Mac? X11? Oracle Cloud Infrastructure? - How To Get runInstaller To run ...

Summary

Long story told short: Got two OCI machines and tried to install some Oracle stuff - Enterprise Manager, Database Software, Weblogic Server and such 'things'. Problem: How to install that without having a possibility to run a GUI? Well - I'm used to install oracle products using the 'silent' way. Nevertheless - How the heck can I get a GUI to run on a Mac? Here's the How To.

Environment

MacBook Pro (Mid 2014 - yes it's old, but I'm still waiting for the all new MacBook M1X, latest generation, 32GB RAM at least. Possibly, tomorrow I know more :-))

OCI - two machines running Linux, 32GB RAM, nothing special

To Do's

• Get XQUARTZ from the manufacturers website and install it on Your Mac

• connect to Your OCI machine(s) as user opc and login as root (sudo su -)

• check / change / edit '/etc/ssh/sshd_config:
  X11Forwarding yes
  X11UseLocalhost no

• restart sshd
  systemctl restart sshd

• install two more packages - xterm (nice to have to check x11) and xauth. Simply run the two statements. In case xterm and/or xauth are installed already, nothing happens.
  yum -y install xterm
  yum -y install xauth

Let's try ...

• start XQUARTZ

• connect as opc to Your OCI machine (doesn't matter if You use mac's terminal.app or an XQUARTZ window:
  ssh -CX opc@<OCI machine>

• In case You're connecting using a ssh key:
  ssh -CX -i <Path to the public key> opc@<OCI machine>

• run these two commands (You'll need the output right after the login as oracle):
  echo "xauth add $(xauth list | grep `echo $DISPLAY | awk '{ print substr($0,index($0,":"),3) }'` | grep `hostname`)"
  echo export DISPLAY=$DISPLAY

• connect as user oracle
  sudo su - oracle

• execute the result of the two commands (xauth and echo) - which is something like this:
  xauth add <oci machine hostname, full qualified>:<Display #>  MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1  <some kind of key>
  export DISPLAY=<IP>:<Display #>

• run Your GUI stuff :-)

Read More

Upgrading Enterprise Manager 13.4 to 13.5 - The Silent Way

Just a short description of what I did to upgrade an existing Enterprise Manager 13.4 (RU9) to the latest release 13.5 ...

Environment:

OCI machine, Oracle Linux 7.9, Enterprise Manager 13.4 RU9
OCI machine, Oracle Linux 7.9, Repository Database Release 19.3

Software-Download

EM 13.5 - downloaded from edelivery.oracle.com

Preparation

Creating the new em13500 base directory, the MiddlewareHome and the Instance Home. 

mkdir $ORACLE_BASE/product/em13500
mkdir $ORACLE_BASE/product/em13500/em13500
mkdir $ORACLE_BASE/product/em13500/gc_inst

I prefer to have one separate EM Release Base Directory for each release, instead of creating everything in $ORACLE_BASE/product.

Extracting the response files from the installation media

./em13500_linux64.bin -getResponseFileTemplates -outputLoc /u01/software/em_install

Preparing some init parameters in the repository database (restart after)

alter system reset "_optimizer_nlj_hj_adaptive_join" scope=both sid='*'; 
alter system reset "_optimizer_strans_adaptive_pruning" scope=both sid='*';
alter system reset "_px_adaptive_dist_method" scope=both sid='*';
alter system reset "_sql_plan_directive_mgmt_control" scope=both sid='*';
alter system reset "_optimizer_dsdir_usage_control" scope=both sid='*';
alter system reset "_optimizer_use_feedback" scope=both sid='*';
alter system reset "_optimizer_gather_feedback" scope=both sid='*';
alter system reset "_optimizer_performance_feedback" scope=both sid='*';

