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Oracle® Application Server Installation Guide
10g Release 2 (10.1.2) for hp HP-UX Itanium, and Linux Itanium
Part No. B15870-01
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2 Requirements

Before installing Oracle Application Server, ensure that your computer meets the requirements described in this chapter. This chapter contains the following sections:

2.1 Check Hardware Requirements

Depending on your operating system, see one of the following sections for information on checking the hardware requirements:

The tables list the system requirements for running Oracle Application Server. The installer checks many of these requirements at the start of the installation process and warns you if any of them is not met. To save time, you can manually check only the ones that are not checked by the installer. Refer to the appropriate table to see which requirements are not checked by the installer.

You can also run the system checks performed by the installer without doing an installation, by running the runInstaller command as shown. The runInstaller command is on the Oracle Application Server CD-ROM (Disk 1).

CD-ROM:

prompt> mount_point/1012disk1/runInstaller -executeSysPrereqs

The results are displayed on the screen as well as written to a log file. For more information on the types of checks performed, see Section 2.9, "Prerequisite Checks Performed by the Installer".

Table 2-1 Hardware Requirements for HP-UX Systems

Item Minimum Requirement Checked by Installer
Network The computer must be connected to a network. You cannot install Oracle Application Server on a "standalone" computer that is not connected to a network. No
IP The computer's IP address must be static. Oracle Application Server does not support HP-UX systems using DHCP. No
Memory

.

The memory requirements provided for the various installation types represents enough physical memory to install and run Oracle Application Server. However, for most production sites, you should configure at least 1 GB of physical memory. For sites with substantial traffic, increasing the amount of memory further may improve your performance. For Java applications, you should either increase the maximum heap allocated to the OC4J processes, or configure additional OC4J processes to utilize this memory. See the Oracle Application Server Performance Guide for details.

In determining the optimal amount of memory for your installation, the best practice is to load test your site. Resource requirements can vary substantially for different applications and different usage patterns. In addition, some operating system utilities for monitoring memory can overstate memory usage (partially due to the representation of shared memory). The preferred method for determining memory requirements is to monitor the improvement in performance resulting from the addition of physical memory in your load test. Refer to your platform vendor documentation for information on how to configure memory and processor resources for testing purposes.

Oracle Application Server middle tier:

  • J2EE and Web Cache: 512 MB

To determine the amount of memory, enter the following command:

# /usr/sbin/dmesg | grep "Physical:"

Yes
Disk space Oracle Application Server middle tier:
  • J2EE and Web Cache: 2.3 GB

The installer may display inaccurate disk space requirement figures. Refer to the figures listed above for disk space requirements.

To determine the amount of free disk space, use the bdf command:

prompt> bdf dir

Replace dir with the Oracle home directory or with the parent directory if the Oracle home directory does not exist yet. For example, if you plan to install Oracle Application Server in /opt/oracle/infra, you can replace dir with /opt/oracle or /opt/oracle/infra.

No
Space in /tmp directory 400 MB

To determine the amount of free disk space in the /tmp directory, enter the following command:

prompt> bdf /tmp

If the /tmp directory does not have enough free space, you can specify a different directory by setting the TMP environment variable. See Section 2.7.5, "TMP and TMPDIR" for details.

Yes
Swap space 1.5 GB of available swap space

To determine the amount of available swap space, enter the following command:

# /usr/sbin/swapinfo -a

If necessary, see your operating system documentation for information on how to configure additional swap space.

Yes
Monitor 256 color display

To determine your monitor's display capabilities, run the following command:

prompt> /usr/contrib/bin/X11/xdpyinfo

Look for the "depths" line. You need a depth of at least 8 (bits per pixel).

Yes

Table 2-2 Hardware Requirements for Linux Systems

Item Minimum Requirement Checked by Installer
Network The computer must be connected to a network. You cannot install Oracle Application Server on a "standalone" computer that is not connected to a network. No
IP The computer's IP address must be static. Oracle Application Server does not support Linux Itanium systems using DHCP. No
Memory

.

The memory requirements provided for the various installation types represents enough physical memory to install and run Oracle Application Server. However, for most production sites, you should configure at least 1 GB of physical memory. For sites with substantial traffic, increasing the amount of memory further may improve your performance. For Java applications, you should either increase the maximum heap allocated to the OC4J processes, or configure additional OC4J processes to utilize this memory. See the Oracle Application Server Performance Guide for details.

In determining the optimal amount of memory for your installation, the best practice is to load test your site. Resource requirements can vary substantially for different applications and different usage patterns. In addition, some operating system utilities for monitoring memory can overstate memory usage (partially due to the representation of shared memory). The preferred method for determining memory requirements is to monitor the improvement in performance resulting from the addition of physical memory in your load test. Refer to your platform vendor documentation for information on how to configure memory and processor resources for testing purposes.

Oracle Application Server middle tier:

  • J2EE and Web Cache: 512 MB

To determine the amount of memory, enter the following command:

# grep MemTotal /proc/meminfo

Yes
Disk space Oracle Application Server middle tier:
  • J2EE and Web Cache: 1 GB

The installer may display inaccurate disk space requirement figures. Refer to the figures listed above for disk space requirements.

