Ilmar Kerm

Oracle, databases, Linux and maybe more

Author: ilmarkerm

Written by:
Category: Blog entry
Published:

I thought I’ll start exploring Oracle Cloud offerings a little and try building something with Terraform.

The execution environment

OCI Could Console offers Cloud Shell and Code Editor right from the browser. Cloud Shell is a small Oracle Linux container with shell access, that has the most popular cloud tools and OCI SDKs already deployed. Most importantly, however, all Oracle Cloud API commands you execute from there, they run silently as yourself, no additional setup required. Including setting up terraform. Pretty awesome idea I would say – no need to set up any admin computer first.

Since I would mainly write code, I’m going to use only only Code Editor (which is actually VS Code in your browser) and VS Code also has a built in terminal for executing commands.

Read about executing and using Cloud Shell here.

Setting up Terraform provider

When executing from Cloud Shell / Code Editor, then setting up the terraform provider is very simple.

# versions.tf

provider "oci" {
   region = "eu-stockholm-1"
}

It is very good practice to also place terraform state file in the shared object store. OCI also provides an object store and to set it up first create a Bucket in Object Storage.

This also requires setting up Customer Secret Keys, for accessing the bucket using S3 protocol. I’m going to save my access key and secret access key in a file named bucket.credentials.

# bucket.credentials

[default]
aws_access_key_id=here is your access key
aws_secret_access_key=here is your secret access key


# remote_state.tf

terraform {
    backend "s3" {
        bucket = "oci-terraform-bucket"
        key    = "oci-terraform.tfstate"
        region = "eu-stockholm-1"
        # ax9u97qgbo5h is the namespace of the bucket, it is shown in the Bucket Details page
        endpoint = "https://ax9u97qgbo5h.compat.objectstorage.eu-stockholm-1.oraclecloud.com"
        shared_credentials_file     = "bucket.credentials"
        skip_region_validation      = true
        skip_credentials_validation = true
        skip_metadata_api_check     = true
        force_path_style            = true
    }
}

Creating compartment and basic networking

Compartment is just a handy hierarchical logical container which helps to organise your Oracle Cloud resources better. It can also be used to set common tags for all resources created under it.

# main.tf

locals {
    tenancy_id = "ocid1.tenancy.oc1..aaaaaaaawf2fv3ipfdp564ffiqpfqr6u6n3uofydgtihq3wget5357lq5i6a"
    environment = "dev"
}

# Information about current tenancy, for example home region
data "oci_identity_tenancy" "tenancy" {
    tenancy_id = local.tenancy_id
}

# Get the parent compartment as a terraform object
data "oci_identity_compartment" "parent_compartment" {
    # Top get list of existing compartments execute:
    # oci iam compartment list
    id = data.oci_identity_tenancy.tenancy.id
}

# Create compartment
resource "oci_identity_compartment" "compartment" {
    # Compartment_id must be the parent compartment ID and it is required
    compartment_id = data.oci_identity_compartment.parent_compartment.id
    description = "oci-terraform experiments"
    name = "oci-terraform-experiments"
    # Define some default tags that are added to all resources created under this compartment
    freeform_tags = {
        "deployed_by" = "terraform"
        "environment" = local.environment
    }
}

To set up networking, first you need VCN Virtual Cloud Network and under it subnets.

# network.tf

resource "oci_core_vcn" "main" {
    compartment_id = oci_identity_compartment.compartment.id
    display_name = "VCN for oci-terraform test"
    dns_label = "ocitf"
    cidr_blocks = ["10.1.2.0/24"]
    is_ipv6enabled = false
}

resource "oci_core_subnet" "subnet" {
    cidr_block = "10.1.2.0/25"
    compartment_id = oci_identity_compartment.compartment.id
    vcn_id = oci_core_vcn.main.id

    # List availability domains
    # oci iam availability-domain list
    # Documentation recommends creating regional subnets instead, without specifying availability_domain
    #availability_domain = "MpAX:EU-STOCKHOLM-1-AD-1"
    display_name = "Subdomain #1"
    prohibit_internet_ingress = false
    prohibit_public_ip_on_vnic = false
}

To be continued

I don’t really know where this post series is going. I’ve done quite a bit of Terraforming in AWS, so here I’m just exporing what Oracle Cloud has to offer and instead of using the dreaded ClickOps, I’ll try to be proper with Terraform.

At the end of the post I have these resources created.