Adopting upgrade.rsp to the environment

RESPONSEFILE_VERSION=2.2.1.0.0
UNIX_GROUP_NAME="dba"
INVENTORY_LOCATION=/u01/app/oraInventory
INSTALL_UPDATES_SELECTION=skip
ORACLE_MIDDLEWARE_HOME_LOCATION=/u01/app/oracle/product/em13500/em13500
ORACLE_INSTANCE_HOME_LOCATION=/u01/app/oracle/product/em13500/gc_inst
OLD_BASE_DIR=/u01/app/oracle/product/em13400/em13400
ORACLE_HOSTNAME=oem1.demo.ch
ONE_SYSTEM=true
WLS_ADMIN_SERVER_USERNAME=weblogic
WLS_ADMIN_SERVER_PASSWORD=manager
WLS_ADMIN_SERVER_CONFIRM_PASSWORD=manager
NODE_MANAGER_PASSWORD=manager
NODE_MANAGER_CONFIRM_PASSWORD=manager
WLS_ADMIN_SERVER_PASSWORD=manager
DATABASE_HOSTNAME=oem2.demo.ch
LISTENER_PORT=1521
SERVICENAME_OR_SID=poem1.demo.ch
SYS_PASSWORD=manager
SYSMAN_PASSWORD=manager
EMPREREQ_AUTO_CORRECTION=false
REPOSITORY_BACKUP_DONE=true
PLUGIN_SELECTION={}
b_upgrade=true
EM_INSTALL_TYPE=NOSEED

Stopping the central agent

emctl stop agent

Stopping Enterprise Manager - and only the Enterprise Manager. You'll need a running AdminServer (an an open repository database)

emctl stop oms

Starting the installer

em13500_linux64.bin -silent -responseFile /u01/software/em_install/upgrade.rsp

Waiting, waiting, waiting ... about 30 minutes in my environment. But this can take much longer in real life environments.

To be honest: Because of the missing upgrade instructions, it took two tries to install. In both cases, the installer created a really helpful log file in html format, and left the original installation unchanged.

Finally

Important

An Enterprise Manager Upgrade is - as always - an out-of-place upgrade. Keep in mind that any connection descriptions to LDAP as well as Your certificates are not (!) upgraded / moved to the new installation. So, if You're using LDAP for authentication or having Your own certificates in place: Save the information / the certificate and apply it after the upgrade to the new EM.

Read More

Enterprise Manager 13.3 - After Upgrade to DB Plugin 13.3.2: Missing 'Top Activities' Page and Empty Graphs when using 'Performance Hub'

oops - long title ... sorry for that

Starting with DB Plugin 13.3.2.0, oracle has kicked out the flash plugin and replaced that with JET (JavaScript Extension Toolkit). As a consequence, 'Top Activity' page is not available anymore and is replaced by 'Performance Hub' respectively 'Ash Analytics' and 'SQL Monitoring'. 

That's the good news ... the not that good news is: Both pages will show empty graphs in case the monitored database is of version 12.2 (it works correctly with 18c and 19c)

Solution for that can be found in MOS Note "Usage Of ASH Analytics In EM 13.3 PG Release (Doc ID 2580773.1)". Bad news two (,too ;-)): You have to execute the necessary steps in EVERY pluggable database.

Read More

Solution: SQL Developer does not show its Startscreen after starting successfully

Problem: 

After starting SQL Developer 18.4 on a Windows 10, the SQL Developer tile is shown in the taskbar, but the Startscreen is not shown on the desktop.

"Quick and Dirty" Solution

• Stop SQL Developer. 
• Open Windows Explorer and type "%APPDATA%\SQL Developer" in the Directory/URL bar. You'll see a directory named according the SQL Developer release (for example, something like "system18.4.0.376.1900"). 
• Rename this directory.
• Start SQL Developer - the directory is re-created, everything should work fine again. If SQL Developer comes up correctly, delete the renamed directory from "%APPDATA%\SQL Developer"
• get back to work ... ;-)

Read More

Enterprise Manager - Advanced Backup Strategies

Oracle's recommendation for an Enterprise Manager backup can be found in "Enterprise Manager Cloud Control Advanced Installation and Configuration Guide", chapter "Backing Up and Recovering Enterprise Manager".

