Installing and configuring Oracle 11g database

Use the following instructions to install and configure Oracle 11g database for use with WebSphere Commerce.

Before you begin

You should have advanced knowledge of Oracle database (at the DBA level) before changing the database settings as recommended in this documentation.
For more information about Oracle database, go to the Oracle Web page. You can obtain copies of the Oracle database documentation and software from the Oracle Technology Network. The Oracle database information in this documentation is provided only as a guideline.
You can access Oracle database patches and patch sets at the Oracle Metalink Web page.
For additional information about Oracle database terminology and concepts, refer to the Oracle Concepts document provided with your purchase of Oracle database.
The Oracle database might require additional filesets or components not installed by a default installation of the operating system. Ensure that you review the Oracle database documentation carefully and install any filesets or components required by Oracle database.
Oracle 11gR2 is supported with WebSphere Commerce Fix Pack 2 or later. See Fix packs for WebSphere Commerce.
If you are installing Oracle 11gR2 on Solaris, review the information in the following technote: idresgen (ID Resolver) hangs with Oracle database

About this task

The installation steps in this topic are for Oracle database 11gR1 and Oracle database 11gR2.
After you complete the steps in this topic, there are additional steps required if you are planning to use 32-bit WebSphere Application Server with a 64-bit Oracle database server, due to a change to the Oracle 11gR2 media package. Beginning with Oracle database 11gR2, 32-bit libraries are no longer shipped with the 64-bit Oracle database server or with the 64-bit Oracle database client media. Consequently, after you install Oracle database 11gR2, you will not have the lib32 folder inside $ORACLE_HOME. If you want to use 32-bit WebSphere Application Server with a 64-bit Oracle database server, you need to install the 32-bit client which is shipped as a separate media. This 32-bit client should be installed only on a new Oracle home. The new oracle_home should be used in the WebSphere Commerce configuration to make use of the new client's home directory instead of the server. For information about the Oracle packaging change in 11gR2, see the following Oracle notes on the Oracle support site:
- Note 883702.1 - $ORACLE_HOME/lib32 does not exist in Oracle database 11gR2. Why?
- Note 884232.1 - 11gR2 Install (Non-RAC): Understanding New Changes With All New 11.2 Installer

Procedure

Install the following Oracle database components on the database node according to the instructions found in the Oracle database documentation:
- Oracle 11g database
- Oracle Net Services
- Oracle Call Interface (OCI)
Create and configure a database for use with WebSphere Commerce before installing WebSphere Commerce.
When creating and configuring Oracle database, take note of the following information:
- User account to own Oracle software
- Oracle database home directory
- Oracle WebSphere Commerce database name
- Oracle SID for WebSphere Commerce database
- Oracle ID and password for database administrator
- Oracle ID and password for WebSphere Commerce database user
- Oracle TCP/IP listener port number
This information will be needed when creating the WebSphere Commerce instance.
For security reasons, an Oracle DBA account should not be used as the WebSphere Commerce database user.
Also, do not use SYSTEM or SYS as user IDs for the Commerce schema.
Note: It is recommended that you use the Oracle automatic memory management feature to manage the Oracle database memory on your system. For details on the Oracle automatic memory management feature, see your Oracle documentation.
Ensure the following settings are applied when creating your Oracle database through the Oracle Database configuration assistant:
- The following settings are recommended.
  Recommended database parameter settings for Oracle 11g database
  
  Parameter Value
  
  block size 8 KB
  
  open_cursors 1000
  
  MEMORY_TARGET 700 MB
  
  MEMORY_MAX_TARGET 700 MB
- Ensure that the database uses the following character sets:
  Required database parameter settings for Oracle 11g database
  
  Parameter Value
  
  Database character set AL32UTF8
  
  National character set UTF8
  
  Important: Refer to the Oracle database documentation for instructions on setting or changing database parameters. Ensure that you set these values correctly because you can not change the character sets after the WebSphere Commerce database is created.
- If you intend to support multi-byte languages, for example, German (de_DE), ensure that NLS_LENGTH_SEMANTICS is set to CHAR. For more information, see Oracle: Choosing a Character Set: Length Semantics.
Complete the creation of your database. Refer to Oracle documentation for more information about creating your database.
Install WebSphere Commerce.

Note: The massload utility must use the Oracle thick JDBC client during instance creation and the migration process. The bootstrap data gets processed during these processes. For more information about the massload utility, see Configuring the massload utility.

Recommended database parameter settings for Oracle 11g database
Parameter	Value
block size	8 KB
open_cursors	1000
MEMORY_TARGET	700 MB
MEMORY_MAX_TARGET	700 MB

Required database parameter settings for Oracle 11g database
Parameter	Value
Database character set	AL32UTF8
National character set	UTF8

If the following topology applies to your environment, you must perform additional configuration steps.

AIX If you have any of the following combinations, follow the steps in Using an existing DB2 Database installation.

Linux If you have any of the following combinations, follow the steps in Using an existing DB2 Database installation.

Solaris If you have any of the following combinations, follow the steps in Using an existing DB2 Database installation.

Windows If you have any of the following combinations, follow the steps in Using an existing DB2 Database installation.


WebSphere Application Server	Operating System kernel	Oracle version	Oracle connection
32-bit	64-bit kernel Linux/Unix	11gR2	32-bit client to connect to remote Oracle server (64 bit or 32 bit)
32-bit	64-bit kernel Linux/Unix	11gR2	32-bit client to connect to local 64-bit Oracle server

Run the WebSphere Commerce instance creation wizard. The wizard does the following tasks when you select Create a new database or tablespace in the wizard:
- Creates a table space for WebSphere Commerce.
- Creates an Oracle database user ID for the WebSphere Commerce database. The newly created table space is assigned as the default tablespace to this user ID.
- Populates the WebSphere Commerce table space.
If you use an existing table space, follow the additional guidelines listed in the Oracle database considerations Oracle database considerations Oracle database considerations Oracle database considerations topic.
If you use an existing table space, follow the additional guidelines listed in the Using an existing DB2 Database installation topic.
If you use an existing table space, follow the additional guidelines listed in the Using an existing DB2 Database installation topic.
If you use an existing table space, follow the additional guidelines listed in the Using an existing DB2 Database installation topic.
If you use an existing table space, follow the additional guidelines listed in the Using an existing DB2 Database installation topic.