Written by:
Category: Blog entry
Published:

There are many different ways to refresh test database with production data. Here I’m going to describe another one, that might be more on the complex side, but the basic requirements I had are:

  • Data must be cleaned before opening it up for testing. Cleaning process is extensive and usually takes a few days to run.
  • Switching testing from old copy to a new copy must be relatively fast. Also if problems are discovered, we should be able to switch back to the old copy relatively fast.
  • Databases are large, hundreds of terabytes, so any kind of data copy over network (like PDB cloning over database link) would take unacceptable amount of time and resources.
  • There is no network connection between test database network and production database network, so PDB cloning over database link is not possible anyway.
  • The system should work also with databases that have a Data Guard standby with Fast-Start Failover configured.

Any kind of copying the data will not work, since the databases are really large – so some kind of storage level snapshot is needed – and we can use a modern NAS system (that databases utilise over NFS) that can do snapshots and thin clones. Although not in multiple layers.

Here is one attempt to draw out the system. With a more complicated case where the test database actually has two database instances, in Data Guard Fast-Start Failover mode.

Basically:

  • There is a special Data Guard standby for the cleaning process. This standby is using an external NAS storage for storing all PDB datafiles and tempfiles. No CDB files, like CDB datafiles, online logs, standby logs or recovery area should be stored in that NAS folder – keep CDB files separate.
  • To start the cleaning process, put the cleaning standby in Snapshot Standby mode (instructions are here) and run all cleaning processes and scripts on the snapshot standby. After cleaning is finished successfully, create PDB metadata XML files and shut down the snapshot standby.
  • Create storage level snapshot of the NAS folder storing the PDB files.
  • Restore Snapshot Standby back to being a normal physical standby.
  • Create writable clone from the same storage snapshot for the test database. If the test database consists of more Data Guard databases, then create a clone (from the same snapshot) for each one of them and mount them to the test database hosts.
  • On the test database create a new pluggable database as clone (using NOCOPY to avoid any data movement). In case of Data Guard, do not forget to set standby_pdb_source_file_directory so the standby database would know where to find the data files of the plugged in database.

Done. Currently both old and new copy are attached to the same test CDB as independent PDBs, when you are happy with the new copy, just direct testing traffic to the new PDB. Then old one is not needed, drop it and clean up the filesystems.

Sounds maybe too complex, but the whole point is to avoid moving around large amounts of data. And key part of support rapid switching to the new copy and supporting Data Guard setups (on the test environment side) is keeping the test database CDB intact.

The steps

I have a post about using Snapshot Standby, you can read it here. All the code below is for the experts…

The preparation

Big part of the system is preparing the Cleaning DB that will be used for Snapshot Database.

Here I use the following paths:

  • /oradata – Location for standby database CDB files, online logs, standby logs, recovery area
  • /nfs/pdb – NFS folder from external NAS, that will ONLY store all PDB datafiles and tempfiles
# Parameters
NAME                                 TYPE        VALUE
------------------------------------ ----------- ------------------------------
db_create_file_dest                  string      /nfs/pdb
db_create_online_log_dest_1          string      /oradata
db_recovery_file_dest                string      /oradata
db_recovery_file_dest_size           big integer 10T