To determine the amount of free disk space, use the df command:

prompt> df -k dir

Replace dir with the Oracle home directory or with the parent directory if the Oracle home directory does not exist yet. For example, if you plan to install Oracle Application Server in /opt/oracle/infra, you can replace dir with /opt/oracle or /opt/oracle/infra.

No
Space in /tmp directory 400 MB

To determine the amount of free disk space in the /tmp directory, use the df command:

prompt> df -k /tmp

If the /tmp directory does not have enough free space, you can specify a different directory by setting the TMP environment variable. See Section 2.7.5, "TMP and TMPDIR" for details.

Yes
Swap space 1.5 GB of available swap space

To determine the amount of available swap space, enter the following command:

# grep SwapTotal /proc/meminfo

If necessary, see your operating system documentation for information on how to configure additional swap space.

Yes
Monitor 256 color display

To determine your monitor's display capabilities, run the following command:

prompt> /usr/X11R6/bin/xdpyinfo

Look for the "depths" line. You need a depth of at least 8 (bits per pixel).

Yes

2.1.1 Tips for Reducing Memory Usage

If you need to reduce memory consumption:

  • Configure only the components that you need.

  • After installation, start up only the components that you need. See the Oracle Application Server Administrator's Guide for details.

  • Run Application Server Control only when you need to administer an instance. In most cases, you do not need Application Server Control running all the time.

    If you are running multiple Oracle Application Server instances on one computer, each Application Server Control can consume a lot of memory. Running Application Server Control only when you need it can free up memory for other components.

2.2 Check the Software Requirements

Depending on your operating system, see one of the following sections for information on checking the software requirements:

The installer also checks that your computer contains the required patches. If it determines that some required patches are missing, it displays an error.

In addition to the software requirements for the computer, you must have a compatible browser.

The following browsers are supported:

For the most current list of supported browsers, check the OracleMetaLink site (http://metalink.oracle.com).

2.2.1 Checking the Software Requirements for HP-UX

Check that the software listed in Table 2-3 is installed on the system. The procedure that follows the table describes how to ensure the correct software is installed on the system.


Note:

Oracle Application Server 10g Release 2 (10.1.2) is certified with the following Operating System specific software. For the most current list of supported Operating System specific software, for example JDK version, Operating System version, check OracleMetaLink (http://metalink.oracle.com).

Table 2-3 Software Requirements for HP-UX 11i Version 2 Systems

Item Requirement
Operating System HP-UX 11i Version 2 (11.23) Itanium or higher
Patches (or higher versions)
  • PHSS_29657: u2comp/be/plugin library Patch
  • PHSS_29658: Aries cumulative patch

  • PHSS_29660: linker + fdp cumulative patch

The following patches are required if ANSI C is installed on the system:

  • PHSS_30227: HP C Compiler (A.05.52)

  • PHSS_30226: aC++ Compiler (A.05.52)

Package No additional packages required.

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.11.23 U ia64 3594319402 unlimited-user license
    
    

    In this example, the version is HP-UX 11i Version 2 (11.23) Itanium.

  2. To determine whether a bundle or product is installed, enter the following command:

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

    If a required product is not installed, you must install it. See your operating system documentation for information on installing products.

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

    # /usr/sbin/swlist -l patch | grep PHKL_29198
    
    

    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 URL and install it:

    http://itresourcecenter.hp.com
    
    

2.2.2 Checking the Software Requirements for Linux

Depending on your distribution of Linux, see one of the following sections for information on checking the software requirements:

Oracle does not support customized kernels or modules not supported by the Linux vendor.

2.2.2.1 Software Requirements for Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS/ES 3.0 Systems

Table 2-4 lists the software requirements for Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS/ES 3.0 systems and the procedure that follows the table describes how to ensure your system meets these requirements and any additional requirements for installing Oracle Application Server.


Note:

Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS/ES 3.0 and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 are certified and supported. For the most current list of supported Linux Operating Systems, check OracleMetaLink (http://metalink.oracle.com).

Table 2-4 Software Requirements for Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS/ES 3.0 Systems

Item Requirement
Operating System Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS/ES 3.0

For more information on Red Hat, see:

http://www.redhat.com

The minimum supported kernel versions are:

  • kernel-2.4.21-20.EL

  • kernel-smp-2.4.21-20.EL

  • kernel-hugemem-2.4.21-20.EL

Red Hat Update Update 3
Software packages

(check that these versions or higher versions are installed)

glibc-2.3.2-95.27
glibc-common-2.3.2-95.27
binutils-2.14.90.0.4-35
compat-glibc-7.x-2.2.4.32.6
compat-libstdc++-7.3-2.96.128
compat-libstdc++-devel-7.3-2.96.128
gcc-3.2.3-42
gcc-c++-3.2.3-42
libstdc++-3.2.3-42
libstdc++-devel-3.2.3-42
openmotif21-2.1.30-8
pdksh-5.2.14-21
setarch-1.3-1
make-3.79.1-17
gnome-libs-1.4.1.2.90-34.1
sysstat-4.0.7-4.EL3.3
compat-db-4.0.14-5

Note: For Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS/ES 3.0, the equivalent version of openmotif 2.1.30-8 is openmotif21-2.1.30-8. The openmotif21-2.1.30-8 package can be installed from disk number 3 of the Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS/ES 3.0 distribution by entering:
$ rpm -ivh openmotif21-2.1.30-8

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

  1. Log in as the root user.

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

    # cat /etc/issue
    Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS release 3 (Taroon Update 3) 
    
    

    Note:

    Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS/ES 3.0 and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 are certified and supported. For the most current list of supported Linux Operating Systems, check OracleMetaLink (http://metalink.oracle.com).