Basically, the recommendation consists of (only) three steps:

·      Software Library Backup

·      Management Repository Backup

·      Oracle Management Service Backup

·      Exportconfig

·      Software Homes

But we have a lot more important stuff within Enterprise Manager which is worth to be backed up, haven't we? Monitoring Templates for example, Metric Extensions or properties which were changed (either possibly or probably), … But, where to get this information from and how to extract it from Enterprise Manager's guts? Repository, emctl and emcli are the keywords – here's how to …:

Software Library Backup

… of course worth a frequent backup. IMHO the best way to get the latest information about the current path is to query the repository database:

select
  base_path
from EM_SWLIB_OMS_LOCATIONS_E
where name ='default_loc';

Put the result in a variable and issue something like this:

tar cvfz software_library.tar $<variableName>/*

Management Repository Backup

… as a DBA You know how to backup an oracle database. I'm sure …

Oracle Management Service Backup

… as oracle's manual states, use

emctl exportconfig oms

And the additional stuff, I was talking about?

OMS Properties

Backup the OMS properties – even if You've never changed them – by issuing an 

emctl list properties

Redirect the result to a file having a timestamp or a sequential number in its filename and You're save.

Monitoring Templates

To backup Monitoring Templates use this SQL, spool the output to a file and execute the file:

select
'emcli export_template -name='''||template_name||''' -target_type='||target_type||' -output_file=$BACKUP_DIR/MT_'||template_name||'.xml'
from sysman.mgmt_templates
where is_public = 0
order by template_name ;

Metric Extensions

Developing Metric Extensions is a time consuming task – so backup the MEs frequently. It is that easy (spool and execute the spool file):

select
'emcli export_metric_extension -file_name=''$BACKUP_DIR/'||name||'_V'||version||'.xml'' -target_type='||target_type||' -name='''||name||''' -version='||version
from SYSMAN.EM_MEXT_VERSIONS_E
order by name, version;

Incident Rulesets

Your Incident Rulesets are candidate to be backed up, too (spool and execute):

select
'emcli export_incident_rule_set -rule_set_name='||ruleset_name||' -rule_set_owner='||owner||' -export_file="$BACKUP_DIR"'
from EM_RULE_SETS
where owner not in ('SYSMAN', '<SYSTEM>')
order by owner, ruleset_name;

Information Publisher Reports

Did You write Information Publisher Reports? Backup them (redirect to a file and execute)!:

emcli get_reports | sed "s/, / /g" | awk 'BEGIN{ FS=","}{x=$1; gsub(/ |-|=|:|\/|\(|\)/, "",x); print "emcli export_report -title="$1" -owner="$2" -output_file=${BACKUP_DIR}/REP_"x".xml" }'

Interested in more possibilities?

emcli offers some more export commands – "emcli help | grep -I export" extracts them from emcli's help text. Perhaps You'll find the one You're searching for.

Questions?

Get in contact ...

Read More

Follow up: Upgrading Enterprise Manager 13.2 to 13.3 - missing 'Update' Option in GUI

First of all, thanks a lot to Martin Decker for his comment and the description how he could solve that problem. Tried that, but unfortunately, these changes alone did not help. I opened a SR and got a recommendation how to solve the problem, exactly designed for my environment. Beside the tasks Martin described, I had to edit some libraries in the directory tree <OMS_HOME>/inventory/featuresets/. 

I asked Oracle Support if I'm allowed to publish the solution, but they said:

"We are still waiting for bug fix for a permanent solution and the workaround may or may not suitable for all situations where upgrade option not available. There are chances like inventory details missing also can cause the similar issue hence its better to log a new request if there are any concerns to verify the install logs/screens and provide solution/workaround"

So, in case You face the 'missing update option, too, please log a Service Request using the keywords "Bug 28350114 : EM 13.3 Upgrade, Installation Types Screen Is Not Showing the Upgrade Option" and supply the install logs.

Read More

Upgrading Enterprise Manager 13.2 to 13.3 - missing 'Update' Option in GUI

Tried to upgrade an Enterprise Manager Cloud Control 13.2 to the next level of happiness - 13.3 - like I did that for several installations. Unfortunately, the 'Upgrading an existing Enterprise Manager System' option in the 'Installation Types' section of the installation GUI is not available. Usually, this behaviour points to an unavailable or corrupt Oracle Inventory. As additional possibility, it could be a bug as well:
Check MOS Note "EM 13c: Checklist for Upgrading Enterprise Manager Cloud Control from Version 12.1.0.5/13.1/13.2 to 13.3 (Doc ID 2418352.1)", the 'Known Issues' section: "Bug 28350114 : EM 13.3 Upgrade, Installation Types Screen Is Not Showing the Upgrade Option"

Read More

Copy MOS-Note URL's

Perhaps You've had that problem, too ... Something has changed with My Oracle Support URLs. Simply copying the url of an already opened MOS document and sending it to a collegue or pasting it into a doc will not give the expected result, i.e., forwarding to the expected document. But how to get the URL? Can be simply as that: Right click on the document's link, 'Copy link address' and You're done ... *wacko*

Read More

Enterprise Manager 13c - 'Tablespace Space Used %' metric sends false alarms

Situation is ...

