Provisioning

This topic describes the basic concepts involved with provisioning VDBs from Oracle dSources using OBI plugin.

A dSource is a virtualized representation of source database. As a virtual representation, it cannot be accessed or manipulated using database tools. Instead, you must create a virtual database (VDB) from a dSource snapshot. A VDB is an independent, writable copy of a dSource snapshot. You can also create VDBs from other VDBs. Once you have provisioned a VDB to a target environment, you can also implement snapshot and retention policies for the VDB, which will determine how frequently Delphix Engine will take a database snapshot and how long the snapshots will be retained for recovery and provisioning purposes.

Snapshots accumulate over time. To view a snapshot:

From the Datasets panel, click the group containing the dSource.
Select dSource.
Click the TimeFlow tab.

The TimeFlow appears as a list of dates, each of which expands to show snapshots from that date. Times, when the VDB has been refreshed, are marked by a blue line between dates.

On the TimeFlow, you can also filter by type of snapshot. To do so, click the filter button, which is shaped like an eye.

You can scroll through these lists to select the a specific snapshot.

Once you have provisioned a VDB, you can also take snapshots of it. As with the dSource snapshots, you can find these when you select the VDB in the Datasets panel. You can then provision additional VDBs from these VDB snapshots.

Dependencies

If there are dependencies on the snapshot, you will not be able to delete the snapshot free space; the dependencies rely on the data associated with the snapshot.

Provisioning VDB

This topic describes how to provision a virtual database (VDB) from a Oracle dSource using OBI plugin.

Prerequisites

Install delphix engine compatible with the OBI plugin version as per support matrix
Install Oracle binaries on staging host
Execute Discovery on staging host
Create dSource on staging host
Add target environment to delphix

Create VDB

Procedure:

Login to the Delphix Management application.
Click Manage.
Select Datasets.
Select a dSource.
Select a snapshot from which you want to provision.
Click Provision VDB icon to open Provision VDB wizard.
Select a target environment from the left pane.
Select an Installation to use from the dropdown list of available Oracle binaries on that environment.
Select the Environment User.
Enter VDB parameters.
Select a Target Group for the VDB.
Click the green Plus icon to add a new group, if necessary.
Select a Snapshot Policy for the VDB.
Click Next.
Specify any desired hook operations.
Click Next.
Review the Provisioning Configuration and Data Management information.
Click Submit.

When provisioning starts, you can review the progress of the job in the Databases panel, or in the Job History panel of the Dashboard. When provisioning is complete, the VDB will be included in the group you designated and listed in the Databases panel. If you select the VDB in the Databases panel and click the Open icon, you can view its card, which contains information about the database and its Data Management settings.

Provisioning RAC VDB

If oracle software owner is configured as environment user then no special settings needed.
If environment user is not oracle software owner,

Delphix expects sudo privileges on srvctl command. Please refer Target Requirements.
Add Custom Environment Variable named ORACLE_OWNER and set value as oracle software owner e.g. oracle during provisioning.

VDB Parameters

API Parameter	Parameter	Description	Comments
mountPath	Mount Path	Mount Path for VDB
dbUniqName	Database Unique Name	Database Unique Name for VDB
dbName	Database Name	Database Name for VDB
instanceName	Instance Name / Prefix (RAC)	Instance Name for VDB
tgtwalletpwd	Target Wallet Password	Target Wallet Password for VDB
pdbName	PDB Name	PDB Name for VDB
pitr	Point in time recovery	Point in time recovery for VDB
restoreTime	Source database time	Source database time in format [ YYYY-MM-DD:HH24:MI:SS ]
restorefromtape	Restore from Tape	Restore VDB from Tape Device
dbrmanbkploc	Source database archivelog/backup location	Source database archivelog/backup location
noarchivelogmode	Disable Archivelog Mode	Disable Archivelog Mode for VDB
advRACSettings	Oracle RAC	Option to enable Oracle RAC
crs_home	CRS HOME for Oracle RAC	CRS HOME for Oracle RAC
additionalNodes	Additional Nodes	Additional Nodes of Oracle RAC is enabled	addInstance, Environment, EnvironmentUser
addInstance	Add Instance	Checkbox to Add Instance
environment	Environment	Select the Environment you wish to add
environmentUser	Environment User	Select the Environment User
config_settings_prov	Customize init.ora parameters	Customize init.ora parameters (Only generic parameters)	Parameter Name, Value
propertyName	Parameter Name	Parameter Name for VDB
value	Parameter Value	Parameter Value for VDB
custominitparamfile	Custom init.ora parameters file	Custom init.ora parameters file for VDB
custom_env_variables	Custom Environment variables	Custom Environment variables for VDB	Environment Variable Name, Value
propertyName	Env Variable Name	Custom Environment variables for VDB
value	Env Variable Value	Custom Environment variables value for VDB
advancedSettings	Advanced Settings [ Beta ]	Custom init.ora parameters file for VDB
enabledebugging	Set Debug Flag	Set Debug Flag for VDB
partialracstatus	Accept Partial Status for RAC	Accept Partial Status for RAC VDB
rekey	Rekey Keystore and Database	Rekey Keystore and Database

Hooks and Environment Variables

OBI plugin does not support inbuilt environment variables in the hook. As an alternate approach, you can define environment variables in the hook before making a connection to database via hook. Minimum environment variables that need to be defined in hooks are as below

export ORACLE_SID=< NAME OF VDB >  
export ORACLE_HOME=< ORACLE_HOME of VDB >  
export PATH=$ORACLE_HOME/bin:$PATH  
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$ORACLE_HOME/lib

v4.1.9 supports Environment Variables

Execute below code in hook to set environment variables:

source $DLPX_DATA_DIRECTORY/setoraenv

Following environment variables will be recognized:

- ORACLE_SID
- ORACLE_HOME
- Any Custom Variables defined