  3. To check that Update 3 is installed:

    # cat /etc/redhat-release
    Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS release 3 (Taroon Update 3)
    
    
  4. To determine whether any other package is installed, enter a command similar to the following:

    # rpm -q package_name
    
    

    If a package is missing, download it and install it using the following command:

    # rpm -i package_name
    
    

    When installing a package, make sure you are using the correct architecture and optimization rpm file. To check the architecture of an rpm file, run the following command:

    # rpm -q package_name --queryformat "%{arch}\n"
    
    

    In the following example, the glibc rpm file is suitable for an Itanium architecture

    # rpm -q glibc --queryformat "%{arch}\n" 
    ia64 
    
    

2.2.2.2 Software Requirements for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 Systems

Table 2-5 lists the software requirements for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 systems and the procedure that follows the table describes how to ensure your system meets these requirements and any additional requirements for installing Oracle Application Server.


Note:

Oracle Application Server 10g Release 2 (10.1.2) is certified with the following Operating System specific software. For the most current list of supported Operating System specific software, for example JDK version, Operating System version, check OracleMetaLink (http://metalink.oracle.com).

Table 2-5 Software Requirements for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 Systems

Item Requirement
Operating System SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9

For more information on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, see:

http://www.suse.com

For SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9, the minimum supported kernel versions are:

  • kernel-bigsmp-2.6.5-7.97

  • kernel-default-2.6.5-7.97

  • kernel-smp-2.6.5-7.97

Software packages

(check that these versions or higher versions are installed)

glibc-2.3.3-98.28
gcc-3.3.3-43.24
gcc-c++-3.3.3-43.24
libstdc++-3.3.3-43.24
libstdc++-devel-3.3.3-43.24
openmotif21-libs-2.1.30MLI4-119.1
pdksh-5.2.14-780.1
make-3.80-184.1
gnome-libs-1.4.1.7-671.1
gnome-libs-devel-1.4.1.7-671.1
sysstat-5.0.1-35.1
binutils-2.15.90.0.1.1-32.5
db1-1.85-85.1
compat-2004.7.1-1.2
libaio-0.3.98-18.3
libaio-devel-0.3.98-18.3 

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

  1. Log in as the root user.

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

    # cat /etc/issue
    Welcome to SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 9 (ia64) - Kernel \r (\l)..
    
    

    Note:

    Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS/ES 3.0 and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 are certified and supported. For the most current list of supported Linux Operating Systems, check OracleMetaLink (http://metalink.oracle.com).

  3. To determine the kernel version, enter the following command:

    # uname -r
    2.6.5-7.97-default
    
    
  4. To determine whether any other package is installed, enter a command similar to the following:

    # rpm -q package_name
    
    

    If a package is missing, download it and install it using the following command:

    # rpm -i package_name
    
    

    When installing a package, make sure you are using the correct architecture and optimization rpm file. To check the architecture of an rpm file, run the following command:

    # rpm -q package_name --queryformat "%{arch}\n"
    
    

    In the following example, the glibc rpm file is suitable for an Itanium architecture

    # rpm -q glibc --queryformat "%{arch}\n" 
    ia64 
    
    
  5. Create the following symbolic link for the Perl executable if it does not already exist:

    # ln -sf /usr/bin/perl /usr/local/bin/perl
    
    
  6. Create the following symbolic link for the fuser executable if it does not already exist:

    # ln -sf /bin/fuser /sbin/fuser
    
    
  7. If the orarun package was installed on a SUSE Linux Enterprise Server system, complete the following steps as the oracle user to reset the environment:

    1. Enter the following commands:

      prompt> cd /etc/profile.d 
      prompt> mv oracle.csh oracle.csh.bak
      prompt> mv oracle.sh oracle.sh.bak
      prompt> mv alljava.sh alljava.sh.bak
      prompt> mv alljava.csh alljava.csh.bak
      
      
    2. Use any text editor to comment out the following line from the $HOME/.profile file:

      . ./.oracle
      
      
    3. Log out of the oracle user account.

    4. Log into the oracle user account for the changes to take effect.

  8. If any Java packages are installed on the system, unset the Java environment variables, for example JAVA_HOME.


    Note:

    Oracle recommends that you do not install any of the Java packages supplied with the SUSE Linux Enterprise Server distribution.

  9. Check the /etc/services file to make sure that the following port ranges are available on the system:

    • ports 1812-1829 required for Oracle Enterprise Manager (console)

    • ports 1830-1849 required for Oracle Enterprise Manager (agent)

    • ports 1850-1869 required for Oracle Enterprise Manager (RMI)

    If necessary, remove entries from the /etc/services file and reboot the system. To remove the entries, you can use the perl script included in the utils/3167528/ directory of CD-ROM Disk 1. Run the script as the root user. This script is also available as patch 3167528.

    This patch is available from:

    http://metalink.oracle.com
    
    

    If these ports are not available, the associated configuration assistants will fail during the installation.

