EnterpriseDB Network Oracle Tips by Burleson Consulting

Figure 2.6: EnterpriseDB Network

An online installation requires an active internet connection and a valid EnterpriseDB Network email ID and password.  If you have not yet registered for the EnterpriseDB Network (shame on you!  Haven’t you been listening to me?), you can click on the “Register now” link and do so.  “Register now” will launch your default browser and take you to the EnterpriseDB Network registration page. 

If you have forgotten your password, click on the “Forgot your password?” link.  This will also launch your default browser and will take you to a screen that will allow you to have your password emailed to you.

If you do not have an active internet connection or you choose not to connect for any reason, you can choose an offline installation.

When you register for the EnterpriseDB Network, you are sent an email confirming your registration.  In this email is an account key.  On this screen, if you choose an offline installation, you must enter your email ID and that account key. 

The account key is a huge alphanumeric string.  It is easier to have a live connection but if you don’t, use cut and paste to make sure you enter it correctly.

After choosing your installation type and entering the required information, press the next button.

Next up is the OS User Setup screen, Figure 2.7.  This screen allows you to create the unprivileged user that will “own” EnterpriseDB.  This user will be the OS user that does the database administrator tasks such as creating new databases and such.  It MUST NOT be an OS administrative user.  If you are installing under Linux, it must not have root access.

If you allow the installer to create the user, it will be created with the correct permissions.  I recommend that you allow the installer to create the user.  You may want to accept the default name, enterprisedb, as I will be referring to it later

Figure 2.7: EnterpriseDB Unprivileged User

Under MS-Windows, after the software begins the installation, the program will use the “runas” service to connect as this newly created user.  You MUST have this feature enabled or the installation program will abort.  I know this from experience.  It will abort somewhere around the 42% complete mark.

You can make sure this service is enabled by navigating to Start --> Settings --> Control Panel --> Administrative Tools --> Services.  On the services screen, make sure that that the “Secondary Logon” service is set to automatic or manual.

When installing on MS-Windows, you can choose to use a local system account but I prefer to define a specific user to own the EnterpriseDB software.  This is a good security practice.  I also have an oracle user to own my Oracle software and a postgresql user to own my PostgreSQL software.

After entering your new user name (or accepting the default) and password, hit the enter button to continue.

On the Database Administrator User screen, Figure 2.8, you will define your database super user.  This user is the equivalent of SYSRemote DBA in Oracle.  You will want to use this user when you setup replication, perform system backups, etc.

Figure 2.8: Database Super User (Windows)

This screen also allows you to define where you want your database data files to go.  If you are running on a SAN or have multiple disks, you may want to separate your binary files and your data files.

If you are installing on Linux you have the option of choosing the location for the Write-Ahead Log files as shown in Figure 2.9.

Figure 2.9: Database Super User (Linux)

Later in this chapter, we will discuss TABLESPACES.  For now, unless you are setting up your production server and have specific reasons for separating them, I would suggest you accept the defaults.  When you do set up your production server, I would suggest discussing the best location for both your binaries and your data files with your system administrator.

The DynaTune screen, Figure 2.10, allows you to make a rough memory optimization for your database.  If you choose Development, the configuration parameter, edb_dynatune, is set to 33 which means roughly 33% of your system resources (primarily memory) will be allocated to EnterpriseDB.  (The actual calculation to determine the amount of resources used is fairly complicated.)  If you choose Mixed Use, edb_dynatune is set to 66 which will allocate a larger percentage of resources to EnterpriseDB, but still allow other applications to run.  If you choose Dedicated Server, edb_dynatune is set to 100 which means the maximum amount of your available system resources will be allocated to EnterpriseDB.

This is an excerpt from the book "EnterpriseDB: The Definitive Reference" by Rampant TechPress.