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Create Databases Using a Seed
By Eric Gross | June 26, 2007
Everyone knows that you can create a database by running the perennial CREATE DATABASE or you could use the DBCA to create a database from scratch, which handles all the ancillary tasks as well. There are some cases where a third option would be useful, for instance if you want to create a database that comes with some content from the get-go or when you want to create a database as quickly as possible.
After installing a DBMS Oracle Home you will find a few examples of DBCA templates that can be used as-is to create a database or that you can modify to fit your needs. There are two types of DBCA templates:
- Non-seed Templates - these templates contain no data and are used to create a database from scratch to the specifications in the template file (extensions for this type are .dbt)
- Seed Templates - these templates refer to existing seed files (actually just RMAN backups) which are used to build your database:
- Database homes ship with one seed template which you can use. Keep in mind (as per Metalink Note #266728.1) that the seed that ships requires that the Enterprise Edition OLAP option be installed otherwise you will get this nifty error:
ORA-00604: error occurred at recursive SQL level 1
ORA-12663: Services required by client not available on the server
ORA-36961: Oracle OLAP is not available.
ORA-06512: at "SYS.OLAPIHISTORYRETENTION", line 1
ORA-06512: at line 15 - You can make your own seed, you’ll just need to refer to your seed rather than the default one.Of course, you could always create a database and add data in post-create, but if total execution time matters to you, investigate creating databases using seeds. You can consider seed databases the analog of Oracle Homes created via clone images (Look for a future post on that topic).
- Database homes ship with one seed template which you can use. Keep in mind (as per Metalink Note #266728.1) that the seed that ships requires that the Enterprise Edition OLAP option be installed otherwise you will get this nifty error:
Topics: 10gR2, Create Database, DBCA
December 4th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
[...] You can create fresh databases from scratch or from a seed. [...]