Step 4 - Oracle DBCS : Customize Dashboard

In our previous article we have learned how to Create a Database Deployment using Create Service Wizard. Let's assume that you have created multiple services on Oracle Cloud and want to manage the services on the Dashboard so you just display services you want. You can use "Customize Dashboard" option on the "Oracle Cloud My Services" page to specify which services appear on the dashboard.

In this article we will demonstrate how to Customize Dashboard on Oracle Cloud My Services page.

• Open a web browser and enter the URL you received in the Welcome email to login to Oracle Cloud Account

https://myservices-xxxxx-xxxxxxxxxxef4b21bb7ee3b2cf4123d1.console.oraclecloud.com/mycloud/faces/dashboard.jspx

• Enter your username and password

• On the home page click on "Customize Dashboard" as shown below

A pop box will be opened showing all the services. You will see the following options:

• Automatic: This is the system default
• Expand: Show service details
• Collapse: Hide service details
• Show: It will always show service on the dashboard
• Hide: It will always hide service from the dashboard

Here I want to show the following services on my dashboard:

• Identity Cloud
• Database
• Database Backup
• Storage Classic
• Compute Classic
• Container Classic

• Once you are done with the selection, click the close icon to close the "Customize Dashboard" menu

• Now we can see all the services which we have choose to show/display on the dashboard

Conclusion

In this article we have learned how to Customize the Dashboard on Oracle Cloud My Services page. You can specify which Cloud Services should appear on the dashboard so it is easy for you to switch between the Cloud Services.

Step 3 - Oracle DBCS : Create A Database Deployment

There are several ways in which you can create a Database Deployment in Oracle Database Cloud Service. Some of the methods that you can use to create a Database Deployment are:

• QuickStart Template
• Create Service Wizard
• Using Snapshot
• Hybrid Disaster Recovery (DR) Deployment

In this article we will demonstrate how to Create A Database Deployment using Create Service Wizard.

Prerequisites:

• Oracle Account
• Oracle Cloud Subscription
• SSH Public/Private Key pair

Steps to Create a Database Deployment

• Open a web browser and enter the URL you received in the Welcome email to login to Oracle Cloud Account

• Enter your username and password

• Click on the Menu as shown in the image below

• Click on Database (OCI)

• Click on "Go to Console"

• Click on "Create Service"

• Fill in all the details and click Next
• Service Name: Enter the service name, It only accepts hyphen (-) as special character
• Description (optional): Enter a description on the service
• Notification Email: To send the update on Instance creation
• Service level: Oracle Database Cloud Service
• Metering Frequency: Monthly or Hourly
• Software Release: 11gR2, 12cR1 or 12cR2
• Software Edition: Enterprise, standard, Enterprise Edition - Extreme performance or Enterprise Edition - High performance
• Database Type: Single Instance, Single Instance with Data Guard, RAC, RAC with Data Guard, Hybrid DR

• Fill in all the details 
• DB Name: This will be your container DB name
• PDB Name: This will be your pluggable DB name
• Administrator password: This will be your administrator password for users sys, system, dbaas_monitor and so on
• Backup and Recovery Configuration: Cloud and Local, Cloud only or None
• Compute Shape: select the configuration you need for your business
• SSH Public Key: choose the public key you generated in steps

http://netsoftmate.blogspot.com/2017/12/step-2-oracle-dbcs-generate-ssh-key.html

• Click on advance settings and choose your desired option

Steps to upload public key

• Click Next

• Review the Summary and click "Create"

• At this moment the Service creation is in progress. Click on the Service Name

• This page shows that the provisioning is in-progress. Click on Oracle Database Cloud Services to go back to the home page

• Click on the arrow symbol shown below to see the service create and delete history

• Click refresh to check the status of service

• The service has been created successfully

• Up on the completion you will also receive the email that the service is created and is now available for use

• Click on the arrow symbol and "show more" to see all the details about the service just created

• Make a note of the IP address as it will used to connect to the compute node

Conclusion

In this article we have learned how to Create a Database Deployment on Oracle Database Cloud Service using Create Service Wizard. There are several ways in which you can create a Database Deployment, using the QuickStart template is the fastest and the easiest method to create a Database Deployment.

Step 2 - Oracle DBCS : Generate SSH Key Pair On Windows

Oracle Database Cloud Service or simply DBCS or DBaaS is built on top of Infrastructure that is provided by Oracle Compute Cloud Service. When you create a service instance (Database Deployment for Example), all the Oracle Compute virtual machines (VMs) required to support the Database Services are provisioned and configured for you.

You can use SSH (Secure Shell) to access the service Instance (Database VM or Database Compute node) provided by Oracle Compute Virtual Machines (VMs). Before you can access the VM, you need an SSH public/private key pair for the VM. You will need the public key when creating a service instance, and you will need the paired private key when you access it using an SSH utility.

In this article we will demonstrate how to generate or create the public/private Key Pair.

