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Installation, Server Configuration,
and Database Upgrades



    Comparison Between 10.1 and 10.2

Version 10.1 10.2
Supported Parameters 255 258
Unsupported Parameters 918 1127
Dynamic Performance Views (V$) 340 396
Fixed Views (X$) 529 597
Events (Waits) 811 874
Statistics 332 363
Latches 348 382
Background Processes (Fixed SGA) 109 157

   About Grid Computing

The following three attributes lie at the heart of grid computing:

   Installation New Features Support

Database Management Choices

The Grid Control includes:

If you create a database manually, you must configure and install the OEM Database Control using the Oracle-supplied build script (EM Configuration Assistant):

Note: In order to access the OEM Database Control from your browser, you must first have the dbconsole process running on your system.

Automatic Pre-Install Checks

Oracle Universal Installer (OUI) now manages the entire pre-install requirements check automatically. Common checks performed are the following:

New File Storage Options

The OUI now offers three choices for configuring the file systems for any new starter database that you may create:

Backup and Recovery Options

Database User Password Specification

You have to set passwords for the following schemas: SYS, SYSTEM, DBSNMP, and SYSMAN.

It’s DBA job to unlock the other standard user accounts and set new passwords for them.

Cluster Ready Services

The Oracle 10g installation supports several Real Application Clusters (RAC) features, including the installation of the Cluster Ready Services (CRS) feature.

MetaLink Integration

In Oracle 10g, you can directly link the OEM to the OracleMetaLink service. Through this built-in MetaLink integration, OEM can then automatically track any new software patches for you. You can arrange to receive alerts whenever the OEM spots new patches.

Oracle Software Cloning

The OEM Grid Control enables you to easily duplicate Oracle Database 10g software installations (Oracle Homes) from a master installation to one more servers.

Database Cloning

Using the OEM, you can now easily clone databases. OEM performs database cloning by using RMAN. You use the OEM Clone Database wizard, also known as the Clone Database Tool, to perform the various steps in a database cloning operation.

   Performance Enhancements to the Installation Process

Single CD Installation

Although the Oracle Database 10g server software comes in a pack of CD-ROMs, you need only a single CD to complete your Oracle 10g server installation. It takes only about 20 minutes to complete the entire installation.

Hardware Requirements

Easier and Cleaner Deinstallation

In the deinstallation process, related software files and Widows registry entries are removed.

To deinstall your Oracle 10g software, follow these steps:

  1. Shut down all databases and ASM instances running under the Oracle Home you want to remove, and then remove the databases.
  2. Stop all the relevant processes running under this Oracle Home, by running the following commands: 
    $ORACLE_HOME/bin/emctl stop dbconsole – shuts down the OEM. 
    $ORACLE_HOME/bin/lsnrctl stop – brings down the Oracle listener 
    $ORACLE_HOME/bin/isqlplusctl stop – brings down the iSQL*Plus server
  3. Start the OUI.
  4. Click Deinstall Products in the Welcome window.
  5. In the Inventory window, select the correct Oracle Home that contains the software you want to deinstall, and then click Remove.
  6. Manually remove the Home directory that you just deinstalled.

Automatic Launching of Software

The following products will launch automatically immediately after you complete the server installation: Oracle Management Agent, the OEM Database Control, and the iSQL*Plus server.

Response File Improvements

The following are the new Oracle 10g improvements in the response file, which help you perform a truly “silent” Oracle installation:

   Simplified Instance Configuration

Database Configuration Assistant (DBCA) Enhancements

Using the DBCA ensures that DBA is reminded about all the important options, rather than needing to remember them and perform them all manually. Following are some of the DBCA enhancements:

  1. The SYSAUX Tablespace: This is a new tablespace introduced in Oracle 10g used as a central location for the metadata of all tools like the OEM and RMAN.
  2. Flash Recovery Area: This is a unified storage location on your server that Oracle reserves exclusively for all database recovery-related files and activities.
  3. Automatic Storage Management (ASM)
  4. Management Options: like alert notification, job scheduling, and software management.

