Configuration System¶

Purpose: Comprehensive guide to OraDBA hierarchical configuration system - the canonical reference for all configuration files, variables, and customization options.

Audience: Users who need to customize OraDBA behavior, paths, or installation-specific settings.

Introduction¶

OraDBA uses a sophisticated library-based configuration system powered by Environment Management libraries (oradba_env_*) that provides flexible customization at multiple levels. The system parses, merges, and validates configuration from six sources, allowing you to customize globally or per-installation without modifying base files.

This configuration system works with all 8 supported product types: databases, Data Safe connectors, Oracle clients, Instant Client, OUD, Java, WebLogic, and Enterprise Manager components.

Configuration Hierarchy¶

Configuration files are loaded and merged by oradba_env_parser.sh in a specific order, with later files overriding earlier settings:

oradba_core.conf - Core system settings (required, don't modify)
oradba_standard.conf - Standard environment and aliases (required, don't modify)
oradba_local.conf - Auto-detected local settings (auto-generated, don't modify)
oradba_customer.conf - Your global custom settings (optional, recommended for customization)
sid.DEFAULT.conf - Default template for all installations (optional)
sid.\.conf - Installation-specific settings (optional, auto-created from template)

```mermaid graph TB Core["1. oradba_core.conf
(Core Settings)"] Standard["2. oradba_standard.conf
(Standard Env)"] Local["3. oradba_local.conf
(Auto-detected)"] Customer["4. oradba_customer.conf
(Your Global Settings)"] Default["5. sid.DEFAULT.conf
(Installation Defaults)"] SID["6. sid..conf
(Installation Specific)"]

Core --> Standard
Standard --> Local
Local --> Customer
Customer --> Default
Default --> SID

Parser[oradba_env_parser.sh<br/>Parses & Merges]
Builder[oradba_env_builder.sh<br/>Builds Environment]
Validator[oradba_env_validator.sh<br/>Validates Installation]

SID --> Parser
Parser --> Builder
Builder --> Validator

style Core fill:#FFE4E1
style Standard fill:#FFE4E1
style Local fill:#E0FFE0
style Customer fill:#87CEEB
style Default fill:#FFF8DC
style SID fill:#FFF8DC
style Parser fill:#DDA0DD
style Builder fill:#DDA0DD
style Validator fill:#DDA0DD

```

Configuration processing:
The Parser reads all 6 levels and merges them with later levels overriding earlier ones. The Builder constructs the environment using the merged configuration and the appropriate product plugin. The Validator verifies installation integrity.

Key Benefits:

Base settings work everywhere (levels 1-2)
Auto-detected settings adapt to your system (level 3)
Customize globally or per-database (levels 4-6)
Your customizations survive updates
Later configurations override earlier ones
All processing is validated and logged

Configuration Files¶

oradba_core.conf - Core System Settings¶

Location: ${ORADBA_PREFIX}/etc/oradba_core.conf

Purpose: Core system settings that control OraDBA behavior

Key Settings:

# Installation paths
ORADBA_PREFIX="/opt/oradba"                    # Installation directory
ORADBA_LOCAL_BASE="/opt"                       # Parent directory (auto-detected)
ORADBA_BASE="${ORADBA_PREFIX}"                 # Alias to ORADBA_PREFIX
ORADBA_CONFIG_DIR="${ORADBA_PREFIX}/etc"
ORADBA_BIN_DIR="${ORADBA_PREFIX}/bin"
ORATAB_FILE="/etc/oratab"

# Behavior control
DEBUG="0"                                      # Legacy debug mode (use ORADBA_DEBUG instead)
ORADBA_DEBUG="false"                           # Debug mode for detailed output
ORADBA_LOAD_ALIASES="true"
ORADBA_SHOW_DB_STATUS="true"
ORADBA_AUTO_CREATE_SID_CONFIG="true"

# Directories
LOG_DIR="${ORADBA_PREFIX}/log"
BACKUP_DIR="/backup"
RECOVERY_DIR="${ORADBA_PREFIX}/rcv"

Path Variables Explained:

