Revisiting Silent: Installs Are they still useful?

Revisiting Silent Installs
Are they still useful?
November 14th, 2012
09:40-10:25
Room vt445
Ahmed Aboulnaga
Technical Director
Raastech, Inc.

of 38 © Raastech, Inc. 2012 | All rights reserved.
1. Introduction
2. The Problem
3. The Solution
4. The Bigger Problem
5. The Only Solution
6. Summary
Agenda

INTRODUCTION

Ahmed Aboulnaga
 15+ years of Oracle middleware experience
 Focus on Oracle Fusion Middleware, with emphasis on
SOA, portal, and collaboration technologies
 OCE (SOA Architect, SOA Foundation Practitioner) and
OCA (Application Server)
 Author / Presenter / Blogger
 President of WMOUG
About Me

THE PROBLEM

 Back in the late 90’s, Oracle came out with a “24 hour
install” document for Oracle Applications 11… this was a
major breakthrough!
 In the early 2000’s, OEX was released… just another
Oracle Applications module to provide auction/exchange
functionality
 40 man hours to install
Use Case #1: Oracle Exchange 6.2

1. Confirm Solaris requirements
2. OS hardening
3. Untar middle tiers
4. Set profile for Exchange application owner
5. Verify JDK version
6. Configure tnsnames.ora
7. Make custom template fixes
8. Fix bug in one of the scripts
9. Configure parameters
10. Configure iHelp
11. Configure wfmail.tag
12. Perform post install operations
13. Create custom check scripts
14. Fix error in the MasterScript.sh
15. Disable non-required services on non-MT1 servers
16. Create adpatch shortcut
17. Recompile objects in the Apps schema
18. Change port number through Software Setup
19. Login Maintenance page
20. Custom sendmail filtering
21. File system hardening
Use Case #1: Mid Tier Installation Steps

34. Log onto MT1 as “a_gnxap”
35. Type [cd $APACHE_TOP/bin; stopap.sh] if Apache/Jserv is
running
36. Type [cd $POM_TOP/patch/115/sql]
37. Type [sqlplus apps/apps]
38. Find out the operator shortname by typing:
SELECT DISTINCT operator_shortname FROM
pom_operator_parameters
39. Type [@unlockexch.sql] and enter the Exchange shortname from
the result above
Use Case #1: Oracle Exchange 6.2

THE SOLUTION

 “Silent-mode installation allows you to define an installation
configuration only once and then use the configuration to
duplicate the installation on many machines.”
 No graphical output, no input by the users.
 “Non-interactive” installs have no graphical input, and a user
may enter input.
 If you have not provided responses to all of the installer prompts, then
you need to enter information during the installation.
 Typically requires the Oracle Universal Installer to be
supplied with a response file as input via the -silent flag.
Silent Installs

 Non-interactive
 Particularly useful if you have a large number of
environments you need to build or rebuild
 Reduces human errors
Benefits of Silent Installs

 Have patience…
Disadvantages of Silent Installs

 Run the Universal Installer and click on the “Save” button
when complete
Creating a Response File – Option 2

 Create a response file manually (e.g., install.db.rsp)
Creating a Response File – Option 1
RESPONSEFILE_VERSION=2.2.1.0.0
FROM_LOCATION_CD_LABEL=<Value Unspecified>
TOPLEVEL_COMPONENT={"oracle.tip.pcbpel","10.1.3.1.0"}
SHOW_SPLASH_SCREEN=false
SHOW_WELCOME_PAGE=false
CLUSTER_NODES={}
ACCEPT_LICENSE_AGREEMENT=true
SELECTED_LANGUAGES={"en"}
INSTALL_TYPE="BPEL Process Manager for OracleAS Middle Tier"
UNIX_GROUP_NAME="dba"
FROM_LOCATION="/u01/install/stage/products.xml"
ORACLE_HOME="/u01/app/oracle/product/10.1.3/OracleAS_1"
ORACLE_HOME_NAME="oracleas1"

 Run the Universal Installer with the response file as input
Starting a Silent Install
runInstaller -silent
-responseFile install.db.rsp
-waitForCompletion

 There are a total of 104 MTF’s located throughout the
United States, Europe, and the Middle East.
Use Case #2: OEM Grid Control 10g Agents
Oracle Enterprise Manager
Grid Control 10g
MTF MTF MTF MTF MTF MTF
 Each MTF has 4-8 agents
installed.
 OMS used to monitor and
administers all remote
servers.