Policy-Based Database Configuration Framework

Oracle 10g enables you to monitor all of your databases to see if there are any violations of the predetermined configuration policies. This can be managed in the Database Control using following sections:

Simplified Initialization Parameters

Changes in the Initialization Parameters

Deprecated Parameters

MTS_DISPATCHERS

UNDO_SUPPRESS_ERRORS

PARALLEL_AUTOMATIC_TUNING

Obsolete Parameters

DISTRIBUTED_TRANSACTIONS

ORACLE_TRACE_COLLECTION_NAME

MAX_ENABLED_ROLES

New Parameters

RESUMABLE_TIMEOUT

SGA_TARGET

PLSQL_OPTIMIZE_LEVEL

Irreversible Datafile Compatibility

The minimum value of the COMPATIBILE initialization parameter is 9.2.0. The default value, however, is 10.0.0. If value of the parameter was 10.0.0, this means that you won’t be able to downgrade the Oracle 10g database to a prior release; the datafile is irreversible.

The ALTER DATABASE RESET COMPATIBILITY command is obsolete in Oracle 10g.

   Managing Database Control

Important EM Agent Directories

When you install Oracle Database 10g, a set of directories and files related to Enterprise Manager is created in the Oracle Home directory:

Configuring Database Control

You can use the operating system command line to configure Database Control. You can use Enterprise Manager Configuration Assistant (EMCA) to perform the following tasks:

emca -backup

emca –config dbcontrol db [–repos create|recreate]

emca -deconfig dbcontrol db [–repos drop]

emca -reconfig ports -DBCONTROL_HTTP_PORT 5500

   Viewing Database Feature Usage Statistics

The Statistics Collection Process

Oracle Database 10g introduces a new database process called Manageability Monitor Process (MMON), which records both the database usage statistics and the HWM statistics for various objects.

MMON process is primarily responsible for:

MMON records the various statistics inside the Automatic Workload Repository (AWR), which is a new Oracle Database 10g innovation that stores database performance data.

The related views are:

Database Usage Statistics in the OEM

Following are the steps to view database usage statistics in the OEM Database Control:

  1. Go the Database Control home page. Click the Administration link and go to the Configuration Management group (in release 2 it is named as Database Configuration). Click the Database Usage Statistics link.

   Supported Upgrade Paths to Oracle 10g

You can migrate directly to the Oracle Database 10g version only if your database is one of the following versions: 8.0.6, 8.1.7, 9.0.1, or 9.2.

You can upgrade to Oracle Database 10g in two ways:

Note: The DBUA is a GUI tool, but you can also run it in the silent mode, by using the following command at the operating system level: dbua

   Using New Utility to Perform Pre-Upgrade Validation Checks

Oracle now includes a brand-new tool, called the Upgrade Information Tool, to help you collect various pieces of critical information before you start the upgrade process.

The Upgrade Information Tool provides important information and actions you should do before upgrading the existing database.

If you are performing a manual upgrade, you need to invoke the tool by running the SQL script utlu10*i.sql. The DBCA automatically runs it as part of the pre-upgrade check.

Note: In Oracle 10g Release 2, the Pre-Upgrade Information Utility (utlu102i.sql) has been enhanced to provide improved resource estimations for tablespace space usage and elapsed upgrade runtime.

The Post-Upgrade Status Tool

Oracle Database 10g also provides a Post-Upgrade Status Tool (utlu10*s.sql), which gives you an accurate summary of the upgrade process and any necessary corrective steps to be taken.

You can restart a failed database upgrade job from the point where you failed.

If you use the DBUA to upgrade, the script runs automatically. If you are performing a manual upgrade, you need to run the script yourself, after the upgrade process is finished.

   Using the Simplified Upgrade Process

Oracle provides the DBUA to facilitate the database upgrade process. You can use the DBUA to upgrade any database configuration, including RAC and standby databases.

The DBUA takes care of the following tasks for you:

Starting DBUA

On Windows: Programs | Oracle | Configuration and Migration Tools | Database Upgrade Assistant.

