13 Setting Up and Using the Self Service Application for DBaaS

Customizing and Saving the Database Deployment Procedure

A Database Deployment Procedure is a series of steps that is used to create a database. With the Database Self Service Portal, users can select a service template that closely resembles their requirements which identifies the size and configuration of the database to be created.

To customize the database deployment procedure, follow these steps:

1. Log in to Enterprise Manager as an administrator with the EM_SSA_ADMINISTRATOR role.

2. From the Enterprise menu, select Provisioning and Patching, then select Database Provisioning.

3. Select the Create Database Procedure option and click Launch.

4. Select or enter appropriate values for procedure inputs, and click the lock icon once the values are finalized.

   Note:

   You must lock the variables as specified in the table below. If any of these variables are not locked, the database deployment procedure cannot be used.

   Field	Description	Locked Y/N?
   Version	Select from a list of supported database versions	Y
   Database Type	Select among different database configurations	Y
   Hosts (Oracle Home + Credential)	Select a single sample host, Oracle Home and credentials. While creating Real Application Cluster databases, select a cluster, the desired Oracle Home, credentials for the cluster, and a sample node. Note: These inputs will be ignored when the procedure is published as a service template.	N
   Database Template	Select the database template location. The location can be Software Library or Oracle Home. The template selected must be compatible with the selected Oracle Home version. If you have selected Oracle Home, select the template from the Oracle Home. The default location is ORACLE_HOME/assistants/dbca/templates. Note: Due to a known issue, when this field is locked, it may be difficult to identify the template selected from the Oracle Home.	Y
   Cluster Database Configuration Type (RAC Only)	Select the configuration type as Administrator Managed and suitable nodes are selected by default.	NA
   Global Database Name	Enter a dummy value. This value will be auto-generated when this procedure is published as a service template.	N
   SID	Enter a dummy value. This value will be auto-generated when this procedure is published as a service template.	N
   Passwords (SYS, SYSTEM, DBSNMP)	Specify all three passwords here. The SYS password is used and the SYSTEM and DBSNMP are displayed.	Y
   Storage Type	Select the storage type, whether File System or Automatic Storage Management (ASM).	Y
   Database File Location	Specify the location or disk group where data files, temporary files, redo logs, and control files will be stored.	N
   Recovery File Location	To enable backup and restore for Self Service users, check the Use Fast Recovery Area and Enable Archiving check boxes. When you check the Use Fast Recovery Area check box, you are prompted for the location or disk group and size required for storing recovery related files. If these check boxes are selected, the Self Service user can schedule Oracle recommended RMAN backups for the database.	Y
   Memory Parameters	Specify this value according to your database size definition. For example, small = 1 GB, medium= 2 GB, large = 4 GB, and so on.	Y
   Database Sizing	Specify the Block Size and number of Processes. If you have selected a database template with data files in the Database Template page, you cannot edit the Block Size.	Y
   Host CPU Count	Specify this value according to your database size definition. For example, small = 1 CPU, medium=2 CPU, large= 4 CPU, and so on.	Y
   Character Set	Select the required character set. The default character set is based on the locale and operating system.	Y
   Database Connection Mode	Select the server mode. For shared server mode, specify the number of shared servers.	Y
   Listener Configuration	As part of the prerequisites, the listener has to be configured for each host and Oracle Home. After it has been configured, select the correct listener and lock the value.	Y
   Custom Script	Optional custom script that will be executed after the database has been created.	Y
   Schedule	This field will be ignored. The schedule is specified by the Self Service user as part of the database request.	NA
   Review	Review all the inputs provided in the deployment procedure.	NA

   
   

5. On the Review page, click Save and enter a meaningful name for the deployment procedure.

   Note:

   Do not click Submit on the Review page.

6. After the deployment procedure has been saved, click Cancel to exit the wizard.

Setting Up the Self Service Portal

The Self Service Portal is a Web page where Cloud users can request, monitor, and manage their own databases using Enterprise Manager.