Prerequisites:

• Oracle Cloud Subscription
• Ready to Create an oracle Cloud Service Instance (Database Deployment for Example)
• PuTTY

Steps to Generate SSH Key Pair on Windows using PuTTYgen utility

• Download and Install Putty Installation package for Windows

https://www.ssh.com/ssh/putty/download

• Start PuTTYgen program on your Windows Desktop/Laptop

Start > All Programs > PuTTY (64 bit) > PuTTYgen

• On PuTTYgen screen do the following:
• Type of key to generate: Default RSA or SSH-2 RSA
• Number of bits in a generated key: 2048
• Click generate button

• Move the mouse around the blank area below the process bar to generate randomness to the key.

• The Public Key generated displayed in the Key are. The key comment is the name of the key that you will use to identify it. Enter a Key passphrase and enter it again for Confirm passphrase to password-protect your key.

Note: Key passphrase is optional, but it is recommended to provide key passphrase as a security measure to protect the private key from unauthorized use.

• Click "Save private key" and click Yes to continue without a key passphrase.

• On the PuTTY Key Generate screen, select all of the characters under "Public key for pasting into OpenSSH authorized_keys file" and copy it

• Open a text editor (example: Notepad++) and paste the characters, copied in previous step. 

Note: Ensure all characters are copied from first character in the text editor and there is no line breaks.

• Save the key as a text file and add a .pub extension. while you can give it any extension you want, but .pub is a useful convention to indicate that this is a public key.

• Make a note of the public and private key name and the location.

Note: You will need the public key when creating service instances (Database Deployment for Example) and You will need the private key when accessing virtual machine via SSH.

Conclusion

In this article we have learned how to generate SSH Key pair on Windows using PuTTYgen utility. You need the SSH key pair when you are ready to create the an Cloud Service Instance (Database Deployment for Example) and to access the service Instance (Database VM or Database Compute node). You will need the public key when creating a service instance, and you will need the paired private key when you access it using an SSH utility.

Step 1 - Oracle DBCS : Subscribe To an Oracle Cloud Service

Before you create service instance (Database Deployment for example) on Oracle Cloud, you must subscribe to Oracle Cloud Services. Once you subscribe to an entitlement to create instance of an Oracle Cloud Service, then you can create multiple service instances based on your Business requirement.

Subscribing to an Oracle Cloud Service consists of following 3 steps:

• Order One of the subscription type
• A free trail subscription to an Oracle Cloud Service
• A paid subscription
• Activate the Service
• Verify the Service is running

Note: Free Oracle Cloud Promotion Applicable to only:

• Oracle Database Public Cloud Services
• Oracle Analytics Public Cloud Services
• Oracle Big Data Public Cloud Services
• Oracle IaaS Public Cloud Services
• Oracle Middleware Public Cloud Services

Prerequisites:

• Oracle Account

In this article we will demonstrate the steps for a free trail subscription to an Oracle Cloud Service.

• Open a web browser and enter the following URL

http://shop.oracle.com

or

http://cloud.oracle.com

For India choose http://shop.oracle.com

• Change the country and Language

• Login using your Oracle account

• Click on "View Details"

• Click on "View details"

• Click on "Get started for free"

• Choose your country code, Enter mobile number to receive "verification code" and click "Request Code". Enter the Verification code received on your mobile and click "Verify"

• Enter the Account details

• If you are an individual select "Tax information is not available"

• Click "Add Payment Method" and uncheck "Convert my account to Pay as You Go" to avoid charging your credit card at the end of free subscription

• Enter "Billing Information"

• Enter "Payment Details"

• Verify card details and uncheck "Convert my account to Pay as You Go" to avoid charging your credit card at the end of free subscription

• Accept "Terms and Conditions" and Click "Complete"

• You will see the following Message on your screen

• At this time you will receive 2 email as show below. It may take upto 24 hours to receive the the second email

• Email 1, You will receive the following email with the Order Number

• Email 2, Click on "Activate My Services" to activate your Oracle Cloud Services

• Enter the "Cloud Account Name" and "Email Address"

• Enter "First Name" and "Last Name" and Click "Create Account". Your email ID will be your Username 

• Click Close

• You will receive an email with the following details:
• Free Credits
• Access Details: Username, Initial Password, Cloud Account name
• My Service Administration: Use the link provided to sign in to your Oracle Cloud Account and start using Cloud Services.
• Order Details

• Open a web browser and enter the URL you received in the Welcome email with access details

• Enter username and Intial password received in Welcome email with access details

• Change the password and ensure you set a strong password 

• Set Preferences

• Once you login, Oracle Cloud My Services Home Page is displayed

Conclusion

In this article we have learned how to subscribe to Oracle Cloud Services (Free trail). Once you subscribe to an entitlement to create instance of an Oracle Cloud Service, then you can create multiple service instances based on your Business requirement.