 Response file vary by product and are not all the same
 Oracle WebLogic Server does not use a response file, and
uses something called a “silent.xml” file
 The Rapid Wizard, used for Oracle E-Business Suite uses
yet a different format
 The concepts are all the same, but the implementation is
different
A few gotchas with silent installs…
rapidwiz -silent -config CONFIG_FILE [-progress_only]

 Creating oraInst.loc or performing OS prerequisites
 Installing Java
 Running the RCU for Oracle Fusion Middleware
 Or god forbid some custom configuration or activities that
can only be done manually
There’s no escaping manual scripting 
echo "inventory_loc=/home/oracle/oraInventory" > /etc/oraInst.loc
echo "inst_group=oinstall" >> /etc/oraInst.loc
chown oracle:oinstall /etc/oraInst.loc
chmod 750 jrockit-jdk1.6.0_31-R28.2.3-4.1.0-linux-x64.bin
jrockit-jdk1.6.0_31-R28.2.3-4.1.0-linux-x64.bin
$RCU_HOME/bin/rcu -silent –createRepository -connectString
[dbhost]:[dbport]:[servicename] –dbUser sys –dbRole sysdba –
schemaPrefix [prefix] –component SOA

THE BIGGER PROBLEM

 Oracle Application Server Installation Guide 10g Release 3 (10.1.3.1.0) for
Linux x86
http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B31017_01/linux.1013/install.pdf
 Oracle Application Server Enterprise Deployment Guide 10g Release 3
(10.1.3.3.0)
http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E10291_01/core.1013/e10294.pdf
 Oracle Application Integration Architecture for Communications 2.0:
Installation Guide Release 2.0
Part No. E10919-01 – November 2007
 Installing AIA for Communications 2.0 and 2.0.1 on Oracle SOA Suite
Cluster Deployments
Oracle Metalink Note: 728144.1
 Clustering Oracle Service Registry in an Oracle Application Server 10g R3
Environment
http://www.oracle.com/technology/tech/soa/uddi/osr_cluster_config.pdf
Use Case #3: Oracle AIA for Communications

 Oracle Application Server Installation Guide 10g Release 3 (10.1.3.1.0) for
Linux x86
http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B31017_01/linux.1013/install.pdf
 Oracle Application Server Enterprise Deployment Guide 10g Release 3
(10.1.3.3.0)
http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E10291_01/core.1013/e10294.pdf
 Oracle Application Integration Architecture for Communications 2.0:
Installation Guide Release 2.0
Part No. E10919-01 – November 2007
 Installing AIA for Communications 2.0 and 2.0.1 on Oracle SOA Suite
Cluster Deployments
Oracle Metalink Note: 728144.1
 Clustering Oracle Service Registry in an Oracle Application Server 10g R3
Environment
http://www.oracle.com/technology/tech/soa/uddi/osr_cluster_config.pdf
Use Case #3: Oracle AIA for Communications
 88 pages of manual steps
 33 pages of manual steps
 37 pages
 13 pages
 174 pages

 This is enterprise software;
 Multiple topologies, multiple tiers, multiple architectures supported to
accommodate your hardware, networking, and security needs
 Many interdependent technologies;
 BPEL Process Manager
 Enterprise Service Bus (ESB)
 Oracle Web Services Manager (OWSM)
 Application Integration Architecture (AIA)
 Oracle Service Registry (OSR)
 Oracle Application Server
Use Case #3: Installation… why so complicated?

 72 unique parameters required during installation
 10 GUI installations needed per server
 To install AIA 2.0.1 for Communications on a cluster, steps
to install and configure Node 1 and Node 2 differ
 Due to amount of manual steps, installations are prone to
human error
 Average time needed: ~10 days/environment
Use Case #3: Installation Challenges

THE ONLY SOLUTION

 Scripted approach developed
 Leverages “silent” installations
 All manual steps are scripted
 Includes prerequisite checks
 Checks for all required files
 Checks all required OS prerequisites (RPMs, disk space, system
configuration settings)
 Some manual steps are required
 Due to documented bugs in silent installer of some products
 Due to managing the 2-node installation
Solution and Approach: Scripted Installations

