Installing Oracle Database 23ai Free on Oracle Linux 9: A Complete Guide

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Installing Oracle Database 23ai Free on Oracle Linux 9: A Complete Guide

#oracle#database#sql#softwaredevelopment

Aaron Rose

Aaron Rose       
Software Engineer & Technology Writer


Prerequisites and System Preparation

Before diving into the installation, ensure your Oracle Linux 9 system meets the requirements and is properly configured.

Note on Operating System Support: While Oracle Linux 10 is available, Oracle Database 23ai Free is officially supported on Oracle Linux 8 and 9. This guide uses Oracle Linux 9 for the most stable and tested installation experience.

Hardware Requirements

  • RAM: 1GB minimum, 2GB recommended (Oracle DB Free uses up to 2GB)
  • Recommended for home lab: 8GB+ RAM (for OS and other services)
  • Storage: 10GB minimum free space for database files
  • Architecture: x86_64 (64-bit)

Initial System Update

Start with a fully updated system:

sudo dnf update -y
sudo reboot

Install Required Packages

Oracle Database requires several system packages that may not be installed by default:

sudo dnf install -y oracle-database-preinstall-23ai

This meta-package automatically installs all required dependencies and configures kernel parameters, system limits, and creates the oracle user. It's the easiest and recommended way to ensure your system is properly prepared.

Download Oracle Database 23ai Free

Get the Installation Package

Navigate to Oracle's official download page or use wget if you have the direct link:

cd /tmp
wget https://download.oracle.com/otn-pub/otn_software/db-free/oracle-database-free-23ai-1.0-1.el9.x86_64.rpm

Note: You may need to accept Oracle's license agreement through their web interface first. If the direct download doesn't work, visit Oracle Database Free Downloads and download the RPM package manually.

Verify the Download

Check the integrity of your downloaded file:

ls -lh oracle-database-free-23ai-*.rpm

The file should be approximately 1.2GB in size.

Installation Process

Install the RPM Package

sudo dnf localinstall -y oracle-database-free-23ai-*.rpm

This installation creates:

  • Oracle software in /opt/oracle/product/23ai/dbhomeFree
  • Oracle user and group
  • Systemd service configuration
  • Basic directory structure

Configure the Database

After the RPM installation completes, you need to run the database configuration script:

sudo /etc/init.d/oracle-free-23ai configure

This process will:

  • Create the FREEPDB1 pluggable database (Oracle Database 23ai Free uses enforced multitenant architecture)
  • Set up basic security
  • Configure automatic startup
  • Generate random passwords

Important: Save the passwords displayed during configuration! You'll need them to connect to your database.

Post-Installation Configuration

Environment Setup

Create an environment script for the oracle user:

sudo su - oracle
cat > ~/.bash_profile << 'EOF'
export ORACLE_BASE=/opt/oracle
export ORACLE_HOME=/opt/oracle/product/23ai/dbhomeFree
export ORACLE_SID=FREE
export PATH=$ORACLE_HOME/bin:$PATH
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$ORACLE_HOME/lib:/lib:/usr/lib
export CLASSPATH=$ORACLE_HOME/jlib:$ORACLE_HOME/rdbms/jlib
EOF

source ~/.bash_profile

Enable Automatic Startup

Ensure the database starts automatically with the system:

sudo systemctl enable oracle-free-23ai
sudo systemctl start oracle-free-23ai

Verify Installation

Check that the database is running:

sudo systemctl status oracle-free-23ai

Connect to the database as the oracle user:

sudo su - oracle
sqlplus / as sysdba

If successful, you should see the SQL*Plus prompt. Run a quick test:

SELECT banner FROM v$version;
EXIT;

Security Configuration

Change Default Passwords

The installation creates several default accounts. Change their passwords immediately:

sudo su - oracle
sqlplus / as sysdba

-- Change SYS password
ALTER USER SYS IDENTIFIED BY YourNewSysPassword;

-- Change SYSTEM password  
ALTER USER SYSTEM IDENTIFIED BY YourNewSystemPassword;

-- Change PDBADMIN password (if using pluggable database)
ALTER SESSION SET CONTAINER = FREEPDB1;
ALTER USER PDBADMIN IDENTIFIED BY YourNewPdbAdminPassword;

-- Return to root container
ALTER SESSION SET CONTAINER = CDB$ROOT;
EXIT;

Configure Firewall (Security Warning)

⚠️ Security Warning: Opening database ports to external networks poses significant security risks. Only configure remote access if absolutely necessary and never expose your database directly to the public internet.