ORADBA_PREFIX: Main installation directory (e.g., /opt/oracle/local/oradba)
ORADBA_LOCAL_BASE: Parent "local" directory, auto-detected from:
${ORACLE_BASE}/local if ORACLE_BASE is set
Parent directory of ORADBA_PREFIX otherwise
Used by cdl alias to navigate to shared tools directory
ORADBA_BASE: Alias to ORADBA_PREFIX for compatibility when installed alongside TVD BasEnv
ORADBA_BIN_DIR: Binary directory, automatically added to PATH

When to Edit: Rarely. Only modify if changing installation paths or core features. Most settings should be overridden in customer config instead.

oradba_standard.conf - Standard Settings¶

Location: ${ORADBA_PREFIX}/etc/oradba_standard.conf

Purpose: Standard Oracle environment variables and simple aliases

Key Settings:

# Oracle directories
ORACLE_BASE="/u01/app/oracle"
TNS_ADMIN=""  # Defaults to $ORACLE_HOME/network/admin

# NLS settings
NLS_LANG="AMERICAN_AMERICA.AL32UTF8"
NLS_DATE_FORMAT="YYYY-MM-DD HH24:MI:SS"
NLS_TIMESTAMP_FORMAT="YYYY-MM-DD HH24:MI:SS.FF"

# SQL*Plus paths
SQLPATH="${ORADBA_PREFIX}/sql"
ORACLE_PATH="${ORADBA_PREFIX}/sql"

# rlwrap configuration
RLWRAP_COMMAND="rlwrap"
RLWRAP_OPTS="-i -c -f $ORACLE_HOME/bin/sqlplus"
ORADBA_RLWRAP_FILTER="false"  # Enable password filtering

# Simple aliases defined here
alias sq='sqlplus / as sysdba'
alias cdh='cd ${ORACLE_HOME}'
# ... and 50+ more aliases

When to Edit: Not recommended. Override settings in oradba_customer.conf instead to preserve your changes during updates.

oradba_local.conf - Auto-Detected Settings¶

Location: ${ORADBA_PREFIX}/etc/oradba_local.conf

Purpose: Auto-generated file containing locally-detected settings

Created By: Installer during installation, automatically maintained

Key Settings:

# Installation detection
ORADBA_PREFIX="/opt/oradba"
ORADBA_INSTALL_TYPE="standalone"
ORADBA_INSTALL_DATE="2025-01-14"
ORADBA_VERSION="0.19.5"

# System detection
DETECTED_SHELL="bash"
DETECTED_OS="Linux"

When to Edit: Never - this file is auto-generated and auto-maintained. If you need to override these settings, use oradba_customer.conf.

oradba_customer.conf - Your Customizations ⭐¶

Location: ${ORADBA_PREFIX}/etc/oradba_customer.conf

Template: ${ORADBA_PREFIX}/templates/etc/oradba_customer.conf.example

Purpose: This is the recommended file for your customizations

Example Configuration:

# ==============================================================================
# Customer Configuration
# ==============================================================================
# This file is loaded after core and standard configs, allowing you to
# override defaults without modifying base files.

# --- Oracle Environment ---

# Override default Oracle base
ORACLE_BASE="/u02/app/oracle"

# Custom TNS_ADMIN location
TNS_ADMIN="/u01/app/oracle/network/admin"

# --- NLS Settings ---

# Use German locale
NLS_LANG="GERMAN_GERMANY.AL32UTF8"
NLS_DATE_FORMAT="DD.MM.YYYY HH24:MI:SS"

# --- Directories ---

# Custom backup location
BACKUP_DIR="/backup/oracle"
LOG_DIR="/var/log/oracle"

# --- Behavior ---

# Disable automatic database status display
ORADBA_SHOW_DB_STATUS="false"

# Enable debug mode (shows detailed configuration loading, SID creation, etc.)
ORADBA_DEBUG="true"

# Legacy debug mode (deprecated, use ORADBA_DEBUG)
# DEBUG="1"

# Disable alias loading
ORADBA_LOAD_ALIASES="false"

# Disable auto-creation of SID configurations
# ORADBA_AUTO_CREATE_SID_CONFIG="false"

# --- rlwrap ---

# Enable password filtering
ORADBA_RLWRAP_FILTER="true"

# --- Custom Aliases ---

# Development environment shortcuts
alias sqdev='sqlplus username/password@devdb'
alias cdarch='cd /backup/oracle/archive'
alias mytail='tail -f /var/log/oracle/myapp.log'