  10. If you use Network Information Service (NIS):

    1. Make sure that the following line exists in the /etc/yp.conf file:

      hostname.domainname broadcast 
      
      
    2. Make sure that the following line exists in the /etc/nsswitch.conf file:

      hosts: files nis dns 
      
      
  11. Make sure that the localhost entry in the /etc/hosts file is an IPv4 entry. If the IP entry for localhost is IPv6 format, installation cannot succeed. The following example shows an IPv6 entry:

    # special IPv6 addresses
    ::1             localhost ipv6-localhost ipv6-loopback
    ::1             ipv6-localhost ipv6-loopback
    
    

    To correct this example /etc/hosts file, comment the localhost entry as follows:

    # special IPv6 addresses
    # ::1             localhost ipv6-localhost ipv6-loopback
    ::1             ipv6-localhost ipv6-loopback
    
    

    To comment the entries, you can use the perl script included in the utils/4015045/ directory of CD-ROM Disk 1. Run the script as the root user. This script is also available as patch 4015045. This patch is available from:

    http://metalink.oracle.com
    
    

2.3 Check Kernel Parameters and Shell Limits

Depending on your operating system, see one of the following sections for information on checking the software requirements:

2.3.1 Configuring Kernel Parameters on HP-UX

The computers on which you plan to install OracleAS Web Cache require their kernel parameters to be set to the minimum values listed in the following sections:

Kernel Parameter Settings for OracleAS Web Cache

This section applies if you are installing OracleAS Web Cache:

  1. Start System Administration Manager (SAM) as the root user:

    # /usr/sbin/sam
    
    
  2. Choose the Kernel Configuration area, then choose the Configurable Parameters area.

  3. Check the value for maxfiles_lim is at least 65536. If necessary, modify that value. See the SAM online help for more information on completing this step.

  4. Exit from SAM.

  5. If you modified the value, reboot the system:

    # /sbin/shutdown -r now
    

2.3.2 Configuring the Kernel Parameters on Linux

The computers on which you plan to install OracleAS Web Cache require their kernel parameters to be set to the minimum values listed in the following sections:

Kernel Parameter Settings for OracleAS Web Cache

This section applies if you are installing OracleAS Web Cache:

  1. Run the following command to check that the nofile kernel parameter is set to at least 65536:

    prompt> ulimit -Hn
    
    
  2. If the command returns a value less than 65536, add this line to the /etc/security/limits.conf file (use a text editor to edit the file):

    *       hard    nofile  65536
    
    

    You need to be the root user to edit the /etc/security/limits.conf file.

  3. Reboot the computer for the new value to take effect.

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, depending on the user's default shell:

Bourne or Bash Shell Limit Korn Shell Limit C or tcsh Shell Limit Hard Limit
nofile nofile descriptors 65536
noproc processes maxproc 16384

To increase the shell limits:

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

    *        soft   nproc         2047
    *        hard   nproc         16384
    *        soft   nofile        2048
    *        hard   nofile        65536
    
    
  2. Add the following line to 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:

      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 or tcsh shell, add the following lines to the /etc/csh.login file:

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

2.4 Ports

Many Oracle Application Server components, such as Oracle HTTP Server, OracleAS Web Cache, and Oracle Enterprise Manager, use ports. You can have the installer assign default port numbers, or specify the port numbers yourself. Further details are discussed in the following topics.

Why the Default Port for Oracle HTTP Server Is Port 7777 and Not Port 80

By default, the installer configures Oracle HTTP Server to use port 7777, not port 80. Port 7777 is the default port because on UNIX, components that use port numbers lower than 1024 require additional steps to be done as the root user before the components can run. Because the installer does not have root access, it has to use a port greater than 1024.

If you want Oracle HTTP Server to use a different port, such as port 80, use the "static ports" feature, which enables you to specify port numbers for components. Although you can change the port number after installation, it is easier to set the port number during installation.

2.4.1 Checking If a Port Is in Use

To check if a port is being used, you can run the netstat command as follows:

prompt> netstat -an | grep portnum

2.4.2 Using Default Port Numbers

If you want to use default port numbers for components, then you do not have to do anything. Refer to Appendix B, "Default Port Numbers" for a list of default port numbers and ranges. Make sure that at least one port is available in the port range for each component. If the installer is unable to find a free port in the range, then the installation will fail.

2.4.3 Using Custom Port Numbers (the Static Ports Feature)

To instruct the installer to assign custom port numbers for components:

  1. Create a file containing the component names and port numbers. Section 2.4.3.1, "Format of the staticports.ini File" describes the file format. This file is typically called the staticports.ini file, but you can name it anything you want.

  2. In the installer, on the Specify Port Configuration Options screen, select Manual and enter the full path to the file.

    If you do not specify the full path to the file, then the installer will not be able to find the file. The installer will then assign default ports for all the components without displaying any warning.

2.4.3.1 Format of the staticports.ini File

The staticports.ini file has the following format. Replace port_num with the port number that you want to use for the component.

