmns/*/*
   
   

   This command displays information about the devices included in AdvFS domains in the following format, identifying the domains and the disks associated with each domain:

   /etc/fdmns/domain_name/dsknp
   
   

   In this example, domain_name is the name of the domain, n is the disk number, and p is the partition letter.

6. Enter the following command to verify that the device is not mounted as a UFS file system:

   # /sbin/mount
   
   

   The device that you want to add to the ASM disk group must not be listed in the output.

7. Enter the following command to verify that the device you identified is not already part of a Tru64 UNIX Logical Storage Manager (LSM) disk group:

   # /sbin/voldisk list
   
   

   Disks listed without DISK and GROUP names, and with a status of unknown are not LSM disks.

8. Enter commands similar to the following to change the owner, group, and permissions on the character raw device file for each disk that you want to add to a disk group:

   # chown oracle:dba /dev/rdisk/rdsknc
   # chmod 660 /dev/rdisk/rdsknc
   
   

   In this example, the device name specifies partition c, which represents the entire disk.

   
   

   Note: If you are using a multi-pathing disk driver with ASM, make sure that you set the permissions only on the correct logical device name for the disk.

   
   

9. To continue, see the "Stop Existing Oracle Processes" section.

Configuring Raw Logical Volumes on AIX

The following subsections describe how to configure or raw logical volumes on AIX.

Create a Volume Group

To create a volume group for the Oracle database files, follow these steps:

1. If necessary, install the disks that you intend to use.

2. To make sure that the disks are available, enter the following command:

   # /usr/sbin/lsdev -Cc disk
   
   

   The output from this command is similar to the following:

   hdisk0 Available 1A-09-00-8,0  16 Bit LVD SCSI Disk Drive
   hdisk1 Available 1A-09-00-9,0  16 Bit LVD SCSI Disk Drive
   hdisk2 Available 17-08-L       SSA Logical Disk Drive
   
   

3. If a disk is not listed as available, enter the following command to configure the new disks:

   # /usr/sbin/cfgmgr
   
   

4. Enter the following command to identify the device names and any associated volume group for each disk:

   # /usr/sbin/lspv
   
   

   The output from this command is similar to the following:

   hdisk0     0000078752249812   rootvg
   hdisk1     none               none
   hdisk4     00034b6fd4ac1d71   ccvg1
   
   

   For each disk, this command shows:

   • The disk device name

   • Either the 16 character physical volume identifier (PVID) if the disk has one, or none

   • Either the volume group to which the disk belongs, or none

   The disks that you want to use might have a PVID, but they must not belong to existing volume groups.

5. If a disk that you want to use for the volume group does not have a PVID, enter a command similar to the following to assign one to it:

   # /usr/sbin/chdev -l hdiskn -a pv=yes
   
   

6. To identify used device major numbers, enter the following command:

   # ls -la /dev | more
   
   

   This command displays information about all configured devices, similar to the following:

   crw-rw----   1 root     system    45,  0 Jul 19 11:56 vg1
   
   

   In this example, 45 is the major number of the vg1 volume group device.

7. Identify an appropriate major number that is unused.

8. To create a volume group, enter a command similar to the following, or use SMIT (smit mkvg):

   # /usr/sbin/mkvg -y VGname -B -s PPsize -V majornum \
   -C PhysicalVolumes
   
   

   The following table describes the options and variables used in this example. See the mkvg man page for more information about these options.

   Command Option	SMIT Field	Sample Value and Description
   -y VGname	VOLUME GROUP name	oracle_vg1 Specify the name for the volume group. The name that you specify could be a generic name, as shown, or it could specify the name of the database that you intend to create.
   -B	Create a big VG format Volume Group	Specify this option to create a big VG format volume group. Note: If you are using SMIT, choose yes for this field.
   -s PPsize	Physical partition SIZE in megabytes	32 Specify the size of the physical partitions for the database. The sample value shown allows you to include a disk up to 32 GB in size (32 MB * 1016).
   -V Majornum	Volume Group MAJOR NUMBER	46 Specify the device major number for the volume group that you identified in Step 7.
   -C	Create VG Concurrent Capable	Specify this option to create a concurrent capable volume group. Note: If you are using SMIT, choose yes for this field.
   PhysicalVolumes	PHYSICAL VOLUME names	hdisk3 hdisk4 Specify the device names of the disks that you want to add to the volume group.

   
   

Create Raw Logical Volumes in the New Volume Group

To create the required raw logical volumes in the new volume group, follow these steps:

1. Choose a name for the database that you want to create.

   The name that you choose must start with a letter and have no more than four characters, for example, orcl.

2. Identify the logical volumes that you must create.

   Table 2-5 lists the number and size of the logical volumes that you must create for database files.

   Table 2-5 Raw Logical Volumes Required for Database Files on AIX

   Number	Size (MB)	Purpose and Sample Logical Volume Name
   1	500	SYSTEM tablespace: dbname_system_raw_500m
   1	500	SYSAUX tablespace: dbname_sysaux_raw_500m
   1	500	UNDOTBS1 tablespace: dbname_undotbs1_raw_500m
   1	250	TEMP tablespace: dbname_temp_raw_250m
   1	160	EXAMPLE tablespace: dbname_example_raw_160m
   1	120	USERS tablespace: dbname_users_raw_120m
   2	120	Two online redo log files (where m is the log number, 1 or 2): dbname_redo1_m_raw_120m
   2	110	First and second control files: dbname_control{1|2}_raw_110m
   1	5	Server parameter file (SPFILE): dbname_spfile_raw_5m
   1	5	Password file: dbname_pwdfile_raw_5m

   
   

3. To create each required logical volume, enter a command similar to the following (or use smit mklv):

   # /usr/sbin/mklv -y LVname -T O -w n -s n -r n VGname NumPPs
   
   

   In this example:

   • LVname is the name of the logical volume that you want to create

   • The -T O option specifies that the device subtype should be z, which causes Oracle to use a zero offset when accessing this raw logical volume

   • VGname is the name of the volume group where you want to create the logical volume

   • NumPPs is the number of physical partitions to use

     To determine the value to use for NumPPs, divide the required size of the logical volume by the size of the physical partition and round the value up to an integer. For example, if the size of the physical partition is 32 MB and you want to create a 500 MB logical volume, you should specify 16 for the NumPPs (500/32 = 15.625).

