2 Oracle Database Companion CD Requirements

2.2.1 Logging In to the System as root

Before you install the Oracle software, you must complete several tasks as the root user. To log in as the root user, complete one of the following procedures:

1. Log in to the system as a user that is a member of the admin group.

2. Start a local terminal session (/Applications/Utilities/Terminal).

3. If you are not logged in as the root user, enter the following command to start a shell session with root privileges:

   $ sudo sh

4. When prompted, enter your password.

2.2.2 Creating Required Operating System Groups and Users

Depending on whether this is the first time Oracle software is being installed on this system and on the products that you are installing, you may need to create several operating system groups and users.

The following operating system groups and user are required if you are installing Oracle Database:

• The OSDBA group (dba)

  You must create this group the first time you install Oracle Database software on the system. It identifies operating system user accounts that have database administrative privileges (the SYSDBA privilege). The default name for this group is dba.

  If you want to specify a group name other than the default dba group, then you must choose the Custom installation type to install the software or start Oracle Universal Installer as a user that is not a member of this group. In this case, Oracle Universal Installer prompts you to specify the name of this group.

• The OSOPER group (oper)

  This is an optional group. Create this group if you want a separate group of operating system users to have a limited set of database administrative privileges (the SYSOPER privilege). By default, members of the OSDBA group also have the SYSOPER privilege.

  If you want to specify a separate OSOPER group, other than the default dba group, then you must choose the Custom installation type to install the software or start Oracle Universal Installer as a user that is not a member of the dba group. In this case, Oracle Universal Installer prompts you to specify the name of this group. The usual name chosen for this group is oper.

• An unprivileged user

  Verify that the unprivileged user nobody exists on the system. The nobody user must own the external jobs (extjob) executable after the installation.

The following operating system group and user are required for all installations:

• The Oracle Inventory group (typically, oinstall)

  You must create this group the first time you install Oracle software on the system. The usual name chosen for this group is oinstall. This group owns the Oracle inventory, which is a catalog of all Oracle software installed on the system.

  Note:

  If Oracle software is already installed on the system, then the existing Oracle Inventory group must be the primary group of the operating system user that you use to install new Oracle software.

• The Oracle software owner user (typically, oracle)

  You must create this user the first time you install Oracle software on the system. This user owns all of the software installed during the installation. This user must have the Oracle Inventory group as its primary group. It must also have the OSDBA and OSOPER groups as secondary groups.

  Note:

  In Oracle documentation, this user is referred to as the oracle user.

A single Oracle Inventory group is required for all installations of Oracle software on the system. After the first installation of Oracle software, you must use the same Oracle Inventory group for all subsequent Oracle software installations on that system. However, you can choose to create different Oracle software owner users, OSDBA groups, and OSOPER groups (other than oracle, dba, and oper) for separate installations. By using different groups for different installations, members of these different groups have DBA privileges only on the associated databases rather than on all databases on the system.

The following sections describe how to create the required operating system users and groups:

• Creating the Oracle Inventory Group

• Creating the OSDBA Group

• Creating an OSOPER Group (Optional)

• Creating the Oracle Software Owner User

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

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

# id oracle

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

2.2.3 Required Software Directories

This section describes the following directories, which you must identify or create for the Oracle software:

• Oracle base directory

• Oracle Inventory directory

• Oracle home directory

Oracle Base Directory

The Oracle base directory acts as a top-level directory for Oracle software installations. It is analogous to the C:\Oracle directory used for Oracle software installations on Microsoft Windows systems. On UNIX-based systems, the Optimal Flexible Architecture (OFA) guidelines recommend that you use a path similar to the following for the Oracle base directory:

/mount_point/app/oracle_sw_owner

In this example:

• mount_point is the mount point directory for the file system that will contain the Oracle software.

  The examples in this guide use /u01 for the mount point directory. However, you can choose another mount point directory. For example, /oracle or /opt/oracle.

• oracle_sw_owner is the operating system user name of the Oracle software owner, for example oracle.

You can use the same Oracle base directory for more than one installation or you can create separate Oracle base directories for different installations. If different operating system users install Oracle software on the same system, then each user must create a separate Oracle base directory. For example, the following Oracle base directories can exist on the same system at the same time:

/u01/app/oracle
/u01/app/orauser
/opt/oracle/app/oracle

Regardless of whether you create an Oracle base directory or decide to use an existing one, you must set the ORACLE_BASE environment variable to specify the full path to this directory.

