Oracle Applications 11i Concepts

2
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

www.brianhitchcock.net
Brian Hitchcock February 10, 2008 Page 2
Presentation is Available
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Administrator
– Database
SYS, SYSTEM, db user with DBA role
– Oracle Applications
SYSADMIN
User with System Administrator responsibility
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
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
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)
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
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
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
Copy all filesystems to tape for all tiers
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
Backups
Hot backup – version 2

– No downtime, more risk
– Single tier
Application/db tier processes are running
Copy only db backup files to tape
– Multi-tier
Copy only db backup files to tape
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?
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?
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
Oracle Documents
Oracle Documents
Oracle Documents
Oracle Documents
Oracle Documents
Oracle Documents
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/c
urrent/acrobat/11iconcepts.pdf
Oracle Technical Support
Oracle Online Training
Oracle University Training
Oracle 11i Books
Oracle 11i Books

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Brian Hitchcock February 10, 2008 www.brianhitchcock.net Page 1

Home directory of applmgr UNIX user

Can install with single OS user

Create exact copy of applications

GUI tool for managing environment

Users and responsibilities

How can this be complicated?

Complete cold backup

Hot backup – version 1

Hot backup – version 1 issues

Hot backup – version 2

Hot backup – version 2 issues

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