# J2EE and Web Cache
Oracle HTTP Server port = port_num
Oracle HTTP Server Listen port = port_num
Oracle HTTP Server SSL port = port_num
Oracle HTTP Server Listen (SSL) port = port_num
Oracle HTTP Server Diagnostic port = port_num
Java Object Cache port = port_num
DCM Java Object Cache port = port_num
DCM Discovery port = port_num
Oracle Notification Server Request port = port_num
Oracle Notification Server Local port = port_num
Oracle Notification Server Remote port = port_num
Application Server Control port = port_num
Application Server Control RMI port = port_num
Oracle Management Agent port = port_num
Web Cache HTTP Listen port = port_num
Web Cache HTTP Listen (SSL) port = port_num
Web Cache Administration port = port_num
Web Cache Invalidation port = port_num
Web Cache Statistics port = port_num
Log Loader port = port_num

The easiest way to create the file is to use the staticports.ini file on the CD-ROM (Disk 1) as a template:

  1. Copy the staticports.ini file from the CD-ROM to the computer.

    Table 2-6 Location of the staticports.ini File on CD-ROM

    Media Location of staticports.ini File
    CD-ROM Disk 1: mount_point/1012disk1/stage/Response/staticports.ini

  2. Edit the local copy (the file on the hard disk) to include the desired port numbers.

    You do not need to specify port numbers for all components in the staticports.ini file. If a component is not listed in the file, then the installer uses the default port number for that component.

    The following example sets the Application Server Control port and some OracleAS Web Cache ports. For components not specified, the installer will assign default port numbers.

    Application Server Control port = 2000
    Web Cache Administration port = 2001
    Web Cache Invalidation port = 2002
    Web Cache Statistics port = 2003
    
    

    When installation is complete, you can check the ORACLE_HOME/install/portlist.ini file to see the assigned ports.


Notes on Choosing Port Numbers:

  • Port numbers cannot be greater than 65535.

  • If you use a port number less than 1024 for a component, you must run the component as the root user.

  • If you use a port number less than 1024 for a component, the installer will not be able to start up the component at the end of installation. You may need to configure the component first before you can start it up. See the appropriate component documentation for details.

  • You still have to comment out ports 389 and 636 in the /etc/services file if you want to use these port numbers for Oracle Internet Directory..

  • If you plan to set port numbers for Oracle HTTP Server and OracleAS Web Cache, be sure you read Section 2.4.3.3, "Ports for Oracle HTTP Server and OracleAS Web Cache".


The installer verifies that the ports specified in the file are available by checking memory. Only ports that are being used by running processes are detected. The configuration files are not checked to determine which ports an application is using.

The installer will not assign a port that is not available. If the installer detects that a specified port is not available, then it displays an alert. To fix this:

  1. Edit the staticports.ini file to specify a different port, or shut down the application that is using the port.

  2. Click Retry. The installer re-reads the staticports.ini file and verifies the entries in the file again.

Using portlist.ini as the staticports.ini File

The staticports.ini file uses the same format as the ORACLE_HOME/install/portlist.ini file, which is created after an Oracle Application Server installation. If you have installed Oracle Application Server and you want to use the same port numbers in another installation, then you can use the portlist.ini file from the first installation as the staticports.ini file for subsequent installations.

2.4.3.2 Error Conditions that Will Cause the Installer to Use Default Ports Instead of Specified Ports

Check your staticports.ini file carefully because a mistake can cause the installer to use default ports without displaying any warning. Following are some things that you should check:

  • If you specify the same port for more than one component, then the installer will use the specified port for the first component only. For the other components, it will use default ports. The installer does not display a warning if you have specified the same port for multiple components.

  • If you have syntax errors in the staticports.ini file (for example, if you omitted the = character for a line), then the installer ignores the line. For the components specified on such lines, the installer assigns default ports. The installer does not display a warning for lines with syntax errors.

  • If you misspell a component name, then the installer assigns the default port for the component. Names of components in the file are case sensitive. The installer does not display a warning for lines with unrecognized names.

  • If you specify a non-numeric value for the port number, then the installer ignores the line and assigns the default port number for the component. The installer does not display a warning for lines with non-numeric values.

  • If you specify a relative path to the staticports.ini file (for example, ./staticports.inior just staticports.ini), then the installer will not find the file. The installer continues without displaying a warning and it will assign default ports to all components. You must specify a full path to the staticports.ini file.

2.4.3.3 Ports for Oracle HTTP Server and OracleAS Web Cache

Be sure you understand the following when setting ports for these components.

In the httpd.conf file for Oracle HTTP Server, the Port and Listen directives specify the ports used by OracleAS Web Cache and Oracle HTTP Server respectively. The correct lines in the staticports.ini file for setting these ports depend on which components you are configuring.

To Configure OracleAS Web Cache and Oracle HTTP Server

  1. Set the port for OracleAS Web Cache.

    OracleAS Web Cache uses the port specified by the Port directive (Figure 2-1). To set this port, use the following line in the staticports.ini file:

    Web Cache HTTP Listen port = port_number
    
    

    To configure the SSL port for OracleAS Web Cache, use the following line:

    Web Cache HTTP Listen (SSL) port = port_number
    
    

    You cannot set the port number using the Oracle HTTP Server port line in this case. If your staticports.ini file contains both Oracle HTTP Server port and Web Cache HTTP Listen port, then the Oracle HTTP Server port line is ignored. For example, if you have the following lines in the staticports.ini file:

    Web Cache HTTP Listen port = 7979
    Oracle HTTP Server port = 8080
    
    

    then the Port directive would be set to 7979.