   The following example shows the command used to create a logical volume for the SYSAUX tablespace of the test database in the oracle_vg1 volume group with a physical partition size of 32 MB:

   # /usr/sbin/mklv -y test_sysaux_raw_500m -T O -w n -s n -r n oracle_vg1 16
   
   

4. Change the owner, group, and permissions on the character device files associated with the logical volumes that you created, as follows:

   # chown oracle:dba /dev/rdbname*
   # chmod 660 /dev/rdbname*
   
   

Create the DBCA Raw Device Mapping File

To allow Database Configuration Assistant (DBCA) to identify the appropriate raw device for each database file, you must create a raw device mapping file, as follows:

1. Set the ORACLE_BASE environment variable to specify the Oracle base directory that you identified or created previously:

   • Bourne, Bash, or Korn shell:

     $ ORACLE_BASE=/u01/app/oracle ; export ORACLE_BASE
     
     

   • C shell:

     % setenv ORACLE_BASE /u01/app/oracle
     
     

2. Create a database file subdirectory under the Oracle base directory and set the appropriate owner, group, and permissions on it:

   # mkdir -p $ORACLE_BASE/oradata/dbname
   # chown -R oracle:oinstall $ORACLE_BASE/oradata
   # chmod -R 775 $ORACLE_BASE/oradata
   
   

   In this example, dbname is the name of the database that you chose previously.

3. Change directory to the $ORACLE_BASE/oradata/dbname directory.

4. Enter the following command to create a text file that you can use to create the raw device mapping file:

   # find /dev -user oracle -name 'r*' -print > dbname_raw.conf
   
   

5. Edit the dbname_raw.conf file in any text editor to create a file similar to the following:

   system=/dev/rdbname_system_raw_500m
   sysaux=/dev/rdbname_sysaux_raw_500m
   example=/dev/rdbname_example_raw_160m
   users=/dev/rdbname_users_raw_120m
   temp=/dev/rdbname_temp_raw_250m
   undotbs1=/dev/rdbname_undotbs1_raw_500m
   redo1_1=/dev/rdbname_redo1_1_raw_120m
   redo1_2=/dev/rdbname_redo1_2_raw_120m
   control1=/dev/rdbname_control1_raw_110m
   control2=/dev/rdbname_control2_raw_110m
   spfile=/dev/rdbname_spfile_raw_5m
   pwdfile=/dev/rdbname_pwdfile_raw_5m
   
   

   In this example, dbname is the name of the database.

   Use the following guidelines when creating or editing this file:

   • Each line in the file must have the following format:

     database_object_identifier=logical_volume
     
     

     The logical volume names suggested in this manual include the database object identifier that you must use in this mapping file. For example, in the following logical volume name, redo1_1 is the database object identifier:

     /dev/rrac_redo1_1_raw_120m
     
     

   • For a single-instance database, the file must specify one automatic undo tablespace datafile (undotbs1), and at least two redo log files (redo1_1, redo1_2).

   • Specify at least two control files (control1, control2).

   • To use manual instead of automatic undo management, specify a single RBS tablespace datafile (rbs) instead of the automatic undo management tablespace datafile.

6. Save the file and note the file name that you specified.

7. When you are configuring the oracle user's environment later in this chapter, set the DBCA_RAW_CONFIG environment variable to specify the full path to this file.

8. To continue, see the "Stop Existing Oracle Processes" section.

Configuring Raw Logical Volumes on HP-UX

The following subsections describe how to configure raw logical volumes on HP-UX.

Create a Volume Group

To create a volume group, follow these steps:

1. If necessary, install the disks that you intend to use for the database.

2. To make sure that the disks are available, enter the following command:

   # /sbin/ioscan -fun -C disk
   
   

   The output from this command is similar to the following:

   Class  I  H/W Path    Driver S/W State   H/W Type     Description
   ==========================================================================
   disk    0  0/0/1/0.6.0 sdisk  CLAIMED     DEVICE       HP   DVD-ROM 6x/32x
                          /dev/dsk/c0t6d0   /dev/rdsk/c0t6d0
   disk    1  0/0/1/1.2.0 sdisk  CLAIMED     DEVICE      SEAGATE ST39103LC
                          /dev/dsk/c1t2d0   /dev/rdsk/c1t2d0
   disk    2  0/0/2/0.2.0 sdisk  CLAIMED     DEVICE       SEAGATE ST118202LC
                          /dev/dsk/c2t2d0   /dev/rdsk/c2t2d0
   
   

   This command displays information about each disk attached to the system, including the block device name (/dev/dsk/cxtydz) and the character raw device name (/dev/rdsk/cxtydz).

3. If the ioscan command does not display device name information for a device that you want to use, enter the following command to install the special device files for any new devices:

   # /usr/sbin/insf -e
   
   

4. For each disk that you want to add to the volume group, enter the following command to verify that it is not already part of an LVM volume group:

   # /sbin/pvdisplay /dev/dsk/cxtydz
   
   

   If this command displays volume group information, the disk is already part of a volume group.

5. For each disk that you want to add to the volume group, enter a command similar to the following:

   # /sbin/pvcreate /dev/rdsk/cxtydz
   
   

6. To create a directory for the volume group in the /dev directory, enter a command similar to the following, where vg_name is the name that you want to use for the volume group:

   # mkdir /dev/vg_name
   
   

7. To identify used device minor numbers, enter the following command:

   # ls -la /dev/*/group
   
   

   This command displays information about the device numbers used by all configured volume groups, similar to the following:

   crw-r-----   1 root    sys        64 0x000000 Mar  4  2002 /dev/vg00/group
   crw-r--r--   1 root    sys        64 0x010000 Mar  4  2002 /dev/vg01/group
   
   

   In this example, 64 is the major number used by all volume group devices and 0x000000 and 0x010000 are the minor numbers used by volume groups vg00 and vg01 respectively. Minor numbers have the format 0xnn0000, where nn is a number in the range 00 to the value of the maxvgs kernel parameter minus 1. The default value for the maxvgs parameter is 10, so the default range is 00 to 09.