# Datafiles
    CON_ID NAME
---------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         1 /oradata/PROD1MT101CL/datafile/o1_mf_audit_tb__0d68332o_.dbf
         1 /oradata/PROD1MT101CL/datafile/o1_mf_sysaux__0d5fjj5y_.dbf
         1 /oradata/PROD1MT101CL/datafile/o1_mf_system__0d4zdst4_.dbf
         1 /oradata/PROD1MT101CL/datafile/o1_mf_undotbs1__0d5yw58n_.dbf
         1 /oradata/PROD1MT101CL/datafile/o1_mf_users__0d65hljg_.dbf
         2 /oradata/PROD1MT101CL/C24DD111D3215498E0536105500AAC63/datafile/data_D-WI93OP21_I-1717445842_TS-SYSAUX_FNO-4_q92k3val
         2 /oradata/PROD1MT101CL/C24DD111D3215498E0536105500AAC63/datafile/data_D-WI93OP21_I-1717445842_TS-SYSTEM_FNO-2_p32k3v89
         2 /oradata/PROD1MT101CL/C24DD111D3215498E0536105500AAC63/datafile/data_D-WI93OP21_I-1717445842_TS-UNDOTBS1_FNO-6_q22k3vag
         3 /nfs/pdb/PROD1MT101CL/CC1BE00B92E672FFE053F905500A1BAE/datafile/o1_mf_audit_tb__0fbbwglb_.dbf
         4 /nfs/pdb/PROD1MT101CL/C2811CAFC29D1DC9E053F905500A7EC9/datafile/o1_mf_audit_tb__0fk2wkxy_.dbf
         4 /nfs/pdb/PROD1MT101CL/C2811CAFC29D1DC9E053F905500A7EC9/datafile/o1_mf_users__0fj4hm5h_.dbf
         5 /nfs/pdb/PROD1MT101CL/CF6A94E61EF92940E053F905500AFB8E/datafile/o1_mf_audit_tb__0fsslsvv_.dbf
         5 /nfs/pdb/PROD1MT101CL/CF6A94E61EF92940E053F905500AFB8E/datafile/o1_mf_users__0frm1yg5_.dbf
         6 /nfs/pdb/PROD1MT101CL/CF6A94E61F3E2940E053F905500AFB8E/datafile/o1_mf_audit_tb__0fz8nq60_.dbf
         6 /nfs/pdb/PROD1MT101CL/CF6A94E61F3E2940E053F905500AFB8E/datafile/o1_mf_users__0fy4j81x_.dbf
         7 /nfs/pdb/PROD1MT101CL/CF6A94E61F832940E053F905500AFB8E/datafile/o1_mf_audit_tb__0f46dfvs_.dbf
         7 /nfs/pdb/PROD1MT101CL/CF6A94E61F832940E053F905500AFB8E/datafile/o1_mf_users__0f3cn007_.dbf
         8 /nfs/pdb/PROD1MT101CL/CF6A94E61FC82940E053F905500AFB8E/datafile/o1_mf_audit_tb__0g5h842b_.dbf
         8 /nfs/pdb/PROD1MT101CL/CF6A94E61FC82940E053F905500AFB8E/datafile/o1_mf_users__0g2v64l9_.dbf
         9 /nfs/pdb/PROD1MT101CL/05126406D61853B3E0635005500AA12B/datafile/o1_mf_audit_tb__0g9rsqpo_.dbf
         9 /nfs/pdb/PROD1MT101CL/05126406D61853B3E0635005500AA12B/datafile/o1_mf_inmemory__0g8yrdvh_.dbf
 
# Tempfiles
    CON_ID NAME
---------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         1 /oradata/PROD1MT101CL/datafile/o1_mf_temp__0d35c01p_.tmp
         2 /oradata/PROD1MT101CL/C24DD111D3215498E0536105500AAC63/datafile/o1_mf_temp__0d36q7dx_.tmp
         3 /nfs/pdb/PROD1MT101CL/CC1BE00B92E672FFE053F905500A1BAE/datafile/o1_mf_temp__0gr02w4t_.tmp
         3 /nfs/pdb/PROD1MT101CL/CC1BE00B92E672FFE053F905500A1BAE/datafile/o1_mf_temp__0gr0j0wr_.tmp
         3 /nfs/pdb/PROD1MT101CL/CC1BE00B92E672FFE053F905500A1BAE/datafile/o1_mf_temp_dba__0gqzydts_.tmp
         4 /nfs/pdb/PROD1MT101CL/C2811CAFC29D1DC9E053F905500A7EC9/datafile/o1_mf_temp__0grhwybg_.tmp
         4 /nfs/pdb/PROD1MT101CL/C2811CAFC29D1DC9E053F905500A7EC9/datafile/o1_mf_temp__0grjcvk4_.tmp
         4 /nfs/pdb/PROD1MT101CL/C2811CAFC29D1DC9E053F905500A7EC9/datafile/o1_mf_temp_dba__0h6slfch_.tmp
         5 /nfs/pdb/PROD1MT101CL/CF6A94E61EF92940E053F905500AFB8E/datafile/o1_mf_temp__0gokwd9n_.tmp
         5 /nfs/pdb/PROD1MT101CL/CF6A94E61EF92940E053F905500AFB8E/datafile/o1_mf_temp__0gol9jc6_.tmp
         5 /nfs/pdb/PROD1MT101CL/CF6A94E61EF92940E053F905500AFB8E/datafile/o1_mf_temp_dba__0gokr9ng_.tmp
         6 /nfs/pdb/PROD1MT101CL/CF6A94E61F3E2940E053F905500AFB8E/datafile/o1_mf_temp__0gnrh7x8_.tmp
         6 /nfs/pdb/PROD1MT101CL/CF6A94E61F3E2940E053F905500AFB8E/datafile/o1_mf_temp__0gnrw0dj_.tmp
         6 /nfs/pdb/PROD1MT101CL/CF6A94E61F3E2940E053F905500AFB8E/datafile/o1_mf_temp_dba__0gnrb2gg_.tmp
         7 /nfs/pdb/PROD1MT101CL/CF6A94E61F832940E053F905500AFB8E/datafile/o1_mf_temp__0gmw72co_.tmp
         7 /nfs/pdb/PROD1MT101CL/CF6A94E61F832940E053F905500AFB8E/datafile/o1_mf_temp__0gmwnqsp_.tmp
         7 /nfs/pdb/PROD1MT101CL/CF6A94E61F832940E053F905500AFB8E/datafile/o1_mf_temp_dba__0gmw1xm3_.tmp
         8 /nfs/pdb/PROD1MT101CL/CF6A94E61FC82940E053F905500AFB8E/datafile/o1_mf_temp__0gm118wt_.tmp
         8 /nfs/pdb/PROD1MT101CL/CF6A94E61FC82940E053F905500AFB8E/datafile/o1_mf_temp__0gm1dv5n_.tmp
         8 /nfs/pdb/PROD1MT101CL/CF6A94E61FC82940E053F905500AFB8E/datafile/o1_mf_temp_dba__0gm0wzcc_.tmp
         9 /nfs/pdb/PROD1MT101CL/05126406D61853B3E0635005500AA12B/datafile/o1_mf_temp__0gj66tgb_.tmp
         9 /nfs/pdb/PROD1MT101CL/05126406D61853B3E0635005500AA12B/datafile/o1_mf_temp_dba__0gh7wbpf_.tmp
 