# Custom functions
backup_config() {
    cp ${ORADBA_ETC}/*.conf /backup/config/
}

# --- Custom Variables ---

export CUSTOM_APP_HOME="/u01/app/custom"
export PATH="${CUSTOM_APP_HOME}/bin:${PATH}"

When to Edit: This is where you should make all your customizations! Copy from the .example template:

cp ${ORADBA_PREFIX}/templates/etc/oradba_customer.conf.example \
   ${ORADBA_PREFIX}/etc/oradba_customer.conf

# Edit with your settings
vi ${ORADBA_PREFIX}/etc/oradba_customer.conf

sid.DEFAULT.conf - Installation Defaults¶

Location: ${ORADBA_PREFIX}/etc/sid._DEFAULT_.conf

Purpose: Default settings that apply to all installations (unless overridden per-installation)

Example Configuration:

# ==============================================================================
# Default Installation Configuration
# Applied to all installations unless overridden in sid.<NAME>.conf
# ==============================================================================

# --- Installation Identity ---
ORADBA_INST_NAME="${ORACLE_SID}"
ORADBA_INST_TYPE="unknown"  # Set by plugin: database, datasafe, iclient, etc.

# --- Database-Specific Settings (for product type: database) ---
ORADBA_DB_NAME="${ORACLE_SID}"
ORADBA_DB_UNIQUE_NAME="${ORACLE_SID}"
ORADBA_DB_ROLE="PRIMARY"
ORADBA_CONNECT_TYPE="LOCAL"

# --- Backup Settings ---
ORADBA_BACKUP_DIR="${BACKUP_DIR}/${ORACLE_SID}"
ORADBA_BACKUP_RETENTION=7
ORADBA_BACKUP_TYPE="INCREMENTAL"
ORADBA_BACKUP_COMPRESSION="MEDIUM"

# --- Diagnostic Settings ---
ORADBA_DIAGNOSTIC_DEST="${ORACLE_BASE}/diag"
ORADBA_ARCHIVE_DEST="/u01/app/oracle/archive/${ORACLE_SID}"

When to Edit: Modify to set defaults that apply to all your installations. Individual installations can override in their own sid configs.

sid.\{NAME}.conf - Installation-Specific Settings¶

Location: ${ORADBA_PREFIX}/etc/sid.\\{NAME}.conf

Purpose: Settings specific to one installation (database, Data Safe connector, etc.)

Auto-Creation: Automatically created on first environment switch if ORADBA_AUTO_CREATE_SID_CONFIG=true

Example for Database (sid.FREE.conf):

# ==============================================================================
# OraDBA Installation Configuration: FREE
# Product Type: database
# Auto-created: 2025-01-14 10:30:00
# Last updated: 2025-01-14 10:30:00
# ==============================================================================

# --- Installation Identity ---
ORADBA_INST_NAME="FREE"
ORADBA_INST_TYPE="database"

# --- Database Identity (Auto-populated for databases) ---
ORADBA_DB_NAME="FREE"
ORADBA_DB_UNIQUE_NAME="FREE"
ORADBA_DBID="3456789012"
ORADBA_DB_ROLE="PRIMARY"
ORADBA_DB_VERSION="23.4.0.24.05"

# --- Connection Settings ---
ORADBA_TNS_ALIAS="FREE"
ORADBA_CONNECT_TYPE="LOCAL"

# --- Diagnostic Paths (Auto-populated from v$parameter) ---
ORADBA_DIAGNOSTIC_DEST="/u01/app/oracle/diag/rdbms/free/FREE"
ORADBA_ARCHIVE_DEST="/u01/app/oracle/archive/FREE"

