Developing Your Own Installation Plan

In one of my previous careers, I drove submarines. In this environment, life was run by a series of written procedures and checklists. (This was a good idea because you really do not want someone to “wing it” when starting up a nuclear reactor.) There even was a written and posted procedure for flushing a toilet. You may think this to be a bit ridiculous, but submariners are quite sensitive about any system that is connected to the sea, especially when you are down deep in the ocean. Anyway, this part of my life taught me to love checklists and plans.

I do not use lists for such routine functions as adding a user to the Oracle database—I use scripts that I have developed to automate this task. These scripts are written to set up default tablespaces and so forth, for me. However, because installing or upgrading the database is such a significant evolution and is known to have some problems, I am pretty religious about writing lists and plans. Many of the new DBAs that I have worked with (even the ones that were not in submarines) have commented that they like these checklists and plans. You should consider them for the following reasons:

•  Physically, they are easier to read from than a bound book that won’t lie flat.

•  You have to execute steps from several different sections of the book, in just the right order, to complete the evolution. It is easier to sequence these steps first and execute them from a single list.

•  The written procedure that you have checked off when you complete steps is useful when discussing any problems that come up with Oracle support.

•  If you record start and stop times (along with any notes that you feel are important) on the plan, you can use it for future reference. It comes in handy when you load another system, create another instance, or just estimate the time it will take to complete this task in the future. In some organizations, it may also come in handy when preparing a time sheet.

When I prepare my checklists and plans, I always try to make a list that is “good enough.” I have no desire to write a long-winded work that reproduces every word in the Installation and Configuration Guide. I also eliminate steps that are not applicable to this particular installation. They usually relate to steps in the Installation and Configuration Guide that begin with something like, “If you are installing the distributed option,….” Finally, I always include the specifics of the directories that I plan to use, tablespace names, sizes, and so forth. I do not like to trust my memory or have to reference a number of sizing calculations when I am actually in the heat of battle. You have to find a style that you are comfortable with (bullets, numbered steps, little detail, lots of detail). Figure 5.2 shows part of an installation plan.

Figure 5.2.  Sample installations.

The Oracle installation procedures and requirements change from release to release and platform to platform. Please read the installation instructions that are specific to the version of Oracle you are installing and make up your own checklist. You may want to go into more or less detail, depending on your comfort level with the installation process.

Some Good Reviewers

After going through the Installation Manual and making a wonderful plan of the installation process that you will be using on your new database, get a second opinion. I usually route the checklists that I prepare to several individuals who can provide me with useful comments. The following people may be able to help you in preparing the ultimate plan:

•  The operating system administrator. Look for comments in the area of disk and memory utilization.

•  The application developers and lead users. They can provide a good feel for the number of concurrent users, tools that will be used, and so forth.

•  Your management. It never hurts to have them look at the plan before you implement it. That way they are less critical when problems arise.

•  Other DBAs. It is helpful to have one or more Oracle DBA in your area to serve as a sounding board, a fresh set of eyes, or the voice of experience.