8. Identify an appropriate minor number that is unused.

9. To create the volume group and activate it, enter commands similar to the following:

   # /sbin/mknod /dev/vg_name/group c 64 0xnn0000
   # /sbin/vgcreate /dev/vg_name /dev/dsk/cxtydz . . .
   # /sbin/vgchange -a y vg_name
   
   

   In this example:

   • vg_name is the name that you want to give to the volume group

   • 0xnn0000 is a minor number that is unused

   • /dev/dsk/cxtydz... is a list of one or more block device names for the disks that you want to add to the volume group

Create Raw Logical Volumes in the New Volume Group

To create the required raw logical volumes in the new volume group, follow these steps:

1. Choose a name for the database that you want to create.

   The name that you choose must start with a letter and have no more than four characters, for example, orcl.

2. Identify the logical volumes that you must create.

   Table 2-6 lists the number and size of the logical volumes that you must create for database files.

   Table 2-6 Raw Logical Volumes Required for Database Files on HP-UX

   Number	Size (MB)	Purpose and Sample Logical Volume Name
   1	500	SYSTEM tablespace: dbname_system_raw_500m
   1	500	SYSAUX tablespace: dbname_sysaux_raw_500m
   1	500	UNDOTBS1 tablespace: dbname_undotbs1_raw_500m
   1	250	TEMP tablespace: dbname_temp_raw_250m
   1	160	EXAMPLE tablespace: dbname_example_raw_160m
   1	120	USERS tablespace: dbname_users_raw_120m
   2	120	Two online redo log files (where m is the log number, 1 or 2): dbname_redo1_m_raw_120m
   2	110	First and second control files: dbname_control{1|2}_raw_110m
   1	5	Server parameter file (SPFILE): dbname_spfile_raw_5m
   1	5	Password file: dbname_pwdfile_raw_5m

   
   

3. To create each required logical volume, enter a command similar to the following:

   # /sbin/lvcreate -n LVname -L size /dev/vg_name
   
   

   In this example:

   • LVname is the name of the logical volume that you want to create

     Oracle recommends that you use the sample names shown in the previous table for the logical volumes. Substitute the dbname variable in the sample logical volume name with the name that you chose for the database in step 1.

   • vg_name is the name of the volume group where you want to create the logical volume

   • size is the size of the logical volume in megabytes

   The following example shows a sample command used to create a 500 MB logical volume in the oracle_vg volume group for the SYSAUX tablespace of a database named test:

   # /sbin/lvcreate -n test_sysaux_raw_500m -L 500 /dev/oracle_vg
   
   

4. Change the owner, group, and permissions on the character device files associated with the logical volumes that you created, as follows:

   # chown oracle:dba /dev/vg_name/r*
   # chmod 755 /dev/vg_name
   # chmod 660 /dev/vg_name/r*
   
   

Create the DBCA Raw Device Mapping File

To allow Database Configuration Assistant (DBCA) to identify the appropriate raw device for each database file, you must create a raw device mapping file, as follows:

1. Set the ORACLE_BASE environment variable to specify the Oracle base directory that you identified or created previously:

   • Bourne, Bash, or Korn shell:

     $ ORACLE_BASE=/u01/app/oracle ; export ORACLE_BASE
     
     

   • C shell:

     % setenv ORACLE_BASE /u01/app/oracle
     
     

2. Create a database file subdirectory under the Oracle base directory and set the appropriate owner, group, and permissions on it:

   # mkdir -p $ORACLE_BASE/oradata/dbname
   # chown -R oracle:oinstall $ORACLE_BASE/oradata
   # chmod -R 775 $ORACLE_BASE/oradata
   
   

   In this example, dbname is the name of the database that you chose previously.

3. Change directory to the $ORACLE_BASE/oradata/dbname directory.

4. Enter a command similar to the following to create a text file that you can use to create the raw device mapping file:

   # find /dev/vg_name -user oracle -name 'r*' -print > dbname_raw.conf
   
   

5. Edit the dbname_raw.conf file in any text editor to create a file similar to the following:

   system=/dev/vg_name/rdbname_system_raw_500m
   sysaux=/dev/vg_name/rdbname_sysaux_raw_500m
   example=/dev/vg_name/rdbname_example_raw_160m
   users=/dev/vg_name/rdbname_users_raw_120m
   temp=/dev/vg_name/rdbname_temp_raw_250m
   undotbs1=/dev/vg_name/rdbname_undotbs1_raw_500m
   redo1_1=/dev/vg_name/rdbname_redo1_1_raw_120m
   redo1_2=/dev/vg_name/rdbname_redo1_2_raw_120m
   control1=/dev/vg_name/rdbname_control1_raw_110m
   control2=/dev/vg_name/rdbname_control2_raw_110m
   spfile=/dev/vg_name/rdbname_spfile_raw_5m
   pwdfile=/dev/vg_name/rdbname_pwdfile_raw_5m
   
   

   In this example:

   • vg_name is the name of the volume group

   • dbname is the name of the database

   Use the following guidelines when creating or editing this file:

   • Each line in the file must have the following format:

     database_object_identifier=logical_volume
     
     

     The logical volume names suggested in this manual include the database object identifier that you must use in this mapping file. For example, in the following logical volume name, redo1_1 is the database object identifier:

     /dev/oracle_vg/rrac_redo1_1_raw_120m
     
     

   • For a single-instance database, the file must specify one automatic undo tablespace datafile (undotbs1), and at least two redo log files (redo1_1, redo1_2).

   • Specify at least two control files (control1, control2).