  2. Set the port for Oracle HTTP Server.

    Oracle HTTP Server uses the port specified by the Listen directive. To set this port, use the following line in the staticports.ini file:

    Oracle HTTP Server Listen port = port_number
    
    

    To configure the SSL Listen port, use the following line:

    Oracle HTTP Server Listen (SSL) port = port_number
    
    

Figure 2-1 Configuring Both OracleAS Web Cache and Oracle HTTP Server

Description of ports_wc.gif follows
Description of the illustration ports_wc.gif

To Configure Oracle HTTP Server Without OracleAS Web Cache

If you are configuring Oracle HTTP Server only, then Oracle HTTP Server uses both Port and Listen directives (Figure 2-2). In this case, you must set both directives to use the same port number.

To set these ports, use the Oracle HTTP Server port and Oracle HTTP Server Listen port lines in the staticports.ini file. For example:

Oracle HTTP Server port = 8080
Oracle HTTP Server Listen port = 8080

To set the SSL version of these ports, use the following lines. As in the non-SSL version, the port numbers must be the same.

Oracle HTTP Server SSL port = 443
Oracle HTTP Server Listen (SSL) port = 443

If you also specify the Web Cache lines in staticports.ini, then they will be ignored because you are not configuring OracleAS Web Cache.

Figure 2-2 Configuring Only Oracle HTTP Server

Description of ports_no_wc.gif follows
Description of the illustration ports_no_wc.gif

2.5 Operating System Groups

If you plan to install Oracle Application Server on a computer that does not have Oracle products, create a group to own the "inventory" directory. See Section 2.5.1, "Create a Group for the Inventory Directory".

To create a local operating system group:

Enter the following command to create the oinstall group:

# /usr/sbin/groupadd oinstall

For more information about operating system users and groups, see your operating system documentation or contact your system administrator.

2.5.1 Create a Group for the Inventory Directory

If you plan to install Oracle Application Server on a computer that does not have Oracle products, create a group to own the inventory directory. The installer writes its files in the inventory directory to keep track of the Oracle products installed on the computer.

This guide uses the name oinstall for this operating system group.

By having a separate group for the inventory directory, you allow different users to install Oracle products on the computer. Users need write permission for the inventory directory. They can achieve this by belonging to the oinstall group.

For the first time installation of any Oracle product on a computer, the installer displays a screen where you enter a group name for the inventory directory, and a screen where you enter the location of the inventory directory.

The default name of the inventory directory is oraInventory.

If you are unsure if there is already an inventory directory on the computer, look in the /var/opt/oracle/oraInst.loc file for HP-UX systems and the /etc/oraInst.loc file on Linux systems. This file lists the location of the inventory directory and the group who owns it. If the file does not exist, the computer does not have Oracle products installed on it.

2.6 Operating System User

Create an operating system user to install and upgrade Oracle products. This guide refers to this user as the oracle user. The oracle user running the installer must have write permission for these directories:

If the computer contains other Oracle products, you might already have a user for this purpose. Look in the /var/opt/oracle/oraInst.loc file for HP-UX systems and the /etc/oraInst.loc file on Linux systems. This file lists the location of the inventory directory and the group who owns it. If the file does not exist, the computer does not have Oracle products installed on it.

If you do not already have a user for installing Oracle products, create a user with the following properties:

Table 2-7 Properties of the Operating System User Who Runs the Installer

Item Description
Login name You can use any name for the user. This guide refers to the user as the oracle user.
Group identifier The primary group of the oracle user must have write permission for the oraInventory directory. See Section 2.5.1, "Create a Group for the Inventory Directory" for more information about this group.

You can use any name for the group. This guide uses the name oinstall.

Home directory The home directory for the oracle user can be consistent with the home directories of other users.
Login shell The default login shell can be the C, Bourne, or Korn shell.


Note:

Use the oracle user only for installing and maintaining Oracle products. Never use it for purposes unrelated to the installer. Do not use root as the oracle user.

To create a local operating system user:

  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
    
    

To check which groups an operating system user belongs to, run the groups command with the name of the user. For example:

prompt> groups oracle

For more information about operating system users and groups, see your operating system documentation or contact your system administrator.

2.7 Environment Variables

The operating system user who will be installing Oracle Application Server needs to set (or unset) the following environment variables.

Table 2-8 summarizes whether you set or unset an environment variable.

Table 2-8 Environment Variable Summary

Environment variable Set or Unset
ORACLE_HOME and ORACLE_SID
Must not be set.
PATH, CLASSPATH, and Shared Library Path Environment Variables
Must not contain references to directories in any Oracle home directories
DISPLAY
Set it to the monitor where you want to the installer window to appear.
TMP and TMPDIR
Optional. If unset, defaults to /tmp.
TNS_ADMIN
Must not be set.
ORA_NLS
Must not be set.
LD_BIND_NOW (Linux Only)
Must not be set.

2.7.1 Environment Variable Tips

Here are some tips when working with environment variables:

  • If you set environment variables in the .profile file, they might not be read. To ensure environment variables are set to the correct values, check their values in the shell where you will be running the installer.

  • To check the value of environment variables, use the env command. This displays all the currently defined environment variables and their values.

    % env
    
    
  • If you use the su command to switch users (for example, switching from the root user to the oracle user), check the environment variables when you are the new user because the environment variables might not be passed to the new user. This can happen even if you run su with the - parameter (su - user).