An administrator with the EM_SSA_ADMINISTRATOR role can configure and set up the database self service portal by defining database pools, service templates, and so on.

Prerequisites

• DBaaS must be enabled by following the steps described in Chapter 12, "Setting Up Database as a Service".

• PaaS Infrastructure Zone must have been created. See Creating a PaaS Infrastructure Zone.

Follow this process to set up the database cloud self service portal:

1. Log in to Enterprise Manager Grid Control as an administrator with the EM_SSA_ADMINISTRATOR role.

2. From the Setup menu, select Cloud, then select Database.

3. The Database Cloud Self Service Portal Setup page appears. Click Database Pools. A database pool is a collection of servers or clusters with database software installed.

4. Figure 13-1 Database Self Service Portal Setup - Database Pools

   
   

5. Click Create. The Create Software Pool: General page appears. Enter a name and description for the database pool.

6. Enter the placement policy constraints. In the Maximum Number of Database Instances (per host), enter the maximum number of database instances that can be running on each host in the pool.

   Figure 13-2 Database Self Service Portal Setup - Create Pool: Name

   
   

7. Click Next. The Create Software Pool: Targets page appears. In this page, you can add one or more Oracle homes to the database pool being created.

   1. In the Zone Name drop box, select the PaaS Infrastructure Zone in which the middleware pool is to be created. See Creating a PaaS Infrastructure Zone for details.

   2. Specify the Version of the Oracle home being added to the database pool.

   3. Click Add and select one or more Oracle homes to be added to the database pool. Click Submit.

      The newly created pool will appear in the Database Cloud Self Service Portal Setup: Database Pools page. The database pool can now be added to the Service Template.

8. Click the Request Settings tab. Specify the following:.

   • Future Reservation: How far in advance can a request be made.

   • Request Archive Retention: Period for which archived requests are stored before they are automatically deleted by the system.

   • Request Duration: Maximum duration for which requests can be made.

   Click Apply.

9. Click the Quotas tab. Quota is the aggregate amount of resources that can be granted to each self service user belonging to a certain role. This quota applies only to the database provisioned through the Self Service Application.

   Note:

   Quota validation ensures that a request is executed only if the user's current usage is within the limits specified for the roles to which the user belongs. Only the direct roles are considered for the quota determination, and not nested ones.

10. Click Create. In the Create New Quota window, select the Role Name for which the quota is to be granted. Specify the quota limits for the role as follows:

    • Total allocated memory that can be assigned for all the databases owned by a specific user.

    • Total allocated storage that can be assigned for all the databases owned by a user.

    • The number of databases that can be owned by a user at any point in time.

    Note:

    Only roles that have the EM_SSA_USER privileges are displayed in the Select Roles dialog box.

11. Click Create. In the Create New Quota window, select the Role Name for which the quota is to be granted.

    Note:

    Only roles that have the EM_SSA_USER privileges are displayed in the Select Roles dialog box.

    The quota limits for each of the attributes would be determined based on all the roles to which a user directly belongs. For example, if a user has 3 roles with quota setup for each role as shown in the table below:

    Role Name	Attribute	Value
    Dev Role	Memory	2 GB
    	Storage	15 GB
    	DB Count	10
    Test Role	Memory	5 GB
    	Storage	10 GB
    	DB Count	12
    PM Role	Memory	Quota not set
    	Storage	Quota not set
    	DB Count	Quota not set

    
    

    The quota is calculated as the absolute maximum across the roles for each attribute value. For the user who belongs to the Dev, Test, and PM Role, the Quota is calculated as:

    Value for Memory = MAX (Dev, Test, PM) = MAX (2, 5, NA) = 5 GB

    Value for Storage = MAX (Dev, Test, PM) = MAX (15, 10, NA) = 15 GB

    Value for DB Count = MAX (Dev, Test, PM) = MAX (10, 12, NA) = 12 Databases

    A sample quota validation log generated by the user request follows:

    ************** UserName - SSA_USER
    ******* Quota Limits:
    *** Memory: 10
    *** Storage: 10
    *** Instances: 10
    *** Memory Used: 6.732421875
    ******* Current Usage:
    *** Storage Used: 5.28
    *** Instances Used: 5
    

12. Click the Service Templates tab. A service template is a standardized service definition that can be selected by self service users when requesting a new database. You can create service templates that can be used to provision databases in a set of selected zones.