# --- Backup Settings (Can be customized) ---
ORADBA_DB_BACKUP_DIR="/backup/FREE"
ORADBA_BACKUP_RETENTION=7
ORADBA_BACKUP_TYPE="INCREMENTAL"
ORADBA_BACKUP_COMPRESSION="MEDIUM"

# --- Custom Settings ---
# Add your database-specific customizations here

# Example: Special NLS settings for this database
# NLS_LANG="GERMAN_GERMANY.AL32UTF8"

# Example: Custom backup retention for production
# ORADBA_BACKUP_RETENTION=30

When to Edit: Add database-specific customizations. The auto-populated metadata helps document your database but can be manually adjusted if needed.

Configuration Loading Process¶

When Configuration is Loaded¶

Configuration files are loaded when you set your environment:

$ source oraenv.sh FREE

# Loading sequence:
# 1. oradba_core.conf (core settings)
# 2. oradba_standard.conf (standard environment)
# 3. oradba_customer.conf (your global settings)
# 4. sid._DEFAULT_.conf (database defaults)
# 5. sid.FREE.conf (FREE-specific settings)

Debug Configuration Loading¶

Enable debug mode to see detailed information about configuration loading and SID creation:

$ export ORADBA_DEBUG=true
$ source oraenv.sh FREE

[DEBUG] Loading OraDBA configuration for SID: FREE
[DEBUG] Loading core config: /opt/oradba/etc/oradba_core.conf
[DEBUG] Loading standard config: /opt/oradba/etc/oradba_standard.conf
[DEBUG] Loading customer config: /opt/oradba/etc/oradba_customer.conf
[DEBUG] Loading default SID config: /opt/oradba/etc/sid._DEFAULT_.conf
[DEBUG] Auto-create enabled, config_dir=/opt/oradba/etc, template should be at: /opt/oradba/templates/etc/sid.ORACLE_SID.conf.example
[DEBUG] create_sid_config called with SID=FREE
[DEBUG] Will create: /opt/oradba/etc/sid.FREE.conf from template: /opt/oradba/templates/etc/sid.ORACLE_SID.conf.example
[INFO] Auto-creating SID configuration for FREE...
[INFO] [OK] Created SID configuration: /opt/oradba/etc/sid.FREE.conf
[DEBUG] Loading newly created SID config: /opt/oradba/etc/sid.FREE.conf
[DEBUG] Configuration loading complete

Debug Output Includes:

Configuration file loading sequence
Template paths and file creation details
Dummy SID detection and skipping logic
Variable resolution and overrides

Legacy DEBUG Variable: The old DEBUG=1 variable still works but is deprecated. Use ORADBA_DEBUG=true for consistent boolean behavior.

Auto-Created SID Configurations¶

How Auto-Creation Works¶

When you switch to a new ORACLE_SID for the first time, OraDBA automatically creates a SID-specific configuration file from a template.

Default Behavior:

Enabled by default (ORADBA_AUTO_CREATE_SID_CONFIG=true)
Only for real SIDs - Skips dummy SIDs (oratab entries with startup flag D)
Template-based - Uses templates/etc/sid.ORACLE_SID.conf.example as the base
No database queries - Uses placeholders from template, not live data

Example Output:

$ free  # First time switching to FREE instance

[INFO] Auto-creating SID configuration for FREE...
[INFO] [OK] Created SID configuration: /opt/oracle/local/oradba/etc/sid.FREE.conf

What Gets Created:

The auto-creation process:

Checks if SID is in ORADBA_REALSIDLIST (not a dummy SID)
Copies templates/etc/sid.ORACLE_SID.conf.example template
Replaces ORCL with actual SID name (uppercase and lowercase)
Updates date stamp and creation timestamp
Creates sid.${ORACLE_SID}.conf in the configuration directory

Dummy SID Support:

