8 Getting Started with Oracle Database

8.1 Checking the Installed Oracle Database Contents and Directory Location

You can use Oracle Universal Installer to check the contents and directory location of an Oracle Database installation using the following steps:

1. To start Oracle Universal Installer, run the following command:

   $ $ORACLE_HOME/oui/bin/runInstaller
   

2. Click Installed Products to display the Inventory dialog box on the Welcome screen.

3. Select the Oracle Database product from the list to check the installed contents.

4. Click Details to find additional information about an installed product.

5. Click Close to close the Inventory dialog box.

6. Click Cancel to close Oracle Universal Installer, and then click Yes to confirm.

8.2 Logging In to Oracle Enterprise Manager Database Express

To start Oracle Enterprise Manager Database Express, use the EM Express URL provided by Oracle Database Configuration Assistant (Oracle DBCA) during the database installation and creation. For information about logging in to Oracle Enterprise Manager Database Express see "Starting EM Express" in Oracle Database 2 Day DBA and "Accessing the Database Home Page" in Oracle Database 2 Day DBA

If Oracle DBCA did not provide the EM Express URL during the database installation and creation, or if you need to change the EM Express port later on, then see "Configuring the HTTP Port for EM Express" in Oracle Database 2 Day DBA.

8.3 Managing Oracle Automatic Storage Management

This section provides information about managing an Oracle Automatic Storage Management (Oracle ASM) installation. It covers the following topics:

• Starting and Stopping Oracle Automatic Storage Management

• Oracle Automatic Storage Management Utilities

8.4 Accessing Oracle Database with SQL*Plus

To run the SQL and PL/SQL statements to access Oracle Database, you can use SQL*Plus. This tool enables you to perform the same database management operations, and also to query, insert, update, or delete data directly in the database.

Use the following statement to start SQL*Plus and log in as the SYS user, connecting as SYSDBA:

$ $ORACLE_HOME/bin/sqlplus 
SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
Enter password: SYS_password

For example, to log on as SYSTEM enter:

$ $ORACLE_HOME/bin/sqlplus 
SQL> CONNECT SYSTEM
Enter password: password

If you are logging on as SYS, you must connect as SYSDBA:

$ $ORACLE_HOME/bin/sqlplus 
SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
Enter password: SYS_password

8.5 Accessing Oracle Database with SQL Developer

To run the SQL and PL/SQL statements to access Oracle Database, you can use SQL Developer. All SQL and PL/SQL statements are supported because they are passed directly from the SQL Worksheet to the Oracle Database.

8.6 Reviewing Accounts and Passwords

All databases created by the Database Configuration Assistant (DBCA) include the SYS, SYSTEM, and DBSNMP database accounts. In addition, Oracle Database provides several other administrative accounts. Before using these accounts, you must unlock them and reset their passwords. Table 8-1 describes these accounts and lists their user names.

8.7 Unlocking and Resetting User Passwords

Passwords for all Oracle system administration accounts except SYS, SYSTEM, and DBSMP are revoked after installation. Before you use a locked account, you must unlock it and reset its password. If you created a preconfigured database during the installation, but you did not unlock a required account, you must unlock it, using one of the following methods:

• Using Oracle Enterprise Manager Database Express to Unlock Accounts and Reset Passwords

• Using SQL*Plus to Unlock Accounts and Reset Passwords

8.8 Identifying Databases

The Oracle Database software identifies a database by its global database name. A global database name consists of the database name and database domain. Usually, the database domain equals the network domain, but it need not be. The global database name uniquely distinguishes a database from any other database in the same network. You specify the global database name when you create a database during the installation, or using the Database Configuration Assistant.

The database name input field is used to set the DB_NAME, DB_UNIQUE_NAME, and DB_DOMAIN Oracle initialization parameter values.

For example:

sales_world.example.com

In this example:

• sales_world is the name of the database. The database name (DB_UNIQUE_NAME) portion is a string of no more than 30 characters that can contain alphanumeric characters, underscore (_), dollar sign ($), and pound sign (#) but must begin with an alphabetic character. No other special characters are permitted in a database name.

• sales_wo is the DB_NAME. The DB_NAME initialization parameter specifies a database identifier of up to eight characters.

• example.com is the database domain in which the database is located. In this example, the database domain equals the network domain. Together, the database name and the database domain make the global database name unique. The domain portion is a string of no more than 128 characters that can contain alphanumeric characters, underscore (_), and pound sign (#). The DB_DOMAIN initialization parameter specifies the database domain name.

However, the DB_NAME parameter need not necessarily be the first eight characters of DB_UNIQUE_NAME.

The DB_UNIQUE_NAME parameter and the DB_DOMAIN name parameter combine to create the global database name value assigned to the SERVICE_NAMES parameter in the initialization parameter file.

The system identifier (SID) identifies a specific database instance. The SID uniquely distinguishes the instance from any other instance on the same computer. Each database instance requires a unique SID and database name. In most cases, the SID equals the database name portion of the global database name.

8.9 Locating the Server Parameter File

By default, the preconfigured database uses a server parameter file named spfilesid.ora, which is stored in the $ORACLE_HOME/dbs directory. However, if you choose Oracle ASM for the database, Database Configuration Assistant typically uses the same storage mechanism for the server parameter file.

If the server parameter file is not located in the $ORACLE_HOME/dbs directory, the database uses the SPFILE parameter in an initialization parameter file to locate it. The default initialization parameter file is $ORACLE_HOME/dbs/initsid.ora.

To use Oracle Enterprise Manager Database Express 12c to to view the location of the server parameter file and list the initialization parameters, see the "Viewing and Modifying Initialization Parameters" section in Oracle Database 2 Day DBA.

8.10 Reviewing Tablespaces and Data Files, Redo Log Files, and Control Files

The following sections contain information about tablespaces and data files, redo log files, and control files:

• Identifying Tablespaces and Data Files

• Locating Redo Log Files

• Locating Control Files