# Logs
MEMBER
--------------------------------------------------------
/oradata/PROD1MT101CL/onlinelog/o1_mf_1__0b0frl6b_.log
/oradata/PROD1MT101CL/onlinelog/o1_mf_2__0b1qco5j_.log
/oradata/PROD1MT101CL/onlinelog/o1_mf_3__0b2bd0od_.log
/oradata/PROD1MT101CL/onlinelog/o1_mf_4__0b2z3qvo_.log
/oradata/PROD1MT101CL/onlinelog/o1_mf_5__0b3tkddo_.log
/oradata/PROD1MT101CL/onlinelog/o1_mf_6__0b4gvg2h_.log
/oradata/PROD1MT101CL/onlinelog/o1_mf_7__0b51zbqp_.log

Cleaning

# Convert the special Data Guard standby database to a snapshot standby
DGMGRL> convert database prod1mt101cl to snapshot standby;

# Now run all your cleaning scripts on this special database
SQL> @all_of_my_special_cleaning_scripts

# Cleaning is now finished successfully
# Close and reopen each PDB in READ ONLY mode
SQL> alter pluggable database all close;
SQL> alter pluggable database all open read only;

# Create XML metadata file for each PDB
SQL> exec DBMS_PDB.DESCRIBE('/nfs/pdb/apppdb1.xml','APPPDB1');
SQL> exec DBMS_PDB.DESCRIBE('/nfs/pdb/apppdb2.xml','APPPDB2');
SQL> exec DBMS_PDB.DESCRIBE('/nfs/pdb/apppdb3.xml','APPPDB3');

# Shut down the cleaning database
SQL> shutdown immediate

Snapshot

Now use your NAS toolkit (REST API for example) to create a storage level snapshot from the /nfs/pdb filesystem.

Convert Snapshot Standby back to physical standby

Use the instructions in this post to restore the cleaning instance back to being a physical standby.

Attach PDBs to test database CDB

First, use your NAS toolkit to create a thin writable from from the snapshot created earlier (or multiple clones if the test setup has a Data Guard standby, a dedicated copy for each) and mount them to the test database hosts as /nfs/newclone.

# If the test setup has Data Guard, set standby_pdb_source_file_directory
alter system set standby_pdb_source_file_directory='/nfs/newclone/PROD1MT101CL/CC1BE00B92E672FFE053F905500A1BAE/datafile/' scope=memory;

# On test primary create new pluggable database as clone
create pluggable database apppdb1_newclone as clone using '/nfs/newclone/apppdb1.xml' source_file_directory='/nfs/newclone/PROD1MT101CL/CC1BE00B92E672FFE053F905500A1BAE/datafile/' nocopy tempfile reuse;

# Open it
alter pluggable database apppdb1_newclone;

Done.