Dummy SIDs (used for environment setup before database creation) are automatically skipped:

# /etc/oratab
FREE:/opt/oracle/product/19c/dbhome:N      # Real DB - config will be auto-created
rdbms26:/opt/oracle/product/26ai/dbhome:D  # Dummy - skipped (only visible in debug mode)

Template Content:

The template includes static metadata placeholders:

ORADBA_DB_NAME="ORCL" → Replaced with actual SID
ORADBA_DB_UNIQUE_NAME="ORCL" → Replaced with actual SID
ORADBA_DBID="" → Empty, can be filled manually
NLS settings and backup configuration defaults

Disabling Auto-Creation:

# In oradba_customer.conf or environment
export ORADBA_AUTO_CREATE_SID_CONFIG=false

# Or temporarily:
ORADBA_AUTO_CREATE_SID_CONFIG=false source oraenv.sh FREE

Manual Creation:

You can also manually create SID configurations:

# Copy template
cp ${ORADBA_PREFIX}/templates/etc/sid.ORACLE_SID.conf.example \
   ${ORADBA_PREFIX}/etc/sid.MYDB.conf

# Edit with your settings
vi ${ORADBA_PREFIX}/etc/sid.MYDB.conf

# Update ORCL references to your SID
sed -i 's/ORCL/MYDB/g' ${ORADBA_PREFIX}/etc/sid.MYDB.conf

Static vs Dynamic Metadata¶

Important: The SID configuration file tracks only static metadata (values that rarely change):

Static (stored in SID config):

Database name
DB unique name
DBID
Database version
NLS settings
Backup/recovery paths

Dynamic (queried at runtime):

Database role (PRIMARY/STANDBY)
Open mode (READ WRITE/READ ONLY/MOUNTED)
Instance status
Session counts
Memory sizes

This design ensures configurations remain valid even when database state changes (e.g., Data Guard switchover).

version → ORADBA_DB_VERSION

From v$parameter:

diagnostic_dest → ORADBA_DIAGNOSTIC_DEST

Fallback Behavior¶

If the database is not accessible:

Configuration file is still created
Metadata fields use defaults based on ORACLE_SID
You can manually update the file later

Manual Creation¶

Create a SID configuration manually if needed:

# Copy from example
cp ${ORADBA_PREFIX}/templates/etc/sid.ORACLE_SID.conf.example \
   ${ORADBA_PREFIX}/etc/sid.MYDB.conf

# Edit as needed
vi ${ORADBA_PREFIX}/etc/sid.MYDB.conf

Common Configuration Scenarios¶

Scenario 1: Enable Oracle Homes Auto-Discovery¶

Problem: You want OraDBA to automatically discover and register Oracle installations

Solution: Enable auto-discovery in oradba_customer.conf:

# oradba_customer.conf

# Enable auto-discovery on environment load
# - Database homes from oratab
export ORADBA_AUTO_DISCOVER_ORATAB="true"
# - All Oracle products (database, datasafe, java, client, iclient, oud)
export ORADBA_AUTO_DISCOVER_PRODUCTS="true"

# Customize discovery paths (optional, default: ${ORACLE_BASE}/product)
export ORADBA_DISCOVERY_PATHS="${ORACLE_BASE}/product /opt/oracle /u01/oracle"

How It Works:

Scans configured paths (up to 3 levels deep) for Oracle installations
Detects all product types: database, client, instant client, Data Safe, OUD, Java, WebLogic
Generates smart names based on product type and version (jdk17, iclient2610, dsconn01, etc.)
Silently skips already registered homes (no duplicates)
Adds discovered homes to ${ORADBA_PREFIX}/etc/oradba_homes.conf

Manual Discovery:

# Discover and display found homes (dry run)
oradba_homes.sh discover

# Discover and automatically add to configuration
oradba_homes.sh discover --auto-add

# Discover from custom path
oradba_homes.sh discover --base /u01/oracle --auto-add

Example Output:

Found Oracle Homes:
  jdk17     : /u01/app/oracle/product/jdk-17.0.1
  iclient26 : /u01/app/oracle/product/instantclient_26_10
  dsconn01  : /u01/app/oracle/product/exacc-test-ha1
  rdbms1918 : /u01/app/oracle/product/dbhome_19_18

Use --auto-add to register these homes.