Identifying an Existing Oracle Base Directory

Existing Oracle base directories may not have paths that comply with Oracle Flexible Architecture (OFA) guidelines. However, if you identify an existing Oracle Inventory directory or existing Oracle home directories, then you can usually identify the Oracle base directories, as follows:

• Identify an existing Oracle Inventory directory

  Enter the following command to view the contents of the oraInst.loc file:

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

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

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

  The inventory_loc parameter identifies the Oracle Inventory directory (oraInventory). The parent directory of the oraInventory directory is typically an Oracle base directory. In the previous example, /u01/app/oracle is an Oracle base directory.

• Identifying existing Oracle home directories

  Enter the following command to view the contents of the oratab file:

  # more /etc/oratab
  

  If the oratab file exists, then it contains lines similar to the following:

  *:/u03/app/oracle/product/10.2.0/db_1:N
  *:/opt/orauser/infra_904:N
  *:/oracle/9.2.0:N
  

  The directory paths specified on each line identify Oracle home directories. Directory paths that end with the user name of the Oracle software owner that you want to use are valid choices for an Oracle base directory. If you intend to use the oracle user to install the software, then you can choose one of the following directories from the previous example:

  /u03/app/oracle
  /oracle
  

  Note:

  If possible, choose a directory path similar to the first (/u03/app/oracle). This path complies with the OFA guidelines.

To continue:

• If an Oracle base directory exists and you want to use it, then refer to the "Configuring the oracle User's Environment" section.

  When you are configuring the oracle user's environment later in this chapter, set the ORACLE_BASE environment variable to specify the directory you chose.

• If an Oracle base directory does not exist on the system or if you want to create an Oracle base directory, then refer to the following section.

Creating an Oracle Base Directory

To identify an appropriate file system:

1. Use the df -k command to determine the free disk space on each mounted file system.

2. From the display, identify a file system that has sufficient free space.

3. Note the name of the mount point directory for the file system that you identified.

To create the Oracle base directory and specify the correct owner, group, and permissions for it:

1. Enter commands similar to the following to create the recommended subdirectories in the mount point directory that you identified and set the appropriate owner, group, and permissions for them:

   # mkdir -p /mount_point/app/oracle_sw_owner
   # chown -R oracle:oinstall /mount_point/app/oracle_sw_owner
   # chmod -R 775 /mount_point/app/oracle_sw_owner
   

   If the mount point you identified is /u01 and oracle is the user name of the Oracle software owner, then the recommended Oracle base directory path is as follows:

   /u01/app/oracle
   

2. When you configure the oracle user's environment later in this chapter, set the ORACLE_BASE environment variable to specify this directory.

Oracle Inventory Directory

The Oracle Inventory directory (oraInventory) stores an inventory of all software installed on the system. It is required by, and shared by, all Oracle software installations on a single system. The first time you install Oracle software on a system, Oracle Universal Installer prompts you to specify the path to this directory. Oracle recommends that you choose the following path:

oracle_base/oraInventory

Oracle Universal Installer creates the directory that you specify and sets the correct owner, group, and permissions on it. You do not need to create it.

Oracle Home Directory

The Oracle home directory is the directory in which you choose to install the software for a particular Oracle product. You must install different Oracle products, or different releases of the same Oracle product, in separate Oracle home directories. When you run Oracle Universal Installer, it prompts you to specify the path to this directory, as well as a name that identifies it. The directory that you specify must be a subdirectory of the Oracle base directory. Oracle recommends that you specify a path similar to the following for the Oracle home directory:

oracle_base/product/10.2.0/companion_1

Oracle Universal Installer creates the directory path that you specify under the Oracle base directory. It also sets the correct owner, group, and permissions on it. You do not need to create this directory.

2.2.4 Configuring the oracle User's Environment

You run Oracle Universal Installer from the oracle account. However, before you start Oracle Universal Installer, you must configure the environment of the oracle user. To configure the environment, you must:

• Set the default file mode creation mask (umask) to 022 in the shell startup file.

• Set the DISPLAY environment variable.

To set the oracle user's environment, follow these steps:

1. Start a new terminal session.

2. If you are not already logged in to the system on which you want to install the software, then log in to that system as the oracle user.

3. If you are not logged in as the oracle user, then switch user to oracle:

   $ su - oracle
   

4. To determine the default shell for the oracle user, enter the following command:

   $ echo $SHELL
   

5. Open the oracle user's shell startup file in any text editor:

   • Bash shell:

     $ . ./.bash_profile
     

   • Bourne shell (sh), or Korn shell (ksh):

     $ vi .profile
     

   • C shell (csh or tcsh):

     % vi .login
     

6. Enter or edit the following line, specifying a value of 022 for the default file mode creation mask:

   umask 022
   

7. If the ORACLE_SID, ORACLE_HOME, or ORACLE_BASE environment variable are set in the file, then remove the appropriate lines from the file.