Written by:
Category: Blog entry
Published:

Snapshot Standby is actually quite an old feature of Oracle Data Guard. According to note Doc ID 443720.1 it has been available since 11.2.

Snapshot Standby is a feature that allows temporarily to open existing physical standby database in READ WRITE mode – for example running some tests – and then convert it back to physical standby, discarding all the changes that were made during the testing. Another key feature is that the standby also retains some of the standby functions while it is open in READ WRITE mode, the snapshot standby keeps receiving redo from the primary database – just receiving, not applying. So even when you perform some testing on the standby, your data is still being protected by Data Guard. Although applying the shipped changes to the standby could take extended amount of time later.

Snapshot Standby relies on flashback database feature, but the process of converting back and forth is handled automatically by Data Guard Broker. But since it is creating a guaranteed restore point, then explicitly enabling flashback database is not required – although internally it is still flashback database so its restrictions apply.

My setup

DGMGRL> show configuration;

Configuration - devdbs02

  Protection Mode: MaxPerformance
  Members:
  devdbs02i1 - Primary database
    devdbs02i2 - Physical standby database 

Fast-Start Failover:  Disabled

Two databases in the configuration – devdbs02i1 is currently primary and devdbs02i2 is physical standby that I want to use temporarily for some testing purposes.

Converting standby to snapshot standby

Here I convert devdbs02i2 to a snapshot standby, which will open it temporarily in READ WRITE mode (independently from the primary database). All the changes made in devdbs02i2 will be flashed back (lost) when the database is converted back to physical standby later.

First make sure, that you have enough disk space for recovery area available. While the database is in snapshot standby mode, the recovery area will have to store flashback logs (for the entire duration while the standby is in snapshot standby mode!), archive logs from primary database and also archive logs from your testing activities. So quite a lot of extra pressure on the recovery area. Make it large.

$ dgmgrl /
DGMGRL for Linux: Release 19.0.0.0.0 - Production on Tue Feb 27 13:18:43 2024
Version 19.21.0.0.0

Copyright (c) 1982, 2019, Oracle and/or its affiliates.  All rights reserved.

Welcome to DGMGRL, type "help" for information.
Connected to "devdbs02i2"
Connected as SYSDG.
DGMGRL> show configuration;

Configuration - devdbs02

  Protection Mode: MaxPerformance
  Members:
  devdbs02i1 - Primary database
    devdbs02i2 - Physical standby database 

Fast-Start Failover:  Disabled

Configuration Status:
SUCCESS   (status updated 38 seconds ago)

And do the conversion.

DGMGRL> convert database devdbs02i2 to snapshot standby;
Converting database "devdbs02i2" to a Snapshot Standby database, please wait...
Database "devdbs02i2" converted successfully

DGMGRL> show configuration verbose;

Configuration - devdbs02

  Protection Mode: MaxPerformance
  Members:
  devdbs02i1 - Primary database
    devdbs02i2 - Snapshot standby database

So, now devdbs02i2 is in snapshot standby mode, meaning it is open READ WRITE for temporary testing purposes.

SYS @ devdbs02i2:>select open_mode, database_role from v$database;

OPEN_MODE            DATABASE_ROLE
-------------------- ----------------
READ WRITE           SNAPSHOT STANDBY

Data Guard Broker has automatically created a guaranteed restore point for us. And looks like the developer who wrote this piece of code was american and used their non-standard date format 🙁 Kudos for using standard time format tho 🙂

SYS @ devdbs02i2:>select con_id, name, GUARANTEE_FLASHBACK_DATABASE from v$restore_point;

    CON_ID NAME                                           GUA
---------- ---------------------------------------------- ---
         0 SNAPSHOT_STANDBY_REQUIRED_02/27/2024 13:20:13  YES

And devdbs02i2 still keeps receiving redo from the primary database. This is one key benefit of using a snapshot standby.

SYS @ devdbs02i2:>select process,status,thread#,sequence#,block# from v$managed_standby where process='RFS';

PROCESS   STATUS          THREAD#  SEQUENCE#     BLOCK#
--------- ------------ ---------- ---------- ----------
RFS       IDLE                  1          0          0
RFS       IDLE                  1          7       4029
RFS       IDLE                  0          0          0

And primary database still keeps sending the redo

SYS @ devdbs02i1:>select process,status,thread#,sequence#,block# from v$managed_standby where process='LGWR';

PROCESS   STATUS          THREAD#  SEQUENCE#     BLOCK#
--------- ------------ ---------- ---------- ----------
LGWR      WRITING               1          7       4078

What I also notice is that the snapshot standby incarnation has changed (as expected). The snapshot standby is on incarnation 31, while the primary database is still on 30.