    # /* root user */
    # su - oracle
    % env
    
    

2.7.2 ORACLE_HOME and ORACLE_SID

These environment variables must not be set.

2.7.3 PATH, CLASSPATH, and Shared Library Path Environment Variables

Edit your PATH, CLASSPATH, and shared library path environment variables so that they do not reference any Oracle home directories.

Table 2-9 lists the shared library path environment variables for different platforms

Table 2-9 Shared Library Path Environment Variables

Platform Environment variable
HP-UX SHLIB_PATH and LD_LIBRARY_PATH
Linux LD_LIBRARY_PATH

2.7.4 DISPLAY

Set the DISPLAY environment variable to point to the X server that will display the installer. The format of the DISPLAY environment variable is:

hostname:display_number.screen_number

Example (C shell):

% setenv DISPLAY test.mydomain.com:0.0

Example (Bourne or Korn shell):

$ DISPLAY=test.mydomain.com:0.0; export DISPLAY

You can test the display by running the xclock program:

$ xclock &

Oracle Application Server requires a running X server during installation only. The frame buffer X server installed with your operating system requires that you remain logged in and have the frame buffer running during installation. If you do not wish to do this, then you must use a virtual frame buffer, such as X Virtual Frame Buffer (XVFB) or Virtual Network Computing (VNC).

Visit Oracle Technology Network (http://www.oracle.com/technology/index.html) for information about obtaining and installing XVFB or other virtual frame buffer solutions. Search OTN for "frame buffer".

2.7.5 TMP and TMPDIR

The installer uses a temporary directory for swap space. The installer checks for the TMP and TMPDIR environment variables to locate the temporary directory. If this environment variable does not exist, the installer uses the /tmp directory.

If you want the installer to use a temporary directory other than /tmp, set the TMP and TMPDIR environment variables to the full path of an alternate directory. The oracle user must have right permission for this directory and the directory must meet the requirements listed in Section 2.1, "Check Hardware Requirements".

Example (C shell):

% setenv TMP /tmp2
% setenv TMPDIR /tmp2

Example (Bourne or Korn shell):

$ TMP=/tmp2; export TMP
$ TMPDIR=/tmp2; export TMPDIR

If you do not set this environment variable, and the default directory does not have enough space, then the installer displays an error message that says the environment variable is not set. You can either set the environment variable to point to a different directory or free up enough space in the default directory. In either case, you have to restart the installation.

2.7.6 TNS_ADMIN

This section describes two requirements:

  • The TNS_ADMIN environment variable must not be set. If set, it can cause errors during installation.

  • The /etc and the /var/opt/oracle directories must not contain a tnsnames.ora file.

These requirements are necessary to prevent conflicts between the Net configuration files for different Oracle products.

If you need to set TNS_ADMIN or if you have the tnsnames.ora file in /etc or /var/opt/oracle, do the following steps before installing Oracle Application Server.

  1. If you have the tnsnames.ora file in /etc or /var/opt/oracle, move the file from these directories to a different directory. Alternatively, you can rename the file.

  2. Make sure the TNS_ADMIN environment variable is not set.

    Example (C shell):

    % unsetenv TNS_ADMIN
    
    

    Example (Bourne or Korn shell):

    $ unset TNS_ADMIN
    
    

After installation, you can merge the contents of the newly created tnsnames.ora file with your existing tnsnames.ora file.

2.7.7 ORA_NLS

To make sure that the Oracle Application Server installation completes successfully, unset this environment variable.

Example:

$ unset ORA_NLS

2.7.8 LD_BIND_NOW (Linux Only)

To make sure that the Oracle Application Server installation completes successfully on Linux systems, unset this environment variable.

Example:

$ unset LD_BIND_NOW

2.8 Network Topics

Typically, the computer on which you want to install Oracle Application Server is connected to the network, has local storage to contain the Oracle Application Server installation, has a display monitor, and has a CD-ROM drive.

This section describes how to install Oracle Application Server on computers that do not meet the typical scenario. It covers the following cases:

2.8.1 Installing on Multihomed (Multi-IP) Computers

If you are installing Oracle Application Server on a computer with multiple network cards, the installer uses the first name in the /etc/hosts file. If this is not the name that you want to use, you can do one of the following:

  • Re-order the lines in the /etc/hosts file so the desired hostname appears first, run the installer, then revert the file back to its original state after installation.

  • If you do not want to edit the /etc/hosts file, you can start up the installer with the OUI_HOSTNAME parameter. Specify the hostname that you want to use in this parameter. For example:

    prompt> mount_point/1012disk1/runInstaller OUI_HOSTNAME=myserver.mydomain.com
    
    

2.8.2 Copying CD-ROMs to Hard Drive, and Installing from the Hard Drive

Instead of installing from the Oracle Application Server CD-ROMs, you can copy the contents of the CD-ROMs to a hard drive and install from there. This might be easier if you plan to install many instances of Oracle Application Server on your network, or if the computers where you want to install Oracle Application Server do not have CD-ROM drives.

When you install from the hard drive, the installer does not prompt you to swap CD-ROMs. It can find all the files if they are in the proper locations (see Figure 2-3).

Space Requirement

Ensure that the hard drive contains enough space to hold the contents of the CD-ROMs.

This space is in addition to the space required for installing Oracle Application Server (listed in Section 2.1).