For local-only access (recommended for home labs):

# No firewall changes needed - database accessible only from localhost

For trusted network access only:

# Replace X.X.X.X/24 with your specific trusted network range
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-rich-rule='rule family="ipv4" source address="X.X.X.X/24" port protocol="tcp" port="1521" accept'
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

Never use this for production or internet-facing systems:

# DANGEROUS - Only for isolated test environments
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=1521/tcp
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

Network Configuration

By default, Oracle Database listens on localhost only. To enable connections from trusted network addresses, configure the listener:

sudo su - oracle
cd $ORACLE_HOME/network/admin

For trusted network access, edit or create listener.ora:

cat > listener.ora << 'EOF'
LISTENER =
  (DESCRIPTION_LIST =
    (DESCRIPTION =
      (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = your.server.ip.address)(PORT = 1521))
      (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = IPC)(KEY = EXTPROC1521))
    )
  )

DEFAULT_SERVICE_LISTENER = FREEPDB1
EOF

Security Note: Replace your.server.ip.address with your actual server IP. Never use 0.0.0.0 which would accept connections from any network interface and poses serious security risks.

Restart the listener:

lsnrctl stop
lsnrctl start

Creating Your First Application User

Rather than using administrative accounts for development, create a dedicated application user:

sudo su - oracle
sqlplus / as sysdba

-- Connect to the pluggable database (if applicable)
ALTER SESSION SET CONTAINER = FREEPDB1;

-- Create a new user
CREATE USER appdev IDENTIFIED BY YourAppPassword;

-- Grant necessary privileges
GRANT CONNECT, RESOURCE TO appdev;
GRANT CREATE VIEW TO appdev;
GRANT UNLIMITED TABLESPACE TO appdev;

-- Verify the user can connect
EXIT;

Test the new user connection:

sqlplus appdev/YourAppPassword@localhost:1521/FREEPDB1

Essential Management Commands

Database Startup and Shutdown

Start the database:

sudo systemctl start oracle-free-23ai

Stop the database:

sudo systemctl stop oracle-free-23ai

Check database status:

sudo systemctl status oracle-free-23ai

Manual Database Control

If you need more granular control:

sudo su - oracle

# Start database manually
sqlplus / as sysdba
STARTUP;
EXIT;

# Stop database manually
sqlplus / as sysdba
SHUTDOWN IMMEDIATE;
EXIT;

Listener Management

sudo su - oracle

# Check listener status
lsnrctl status

# Start listener
lsnrctl start

# Stop listener
lsnrctl stop

Monitoring and Maintenance

Check Database Size and Usage

Monitor your database to ensure you stay within the 12GB limit:

-- Connect as sysdba
SELECT 
    ROUND(SUM(bytes)/1024/1024/1024, 2) AS "Size (GB)"
FROM dba_data_files;

-- Check tablespace usage
SELECT 
    tablespace_name,
    ROUND(bytes/1024/1024, 2) AS "Size (MB)",
    ROUND(maxbytes/1024/1024, 2) AS "Max Size (MB)"
FROM dba_data_files
ORDER BY bytes DESC;

Basic Performance Monitoring

-- Check current sessions
SELECT username, status, count(*) 
FROM v$session 
WHERE username IS NOT NULL 
GROUP BY username, status;

-- Monitor memory usage
SELECT 
    name, 
    ROUND(value/1024/1024, 2) AS "Value (MB)"
FROM v$parameter 
WHERE name LIKE '%memory%' 
AND value > 0;