    Figure 13-3 Database Cloud Self Service Portal Setup - Templates

    
    

13. Click Create in the Service Templates page to launch the Create New Service Template Wizard.

    Note:

    Before you create a service template, you must have saved a copy of a Create Database Deployment Procedure with appropriate values.

14. Enter a name and description for the service. Select a saved deployment procedure that is to be used to create the service template. Click Next. The service template description appears, and you can select the right template. Sample service template descriptions are shown in Figure 13-3.

15. Click Add to add one or more roles. Users belonging to the roles selected here can access the service template. Click Submit. The newly created service template can now be accessed through the self service portal while requesting databases.

    To edit an existing service template, follow these steps:

    1. Click Edit in the Service templates page to launch to the Edit Service Template wizard.

    2. In this mode, you can modify the description, user name, password, and port range of the database instance being provisioned, add or remove PaaS Infrastructure Zones, Software Pools into which the template is being deployed, and add or remove users who can access this template.

16. Click the Chargeback tab. On this page, you can determine chargeback zones, services, items, and prices. After the Chargeback is setup, you can view charges and plan details. For more details on setting up the Chargeback Service, see Chapter 4, "Chargeback Administration".

Using the Database Self Service Portal

The Database Self Service Portal allows self service users to view, monitor, and deploy databases on selected zones. Users can request databases using any of the predefined service templates or database specifications that closely resemble their requirements. Users can provision databases easily without being aware of the hardware and software infrastructure details. The entire database lifecycle of creation, maintenance and retirement can be done by the self service users with zero or minimal intervention from an official Database Administrator.

Figure 13-4 Database Cloud Self Service Portal

The Database Cloud Self Service Portal Home page displays the following details:

• Home: This is the Home page for the Database Self Service Portal. It contains the following sections:

  • Notifications: This section shows the number of databases that are expiring in the next 7 days.

  • Usage: This region displays the quota that you currently have and how much has been used.

  • Databases: This table lists the services that you currently own. You can request more databases by clicking Request Database. You can also delete any databases you own to release it prior to expiration. Click on a Service Name link to drill down to the database details page.

  • Requests: This table tracks the requests that you have created. You can also cancel requests that have been scheduled but not executed.

• Chargeback: This page displays all the chargeback break-up data for the databases and pricing for different zones. The charge incurred will be calculated from the database requested date to current date. This page contains the following sections:

  • Charge Trend: Shows the charges across a date range for various metrics. You can set a date range and click Go to recalculate charges.

  • Details: This section shows charge details for the specified date range. You can reorder the data by selecting an option from the Detail Level menu. Click Export to export the details of the charge plan to a .csv file.

  • Aggregate By: You can aggregate the charge back data for the database by resources or metrics. You can export this data to an external application such as a spreadsheet.

  • Charge Plans: The charge plans that have been assigned to each PaaS Infrastructure Zone are displayed. Select a zone to view the pricing. The rate for each metric in the zone for a specific time period appears.

• Click My Preferences. Before you request resources using SSA, you can set up your user profile by specifying the following details:

  • Default Host Password: The default password for the host.

  • Default Zone: The default zone for the requests.

  • Default Source Software: The default location in which the assemblies, templates, and deployment plans are present.

  • Default Email Address for Notifications: The default email address to be used to receive notifications.

  • Days Before the First / Second Notification: The number of days before the first and second notifications are sent.

  • Enable Quota Related Notification: If you select this checkbox, notifications are sent when the quota reaches a specified threshold.