   • To use manual instead of automatic undo management, specify a single RBS tablespace datafile (rbs) instead of the automatic undo management tablespace datafile.

6. Save the file and note the file name that you specified.

7. When you are configuring the oracle user's environment later in this chapter, set the DBCA_RAW_CONFIG environment variable to specify the full path to this file.

8. To continue the installation, see the "Stop Existing Oracle Processes" section.

Configuring Raw Partitions or Raw Logical Volumes on Linux

The following subsections describe how to configure raw partitions or raw logical volumes on Linux.

Choose Between Raw Logical Volumes and Raw Partitions

The procedures in the following sections describe how to create raw partitions or raw logical volumes for Oracle database file storage. You can use raw partitions for database file storage on all supported Linux distributions.

Alternatively, on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server you can use Logical Volume Manager (LVM) to create logical volumes of the required size and use them instead of raw partitions. LVM can provide benefits when used for storing Oracle database files on raw devices. For example, LVM enables you to overcome the limitations on the number of partitions that you can create on a single physical disk.

Identify the Required Raw Partitions

Table 2-7 lists the number and size of the raw partitions or logical volumes that you must configure for database files.

dbname_system_raw_500m

dbname_sysaux_raw_500m

dbname_undotbs1_raw_500m

dbname_temp_raw_250m

dbname_example_raw_160m

dbname_users_raw_120m

dbname_redo11_m_raw_120m

dbname_control{1|2}_raw_110m

dbname_spfile_raw_5m

dbname_pwdfile_raw_5m

To create the required raw partitions or logical volumes, see one of the follow sections:

• Creating the Required Raw Partitions on IDE, SCSI, or RAID Devices

• Creating the Required Raw Logical Volumes

• zSeries Linux Only: Creating the Required Raw Partitions on DASDs

Creating the Required Raw Partitions on IDE, SCSI, or RAID Devices

If you intend to use IDE, SCSI, or RAID devices for the raw devices, follow these steps:

1. If necessary, install or configure the disk devices that you intend to use for the raw partitions and reboot the system.

   
   

   Note: Because the number of partitions that you can create on a single device is limited, you might need to create the required raw partitions on more than one device.

   
   

2. To identify the device name for the disks that you want to use, enter the following command:

   # /sbin/fdisk -l
   
   

   Depending on the type of disk, the device name can vary:

   Disk Type	Device Name Format	Description
   IDE disk	/dev/hdxn	In this example, x is a letter that identifies the IDE disk and n is the partition number. For example, /dev/hda is the first disk on the first IDE bus.
   SCSI disk	/dev/sdxn	In this example, x is a letter that identifies the SCSI disk and n is the partition number. For example, /dev/sda is the first disk on the first SCSI bus.
   RAID disk	/dev/rd/cxdypz /dev/ida/cxdypz	Depending on the RAID controller, RAID devices can have different device names. In the examples shown, x is a number that identifies the controller, y is a number that identifies the disk, and z is a number that identifies the partition. For example, /dev/ida/c0d1 is the second logical drive on the first controller.

   
   

   You can create the required raw partitions either on new devices that you added or on previously partitioned devices that have unpartitioned free space. To identify devices that have unpartitioned free space, examine the start and end cylinder numbers of the existing partitions and determine whether the device contains unused cylinders.

3. To create raw partitions on a device, enter a command similar to the following:

   # /sbin/fdisk devicename
   
   

   Use the following guidelines when creating partitions:

   • Use the p command to list the partition table of the device.

   • Use the n command to create a new partition.

   • After you have created the required partitions on this device, use the w command to write the modified partition table to the device.

   • See the fdisk man page for more information about creating partitions.

4. To continue, see the "Bind the Partitions or Logical Volumes to Raw Devices" section.

Creating the Required Raw Logical Volumes

For single instance databases, you can use raw logical volume manager (LVM) volumes for Oracle database file storage. To configure the required raw logical volumes, follow these steps:

1. On zSeries Linux only, if you intend to use direct access storage devices (DASDs) for the volume group, follow these steps:

   1. If necessary, install or configure the DASDs that you intend to use for the volume group and reboot the system.

   2. Enter the following command to identify the DASDs configured on the system:

      # more /proc/dasd/devices
      
      

      The output from this command contains lines similar to the following:

      0302(ECKD) at ( 94: 48) is dasdm : active at blocksize: 4096, 540000 blocks, 2109 MB
      
      

      These lines display the following information for each DASD:

      • The device number (0302)

      • The device type (ECKD or FBA)

      • The Linux device major and minor numbers (94: 48)

      • The Linux device file name (dasdm)

        In general, DASDs have device names in the form dasdxxxx, where xxxx is between one and four letters that identify the device.

      • The block size and size of the device

   3. From the display, identify the devices that you want to use.

   4. If you want to use ECKD type DASDs, enter a command similar to the following to format the DASD, if it is not already formatted:

      # /sbin/dasdfmt -b 4096 -f /dev/dasdxxxx
      
      

      
      

      Caution: Formatting a DASD destroys all existing data on the device. Make sure that: You specify the correct DASD device name The DASD does not contain existing data that you want to preserve

      
      

      This command formats the DASD with a block size of 4 KB and the compatible disk layout (default), which enables you to create up to three partitions on the DASD.

      Alternatively, you could use the -d ldl option to format the DASD using the Linux disk layout.

   5. If you formatted the DASD with the compatible disk layout, enter a command similar to the following to create a single whole-disk partition on the device:

      # /sbin/fdasd -a /dev/dasdxxxx
      
      

      The device name for the single whole-disk partition for the DASDs is /dev/dasdxxxx1.

   6. To continue, go to step 3.

   
   

   Note: The examples in the following steps show SCSI device names. You must use the appropriate DASD device names when completing these steps.

   
   

2. If you intend to use IDE or SCSI devices in the volume group, follow these steps:

   1. If necessary, install or configure the disk devices that you intend to use for the volume group and reboot the system.