 A single property file is used
Custom Property File
#----------------------------------------
# OHS Oracle Home
#----------------------------------------
OHS_ORACLE_HOME=/u01/app/oracle/product/10.1.3/OracleAS_1
OHS_SERVER_ADMIN_EMAIL=ahmed.aboulnaga@raastech.com
#----------------------------------------
# J2EE Oracle Home
#----------------------------------------
J2EE_ORACLE_HOME=/u01/app/oracle/product/10.1.3/OracleAS_1
J2EE_INSTANCE_NAME_J2EE=appnode1
J2EE_OC4J_ADMIN_CONTAINER=admin
#----------------------------------------
# These are new passwords that will be created
#----------------------------------------
PASSWORD_NEW_OC4JADMIN=welcome1
PASSWORD_NEW_ORABPEL=orabpel
PASSWORD_NEW_ORAESB=oraesb
PASSWORD_NEW_UDDIUSER=uddiuser
#----------------------------------------
# AIA properties (for Siebel)
#----------------------------------------
AIA_SIEBEL_HOST_NAME=qacrm
AIA_SIEBEL_PORT_NUM=80
AIA_SIEBEL_USERNAME=SiebelTest1

 Verbose/interactive mode supported
 Pauses between steps
 Allows the ability to observe exact commands being executed
Verbose Mode Supported
==>
==> Create response file /u01/scripts/temp/install.gtwypatchset.rsp
==> PRESS ENTER
==>
==> Command to execute for silent install 10.1.3.3 patchset:
./Disk1/runInstaller -silent -responseFile
/u01/scripts/temp/install.gtwypatchset.rsp -waitForCompletion
==> PRESS ENTER

 Detailed logging
 Date/timestamp
 Filename
 Brief description
 Detailed change
Detailed Logging
2010-01-21 | 16:56:21 |
/u01/app/oracle/product/10.1.3/OracleAS_1/opmn/conf/opmn.xml |
Disable proxy configuration for OC4J_ESBDT |
Replaced string [-Dhttp.proxySet=true] with string [-
Dhttp.proxySet=false]
2010-01-22 | 13:36:39 |
/u01/app/oracle/product/10.1.3/OracleAS_1/bpel/domains/default/
config/log4j-config.xml |
Modify logging |
Replaced string [<param name="MaxBackupIndex" value="10"/>]
with string [<param name="MaxBackupIndex" value="30"/>]

 Customers install and maintain anywhere from 3-12
internally environments
 New environments can be reinstalled and/or baselined
quickly if needed
 Follows Oracle documentation 100%
 Can be customized to support different topologies
Benefits of this Approach
 Install times reduced from 10 days (manual) to 4 hours (automated)
 Human errors are eliminated
 Performs a full 2-node clustered installation
 All environments are exactly identical
BENEFITS OF SCRIPTED INSTALLATIONS

 Took several weeks to develop
 Needs to be redone for major upgrades
 Gets more complicated in clustered installations
 Multiple scripting approaches is needed
Disadvantages of Approach

SUMMARY

 Understand what the “silent install” process is and how to
perform it
 Understand what a response file is
 Understand that though the concepts are the same, different
“silent install” methods may be used among different Oracle
products
 The more complicated the topology and architecture, the
more complicated your scripting will be
 It is near impossible to get away from manual scripting
 Share high-level experiences of actual implementations
Take Aways

 Cloning
 Virtualization
 Suck it up and install it manually
Alternatives

 Back up the Middleware installation using copyBinary.sh
 Restore the Middleware installation using pasteBinary.sh
 Archive the WebLogic domain using copyConfig.sh
 Extract the move plan using extractMovePlan.sh
 Edit the moveplan.xml configuration file
 Use pasteConfig.sh to extract archive in target system
Cloning Oracle Fusion Middleware

Cloning Oracle Fusion Middleware

Virtualization
vmhost1
172.21.100.34
dbhost1
192.168.1.100
webapp1
172.21.100.80
172.21.100.34 : 1111
1111
1521
1521
vmhost2
172.21.100.44
dbhost1
192.168.1.100
webapp2
172.21.100.90
172.21.100.44 : 1111
1111
1521
1521
dbhost2
192.168.1.101
1522

 Silent or non-interactive installations should be
evaluated on a case-by-case basis depending on your
environment and needs.
 Silently installing a single-node database is a cinch.
 Weigh the pros and cons of spending a tremendous
amount of time developing an error-free provisioning
process.
 There is no cloning, provisioning, or automated
installation process that does not require extensive
development and testing up front.
My Opinion

Contact Information
Ahmed Aboulnaga
Technical Director
ahmed.aboulnaga@raastech.com

Revisiting Silent: Installs Are they still useful?

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (13)

Similar to Revisiting Silent: Installs Are they still useful?

Similar to Revisiting Silent: Installs Are they still useful? (20)

More from Revelation Technologies

More from Revelation Technologies (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Revisiting Silent: Installs Are they still useful?