Oracle Applications 11i Concepts II

1. Oracle Applications 11i Concepts II Brian Hitchcock OCP 11i DBA -- OCP 10g DBA Sun Microsystems brian.hitchcock@sun.com brhora@aol.com Brian Hitchcock February 10, 2008 www.brianhitchcock.net Page 1

2. Presentation is Available

3. Contents • Oracle Applications Concepts I • What is Oracle Applications? • 11i Architecture • Oracle Application Tiers • Login to Oracle Applications • Online Oracle Application environments • Oracle Applications Concepts II • 11i Applications Filesystem • Applications DBA utilities • Database DBA vs 11i DBA • Backups • Resources

4. Focus • Generic Oracle Applications concepts • Not tied to specific installation(s) • Provide background for how Apps works • Help with support tasks in general • Technical • how it works • how to make it go

5. 11i Applications File System • $APPL_TOP • Top directory for all Oracle Application software • Contains $PROD_TOP for each product • Applications patches make changes in APPL_TOP • Environment variables setup at login • Environment files • Can be shared (shared APPL_TOP) • NFS mounted filesystem • Shared by two or more application tier servers • Apply patches once for all application tiers • Single point of failure

6. 11i Applications File System • Home directory of applmgr UNIX user • APPL_TOP • Contains product directories • ORA_TOP • 8.0.6 Forms • ORACLE_HOME for forms server • iAS Web Server (Apache) • ORACLE_HOME for web server • COMMON_TOP • Directories/files used across products

7. 11i Database File System • Database has • ORACLE_HOME • ORACLE_HOME for database • Database software • /oradata01-05 • Database tablespace datafiles • Three ORACLE_HOMES • When applying applications patches • Patch applied in 8.0.6 ORACLE_HOME

8. Environment Files • Many pieces of software • All need to be configured • Many environment variables to be setup • How is this done? • Overall configuration file • <context>.xml • Context is <SID>_<hostname> • Stored in $APPL_TOP/admin • Multiple environment files sourced at login • Stored in $APPL_TOP • APPSORA.env – calls other environment files

9. OS Users • Can install with single OS user • We use two • UNIX user ‘oracle’ • UNIX user ‘applmgr’ • Note that ‘applmgr’ is used in Oracle docs • Refers to the application code owner • Will be different for other installations

10. 11i AutoConfig • Many configuration files • Changes required manually editing multiple files • Tedious, error prone • Autoconfig utility • Automates most configuration tasks • Make changes to context file • Execute autoconfig • Changes propagated to configuration files • Doesn’t handle customizations • May overwrite non-standard modifications

11. 11i Cloning • Create exact copy of applications environment • Database • Application software • More involved than just a copy of database • Multiple steps • Somewhat automated • Rapid clone utility

12. 11i Patching • Never ending process • Applications patches applied with adpatch • Some database patches applied with opatch • Must be in maintenance mode to apply patch (11.5.10) • Patch can’t be removed • Only recourse is to recover from filesystem backups • Patches change product software • Patches change database objects • Applied patches recorded in database • Database must be running while patch applied • Applications tier processes down while patching

13. 11i Applications Manager • GUI tool for managing environment • What can it do? • Show patches applied • Show impact of new patches • Performance metrics • Monitor security • Configure environment • Edit context file, run autoconfig

14. Database DBA vs 11i DBA • Users • Oracle Database Users • Access database (SQL*Plus, etc) • Have specific privileges on database objects • Stored in DBA_USERS table • Oracle Application Users • Don’t access the database directly • Don’t have privileges on database objects • Have responsibilities in Oracle Applications • Access db through APPS db user • Access limited by responsibilities • Stored in FND_USER table

15. Database DBA vs 11i DBA • Administrator • Database • SYS, SYSTEM, db user with DBA role • Oracle Applications • SYSADMIN • User with System Administrator responsibility

16. Database DBA vs 11i DBA • Privileges vs Responsibilities • Database privileges • Granted on specific db objects • Granted to specific db users or roles • Oracle Applications responsibilities • Assigned to Oracle Applications users • Allow access to groups of db objects • Access is through APPS db user

17. Database DBA vs 11i DBA • Users and responsibilities • Oracle database users and privileges • Can be dropped (removed) • Oracle Applications users • Can’t be removed, only ‘end-dated’ • When created, user has start and end date • Oracle Applications user responsibility • Can’t be removed, only ‘end-dated’ • When assigned, responsibility has start/end dates

18. Database DBA vs 11i DBA • Multiple ORACLE_HOMEs • For database DBA • Single ORACLE_HOME • For Oracle Applications • Three ORACLE_HOMEs • Database • 8.0.6 for Oracle Forms • iAS Web Server (Apache)

19. Backups • How can this be complicated? • Database backups well defined • Copy all database datafiles (*.dbf files) • Copy init.ora, tnsnames.ora etc. • Copy archived redo logs if needed (hot db backup) • Oracle Applications environment backup • Database • Application software tree

20. Backups • Complete cold backup • Most conservative, most downtime • Single tier • Shutdown application tier processes (servers) • Shutdown database and database listener • Copy all filesystems to tape • Multi-tier • Shutdown all tiers • Backup all filesystems on all tiers to tape

21. Backups • Hot backup – version 1 • No downtime, some risk • Single tier • Application/db tier processes are running • Hot db backup to disk • Copy all filesystems to tape • Multi-tier • Hot db backup to disk • Copy all filesystems to tape for all tiers

22. Backups • Hot backup – version 1 issues • Assumes application code tree is static • Assumes configuration static • Log files may be lost • Generated during tape backup • Database can be recovered to point of failure • Restore backup files, apply redo logs • Applications code tree recovered to latest tapes • No equivalent to database archived redo logs

23. Backups • Hot backup – version 2 • No downtime, more risk • Single tier • Application/db tier processes are running • Hot db backup to disk • Copy only db backup files to tape • Multi-tier • Hot db backup to disk • Copy only db backup files to tape

24. Backups • Hot backup – version 2 issues • Same as for version 1 • Over longer time • Applications file system recovery • Back to most recent tape backup • Out of synch with db backup • Is this acceptable recovery?

25. Backups – DR Systems • How to keep DR system in synch? • Database • Apply redo logs from primary • Keep DR database up with primary db • Applications code tree • No equivalent to database redo logs • Need to refresh DR code tree from primary • How to do this? • How often to do this? • How far behind db can code tree for DR?

26. Resources • Oracle Documents • Oracle Technology Network -- otn.oracle.com • Oracle Technical Support • Metalink -- metalink.oracle.com • Oracle online training • www.oracle.com/education/oln • Oracle University training • education.oracle.com • Solution Beacon • Oracle Applications Environments • Books

27. Oracle Documents

28. Oracle Documents

29. Oracle Documents

30. Oracle Documents

31. Oracle Documents

32. Oracle Documents

33. Documentation • Technical Overview • Oracle Applications Concepts • Release 11i (11.5.10.2) • Part No. B19295-03 • Available at • http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B25516_18/current/acrobat/11iconcepts.pdf

34. Oracle Technical Support

35. Oracle Technical Support

36. Oracle Technical Support

37. Oracle Online Training

38. Oracle Online Training

39. Oracle Online Training

40. Oracle Online Training

41. Oracle Online Training

42. Oracle University Training

43. Oracle University Training

44. Oracle University Training

45. Oracle University Training

46. Oracle 11i Books

47. Oracle 11i Books