Introduction

Info

This document replaces the outdated Knowledge Base article with the ID U23194 and the title Using DBCA templates for creating a database from scratch.

This guide describes how to create an Oracle database based on a preconfigured Database Configuration Assistant (DBCA) template.

This method is mainly suited for development systems and should not be used as is in order to create a database for a production system. These typically require careful consideration of storage, memory and other configuration options, such as where to store datafiles or how much memory is needed to process the projected workload. You can, however, use the template as a base for your own customizations, as described in section Custom Installation.

Prerequisites

The template approach only works with an existing Oracle software installation. You can use any of the following editions:

Oracle Enterprise Edition
Oracle Standard Edition
Oracle Standard Edition One

Oracle XE does not support the use of DBCA templates.

References

Preparations

Install Oracle RDBMS, but deselect the option to create a database in the process.
Configure the environment:
1. ORACLE_BASE and ORACLE_HOME
2. Unset other environment variables related to Oracle, such as ORACLE_SID, if necessary.
Download the template that matches your version of Oracle:
Oracle Release Template
12.1.0.x ISORCL_12.1.0.dbt
Move the template to $ORACLE_HOME/assistants/dbca/templates (%ORACLE_HOME%\assistants\dbca\templates on Windows platforms).
Rename the file to ISORCL.dbt.

Oracle Release	Template
12.1.0.x	ISORCL_12.1.0.dbt

Creating the Database

Silent Installation

The easiest way to use the DBCA template is a silent installation, which requires no user interaction and can be started using the following command:

dbca -silent -createDatabase -templateName ISORCL -gdbName ISORCL -sid ISORCL -sysPassword intershop -systemPassword intershop

This creates a database with the following properties:

The global name of the database and its SID is ISORCL
Database files are stored in one of the following directories:
- $ORACLE_BASE/datafiles/ISORCL (datafiles)
- $ORACLE_BASE/archivelogs/ISORCL (archived redo log files)
- $ORACLE_BASE/redologs/ISORCL (online redo logs)
- $ORACLE_BASE/fast_recovery_area/ISORCL (RMAN backup and possibly other files, if one of the other locations becomes unavailable; e.g., online redo logs will be recreated here if they cannot be accessed on instance startup)
Default tablespaces: SYSTEM, SYSAUX, TEMP, UNDOTBS1
Non-default tablespaces (for use with Intershop's software): IS_USERS, IS_INDX, IS_INDX_CTX, IS_TEMP
Initialization parameters with non-default values:
- compatible (matches major/minor version of Oracle, e.g., 12.1.0)
- open_cursors (1000)
- optimizer_index_caching (80)
- processes (500)
- sec_case_sensitive_logon (FALSE)
- session_cached_cursors (100)
- sga_target (800M)
- pga_aggregate_target (1200M)
Password for system accounts (SYS, SYSTEM) is set to intershop

Custom Installation

The template can also be used as a starting point for DBCA, so you can configure a database with properties (at least partially) different from those set in the template (e.g., you want to change the location of datafiles or enable an EM repository)

Start DBCA.
Choose Create a Database.
Select the template ISORCL in step 2 of the wizard.
Finish the wizard (which creates the instance and database).

It is generally recommended to keep the template settings for initialization parameters. Do not change the character set of the database nor the tablespaces to be created (you may add new, but do not delete any of the preconfigured tablespaces).

Notes

Database Listener

DBCA does not create and start a listener, which is required for remote clients to connect to the database. Use NETCA to add a suitable default listener. Accept all default settings presented by the setup wizard.

Default Passwords

We strongly recommend to change the passwords of SYS and SYSTEM after the database has been created:

Open a (remote) shell on the database server as user oracle.
Connect to the database instance:
```
#> sqlplus / as sysdba
```

Change the passwords using:

ALTER USER sys IDENTIFIED BY <password>
ALTER USER system IDENTIFIED BY <password>

User Account

Intershop 7 requires at least one database user (two, if you install a staging environment). Use the SQL script create_is_user.sql to create a default user with appropriate privileges. The script must be executed as SYSTEM or SYS. If you want a different name or password, edit the first two lines, respectively.

Memory Configuration

The database instance does not use automatic memory management by default, because this is not supported on all operating systems. More information about this feature and how to enable/disable it can be found in the Oracle Database Administrator's Guide.

Troubleshooting

If you use a Windows platform and you are logged in as a domain administrator, the installation may fail showing with "ORA-12638: Credential retrieval failed". You can fix this by changing SQLNET.AUTHENTICATION_SERVICES from (NTS) to (NONE) in %ORACLE_HOME%network/admin/sqlnet.ora.

Disclaimer

The information provided in the Knowledge Base may not be applicable to all systems and situations. Intershop Communications will not be liable to any party for any direct or indirect damages resulting from the use of the Customer Support section of the Intershop Corporate Web site, including, without limitation, any lost profits, business interruption, loss of programs or other data on your information handling system.

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