Benefits:

Automatic registration of all Oracle products
Consistent naming across installations
Opt-in feature (backward compatible)
Silent mode for non-interactive use
Single source of truth for discovery logic

Scenario 2: Custom Oracle Base¶

Problem: Your Oracle base is not /u01/app/oracle

Solution: Override in oradba_customer.conf:

# oradba_customer.conf
ORACLE_BASE="/u02/app/oracle"

Scenario 2: Different NLS Settings¶

Problem: Need German locale for all databases

Solution: Override in oradba_customer.conf:

# oradba_customer.conf
NLS_LANG="GERMAN_GERMANY.AL32UTF8"
NLS_DATE_FORMAT="DD.MM.YYYY HH24:MI:SS"
NLS_TIMESTAMP_FORMAT="DD.MM.YYYY HH24:MI:SS.FF"

Scenario 3: Production Backup Retention¶

Problem: Production database needs 30-day backup retention, others need 7 days

Solution: Set default in sid._DEFAULT_.conf:

# sid._DEFAULT_.conf
ORADBA_BACKUP_RETENTION=7

Override in sid.PRODDB.conf:

# sid.PRODDB.conf
ORADBA_BACKUP_RETENTION=30
ORADBA_BACKUP_COMPRESSION="HIGH"

Scenario 4: Custom oratab Location¶

Problem: oratab is in non-standard location

Solution: Override in oradba_customer.conf:

# oradba_customer.conf
ORATAB_FILE="/u01/app/oracle/oratab"

Scenario 5: Disable Status Display¶

Problem: Don't want automatic status display when switching databases

Solution: Override in oradba_customer.conf:

# oradba_customer.conf
ORADBA_SHOW_DB_STATUS="false"

You can still manually run oraup.sh or dbstatus.sh when needed.

Scenario 6: Enable Password Filtering¶

Problem: Want to hide passwords in rlwrap command history

Solution: Enable in oradba_customer.conf:

# oradba_customer.conf
ORADBA_RLWRAP_FILTER="true"

See rlwrap Filter Configuration for setup details.

Scenario 7: Managing Non-Database Products¶

Problem: Want to configure Data Safe connector or Instant Client with custom settings

Solution: Create installation-specific configuration files for any product type.

Example - Data Safe Connector:

# sid.datasafe-prod.conf
ORADBA_INST_NAME="datasafe-prod"
ORADBA_INST_TYPE="datasafe"

# Custom startup behavior
ORADBA_AUTO_START="true"
ORADBA_STARTUP_WAIT=30

# Monitoring
ORADBA_HEALTH_CHECK_ENABLED="true"
ORADBA_HEALTH_CHECK_INTERVAL=300

Example - Instant Client:

# sid.ic23c.conf
ORADBA_INST_NAME="ic23c"
ORADBA_INST_TYPE="iclient"

# Custom TNS settings
TNS_ADMIN="/opt/oracle/network/admin"

# Connection pooling
ORADBA_CONNECTION_POOL_SIZE=10

Configuration Variables Reference¶

Core System Variables¶

Variable	Default	Description
`ORADBA_PREFIX`	`/opt/oradba`	Installation base directory
`ORADBA_CONFIG_DIR`	`${ORADBA_PREFIX}/etc`	Configuration directory
`ORATAB_FILE`	`/etc/oratab`	oratab file location
`DEBUG`	`0`	Debug mode (deprecated, use ORADBA_DEBUG)
`ORADBA_DEBUG`	`false`	Debug mode for detailed output
`LOG_DIR`	`${ORADBA_PREFIX}/log`	Log directory
`BACKUP_DIR`	`/backup`	Default backup directory

Behavior Variables¶

Variable	Default	Description
`ORADBA_LOAD_ALIASES`	`true`	Load aliases and functions
`ORADBA_SHOW_DB_STATUS`	`true`	Show status display on environment switch
`ORADBA_AUTO_CREATE_SID_CONFIG`	`true`	Auto-create installation configurations
`ORADBA_RLWRAP_FILTER`	`false`	Enable password filtering in rlwrap
`ORADBA_AUTO_DISCOVER_EXTENSIONS`	`true`	Auto-discover extensions in standard locations

Extension System Variables¶

For complete extension configuration details, see the Extension System Guide.