On a UNIX system: simply type dbua

Silent startup: dbua -silent –dbName nina

   Manual Upgrade Process

Steps in the Manual Upgrade Process

  1. Start a Spool File

SQL> spool upgrade.log

  1. Run the Upgrade Information Tool

SQL> @$ORACLE_HOME/rdbms/admin/utlu101i.sql

SQL> spool off

  1. Back Up Your Database

At this point, shut down and back up your current database, by using either the RMAN or by using user-managed backup techniques.

  1. Copy Your init.ora File

Copy your present init.ora file to the new Oracle Database 10g default location:

Make all the necessary changes in your init.ora parameter file, as per the Upgrade Information Tool’s recommendations.

  1. If you are upgrading a cluster database and your initdb_name.ora file resides within the old environment's Oracle home, then move or copy the initdb_name.ora file to the new Oracle home. Make modifications in the file in the same way as made in the init.ora file.
  2. If you are upgrading a cluster database, then set the CLUSTER_DATABASE initialization parameter to false. After the upgrade, you must set this initialization parameter back to true.
  3. Shut down the instance:

SQL> SHUTDOWN IMMEDIATE

  1. Completely remove any Windows-Based Oracle Instances

C:\>net stop oracleservicefinance

C:\>oradim -delete -sid finance

C:\>oradim -new -sid finance -intpwd finance1 -startmode auto –pfile c:\oracle\product\10.1.0\Db_1\database\initfinance.ora

  1. If your operating system is UNIX, then make sure that your ORACLE_SID is set correctly and that the following variables point to the new release directories: ORACLE_HOME,PATH,ORA_NLS10,LD_LIBRARY_PATH
  2. Log in to the system as the owner of the Oracle home directory of the new Oracle Database 10g release.
  3. At a system prompt, change to the ORACLE_HOME/rdbms/admin directory.
  4. Start Up the New Database

sqlplus /nolog

SQL> connect / as sysdba

SQL> startup upgrade

Using the startup upgrade command tells Oracle to automatically modify certain parameters, including initialization parameters that cause errors otherwise

  1. If you are upgrading from a release other than 10.1, create the SYSAUX Tablespace. The Pre-Upgrade Information Tool provides an estimate of the minimum required size for the SYSAUX tablespace in the SYSAUX Tablespace section.

CREATE TABLESPACE sysaux DATAFILE 'sysaux01.dbf' SIZE 500M

EXTENT MANAGEMENT LOCAL

SEGMENT SPACE MANAGEMENT AUTO

ONLINE

  1. If you upgrading to release 1, run the Upgrade Script. Run the Upgrade Script corresponding to the Oracle version you would like to upgrade:
  1. If you upgrading to Oracle Database 10g Release 2, only one common SQL script has to be invoked when performing a database upgrade. Oracle automatically determines what version is being upgraded and runs the appropriate upgrade scripts for that database and all of its included components:

SQL> SPOOL upgrade.log

SQL> @catupgrd.sql

  1. Depending of the release you are upgrading to, run utlu10*s.sql (Post-Upgrade Status Tool) to display the results of the upgrade:

SQL> @utlu101s.sql TEXT

SQL> @utlu102s.sql

SQL> SPOOL OFF

Note that the utlu101s.sql script is followed by the word TEXT, to enable the printing of the script output.

The tool simply queries the DBA_SERVER_REGISTRY table to determine the upgrade status of each individual component.

  1. Check the spool file and verify that the packages and procedures compiled successfully. Rerun the catupgrd.sql script, if necessary.
  2. Restart the instance

SQL> SHUTDOWN IMMEDIATE

SQL> STARTUP

  1. If Oracle Label Security is in your database:

SQL> @olstrig.sql

  1. Run utlrp.sql to recompile any remaining invalid stored PL/SQL and Java code.

SQL> @utlrp.sql

  1. Verify that all expected packages and classes are valid:

SQL> SELECT count(*) FROM dba_objects WHERE status='INVALID';

SQL> SELECT distinct object_name FROM dba_objects WHERE status='INVALID';

  1. Exit SQL*Plus

   Reverting Upgraded Database

Instructing DBUA to perform a backup of your database (with the RMAN) will provide you the option to revert the database to the older version by the end of the upgrade process.

You can also revert back manually to the older database by using the DB_Name_restore.bat file (under Windows), providing that you have a cold backup of the database.



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