1 Installation Overview

The Oracle Portal, Forms, Reports, and Discoverer installer will install all of these products by default. After installation, you will have the option to configure the products you want to use.

The chapter includes the following sections:

Section 1.1, "Oracle Portal, Forms, Reports, and Discoverer Components"
Section 1.2, "Installation Roadmap"
Section 1.3, "Oracle Portal, Forms, Reports, and Discoverer Directory Structure"

1.1 Oracle Portal, Forms, Reports, and Discoverer Components

Oracle Portal, Forms, Reports, and Discoverer contains the following components:

Oracle Portal

Oracle Portal allows you to view content from multiple sources on a single page.
Oracle Forms Services

Oracle Forms Services is a part of Oracle Fusion Middleware that contains tools and services that enables you to deploy Forms applications over a network. Forms Services is a comprehensive application framework optimized to deploy Forms applications in a multi-tiered environment. It takes advantage of the ease and accessibility of the Web and elevates it from a static information-publishing mechanism to an environment capable of supporting complex applications.
Oracle Reports

Oracle Reports enables businesses to give immediate access to information to all levels within and outside of the organization in a scalable and secure environment. Using Oracle Reports, you can rapidly develop and deploy sophisticated Web and paper reports against any data source (including an Oracle database, JDBC, XML, and text files). Leveraging J2EE technologies such as JSP and XML, you can publish your reports in a variety of formats (including HTML, XML, PDF, spreadsheet, delimited text, PostScript, and RTF) to any destination (including e-mail, Web browser, Oracle Portal, and file system) in a scalable, efficient manner. Oracle Reports consists of Oracle Reports Developer (a component of the Oracle Developer Suite) and Oracle Reports Services (a component of Oracle Fusion Middleware)
Oracle Business Intelligence Discoverer

Oracle Discoverer is an intuitive ad-hoc query, reporting, analysis, and Web publishing set of tools that gives business users immediate access to information in databases.

For more information about these components, refer to Oracle Fusion Middleware Concepts.

1.2 Installation Roadmap

Table 1-1 describes the high-level tasks for installing and configuring Oracle Portal, Forms, Reports and Discoverer. The table also provides information on where to get more details about each task.

Table 1-1 Tasks in the Oracle Portal, Forms, Reports, and Discoverer Installation Procedure

Task	Description	Documentation	Mandatory or Optional?
Task 1 - Complete the installation planning requirements	Ensure that your system environment meets the general installation requirements for Oracle Fusion Middleware as well as Oracle Portal, Forms, Reports, and Discoverer.	For system requirements information, go to: http://www.oracle.com/technology/software/products/ias/files/fusion_requirements.htm For certification information, go to: http://www.oracle.com/technology/software/products/ias/files/fusion_certification.html	Mandatory
Task 2 - Run RCU to create the necessary schemas.	Oracle Portal and Oracle Discoverer require schemas that must be installed in an Oracle database. You create and load these schemas in your database by using RCU.	Make sure you have a supported Oracle database up and running. See `http://www.oracle.com/technology/software/products/ias/files/fusion_certification.html` for more information. Instructions for creating the schema are provided in Section 2.1.3, "Create Schemas for Oracle Portal and Oracle Discoverer". You can also refer to Oracle Fusion Middleware Repository Creation Utility User's Guide.	Mandatory
Task 3 - Install Oracle WebLogic Server and create a WebLogic domain	Oracle Portal, Forms, Reports, and Discoverer require a WebLogic Domain. During the installation, you are given the option to create a new domain, or extend an existing domain. In either case, Oracle WebLogic Server must be installed before a domain can be present on your system. The WebLogic Server installer creates the WebLogic Server home directory within the Oracle Middleware Home directory.	Installation instructions are provided in Section 2.1.4, "Install Oracle WebLogic Server and Create the Middleware Home". You can also refer to Oracle WebLogic Server Installation Guide For more information about the Middleware Home and WebLogic Home directories, see "Middleware Home and WebLogic Home Directories" in Oracle Fusion Middleware Installation Planning Guide.	Mandatory
Task 4 - Install Oracle Portal, Forms, Reports, and Discoverer	Use the installer to install and configure Oracle Portal, Forms, Reports, and Discoverer.	Chapter 2, "Installing Oracle Portal, Forms, Reports and Discoverer".	Mandatory
Task 5 - Configure Oracle Portal, Forms, Reports, and Discoverer	The installer gives you the option of choosing between two different install types. If you choose the Install and Configure type, you can skip this step. If you choose the Install Software - Do Not Configure type, you must run the Configuration Tool to configure your components before you are able to use them.	Chapter 2, "Installing Oracle Portal, Forms, Reports and Discoverer". For more information about the installation types, see Section 2.7.1, "Installation Types".	Optional

1.3 Oracle Portal, Forms, Reports, and Discoverer Directory Structure

Figure 1-1 shows the directory structure of a simple Oracle Portal, Forms, Reports, and Discoverer installation on a single host, using all of the default values.

Figure 1-1 Directory Structure of Oracle Portal, Forms, Reports, and Discoverer Installation

Description of "Figure 1-1 Directory Structure of Oracle Portal, Forms, Reports, and Discoverer Installation"

For more information about the Oracle Home directory, refer to "Oracle Home Directory" in Oracle Fusion Middleware Installation Planning Guide.

For more information about the Oracle Instance directory and system components, refer to "Oracle Fusion Middleware Concepts for All Users" in Oracle Fusion Middleware Installation Planning Guide.