Re: 9i linux install: permission problems: what is "oracle user"

fitzjarrell_at_cox.net wrote:
> Comments embedded.
> idiotprogrammer wrote:
> > Hi, I'm upgrading a 9i Oracle installation and running a patch on RHE
> > 3. I'm having a permission problem. User bob ran the original install
> > script.
>
> Why? The installation should have been done as 'oracle'.
>
> >However, when user bob ran the upgrade patch with the Universal
> > Installer (name: Oracle9i, path /data/oracle9i/OraHome1), it says you
> > don't have the right to create dir OraHome1. I've verified that
> > /data/oracle9i/OraHome1 exists; however, it isn't owned by bob; it is
> > owned by user "oracle".
>
> Correct. As it should be. 'bob' should have had nothing to do with
> this software installation or upgrade.
>
> > So how do you solve that problem? Do I delete
> > the OraHome1 directory and let the install/upgrade wizard create one?
>
> At that point you'd be removing the existing installation and affecting
> any and all databases you've created. The true solution to this is you
> should never have had 'bob' associated with any of the Oracle software
> installation and used the 'oracle' user, as originally intended and
> specified in the installation notes.
>
> > Or do I "su - oracle" . The thing is that I don't recall ever creating
> > a user "oracle." Opinons?
>
> The fact is 'bob' should not be owner of any of the Oracle software,
> period. 'oracle' should. And the SA made certain that 'oracle' owns
> the $ORACLE_HOME root directory (and should own any subdirectories
> under it). Read the installation notes and pre-installation checklist
> again and you'll find Oracle specifies that 'oracle' (or an account
> created *specifically* as the administrative account for the Oracle
> installation) should be the O/S user installing the software (that is
> unless you intend to make 'bob' the Oracle software owner, which means
> you must take away his access to the account and create another for his
> daily use. It also means you'll need to change ownership of these
> directories to 'bob'. And assign that account the 'dba' group as
> primary. And monitor the use of the 'bob' account to prevent
> unauthorised access. And ensure all file permissions are set properly
> on the Oracle executables.)
>
> Hopefully this is not a critical installation (somehow I feel it is
> not). It may be better if you simply wipe the Oracle slate clean and
> start again, this time with the proper O/S user account.
>
>
> >
> >
> > Robert Nagle
> > idiotprogrammer
> > Houston, Texas
>
>
> David Fitzjarrell

Actually, I believe that Oracle is very flexible and will install and work correctly under any owner name you want to use providing you set the recommended ulimits for the chosen ID. Any patches and upgrades would also need to be ran as this ID. At least it would under version 7. Using the name Oracle as the owner is just what most sites do.

HTH -- Mark D Powell -- Received on Sat Sep 16 2006 - 18:35:22 CDT