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Database Won't Start

Check the alert log for errors:

sudo su - oracle
tail -f $ORACLE_BASE/diag/rdbms/free/FREE/trace/alert_FREE.log

Common issues:

  • Insufficient memory: Ensure you have enough RAM available
  • Port conflicts: Another service might be using port 1521
  • Permission problems: Verify oracle user owns database files

Connection Issues

Verify the listener is running:

sudo su - oracle
lsnrctl status

Check if the database is accepting connections:

sudo su - oracle
sqlplus / as sysdba
SELECT status FROM v$instance;

Performance Concerns

Oracle Database 23ai Free is self-limiting, but monitor system resources:

# Check memory usage
free -h

# Monitor CPU usage
top -u oracle

# Check disk I/O
iostat -x 1

Development Workflow Tips

SQL Developer Connection

For a graphical interface, download Oracle SQL Developer and connect using:

  • Hostname: localhost (or your mini PC's IP address for trusted network access)
  • Port: 1521
  • Service Name: FREEPDB1 (for the pluggable database)
  • Username: appdev (or your created user)
  • Password: Your user's password

Backup Strategy for Development

While Oracle Database 23ai Free doesn't include Enterprise Manager, you can still implement basic backups. First, create the necessary directory object:

sudo su - oracle

# Create backup directory
mkdir -p /opt/oracle/backup

# Connect to database and create directory object
sqlplus / as sysdba

-- Create directory object for backups
CREATE DIRECTORY DATA_PUMP_DIR AS '/opt/oracle/backup';

-- Grant permissions to your application user (replace 'appdev' with your actual username)
GRANT READ, WRITE ON DIRECTORY DATA_PUMP_DIR TO appdev;
EXIT;

Now you can perform exports:

# Simple export backup
expdp appdev/YourAppPassword@localhost:1521/FREEPDB1 \
    directory=DATA_PUMP_DIR \
    dumpfile=appdev_backup.dmp \
    logfile=appdev_backup.log

Resource Monitoring Script

Create a simple monitoring script to track your usage against the limits:

sudo su - oracle
cat > ~/check_limits.sh << 'EOF'
#!/bin/bash
echo "=== Oracle Database 23ai Free Usage ==="
echo "Date: $(date)"
echo ""

sqlplus -s / as sysdba << SQL
SET PAGESIZE 0
SET FEEDBACK OFF
SET HEADING OFF

SELECT 'CPU Usage: ' || 
       ROUND((SELECT value FROM v\$resource_limit WHERE resource_name = 'processes') / 
             (SELECT max_utilization FROM v\$resource_limit WHERE resource_name = 'processes') * 100, 2) || '%'
FROM dual;

SELECT 'Memory Limit: 2GB (enforced by software)'
FROM dual;

SELECT 'Storage Used: ' || 
       ROUND(SUM(bytes)/1024/1024/1024, 2) || 'GB / 12GB limit'
FROM dba_data_files;

EXIT;
SQL
EOF

chmod +x ~/check_limits.sh

Run it periodically:

./check_limits.sh

Next Steps

With Oracle Database 23ai Free successfully installed on Oracle Linux 9, you're ready to start building real applications. The combination provides an excellent foundation for:

  • Learning Oracle SQL and PL/SQL development
  • Testing applications that will eventually run on Oracle Database
  • Exploring Oracle's advanced features like JSON support, machine learning, and analytics
  • Practicing database administration tasks

In our next article, we'll explore practical development projects that showcase Oracle Database 23ai Free's capabilities while staying within its resource limits, including building a sample web application with modern development practices.

Summary

You now have a complete Oracle Database 23ai Free installation running on Oracle Linux 9. This setup provides enterprise-grade database capabilities for development and learning, all running efficiently on affordable x86 mini PC hardware. The installation is production-quality in terms of features and stability, making it an excellent platform for serious database development work within the free tier limitations.

Aaron Rose is a software engineer and technology writer at tech-reader.blog.

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