   2. To identify the device name for the disks that you want to use, enter the following command:

      # /sbin/fdisk -l
      
      

      Depending on the type of disk, the device name can vary:

      Disk Type	Device Name Format	Description
      IDE disk	/dev/hdxn	In this example, x is a letter that identifies the IDE disk and n is the partition number. For example, /dev/hda is the first disk on the first IDE bus.
      SCSI disk	/dev/sdxn	In this example, x is a letter that identifies the SCSI disk and n is the partition number. For example, /dev/sda is the first disk on the first SCSI bus.

      
      

   3. If necessary, use fdisk to create partitions on the devices that you want to use.

   4. Use the t command in fdisk to change the system ID for the partitions that you want to use to 0x8e.

3. Enter a command similar to the following to mark each device that you want to use in the volume group as a physical volume:

   # pvcreate /dev/sda1 /dev/sdb1
   
   

4. To create a volume group named oracle_vg using the devices that you marked, enter a command similar to the following:

   # vgcreate oracle_vg /dev/dasda1 /dev/dasdb1
   
   

5. To create the required logical volumes in the volume group that you created, enter commands similar to the following:

   # lvcreate -L size -n lv_name vg_name
   
   

   In this example:

   • size is the size of the logical volume, for example 500M

   • lv_name is the name of the logical volume, for example orcl_system_raw_500m

   • vg_name is the name of the volume group, for example oracle_vg

   For example, to create a 500 MB logical volume for the SYSTEM tablespace for a database named rac in the oracle_vg volume group, enter the following command:

   # lvcreate -L 500M -n rac_system_raw_500m oracle_vg
   
   

   
   

   Note: These commands create a device name similar to the following for each logical volume: /dev/vg_name/lv_name

   
   

6. To continue, see the "Bind the Partitions or Logical Volumes to Raw Devices" section.

zSeries Linux Only: Creating the Required Raw Partitions on DASDs

On zSeries Linux only, if you intend to use direct access storage devices (DASDs) for the raw devices, follow these steps:

1. If necessary, install or configure the DASDs that you intend to use for the raw partitions and reboot the system.

   
   

   Note: Not all DASD types support more than one partition. Also, for DASDs that do support more than one partition, the maximum number of partitions supported is three. If possible, configure DASDs with sizes that match the raw devices that you want to use to avoid wasting disk space.

   
   

2. Enter the following command to identify the DASDs configured on the system:

   # more /proc/dasd/devices
   
   

   The output from this command contains lines similar to the following:

   0302(ECKD) at ( 94: 48) is dasdm : active at blocksize: 4096, 540000 blocks, 2109 MB
   
   

   These lines display the following information for each DASD:

   • The device number (0302)

   • The device type (ECKD or FBA)

   • The Linux device major and minor numbers (94: 48)

   • The Linux device file name (dasdm)

     In general, DASDs have device names in the form dasdxxxx, where xxxx is between one and four letters that identify the device.

   • The block size and size of the device

3. From the display, identify the devices that you want to use.

4. If you want to use FBA type DASDs, go to the "Bind the Partitions or Logical Volumes to Raw Devices" section.

   You do not have to format FBA type DASDs in Linux. The device name for the single whole-disk partition for FBA type DASDs is /dev/dasdxxxx1.

5. If you want to use ECKD type DASDs, enter a command similar to the following to format the DASD, if it is not already formatted:

   # /sbin/dasdfmt -b 4096 -f /dev/dasdxxxx
   
   

   
   

   Caution: Formatting a DASD destroys all existing data on the device. Make sure that: You specify the correct DASD device name The DASD does not contain existing data that you want to preserve

   
   

   This command formats the DASD with a block size of 4 KB and the compatible disk layout (default), which enables you to create up to three partitions on the DASD.

   Alternatively, you could use the -d ldl option to format the DASD using the Linux disk layout if you require only a single partition. If you use this disk layout, the partition device name for the DASD is /dev/dasdxxxx1.

6. If you formatted the DASD with the compatible disk layout, enter a command similar to the following to create up to three partitions on the device, if required:

   # /sbin/fdasd /dev/dasdxxxx
   
   

   Use the following guidelines when creating partitions:

   • Use the p command to list the partition table of the device.

   • Use the n command to create a new partition.

   • After you have created the required partitions on this device, use the w command to write the modified partition table to the device.

   • See the fdasd man page for more information about creating partitions.

   The partitions on a DASD have device names similar to the following, where n is the partition number, between 1 and 3:

   /dev/dasdxxxxn
   
   

   
   

   Note: The examples in the following sections show SCSI device names. You must use the appropriate DASD device names when completing these procedures.

   
   

Bind the Partitions or Logical Volumes to Raw Devices

After you have created the required partitions or logical volumes, you must bind them to raw devices. However, you must first determine what raw devices are already bound to other devices. The procedure that you must follow to complete this task varies, depending on the Linux distribution that you are using:

• Red Hat:

  1. To determine what raw devices are already bound to other devices, enter the following command:

     # /usr/bin/raw -qa
     
     

     Raw devices have device names in the form /dev/raw/rawn, where n is a number that identifies the raw device.

     For each device that you want to use, identify a raw device name that is unused.

  2. Open the /etc/sysconfig/rawdevices file in any text editor and add a line similar to the following for each partition or logical volume that you created:

     /dev/raw/raw1 /dev/sdb1
     
     

     Specify an unused raw device for each partition or logical volume.

  3. For each raw device that you specified in the rawdevices file, enter commands similar to the following to set the owner, group, and permissions on the device file:

     # chown oracle:dba /dev/raw/rawn
     # chmod 660 /dev/raw/rawn
     
     

  4. To bind the partitions or logical volumes to the raw devices, enter the following command:

     # /sbin/service rawdevices restart
     
     

     The system automatically binds the devices listed in the rawdevices file when it reboots.

• SUSE:

  1. To determine what raw devices are already bound to other devices, enter the following command:

     # /usr/sbin/raw -qa
     
     

     Raw devices have device names in the form /dev/raw/rawn, where n is a number that identifies the raw device.