8. Save the file, and exit from the editor.

9. To run the shell startup script, enter one of the following commands:

   • Bash shell:

     $ . ./.bash_profile
     

   • Bourne, Bash, or Korn shell:

     $ . ./.profile
     

   • C shell:

     % source ./.login
     

10. If you determined that the /tmp directory has less than 400 MB of free disk space, then identify a file system with at least 400 MB of free space and set the TEMP and TMPDIR environment variables to specify a temporary directory on this file system. To do this:

    1. Use the df -h command to identify a suitable file system with sufficient free space.

    2. If necessary, as a user that is a member of the admin group, enter commands similar to the following to create a temporary directory on the file system that you identified and to set the appropriate permissions on the directory:

       $ sudo mkdir /mount_point/tmp
       $ sudo chmod a+wr /mount_point/tmp
       

    3. Enter commands similar to the following to set the TEMP and TMPDIR environment variables:

       • Bourne, Bash, or Korn shell:

         $ TMPDIR=/mount_point/tmp
         $ TEMP=/mount_point/tmp
         $ export TEMP TMPDIR
         

       • C shell:

         % setenv TMPDIR /mount_point/tmp
         % setenv TEMP /mount_point/tmp
         

11. Enter the following command to ensure that the ORACLE_HOME and TNS_ADMIN environment variables are not set:

    • Bourne, Bash, or Korn shell:

      $ unset ORACLE_HOME
      $ unset TNS_ADMIN
      

    • C shell:

      % unsetenv ORACLE_HOME
      % unsetenv TNS_ADMIN
      

12. To verify that the environment has been set correctly, enter the following commands:

    $ umask
    $ env | more
    

    Verify that the umask command displays a value of 22, 022, or 0022 and the environment variables that you set in this section have the correct values.

2.3.1 Oracle Database Requirement

Before you install products from the Oracle Database 10g Products installation type, you must ensure that your system has access to an Oracle Database 10g release 2 (10.2) Oracle home. If required, you must first install or upgrade to this release of Oracle Database.

Identify the Oracle home directory used by the Oracle Database installation. To do this, you can check the contents of the oratab file by using the following command:

# more /etc/oratab

2.3.2 Disk Space Requirements

Verify that the file system that contains the Oracle home directory has at least 1194 MB of free disk space.

To check that the Oracle home directory has enough space, enter the following command:

# df -k oracle_home_path

2.4.1 Installing on DHCP Computers

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) assigns dynamic IP addresses on a network. Dynamic addressing enables a computer to have a different IP address each time it connects to the network. In some cases, the IP address can change while the computer is still connected. You can have a combination of static and dynamic IP addressing in a DHCP system.

In a DHCP setup, the software tracks IP addresses, which simplifies network administration. This lets you add a new computer to the network without having to manually assign that computer a unique IP address.

2.4.2 Installing on Multihomed Computers

You can install Companion CD products on a multihomed computer. A multihomed computer is associated with multiple IP addresses. This is typically achieved by having multiple network cards on the computer. Each IP address is associated with a host name. In addition, you can set up aliases for the host name. By default, Oracle Universal Installer uses the ORACLE_HOSTNAME environment variable setting to find the host name. If ORACLE_HOSTNAME is not set and you are installing on a computer that has multiple network cards, then Oracle Universal Installer determines the host name by using the first entry in the /etc/hosts file.

Clients must be able to access the computer either by using this host name or by using aliases for this host name. To verify this, ping the host name from the client computers using the short name (host name only) and the full name (host name and domain name). Both tests must be successful.

Setting the ORACLE_HOSTNAME Environment Variable

Use the following procedure to set the ORACLE_HOSTNAME environment variable.

If, for example, the fully qualified host name is somehost.us.acme.com, then enter one of the following commands:

Bourne, Bash, or Korn shell:

$ ORACLE_HOSTNAME=somehost.us.acme.com
$ export ORACLE_HOSTNAME

C shell:

% setenv ORACLE_HOSTNAME somehost.us.acme.com

2.4.3 Installing on Computers with Multiple Aliases

A computer with multiple aliases is registered with the naming service under a single IP but with multiple aliases. The naming service resolves any of those aliases to the same computer. Before installing Oracle Database on such a computer, set the ORACLE_HOSTNAME environment variable to the computer whose host name you want to use.