Location of Database-Related Files

When you create a template from an existing database, the Database Configuration Assistant analyzes the location of the various database files. The template then determines where those files will exist when a new database is created from the template.

Specifically, the template determines:

• Where the database files will be stored

• How to refer to the database file locations

Use this page to determine whether or not, the template uses the Optimal Flexible Architecture (OFA) to store and refer to the database files.

Converting the File Locations to Use OFA Structure

The Oracle Optimal Flexible Architecture (OFA) is a set of file naming and placement guidelines recommended by Oracle Corporation, for Oracle software and databases. It can also be thought of as a set of "good habits" to adopt when organizing Oracle directories, and files on your computer. For example, when you install Oracle software using the Oracle Universal Installer, the Installer places Oracle products in directory locations that follow the OFA guidelines.

OFA also uses a standard set of file location variables, such as ORACLE_HOME and ORACLE_BASE, to determine the location of database files. For example, on Windows systems, the variable ORACLE_BASE is assigned to C:\ORACLE by default.

One of the benefits of OFA is that you can separate Oracle software executables from database files. In some earlier versions of the Oracle Database, database files were placed in a sub-directory of the Oracle home directory that also contained Oracle software. On UNIX, this directory was ORACLE_HOME/dbs ; on Windows, this directory was ORACLE_HOME\database.

Using OFA, you can put Oracle software in ORACLE_BASE/ORACLE_HOME and database files in ORACLE_BASE/oradata/.  

In general, you should use OFA if you plan to use your template on multiple host computers that do not have similar disk and directory structures. Instead of using the actual disk and directory paths, the template will use the file location variables to define the location of the database files.

OFA provides the following additional benefits:

• Organizes large amounts of complicated software and data on disk, to avoid device bottlenecks and poor performance

• Facilitates routine administrative tasks, such as software and data backup functions, which are often vulnerable to data corruption

• Alleviates switching among multiple Oracle databases

• Adequately manages and administers database growth

• Helps to eliminate fragmentation of free space in the data dictionary, isolate other fragmentation, and minimize resource contention

Note: If you are not using the OFA standard currently, then switching to the OFA standard involves modifying your directory structure, and relocating your database files.

See your Oracle operating-system specific documentation or Oracle Universal Installer Concepts for more information about OFA, and the Oracle Database Administrator's Guide for information about relocating your database files.

Maintaining the Current File Locations

When you select this option, the template will not use OFA to refer to, or to identify the location of the database files. Instead, the template will use the actual path names from the original database.

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