     For each device that you want to use, identify a raw device name that is unused.

  2. Open the /etc/raw file in any text editor and add a line similar to the following to associate each partition or logical volume with an unused raw device:

     raw1:sdb1
     
     

  3. For each raw device that you specified in the /etc/raw file, enter commands similar to the following to set the owner, group, and permissions on the device file:

     # chown oracle:dba /dev/raw/rawn
     # chmod 660 /dev/raw/rawn
     
     

  4. To bind the partitions or logical volumes to the raw devices, enter the following command:

     # /etc/init.d/raw start
     
     

  5. To ensure that the raw devices are bound when the system reboots, enter the following command:

     # /sbin/chkconfig raw on
     
     

Create the DBCA Raw Device Mapping File

To allow Database Configuration Assistant (DBCA) to identify the appropriate raw device for each database file, you must create a raw device mapping file, as follows:

1. Set the ORACLE_BASE environment variable to specify the Oracle base directory that you identified or created previously:

   • Bourne, Bash, or Korn shell:

     $ ORACLE_BASE=/u01/app/oracle ; export ORACLE_BASE
     
     

   • C shell:

     % setenv ORACLE_BASE /u01/app/oracle
     
     

2. Create a database file subdirectory under the Oracle base directory and set the appropriate owner, group, and permissions on it:

   # mkdir -p $ORACLE_BASE/oradata/dbname
   # chown -R oracle:oinstall $ORACLE_BASE/oradata
   # chmod -R 775 $ORACLE_BASE/oradata
   
   

   In this example, dbname is the name of the database that you chose previously.

3. Change directory to the $ORACLE_BASE/oradata/dbname directory.

4. Edit the dbname_raw.conf file in any text editor to create a file similar to the following:

   system=/dev/raw/raw1
   sysaux=/dev/raw/raw2
   example=/dev/raw/raw3
   users=/dev/raw/raw4
   temp=/dev/raw/raw5
   undotbs1=/dev/raw/raw6
   redo1_1=/dev/raw/raw8
   redo1_2=/dev/raw/raw9
   control1=/dev/raw/raw12
   control2=/dev/raw/raw13
   spfile=/dev/raw/raw14
   pwdfile=/dev/raw/raw15
   
   

   Use the following guidelines when creating or editing this file:

   • Each line in the file must have the following format:

     database_object_identifier=raw_device_path
     
     

   • For a single-instance database, the file must specify one automatic undo tablespace datafile (undotbs1), and at least two redo log files (redo1_1, redo1_2).

   • Specify at least two control files (control1, control2).

   • To use manual instead of automatic undo management, specify a single RBS tablespace datafile (rbs) instead of the automatic undo management tablespace datafile.

5. Save the file and note the file name that you specified.

6. When you are configuring the oracle user's environment later in this chapter, set the DBCA_RAW_CONFIG environment variable to specify the full path to this file.

7. To continue, see the "Stop Existing Oracle Processes" section.

Configuring Raw Partitions or Raw Logical Volumes on Solaris

The following subsections describe how to configure raw partitions or raw logical volumes on Solaris:

• Configuring Raw Partitions for Oracle Database File Storage

  Follow the procedures described in this section if you want to use raw partitions for Oracle database file storage. You can use either raw disk slices or Solaris Volume Manager soft partitions to store the required database files.

  
  

  Note: Solaris Volume Manager volumes or soft partitions are supported only for single-instance database file storage. Solaris Volume Manager is not currently supported as a storage option for RAC installations.

  
  

• SPARC Only: Configuring Raw Logical Volumes for Oracle Database File Storage

  Follow the procedures described in this section only if you are using VERITAS Volume Manager (VxVM) on SPARC systems.

Configuring Raw Partitions for Oracle Database File Storage

This section describes how to configure raw partitions for Oracle database files.

A partition is a slice defined on a disk or on a disk array volume. It can also be a soft partition created using Solaris Volume Manager.

Table 2-8 lists the number and size of the raw partitions that you must configure for database files.

system

sysaux

undotbs1

temp

example

users

redo1_m

control{1|2}

spfile

pwdfile

To configure raw partitions for database files, follow these steps:

1. Choose a name for the database that you want to create.

   The name that you choose must start with a letter and have no more than four characters, for example, orcl.

2. If necessary, install or configure the disks that you intend to use and reboot the system.

3. If you want to use Solaris Volume Manager soft partitions, see the Solaris Volume Manager documentation for information about how to create them.

   The previous table shows the number and size of the partitions that you require.

4. If you want to use disk slices, follow these steps to create or identify the required disk slices:

   1. To list the disks attached to the system, enter the following command:

      # /usr/sbin/format
      
      

      The output from this command is similar to the following:

      AVAILABLE DISK SELECTIONS:
             0. c0t0d0 <ST34321A cyl 8892 alt 2 hd 15 sec 63>
                /pci@1f,0/pci@1,1/ide@3/dad@0,0
             1. c1t5d0 <SUN9.0G cyl 4924 alt 2 hd 27 sec 133>
                /pci@1f,0/pci@1/scsi@1/sd@5,0
      
      

      This command displays information about each disk attached to the system, including the device name (cxtydz).

   2. Enter the number corresponding to the disk that you want to use.

      
      

      Note: Make sure that the disk you choose is not being used for another purpose. For example, make sure that it is not being used as a component for a logical volume manager volume.

      
      

   3. On x86 systems only, use the fdisk command to create a Solaris partition on the disk if one does not already exist.

      Solaris fdisk partitions must start at cylinder 1, not cylinder 0. If you create a new fdisk partition, you must label the disk before continuing.

   4. Enter the partition command, followed by the print command to display the partition table for the disk that you want to use.

   5. Identify or create slices for each of the partitions that you require.

      The previous table shows the number and size of the partitions that you require for database files.

      
      

      Note: To prevent the database files from overwriting the partition table, do not use slices that start at cylinder 0 (for example, slice 2).

