Optimal Flexible Architecture
Encyclopedia
Optimal Flexible Architecture (OFA), a standard of Oracle Corporation
, encourages consistent layouts when installing and configuring the Oracle Database
product on computer systems.
(FHS) on UNIX
systems in which, for example, the directory "/bin" always holds the essential system binaries — so when administrators and users use other systems they will already know where to find the standard system binaries. OFA takes FHS standard-style concepts and uses them for Oracle products on UNIX and on Windows. In this way Oracle Database administrator
s will find familiar structures and locations of the various applications and data installed on any OFA-compliant system.
OFA covers where to install each part of each product; it addresses the storage of both applications and data. Much like the FHS, OFA imposes no constraints on the locations: it merely makes recommendations.
Oracle Corporation has structured the OFA system so that system administrators can use multiple disks (for example: applications on one disk and databases on another). OFA also allows for installing multiple versions of the same product on the same host: for example Oracle Database 9 and Oracle Database 10.
for example:
s to map the main directories into physical disk storage.
Within each main directory a number of subdirectories can exist. Commonly-used subdirectories include:
For example:
instance called
Oracle Corporation
Oracle Corporation is an American multinational computer technology corporation that specializes in developing and marketing hardware systems and enterprise software products – particularly database management systems...
, encourages consistent layouts when installing and configuring the Oracle Database
Oracle Database
The Oracle Database is an object-relational database management system produced and marketed by Oracle Corporation....
product on computer systems.
Overview
OFA defines where each component will install its files. In many respects it resembles the Filesystem Hierarchy StandardFilesystem Hierarchy Standard
The Filesystem Hierarchy Standard defines the main directories and their contents in Linux operating systems. For the most part, it is a formalization and extension of the traditional BSD filesystem hierarchy....
(FHS) on UNIX
Unix
Unix is a multitasking, multi-user computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs, including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna...
systems in which, for example, the directory "/bin" always holds the essential system binaries — so when administrators and users use other systems they will already know where to find the standard system binaries. OFA takes FHS standard-style concepts and uses them for Oracle products on UNIX and on Windows. In this way Oracle Database administrator
Database administrator
A database administrator is a person responsible for the design, implementation, maintenance and repair of an organization's database. They are also known by the titles Database Coordinator or Database Programmer, and is closely related to the Database Analyst, Database Modeller, Programmer...
s will find familiar structures and locations of the various applications and data installed on any OFA-compliant system.
OFA covers where to install each part of each product; it addresses the storage of both applications and data. Much like the FHS, OFA imposes no constraints on the locations: it merely makes recommendations.
Oracle Corporation has structured the OFA system so that system administrators can use multiple disks (for example: applications on one disk and databases on another). OFA also allows for installing multiple versions of the same product on the same host: for example Oracle Database 9 and Oracle Database 10.
Directory structure
Each main Oracle-oriented directory on each disk consists of a string ('u' or 'disk' by default) with a unique identifier (often a 2-digit number) appended,for example:
/u01 or /disk07. Administrators store data and application-code within these directories, and Oracle products reference these directories. If desired, one can use symbolic linkSymbolic link
In computing, a symbolic link is a special type of file that contains a reference to another file or directory in the form of an absolute or relative path and that affects pathname resolution. Symbolic links were already present by 1978 in mini-computer operating systems from DEC and Data...
s to map the main directories into physical disk storage.
Within each main directory a number of subdirectories can exist. Commonly-used subdirectories include:
-
./app/for applications -
./oradata/for data
For example:
/u01/app/oracle/product/10.2.0/bin/ may contains the binaries for Oracle 10.2.0. If a system has an Oracle DatabaseOracle Database
The Oracle Database is an object-relational database management system produced and marketed by Oracle Corporation....
instance called
foo, then /u01/app/oracle/admin/foo/ may contain information about that foo's datafiles: this could point to a collection of datafiles in /u03/oradata/foo, etc.