  • Quota Threshold for Receiving Notifications: If you have selected the Enable Quota Related Notification checkbox, specify the quota threshold in this field.

  • Database Preferences

  • • Default Zone: Select the default zone for the requests.

  • My Middleware Preferences

    • Default Zone: Select the default middleware zone for the requests.

  • My Servers Preferences

    • Default Server Root Password

    • Default Zone for New Requests

    • Default Source Software

  Click Apply to save the preferences. The values specified here will be used when you request resources using SSA.

Requesting Databases

You can deploy databases to a specific zone with a selected service template. To request a database, follow these steps:

1. Log in to Enterprise Manager as a user with EM_SSA_USER role or any role that includes EM_SSA_USER role.

2. On the Self Service Portal Homepage, click Databases on the upper right corner of the screen.

3. The Home page of the Database Cloud Self Service Portal appears. Click Request Database in the Home page.

   Note:

   If the Infrastructure Cloud Self Service Portal appears, click the Databases option at the top left-hand corner of the page to toggle to the Database Cloud Self Portal page.

4. Choose a service template from the list and click Select. If you have only one template, it will be automatically selected. Typically, the service template description should provide the configuration details for the database.

   Figure 13-5 New Database Request: General

   
   

5. In the New Database Request: General page, enter a meaningful name for the request and select a zone on which the database is to be deployed. The request is tied to the provisioned database until the database is retired. This is indicated by the status of the request.

6. Click Next. In the New Database Request: Deployment Inputs page, specify the custom variables. Click Next.

   Currently, the only inputs are the set of credentials for the database. For security reasons, users do not get access to SYS and SYSTEM accounts, instead a custom master account is created for the user, and this is the primary administrative account for the database. The master account is granted the DBA role, and following privileges are revoked from it:

   • Alter database

   • Alter system

   • Create any directory

   • Drop any directory

   • Grant any object privilege

   • Grant any privilege

   • Grant any cycle

   Note: You cannot use any of the default Oracle user names for the master account. The user name is case insensitive. The following user names cannot be used as the master account user name:

   • USER

   • SYS

   • SYSTEM

   • DBSNMP

   • OUTLN

   • MGMT_VIEW

   • FLOWS_FILES

   • MDSYS

   • ORDSYS

   • EXFSYS

   • WMSYS

   • APPQOSSYS

   • APEX_030200

   • OWBSYS_AUDIT

   • ORDDATA

   • CTXSYS

   • ANONYMOUS

   • SYSMAN

   • XDB

   • ORDPLUGINS

   • OWBSYS

   • SI_INFORMTN_SCHEMA

   • OLAPSYS

   • SCOTT

   • ORACLE_OCM

   • XS$NULL

   • MDDATA

   • DIP

   • APEX_PUBLIC_USER

   • SPATIAL_CSW_ADMIN_USR

   • SPATIAL_WFS_ADMIN_USR

   If a default Oracle user name is used, an error message appears.

   Figure 13-6 New Database Request: Deployment Inputs

   
   

7. Specify the schedule for the request. The Start Date (immediate or deferred) determines when the database will be provisioned, while the End Date determines when the database will be retired.

8. Review the details of the request.

9. Click Submit to deploy the database to the selected zone. You are directed back to the Database Self Service Portal where you can monitor the progress of your request. The process can take 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the performance and load profile of the Cloud Infrastructure. The resource usage (against your quota limit) charts will also be updated once the database has been created.

   Once the request has been completed, the new database is visible in the My Databases table. You can click the database name to view its Home page.

Troubleshooting Tips for Database Request Failures

This troubleshooting section can be used to determine the possible cause of a database request failure and to take suitable remedial actions.

Submitting a database request involves the following steps:

1. Pre-processing

   1. Initialization

   2. User Quota Validation

   3. Placement logic execution to find a suitable host

2. Database Creation

3. Post Processing

Each of these steps is executed sequentially and each step must be successfully completed before the consecutive step can be executed. Failure in any one of the steps causes the database request to fail.