Exercise 00: Getting Started with OCI

In this exercise, you will explore the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) environment. This includes logging in, navigating the OCI Console, using the Cloud Shell, and configuring network and database access to the Autonomous Database (ADB).

Objectives

• Log in to the OCI Console and explore its interface.
• Access and use the OCI Cloud Shell for basic tasks.
• Verify connectivity to the Autonomous Database (ADB).
• Configure network and database access for ADB.

Environment

Perform this exercise within the following environment:

• Compartment: OCI-SEC-WS-LAB-nn
• Region: Germany Central (Frankfurt)
• OCI Console URL: OCI Console Frankfurt - Login
• OCI User: lab-oci-sec-wsNN
• OCI Password: provided by trainer

Verify that you are in the correct compartment and region. Any new resources, including Cloud Shell configurations and ADB access settings, should be created within the specified compartment.

Solution

Step 1: First Login to OCI Console

1. Log in to the Oracle Cloud Console with your assigned credentials.
2. Familiarize yourself with the main console features:
   • Navigation Menu: Provides access to services such as Compute, Networking, Storage, and Databases.
   • Resource Summary: Displays an overview of resources in your compartment.
   • Quick Actions: Offers shortcuts for frequently used tasks like creating instances.
3. Navigate to the Oracle Database - Autonomous Transaction Processing
   • set the compartment to your compartment OCI-SEC-WS-LAB-nn

   

Step 2: Using the Cloud Shell

1. Open the Cloud Shell from the top-right corner of the OCI Console.

2. Explore basic Cloud Shell commands:

   # Verify the active user
   whoami
   
   # List the current files and directories
   ls -la
   

   # Check current Object Storage Namespace
   oci os ns get
   

   # Check environment variables for OCI_CS e.g. User ID, Hosts etc.
   env |grep -i oci_cs
   

3. Create Private Network for Cloud Shell To be able to connect from OCI Clud Shell to the Autonomous Database, private network connection is required.

   Select Private network definition list.

   

   Click on Create private network definition.

   

It is important to create the cloud shell network for the private subnet. Set:

• Name: A simple name to identify the cloud shell network
• VCN in Compartment: Select your lab VCN, if the list is empty, verfy the proper compartment is selected.
• Subnet in Compartment: Select your lab subnet starting with sn-prv-comp-fra, if the list is empty, verfy the proper compartment is selected.
• Use as actve network: Enable checkbox

Create the private network definition. When the network is created, you can close the window.

On top bar of the cloud shell, the new network is active. This requires a couple of seconds, please be patient.

Step 3: Configure Autonomous Database ACL

1. Retrieve your Cloud Shell IP address:

   curl ifconfig.me
   

   • Example output: 138.2.168.154.
   • If no value is returned, it indicates that the wrong network is active.

2. Add your Cloud Shell IP address to the Access Control List (ACL) of the ADB instance.

Go to Oracle Database -> Autonomous Database.

Select your Autonomous Database by a click on the display name. Verify, correct compartment is selected.

In dashboard, click on the link to edit the Access control list.

There is always an entry for a VCN, we add another entry by click on Add access control rule.

• IP notation type: IP address
• Values: your Cloud Shell IP address from above output, as example 138.2.168.154
• In addition to the IP address of the cloud shell, also add your client IP address. To do this, click the Add my IP address button.

Click on Save to store the settings.

Step 4: Download ADB Wallet and Connect

Go back to your Cloud Shell, ensure the private network is active.

List your Autonomous Database in your compartment. Replace the filter for compartment by your compartment name. Example for compartment

Example for compartment OCI-SEC-WS-LAB-00, an OCID is returned, this OCID is used to get the ADB connection wallet.

export MY_COMPARTMENT="OCI-SEC-WS-LAB-00"
export MY_ADBOCID=$(
    oci db autonomous-database list --compartment-id $(
        oci iam compartment list --all --compartment-id-in-subtree true | \
        jq -r --arg COMPARTMENT "$MY_COMPARTMENT" '.data[] | select(.name == $COMPARTMENT) | .id'
    ) | jq -r '.data[].id'
)

Create a new directory, change into this directory.

mkdir -p $HOME/my_wallet && cd $HOME/my_wallet

Download the Autonomous Database wallet, use the ADB OCID from query above. Define the output filename and the wallet password. Example:

echo $MY_ADBOCID
oci db autonomous-database generate-wallet --autonomous-database-id $MY_ADBOCID \
--file $HOME/my_wallet/my-wallet.zip --password Oracle123

A file is created locally in Cloud Shell. Extract the file.

unzip $HOME/my_wallet/my-wallet.zip -d $HOME/my_wallet

Change parameter in sqlnet.ora file with your path:

sed -i "s|?\(/network/admin\)|$(pwd)|" $HOME/my_wallet/sqlnet.ora

Verify the file using cat sqlnet.ora, your path should be inserted, as example:

cat $HOME/my_wallet/sqlnet.ora

Get the connect alias for TPURGENT connect, example:

grep -o '^[^ ]*tpurgent' $HOME/my_wallet/tnsnames.ora

Set TNS_ADMIN and ADB_SERVICE variable.

export TNS_ADMIN=$HOME/my_wallet
export ADB_SERVICE=$(grep -o '^[^ ]*tpurgent' $HOME/my_wallet/tnsnames.ora)

Add the variable to the profile

echo "export TNS_ADMIN=$TNS_ADMIN" >> $HOME/.bash_profile
echo "export ADB_SERVICE=$ADB_SERVICE" >> $HOME/.bash_profile

Navigate to the Autonomous Database information page and select More actions - Administrator password to set respectively reset your ADB password.

Connect by sqlplus, use the alias or ADB_SERVICE variable from above. Example:

sqlplus admin@$ADB_SERVICE

Example Output:

sqlplus admin@$ADB_SERVICE

SQL*Plus: Release 19.0.0.0.0 - Production on Wed Nov 20 15:31:48 2024
Version 19.10.0.0.0

Copyright (c) 1982, 2021, Oracle.  All rights reserved.

Enter password: 
Last Successful login time: Mon Nov 18 2024 22:14:53 +00:00

Connected to:
Oracle Database 23ai Enterprise Edition Release 23.0.0.0.0 - Production
Version 23.6.0.24.10

SQL>

Step 5: Test ADB Actions

Go to Oracle Database -> Autonomous Database.

Select your Autonomous Database by a click on the display name. Verify, correct compartment is selected.

On the top click on the left button Database Actions and select SQL.

Start the SQL Worksheet and run a test query.

Summary

In this exercise, you:

• Logged in to the OCI Console and explored its features.
• Used the Cloud Shell for basic commands and configurations.
• Configured network access to connect to the Autonomous Database (ADB).
• Downloaded the ADB Wallet and successfully connected to the database using sqlplus.

You are now ready to proceed to the next exercise, where you will explore key management and advanced OCI security features.

• Previous Exercise: Workshop Overview
• Next Exercise: Exercise 01: Key Management