SYS @ devdbs02i2:>select LAST_OPEN_INCARNATION# from v$database;

LAST_OPEN_INCARNATION#
----------------------
                    31

SYS @ devdbs02i1:>select LAST_OPEN_INCARNATION# from v$database;

LAST_OPEN_INCARNATION#
----------------------
                    30

Using the stapshot standby in read write mode

Nothing special about it, just connect and run your statements.

SYS @ devdbs02i2:>alter session set container=lbtest1;

Session altered.

SYS @ devdbs02i2:>create table ilmker.just_some_test_data as select * from all_objects union all select * from all_objects;

Table created.

Restoring the database to physical standby

After your testing is done you should return the database back to being physical standby. Before the recovery area diskspace runs out.

First mount the snapshot standby instance.

SYS @ devdbs02i2:>shu immediate
Database closed.
Database dismounted.
ORACLE instance shut down.

SYS @ devdbs02i2:>startup mount

Then connect to Broker using SYSDG privileges. With password! Broker needs to connect to the primary database, so it needs the password this time.

$ dgmgrl c##dataguard@devdbs02-2.db.example.net/devdbs02i2.dev.mt1
DGMGRL for Linux: Release 19.0.0.0.0 - Production on Wed Feb 28 16:22:02 2024
Version 19.21.0.0.0

Copyright (c) 1982, 2019, Oracle and/or its affiliates.  All rights reserved.

Welcome to DGMGRL, type "help" for information.
Password:
Connected to "devdbs02i2"
Connected as SYSDG.

DGMGRL> show configuration;

Configuration - devdbs02

  Protection Mode: MaxPerformance
  Members:
  devdbs02i1 - Primary database
    devdbs02i2 - Snapshot standby database 
      Warning: ORA-16782: instance not open for read and write access

DGMGRL> convert database devdbs02i2 to physical standby;
Converting database "devdbs02i2" to a Physical Standby database, please wait...
Operation requires a connection to database "devdbs02i1"
Connecting ...
Connected to "DEVDBS02I1"
Connected as SYSDG.
Database "devdbs02i2" converted successfully

DGMGRL> show configuration;

Configuration - devdbs02

  Protection Mode: MaxPerformance
  Members:
  devdbs02i1 - Primary database
    devdbs02i2 - Physical standby database

And devdbs02i2 is back as serving as physical standby database. Really convenient feature.

Why was I writing about this quite old feature? I was exploring it for the purpose of using it to refresh our performance test databases, because they are very large, they require cleaning of PII data and we need to complete the switch to a new copy in a very short time frame. But that story is for another post.

Written by:
Category: Blog entry
Published:

Oracle released a new SQL Developer edition, this time as extension for VS Code.

Setting up a new connection is pretty straight forward, you have all the usual connection fields available, but my first worry was that how to create a database connection if you require more advanced features turned on, for example TLS or Radius authentication.

SQL Developer extension for VS Code seems to use 21c JDBC database driver and the extra parameters can be supplied, per connection, under the advanced tab. Here is an example how to supply custom trust store for TLS encrypted connection and enabling RADIUS authentication.

Written by:
Category: Blog entry
Published:

Oracle Rest Data Services (ORDS) is a HTTP frontend for various Oracle Database related tasks – database admin APIs, SQL Developer web and most famously ofcourse APEX. It is a java program and for a few years now it comes with a built in Jetty web server that is recommended to use for production workloads – without Tomcat, Weblogic or any other Java servlet container.

All the setup guides for ORDS in the Internet start ORDS usually on port 8443, or any other high port. But the default port for HTTPS is 443. If ORDS should be used without any additional web server/proxy, then wouldn’t it be nice to use the default HTTPS port already directly for ORDS?

This brings a little problem – Linux does not allow non-privileged users to open ports lower than 1024 and I really do not think it is a good idea to run ORDS as root.

The easiest way to achieve this I’ve found is to just use FirewallD to create an internal port-forward. I’ve tested this on Oracle Linux 8.

As an one-time operation, as root, configure FirewallD to allow incoming port 443 and then forward all traffic from 443 to 8443.

firewall-cmd --add-port=443/tcp --permanent
firewall-cmd --add-forward-port=port=443:proto=tcp:toport=8443 --permanent
firewall-cmd --reload

Then, start ORDS normally on port 8443, using non-privileged user.

Ilmar Kerm