DBCA New Features, Cheanges is Default Parameter Values, Upgrade of Database

New DBCA Options

Oracle Database 11gcontains quite a few changes in configuring databases through the DBCA. These include the configuration of the new automatic memory management feature, secure database configuration by default, and others. They are

Automatic Memory Management- The DBCA doesn’t specify values for the memory-related initialization parameters sga_targetand pga_aggregate_target by default. Instead, it uses the memory_target parameter, which allows you to configure the new automatic memory management feature. You select automatic memory management in the Memory Management page, as you’ll see

later in the DBCA database creation example.

Automatic Secure Configuration- The DBCA will configure a secure database by default in Oracle Database 11g. If you want, you can even configure this later on, but Oracle recommends that you opt for automatic secure configuration when you create the database.

Automatic switching to Grid Control- In previous releases, it took quite a bit of work to reconfigure a database from Database Control to Grid Control. In Oracle Database 11g, you can use the Enterprise Manager plug-in provided by the DBCA to automate the switching of a database from Database Control to Grid Control.

Configuration of Oracle Base and Diagnostic Destination- DBCA now uses the values for the Oracle base directory, stored in the Oracle home inventory, to derive the default locations for datafiles and the diagnostic_dest initialization parameter, which is the ADR base directory.

Some Parameter Default Values

#FAILED_LOGIN_ATTEMPTS - Specifies the maximum number of times a user can try to log in. The default value for this parameter is 10, which is the same as in the previous release.

# PASSWORD_GRACE_TIME - Specifies the number of days within which users must change their password before it expires. The default value for this setting is 7 days, whereas it was unlimited before.

# PASSWORD_LIFE_TIME- Sets the duration for which users can use the same password. This is set to 180 days by default, whereas it was unlimited before.

# PASSWORD_LOCK_TIME - Sets the number of days for which an account will remain locked after a set number of failed attempts to log in. The default value is 1, compared to unlimited in the previous release.

# PASSWORD_REUSE_MAX - Sets the number of days that must pass before you can reuse a password after it expires. The default value is set to unlimited, the same value as before.

# PASSWORD_REUSE_TIME - Sets the number of new passwords you must use before you are permitted to reuse the current password. By default, there is no limit on the number of times you can reuse a password.

# PASSWORD_GRACE_TIME – It is now 7 days by default, instead of being unlimited.

# PASSWORD_LIFE_TIME - It is set by default to 180 days, instead of being unlimited.

# PASSWORD_LOCK_TIME – It is 1 day, instead of being set to the value of DEFAULT as in the Oracle Database 10grelease.

Oracle 11g  Upgrade Path

Depending on your current database release, you may or may not be able to directly upgrade to the Oracle Database 11gRelease 1 (11.1) version. You can directly upgrade to Oracle Database Release 1 if your current database is based on an Oracle 9.2.0.4 or newer release. For Oracle database releases older than Oracle 9.2.0.4, you have to migrate via one or two intermediate releases, as shown by the following upgrade paths:

#7.3.3 (or lower) => 7.3.4 => 9.2.0.8 => 11.1

# 8.0.5 (or lower) => 8.0.6 => 9.2.0.8 => 11.1

# 8.1.7 (or lower) => 8.1.7.4 => 9.2.0.8 => 11.1

# 9.0.1.3 (or lower) => 9.0.1.4 => 9.2.0.8 => 11.1

# 9.2.0.3 (or lower) => 9.2.0.8 => 11.1