3 Configuring Oracle Database

This chapter describes how to configure Oracle Database for Oracle products. It contains the following sections:

Using Configuration Assistants as Standalone Tools
Relinking Executables

3.1 Using Configuration Assistants as Standalone Tools

Configuration assistants are usually run during an installation session, but you can also run them in standalone mode. As with Oracle Universal Installer, you can start each of the assistants noninteractively by using a response file.

This section contains the following topics:

Using Oracle Net Configuration Assistant
Using Oracle Database Upgrade Assistant
Using Oracle Database Configuration Assistant
Configuring New or Upgraded Databases

3.1.1 Using Oracle Net Configuration Assistant

When Oracle Net Server or Oracle Net Client is installed, Oracle Universal Installer automatically starts Oracle Net Configuration Assistant.

If you choose to perform a separate Oracle Database Client installation, then Oracle Net Configuration Assistant automatically creates a configuration that is consistent with the selections made during the installation. Oracle Universal Installer automatically runs Oracle Net Configuration Assistant to set up a net service name in the local naming file located in the $ORACLE_HOME/network/admin directory of the client installation.

After installation is complete, you can use Oracle Net Configuration Assistant to create a more detailed configuration by entering the following command:

$ $ORACLE_HOME/bin/netca

Note:

When you use Oracle Database Configuration Assistant to create a database, it automatically updates the network configuration files to include information for the new database.

3.1.2 Using Oracle Database Upgrade Assistant

During an Oracle Database installation, you can choose to upgrade a database from an earlier release to the current release. However, if you choose not to upgrade a database during installation or if there are multiple databases that you want to upgrade, then you can run Oracle Database Upgrade Assistant after the installation.

If you installed Oracle Database 11g and chose not to upgrade the database during the installation, then you must upgrade the database before mounting it.

To start Oracle Database Upgrade Assistant, run the following command:

$ $ORACLE_HOME/bin/dbua

For information about the command-line options available with Oracle Database Upgrade Assistant, use the -help or -h command-line arguments as follows:

$ $ORACLE_HOME/bin/dbua -help

3.1.3 Using Oracle Database Configuration Assistant

You can use Oracle Database Configuration Assistant to:

Create a default or customized database
Configure an existing database to use Oracle products
Create Automatic Storage Management disk groups
Generate a set of shell and SQL scripts that you can inspect, modify, and run at a later time to create a database

To start Oracle Database Configuration Assistant, run the following command:

$ $ORACLE_HOME/bin/dbca

For information about the command-line options available with Oracle Database Configuration Assistant, use the -help or -h command-line arguments as follows:

$ $ORACLE_HOME/bin/dbca -help

3.1.4 Configuring New or Upgraded Databases

Oracle recommends that you run the utlrp.sql script after creating or upgrading a database. This script recompiles all PL/SQL modules that may be in an invalid state, including packages, procedures, and types. This is an optional step but Oracle recommends that you do it when you create the database and not at a later date.

To run the utlrp.sql script:

Switch user to oracle.
Use the oraenv or coraenv script to set the environment for the database on which you want to run the utlrp.sql script:
- Bourne, Bash, or Korn shell:
```
$ . /usr/local/bin/oraenv
```
- C shell:
```
% source /usr/local/bin/coraenv
```
When prompted, specify the SID for the database.
Run the following command to start SQL*Plus:
```
$ sqlplus "/ AS SYSDBA"
```
If required, run the following command to start the database:
```
SQL> STARTUP
```
Run the utlrp.sql script:
```
SQL> @?/rdbms/admin/utlrp.sql
```

3.2 Relinking Executables

You can relink the product executables manually by using the relink shell script located in the $ORACLE_HOME/bin directory. You must relink the product executables every time you apply an operating system patch or after an operating system upgrade.

Note:

Before relinking executables, you must shut down all executables that run in the Oracle home directory that you are relinking. In addition, shut down applications linked with Oracle shared libraries.

The relink script does not take any arguments.

Depending on the products that have been installed in the Oracle home directory, the relink script relinks all Oracle product executables.