Home / Databases / Oracle

DatabasesHow-toAdvanced

Oracle Database single instance on Linux: install, configure and protect

Install Oracle Database 19c or 23ai as a single instance on Oracle Linux. Covers the preinstall RPM, storage layout, silent install, creating a CDB/PDB, memory settings, archivelog mode, RMAN backups and basic security.

Deepak Bhardwaj22 Oct 20263 min read

Applies toOracle Database 19c and 23ai on Oracle Linux 8/9 (also RHEL)

1. OS preparation

sudo dnf install -y oracle-database-preinstall-19c   # or oracle-ai-database-preinstall-23ai

The preinstall RPM creates the oracle user and groups, and sets kernel parameters and limits.

Mount	Purpose
`/u01`	Oracle software (`ORACLE_BASE=/u01/app/oracle`)
`/u02/oradata`	Data files
`/u03/fra`	Fast Recovery Area (archivelogs, backups, flashback logs)
redo	Separate fast volume, multiplexed members

Use ASM, with Oracle Restart, if you want Oracle-managed storage on a single node.

2. Silent software install (19c)

export ORACLE_HOME=/u01/app/oracle/product/19.0.0/dbhome_1
mkdir -p $ORACLE_HOME && cd $ORACLE_HOME && unzip -q /stage/LINUX.X64_193000_db_home.zip
./runInstaller -silent -applyRU /stage/<release-update-dir> \
  -responseFile $ORACLE_HOME/install/response/db_install.rsp \
  oracle.install.option=INSTALL_DB_SWONLY oracle.install.db.InstallEdition=EE \
  ORACLE_BASE=/u01/app/oracle oracle.install.db.OSDBA_GROUP=dba \
  oracle.install.db.OSBACKUPDBA_GROUP=backupdba oracle.install.db.OSDGDBA_GROUP=dgdba \
  oracle.install.db.OSKMDBA_GROUP=kmdba oracle.install.db.OSRACDBA_GROUP=racdba
sudo /u01/app/oraInventory/orainstRoot.sh && sudo $ORACLE_HOME/root.sh

-applyRU installs the latest Release Update together with the base release.

3. Create the database (CDB + PDB)

dbca -silent -createDatabase -templateName General_Purpose.dbc \
  -gdbName ORCL -sid ORCL -createAsContainerDatabase true \
  -numberOfPDBs 1 -pdbName SALESPDB -characterSet AL32UTF8 \
  -datafileDestination /u02/oradata -recoveryAreaDestination /u03/fra \
  -recoveryAreaSize 200000 -memoryMgmtType AUTO_SGA -totalMemory 24576 \
  -redoLogFileSize 2048 -enableArchive true -sysPassword '...' -systemPassword '...' -pdbAdminPassword '...'

4. Key settings

ALTER SYSTEM SET sga_target = 16G SCOPE=SPFILE;
ALTER SYSTEM SET pga_aggregate_target = 6G SCOPE=SPFILE;
ALTER SYSTEM SET pga_aggregate_limit = 12G SCOPE=SPFILE;
ALTER SYSTEM SET use_large_pages = ONLY SCOPE=SPFILE;     -- configure HugePages first
ALTER DATABASE FORCE LOGGING;
ALTER DATABASE FLASHBACK ON;                               -- optional; useful for fast rollback
ALTER SYSTEM SET db_flashback_retention_target = 1440;
ALTER SYSTEM SET control_file_record_keep_time = 31;

Set up HugePages (vm.nr_hugepages) to cover the SGA. Disable transparent huge pages.
Multiplex the control files and redo log members across volumes.
Save PDB state: ALTER PLUGGABLE DATABASE SALESPDB SAVE STATE;

5. RMAN backups

CONFIGURE RETENTION POLICY TO RECOVERY WINDOW OF 14 DAYS;
CONFIGURE CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP ON;
CONFIGURE DEVICE TYPE DISK BACKUP TYPE TO COMPRESSED BACKUPSET PARALLELISM 4;
CONFIGURE ARCHIVELOG DELETION POLICY TO BACKED UP 1 TIMES TO DISK;

ALTER DATABASE ENABLE BLOCK CHANGE TRACKING USING FILE '/u02/oradata/ORCL/bct.chg';

Job	Schedule
`BACKUP INCREMENTAL LEVEL 0 DATABASE PLUS ARCHIVELOG`	Weekly
`BACKUP INCREMENTAL LEVEL 1 DATABASE PLUS ARCHIVELOG`	Daily
`BACKUP ARCHIVELOG ALL NOT BACKED UP`	Every 30 min
`RESTORE DATABASE VALIDATE`	Weekly

Copy backups offsite (OCI Object Storage with the Cloud Backup Module, ZDLRA, or a backup tool).

6. Security basics

Change default passwords, lock unused accounts, and use profiles with password limits.
Unified Auditing policies for logins, privilege use and DDL.
Network encryption or TLS (SQLNET.ENCRYPTION_SERVER = REQUIRED, or TCPS).
Apply quarterly RUs (see the patching policy post).

Note
Licensing: Diagnostics and Tuning packs (AWR/ASH), Advanced Security (TDE) and partitioning are separately licensed Enterprise Edition options. Set control_management_pack_access to match what you've licensed.