      
      

   6. Make a note of the number of the slices that you want to use.

   7. If you modified a partition table or created a new one, enter the label command to write the partition table and label to the disk.

   8. Enter q to return to the format menu.

   9. After you have finished creating slices, enter q to quit from the format utility.

5. If you plan to use existing partitions, enter the following command to verify that they are not mounted as file systems:

   # df -k
   
   

   This command displays information about the devices that are mounted as file systems. The device name for a slice includes the disk device name followed by the slice number, for example cxtydzsn, where sn is the slice number. The device name for a Solaris Volume Manager partition is similar to /dev/md/dsk/dnnn, where dnnn is the soft partition name.

6. Enter commands similar to the following to change the owner, group, and permissions on the character raw device file for each partition:

   
   

   Note: If you are using a multi-pathing disk driver, make sure that you set the permissions only on the correct logical device name for the partition.

   
   

   • Solaris Volume Manager soft partitions:

     # chown oracle:dba /dev/md/rdsk/d100
     # chmod 660 /dev/md/rdsk/d100
     
     

   • Disk slices:

     # chown oracle:dba /dev/rdsk/cxtydzsn
     # chmod 660 /dev/rdsk/cxtydzsn
     
     

7. Follow these steps to create the DBCA raw device mapping file:

   1. Set the ORACLE_BASE environment variable to specify the Oracle base directory that you identified or created previously:

      • Bourne, Bash, or Korn shell:

        $ ORACLE_BASE=/u01/app/oracle ; export ORACLE_BASE
        
        

      • C shell:

        % setenv ORACLE_BASE /u01/app/oracle
        
        

   2. Create a database file subdirectory under the Oracle base directory and set the appropriate owner, group, and permissions on it:

      # mkdir -p $ORACLE_BASE/oradata/dbname
      # chown -R oracle:oinstall $ORACLE_BASE/oradata
      # chmod -R 775 $ORACLE_BASE/oradata
      
      

      In this example, dbname is the name of the database that you chose previously.

   3. Change directory to the $ORACLE_BASE/oradata/dbname directory.

   4. Using any text editor, create a text file similar to the following that identifies the device file name associated with each database file.

      Oracle recommends that you use a file name similar to dbname_raw.conf for this file.

      
      

      Note: The following example shows a sample mapping file that specifies Solaris Volume Manager soft partitions. If you are using disk slices, specify the appropriate device file name for each slice, for example: /dev/rdsk/cxdytzsn

      
      

      system=/dev/md/rdsk/d100
      sysaux=/dev/md/rdsk/d101
      example=/dev/md/rdsk/d102
      users=/dev/md/rdsk/d103
      temp=/dev/md/rdsk/d104
      undotbs1=/dev/md/rdsk/d105
      redo1_1=/dev/md/rdsk/d106
      redo1_2=/dev/md/rdsk/d107
      control1=/dev/md/rdsk/d108
      control2=/dev/md/rdsk/d109
      spfile=/dev/md/rdsk/d110
      pwdfile=/dev/md/rdsk/d111
      
      

      In this example, dbname is the name of the database.

      Use the following guidelines when creating or editing this file:

      • Each line in the file must have the following format:

        database_object_identifier=device_file_name
        
        

        The previous table shows the database object identifier for each database file.

      • Specify one automatic undo tablespace datafile (undotbs1) and two redo log files (redo1_1, redo1_2).

      • Specify at least two control files (control1, control2).

      • To use manual instead of automatic undo management, specify a single RBS tablespace datafile (rbs) instead of the automatic undo management tablespace datafiles.

   5. Save the file and note the file name that you specified.

   6. When you are configuring the oracle user's environment later in this chapter, set the DBCA_RAW_CONFIG environment variable to specify the full path to this file.

8. To continue, see the "Stop Existing Oracle Processes" section.

SPARC Only: Configuring Raw Logical Volumes for Oracle Database File Storage

This section describes how to configure raw logical volumes using VERITAS Volume Manager (VxVM) on SPARC systems.

Create a Disk Group

To create a disk group, follow these steps:

1. If necessary, install the disks that you intend to use for the disk group and reboot the system.

2. To make sure that the disks are available, enter the following command:

   # /usr/sbin/format
   
   

   The output from this command is similar to the following:

   AVAILABLE DISK SELECTIONS:
          0. c0t0d0 <ST34321A cyl 8892 alt 2 hd 15 sec 63>
             /pci@1f,0/pci@1,1/ide@3/dad@0,0
          1. c1t5d0 <SUN9.0G cyl 4924 alt 2 hd 27 sec 133>
             /pci@1f,0/pci@1/scsi@1/sd@5,0
   
   

   This command displays information about each disk attached to the system, including the device name (cxtydz).

3. From the list, identify the device names for the disk devices that you want to add to a disk group, then press Ctrl/D to exit from the format utility.

4. Enter the following command to verify that the devices you identified are not mounted as file systems:

   # df -k
   
   

   This command displays information about the partitions (slices) on disk devices that are mounted as file systems. The device name for a slice includes the disk device name followed by the slice number, for example cxtydzsn, where sn is the slice number. Slice 2 (s2) represents the entire disk. The disk devices that you choose must not be shown as mounted partitions.

5. Enter the following commands to verify that the devices you identified are not already part of a disk group:

   
   

   Note: The following command displays information about VERITAS Volume Manager (VxVM) disks. If you use a different LVM, see the appropriate documentation for information about determining which disk devices it is managing.

   
   

   # /usr/sbin/vxdiskconfig
   # /usr/sbin/vxdisk list
   
   

   The vxdisk list command identifies the disk devices that are already configured in a disk group. The word online in the STATUS column also identifies disks that have been initialized and placed under VxVM control. The word error in the STATUS column identifies disks that are not initialized.

   The disk devices that you choose must not be in an existing disk group.