Variable	Default	Description
`ORADBA_AUTO_DISCOVER_EXTENSIONS`	`true`	Auto-discover extensions
`ORADBA_EXTENSION_PATHS`	(none)	Colon-separated additional extension paths

Oracle Environment Variables¶

Variable	Default	Description
`ORACLE_BASE`	`/u01/app/oracle`	Oracle base directory
`TNS_ADMIN`	`$ORACLE_HOME/network/admin`	TNS configuration directory
`NLS_LANG`	`AMERICAN_AMERICA.AL32UTF8`	NLS language and character set
`NLS_DATE_FORMAT`	`YYYY-MM-DD HH24:MI:SS`	Date format
`SQLPATH`	`${ORADBA_PREFIX}/sql`	SQL*Plus script path

Database Metadata (SID-specific, auto-populated)¶

Variable	Source	Description
`ORADBA_DB_NAME`	`v$database.name`	Database name
`ORADBA_DB_UNIQUE_NAME`	`v$database.db_unique_name`	Unique database name
`ORADBA_DBID`	`v$database.dbid`	Database ID
`ORADBA_DB_ROLE`	`v$database.database_role`	Database role (PRIMARY, STANDBY)
`ORADBA_DB_VERSION`	`v$instance.version`	Database version
`ORADBA_DIAGNOSTIC_DEST`	`v$parameter.diagnostic_dest`	Diagnostic directory

Backup Variables (SID-specific, customizable)¶

Variable	Default	Description
`ORADBA_DB_BACKUP_DIR`	`${BACKUP_DIR}/${ORACLE_SID}`	Database backup directory
`ORADBA_BACKUP_RETENTION`	`7`	Backup retention (days)
`ORADBA_BACKUP_TYPE`	`INCREMENTAL`	Backup type
`ORADBA_BACKUP_COMPRESSION`	`MEDIUM`	Compression level

Troubleshooting¶

Configuration File Not Found¶

# Check if file exists
ls -l ${ORADBA_PREFIX}/etc/oradba_customer.conf

# Create from example
cp ${ORADBA_PREFIX}/templates/etc/oradba_customer.conf.example \
   ${ORADBA_PREFIX}/etc/oradba_customer.conf

Override Not Taking Effect¶

Problem: Changed a setting but it's not applied

Solution: Check the loading order. Later configs override earlier ones:

# This will NOT work (wrong file):
# Edit oradba_standard.conf - will be overridden by customer config

# This WILL work (correct file):
# Edit oradba_customer.conf - loaded last, overrides standard

Enable debug mode to see which file sets the final value:

DEBUG=1 source oraenv.sh FREE | grep "MY_VARIABLE"

SID Configuration Not Auto-Created¶

Check 1: Is auto-creation enabled?

grep ORADBA_AUTO_CREATE_SID_CONFIG ${ORADBA_PREFIX}/etc/oradba_core.conf

Check 2: Is database accessible?

source oraenv.sh FREE
sqlplus -S / as sysdba <<< "SELECT 1 FROM dual;"

Check 3: Does file already exist?

ls -l ${ORADBA_PREFIX}/etc/sid.FREE.conf

Manual Creation:

# Create manually
vi ${ORADBA_PREFIX}/etc/sid.FREE.conf

# Or copy from example
cp ${ORADBA_PREFIX}/templates/etc/sid.ORACLE_SID.conf.example \
   ${ORADBA_PREFIX}/etc/sid.FREE.conf

