7.3.3 Creating Directories for Oracle Database Files

Perform this procedure to place the Oracle Database or recovery files on a separate file system from the Oracle base directory.

  1. Use the following command to determine the free disk space on each mounted file system: 
    # df -h
  2. Identify the file systems to use, from the display:
    Option Description

    Database Files

    Select one of the following:

    • A single file system with at least 1.5 GB of free disk space

    • Two or more file systems with at least 3.5 GB of free disk space in total

    Recovery Files

    Choose a file system with at least 2 GB of free disk space

    If you are using the same file system for multiple file types, then add the disk space requirements for each type to determine the total disk space requirement.

  3. Note the names of the mount point directories for the file systems that you identified.
  4. If the user performing installation has permissions to create directories on the disks where you plan to install Oracle Database, then DBCA creates the Oracle Database file directory, and the Recovery file directory. If the user performing installation does not have write access, then you must create these directories manually.

    For example, given the user oracle and Oracle Inventory Group oinstall, and using the paths /u03/oradata/wrk_area for Oracle Database files, and /u01/oradata/rcv_area for the recovery area, these commands create the recommended subdirectories in each of the mount point directories and set the appropriate owner, group, and permissions on them:

    • Database file directory:

      # mkdir /u01/oradata/
# chown oracle:oinstall /u01/oradata/
# chmod 775 /mount_point/oradata

      The default location for the database file directory is $ORACLE_BASE/oradata.

    • Recovery file directory (fast recovery area):

      # mkdir /u01/oradata/rcv_area
# chown oracle:oinstall /u01/app/oracle/fast_recovery_area
# chmod 775 /u01/oradata/rcv_area

      The default fast recovery area is $ORACLE_BASE/fast_recovery_area.

      Oracle recommends that you keep the fast recovery area on a separate physical disk than that of the database file directory. This method enables you to use the fast recovery area to retrieve data if the disk containing oradata is unusable for any reason.