6. If the disk devices that you want to use are not initialized, enter a command similar to the following to initialize each disk:

   # /usr/sbin/vxdiskadd cxtydz
   
   

7. To create a disk group, enter a command similar to the following, specifying all of the disks that you want to add to the group:

   # /usr/sbin/vxdg init diskgroup diskname=devicename ...
   
   

   In this example:

   • diskgroup is the name of the disk group that you want to create, for example, oradg

   • diskname is an administrative name that you assign to a disk, for example orad01

   • devicename is the device name, for example, c1t0d0

Create Raw Logical Volumes in the New Disk Group

To create the required raw logical volumes in the new disk group, follow these steps:

1. Choose a name for the database that you want to create.

   The name that you choose must start with a letter and have no more than four characters, for example, orcl.

2. Identify the logical volumes that you must create.

   Table 2-9 lists the number and size of the logical volumes that you must create for database files.

   Table 2-9 Raw Logical Volumes Required for Database Files on Solaris

   Number	Size (MB)	Purpose and Sample Logical Volume Name
   1	500	SYSTEM tablespace: dbname_system_raw_500m
   1	500	SYSAUX tablespace: dbname_sysaux_raw_500m
   1	500	UNDOTBS1 tablespace: dbname_undotbs1_raw_500m
   1	250	TEMP tablespace: dbname_temp_raw_250m
   1	160	EXAMPLE tablespace: dbname_example_raw_160m
   1	120	USERS tablespace: dbname_users_raw_120m
   2	120	Two online redo log files (where m is the log number, 1 or 2): dbname_redo1_m_raw_120m
   2	110	First and second control files: dbname_control{1|2}_raw_110m
   1	5	Server parameter file (SPFILE): dbname_spfile_raw_5m
   1	5	Password file: dbname_pwdfile_raw_5m

   
   

3. To create the required logical volumes, enter commands similar to the following:

   # /usr/sbin/vxassist -g diskgroup make volume size user=oracle \
    group=dba mode=660
   
   

   In this example:

   • diskgroup is the name of the disk group that you created previously, for example oradg

   • volume is the name of the logical volume that you want to create

     Oracle recommends that you use the sample names shown in the previous table for the logical volumes. Substitute the dbname variable in the sample logical volume name with the name you chose for the database in step 1.

   • size is the size of the logical volume, for example, 500m represents 500 MB

   • user=oracle group=dba mode=660 specifies the owner, group, and permissions on the volume

     Specify the Oracle software owner user and the OSDBA group for the user and group values (typically oracle and dba).

   The following example shows a sample command used to create a 500 MB logical volume in the oradg disk group for the SYSAUX tablespace of a database named test:

   # /usr/sbin/vxassist -g oradb make test_sysaux_raw_500m 500m \
   user=oracle group=dba mode=660
   
   

Create the DBCA Raw Device Mapping File

To allow Database Configuration Assistant (DBCA) to identify the appropriate raw device for each database file, you must create a raw device mapping file, as follows:

1. Set the ORACLE_BASE environment variable to specify the Oracle base directory that you identified or created previously:

   • Bourne, Bash, or Korn shell:

     $ ORACLE_BASE=/u01/app/oracle ; export ORACLE_BASE
     
     

   • C shell:

     % setenv ORACLE_BASE /u01/app/oracle
     
     

2. Create a database file subdirectory under the Oracle base directory and set the appropriate owner, group, and permissions on it:

   # mkdir -p $ORACLE_BASE/oradata/dbname
   # chown -R oracle:oinstall $ORACLE_BASE/oradata
   # chmod -R 775 $ORACLE_BASE/oradata
   
   

   In this example, dbname is the name of the database that you chose previously.

3. Change directory to the $ORACLE_BASE/oradata/dbname directory.

4. Enter the following command to create a text file that you can use to create the raw device mapping file:

   # find /dev/vx/rdsk/diskgroup -user oracle -name dbname* \
   -print > dbname_raw.conf
   
   

5. Edit the dbname_raw.conf file in any text editor to create a file similar to the following:

   system=/dev/vx/rdsk/diskgroup/dbname_system_raw_500m
   sysaux=/dev/vx/rdsk/diskgroup/dbname_sysaux_raw_500m
   example=/dev/vx/rdsk/diskgroup/dbname_example_raw_160m
   users=/dev/vx/rdsk/diskgroup/dbname_users_raw_120m
   temp=/dev/vx/rdsk/diskgroup/dbname_temp_raw_250m
   undotbs1=/dev/vx/rdsk/diskgroup/dbname_undotbs1_raw_500m
   redo1_1=/dev/vx/rdsk/diskgroup/dbname_redo1_1_raw_120m
   redo1_2=/dev/vx/rdsk/diskgroup/dbname_redo1_2_raw_120m
   control1=/dev/vx/rdsk/diskgroup/dbname_control1_raw_110m
   control2=/dev/vx/rdsk/diskgroup/dbname_control2_raw_110m
   spfile=/dev/vx/rdsk/diskgroup/dbname_spfile_raw_5m
   pwdfile=/dev/vx/rdsk/diskgroup/dbname_pwdfile_raw_5m
   
   

   In this example:

   • diskgroup is the name of the disk group

   • dbname is the name of the database

   Use the following guidelines when creating or editing this file:

   • Each line in the file must have the following format:

     database_object_identifier=logical_volume
     
     

     The logical volume names suggested in this manual include the database object identifier that you must use in this mapping file. For example, in the following logical volume name, redo1_1 is the database object identifier:

     /dev/vx/rdsk/oradg/rac_redo1_1_raw_120m
     
     

   • For a single-instance database, the file must specify one automatic undo tablespace datafile (undotbs1), and at least two redo log files (redo1_1, redo1_2).

   • Specify at least two control files (control1, control2).

   • To use manual instead of automatic undo management, specify a single RBS tablespace datafile (rbs) instead of the automatic undo management tablespace datafile.

6. Save the file and note the file name that you specified.

7. When you are configuring the oracle user's environment later in this chapter, set the DBCA_RAW_CONFIG environment variable to specify the full path to this file.

8. To continue, see the "Stop Existing Oracle Processes" section.