Variables Not Persisting¶

Configuration files are sourced, not exported. For custom variables to persist across shells:

# In oradba_customer.conf:
export MY_CUSTOM_VAR="value"  # Use 'export' for environment variables

Best Practices¶

Never modify core or standard configs - Use customer config for overrides
Use oradba_customer.conf for global settings - All your customizations in one place
Use sid.\.conf for installation-specific settings - Per-installation customization
Comment your customizations - Explain why you changed defaults
Backup your configs - Keep copies of customer and installation-specific configs
Test configuration changes - Use ORADBA_DEBUG=true to verify loading
Use version control - Track configuration changes over time
Document non-obvious settings - Help future you understand decisions
Namespace custom variables - Use ORADBA_CUSTOM_* or MY_* prefix
Keep oradba_local.conf intact - Auto-generated, reflects installation state

Configuration for Different Product Types¶

Database Configurations¶

Database installations can use all database-specific variables:

# sid.PRODDB.conf
ORADBA_DB_NAME="PRODDB"
ORADBA_DB_UNIQUE_NAME="PRODDB_SITE1"
ORADBA_DB_ROLE="PRIMARY"
ORADBA_BACKUP_RETENTION=30
ORADBA_CONNECT_TYPE="LOCAL"
TNS_ADMIN="/u01/app/oracle/network/admin"

Data Safe Configurations¶

Data Safe connectors have connector-specific settings:

# sid.datasafe-prod.conf
ORADBA_INST_NAME="datasafe-prod"
ORADBA_INST_TYPE="datasafe"
ORADBA_STARTUP_WAIT=30
ORADBA_AUTO_START="true"

Instant Client Configurations¶

Instant Client installations typically need minimal configuration:

# sid.ic23c.conf
ORADBA_INST_NAME="ic23c"
ORADBA_INST_TYPE="iclient"
TNS_ADMIN="/opt/oracle/network/admin"
LD_LIBRARY_PATH="${ORACLE_HOME}:/lib:/usr/lib"

Java Configurations¶

Oracle Java installations can configure JAVA_HOME-related settings:

# sid.java21.conf
ORADBA_INST_NAME="java21"
ORADBA_INST_TYPE="java"
JAVA_OPTS="-Xmx2g -XX:+UseG1GC"

Configuration System¶

Introduction¶

Configuration Hierarchy¶

Configuration Files¶

oradba_core.conf - Core System Settings¶

oradba_standard.conf - Standard Settings¶

oradba_local.conf - Auto-Detected Settings¶

oradba_customer.conf - Your Customizations ⭐¶

sid.DEFAULT.conf - Installation Defaults¶

sid.\{NAME}.conf - Installation-Specific Settings¶

Configuration Loading Process¶

When Configuration is Loaded¶

Debug Configuration Loading¶

Auto-Created SID Configurations¶

How Auto-Creation Works¶

Static vs Dynamic Metadata¶

Fallback Behavior¶

Manual Creation¶

Common Configuration Scenarios¶

Scenario 1: Enable Oracle Homes Auto-Discovery¶

Scenario 2: Custom Oracle Base¶

Scenario 2: Different NLS Settings¶

Scenario 3: Production Backup Retention¶

Scenario 4: Custom oratab Location¶

Scenario 5: Disable Status Display¶

Scenario 6: Enable Password Filtering¶

Scenario 7: Managing Non-Database Products¶

Configuration Variables Reference¶

Core System Variables¶

Behavior Variables¶

Extension System Variables¶

Oracle Environment Variables¶

Database Metadata (SID-specific, auto-populated)¶

Backup Variables (SID-specific, customizable)¶

Troubleshooting¶

Configuration File Not Found¶

Override Not Taking Effect¶

SID Configuration Not Auto-Created¶

Variables Not Persisting¶

Best Practices¶

Configuration for Different Product Types¶

Database Configurations¶

Data Safe Configurations¶

Instant Client Configurations¶

Java Configurations¶

See Also¶

Navigation¶