Metric 'Tablespace Space Used %' is used to monitor the free space of the tablespaces. Sometimes You'll get an alarm that the Tablespace has reached it's critical value. But, the tablespace's data files are auto extensible and far away from the max size and the files are located on an ACFS which knows also auto-extensibility - or better said - an auto-resize feature. There is also plenty of space left on the underlying ASM. Nevertheless, FS free space is currently near to 100% and the current free space in the tablespace is lower than the critical value. Obviously a false alarm, isn't it?

Cause ...

for that behaviour is, that Oracle has changed the method to calculate a tablespace's free space for metric 'Tablespace Space Used %' with release 13c. New is that the metric takes the available disk space into account for its calculations. And this is correct , because no more space left on the disk means finally that a tablespace cannot auto-extend anymore. But with ACFS and the auto resize functionality, this shouldn't be a problem at all - ACFS will auto resize the FS if necessary.

Unfortunately, Oracle Support has no fix for this false alarm at this very moment. MOS says that view DBA_TABLESPACE_USAGE_METRICS has a problem to calculate the metric's base information correctly. Well, that might be a possible reason, but IMHO, the values of my particular database / tablespaces / datafiles are fine.

Solution / Workaround

Simply set the value of the auto resize parameter for the ACFS filesystem in question to an appropriate value other than the default of 20G, to avoid the false alarm problem (until the ASM runs full and ACFS cannot auto resize):
"acfsutil size -a <Size>G <FSName>"

Example:

acfsutil size -a 100G /u02/oradata/TESTDB

acfsutil size: ACFS-03642: successfully updated auto-resize settings

Read More

ODA Server Patch 18.3 available - and installed ...

Since today, Oracle Database Appliance software release 18.3.0.0.0 is available ... I took the chance to download and install the new release - this is the story:

Initial Situation:

I tested the update on an ODA X7-2M with system version 12.2.1.4.0, running five databases (12.1). There are three vlans configured on that system.

Documentation used:

Installation Instruction was taken from docs.oracle.com, Oracle Database Appliance, Release 18.3, X7-2 Deployment and User's Guide for Linux x86-64, Chapter 7 Patching Oracle Database Appliance, subchapter 'Patching Oracle Database Appliance Using the CLI'

Remarks:

- You have to download about 15GB - just for the system update, DB 18.x is around 4GB
- do not copy the update software to a NFS share and do not run the update from this directory
- if You are using NFS shares, be sure that a df -h comes back immediately. With my testsystem I had two NFS Filesystems which were not reachable at all, resulting in a 'never-come-back' df -h - this, in turn, resulted in a stuck Server Patching at step 'Configuring GI'. After I umounted those FS (by using the -f switch), the patching continued
- qosmserver has to run and a crs resource ora.net1.network has to be configured
- the patch documentation is missing the hint to first update dcsagent (odacli upgrade-dcsagent -v 18.3.0.0.0), but it's a prerequisite
- remove any 'non-default' entries from oracle's .bash_profile prior to the update
- Step 'Setting AUDIT SYSLOG LEVEL' had a status 'Failure' at the end of the update process - overall status of the update was - nevertheless - successful (will check the reason for that failure later)
- Installation documentation says after step 'apply the server update' to check if the update was successful and then to issue an 'odacli update-storage'. ATTENTION! After a successful update, the server will reboot! Wait until the system is up again before You start the update-storage command!
- Server reboot took about 10 Minutes with my X7-2M
- Documentation example for 'Update the storage components' is not correct: use '--rolling' or '-r' instead of '-rolling'
- update-storage using the '--rolling' option is not supported on ODAlite

That's it

The whole process took slightly more than one hour - and remember: the system reboots after an successful 'odacli update-server' (!)

Read More