DBaaS - How to create an Oracle Database in the Cloud

Creating an Oracle Database in the Cloud is relatively straight forward! You provide it with pre-requisite details, and then backend Oracle services do all the hard work for you.

Follow the steps below to create your first Oracle Database in the Cloud.

1. Once logged into Oracle Cloud, from the Dashboard menu, select the 'Database' option:

2. On the Database Services page, click 'Create Service':

3. Service - Provide basic service instance information:

Enter the basic details about the Database, such as its Name and Description.
The email address entered for Notification Email will send emails related to the operation of the Database.
The Software Release is the version of the Database to be created. In this example, I selected the lastest version: 12c Release 2.

Once all details are entered, click Next.

4. Service Details - Provide details for this Oracle Database Cloud Service instance:

Enter the configuration details for the new Database.
The Administrator password will be used for user sys or sysdba. Make sure you make a note of this as you will need these details to connect/integrate with your Database instance going forward.

SSH Public Key
This functionality ensures you are able to connect to the DB externally using a private key. Click Edit:

You can either:
a) Browse and upload a public key file - ensure you have the respective private key already
b) Enter the text of the public key - ensure you have the respective private key already
c) 'Create a New Key' - The Oracle functionality generates a public and private key for you. In my example, I allow the page to create my Public key and I save the Private key locally:

Backup and Recovery Configuration
You can either set up your Database to allow Backing up to a Storage Container or choose not to via the Backup Destination dropdown. In my example, I have already created a Storage Container separately (IaaS - Oracle Cloud Storage - How to create an Oracle Storage Container in the Cloud).

For the Cloud Storage Container attribute, you must enter the URL to the specific Storage Container. The format for the URL is as follows:
https://DOMAIN_NAME.storage.oraclecloud.com/v1/Storage-DOMAIN_NAME/CONTAINER_NAME

In my example, my URL is: https://onkaroracle.storage.oraclecloud.com/v1/Storage-onkaroracle/cloudStorage 

The username and password are the credentials of the user for that domain.

Initialize Data From Backup
You can also create a Database instance from an existing backup instance. This can also be done at a later date once your Database is already set up through the Database configuration. I have not tried this yet and assume it will use a backup from within a Storage Container. Maybe a blogpost for another day.

Once all configuration details are entered, click Next.


5. Confirmation - Once you are satisfied after reviewing all the configuration, click Create.

Back on the Oracle Database Cloud Service page, you will see your instance of the Database with a Status of Creating Service... Now go grab a snack or take a break as the creation of the Database will take around 30 minutes! Oracle will send an email to the email address used for the Notification Email attribute once the Database is set up and running.

On another blogpost, I will show how we can connect to the Database in the Cloud using tools such as SQL Developer etc.