To Copy the CD-ROMs:

  1. Create a directory structure on your hard drive as shown in Figure 2-3.

    You need to create a parent directory (called OracleAS_10g_10_1_2 in the example, but you can name it anything you like), and, under the parent directory, create subdirectories called Disk1, Disk2, and so on. The names of the subdirectories must be DiskN, where N is the CD-ROM number.

    Figure 2-3 Directory Structure for Copying CD-ROMs to Disk

    Description of copyToDisk.gif follows
    Description of the illustration copyToDisk.gif

  2. Copy the contents of each CD-ROM into the corresponding directory.

    prompt> cp -pr /cdrom_mount_point/10.1.2disk1/* /path/to/hard/drive/Disk1/
    prompt> cp -pr /cdrom_mount_point/10.1.2disk2/* /path/to/hard/drive/Disk2/
    ... Repeat for each CD-ROM.
    
    

To run the installer from the copied files, invoke the runInstaller executable from the Disk1 directory. Run it from the computer that will be running Oracle Application Server.

prompt> /path/to/hard/drive/Disk1/runInstaller

2.8.3 Installing from a Remote CD-ROM Drive

If the computer where you want to install Oracle Application Server does not have a CD-ROM drive, you can copy the discs to the hard drive of a computer with the proper disc drive as described in Section 2.8.2 and then perform a remote installation from that computer using the instructions described in Section 2.8.4.

2.8.4 Installing on Remote Computers

You can run the installer on a remote computer ("remote_computer"), but have the installer screens display on your local computer ("local_computer"). The installer will install Oracle Application Server on the remote computer.

  1. Allow remote_computer to display on local_computer. You need to run this command on the local computer's console.

    local_computer> xhost +remote_computer
    
    

    If you do not run xhost, you might get an Xlib error similar to "Failed to connect to server", "Connection refused by server," or "Can't open display" when starting the installer.

  2. On local_computer, perform a remote login (using telnet or rlogin) to remote_computer. Log in as the oracle user, as described in Section 2.6, "Operating System User". Ensure that the user has set the environment variables correctly, as described in Section 2.7, "Environment Variables".

    local_computer> rlogin -l oracle remote_computer.mydomain.com
    - OR -
    local_computer> telnet remote_computer.mydomain.com
    
    
  3. Set the DISPLAY environment variable on remote_computer to point to local_computer.

    Example (C shell):

    remote_computer> setenv DISPLAY local_computer.mydomain.com:0.0
    
    

    Example (Bourne or Korn shell):

    remote_computer> DISPLAY=local_computer.mydomain.com:0.0; export DISPLAY
    
    
  4. Run the installer. See Section 3.11, "Starting the Oracle Universal Installer".


Note:

You can use a PC X emulator to run the installer if it supports a PseudoColor color model or PseudoColor visual. Set the PC X emulator to use a PseudoColor visual, and then start the installer. Refer to the X emulator documentation for instructions on how to change the color model or visual settings.

2.8.5 Installing on NFS-Mounted Storage

To run Oracle Application Server on NFS systems, you have to use a certified NFS-mounted storage system.

Currently Oracle Application Server is certified to run on these NFS systems:

  • Network Appliance (NetApp) filers

The NetApp system should be exported to at least the remote install user and remote root user. You can do this using exportfs command:

prompt> exportfs -i /vol/vol1

To check the latest certification list for any updates, visit Oracle Technology Network (http://www.oracle.com/technology/index.html).

2.8.6 Running Multiple Instances from One Installation

Oracle Application Server components are intended to be run only on the computer where they are installed. You cannot run the components on remote computers, even though the computers can access the files through NFS.

Figure 2-4 Run Oracle Application Server Only on the Computer Where It Is Installed

Description of nfs_multi_inst.gif is in surrounding text

2.8.7 Support for NIS and NIS+

You can install and run Oracle Application Server in NIS and NIS+ environments.

2.9 Prerequisite Checks Performed by the Installer

Table 2-10 lists the checks performed by the installer:

Table 2-10 Prerequisite Checks Performed by the Installer

Item Description
Operating system version See Section 2.2, "Check the Software Requirements" for supported versions.
Operating system patches See Section 2.2, "Check the Software Requirements" for a list of required patches.
Memory See Section 2.1, "Check Hardware Requirements" for recommended values.
Swap space See Section 2.1, "Check Hardware Requirements" for recommended values.
TMP space See Section 2.1, "Check Hardware Requirements" for recommended values.
Instance name The installer checks that the computer on which you are installing Oracle Application Server does not already have an instance of the same name.
Oracle home directory name The installer checks that the Oracle home directory name does not contain any spaces.
Path to Oracle home directory The installer checks that the path to the Oracle home directory is not longer than 127 characters.
Oracle home directory contents The installer checks that the Oracle home directory does not contain any files that might interfere with the installation.
Oracle home directory You should install Oracle Application Server in a new directory.
Static port conflicts The installer checks the ports listed in the staticports.ini file, if specified. See Section 2.4, "Ports".
Monitor The installer checks that the monitor is configured to display at least 256 colors.
Display permission The installer checks that the user has permissions to display on the monitor specified by the DISPLAY environment variable.
DISPLAY environment variable The installer checks that the DISPLAY environment variable is set.