Oracle Apps DBA - Configuration

1. How to find out what component of u r oracle applications was installed on
which node?
Ans: Xml file (context file)

2. How to find the version of httpd/Apache web server?
Ans: $IAS_ORACLE_HOME/Apache/Apache/bin/httpd –version

3. What is the configuration file for httpd and what is the location of it ?
Ans: httpd.conf @IAS_ORACLE_HOME/Apache/Apache/conf

4. Where you will see when you have some problem with u r web server
(httpd/Apache)?
Ans: access_log & error_log @IAS_ORACLE_HOME/Apache/Apache/logs

5. When Apache starts what other components its start?
Ans: PL/SQL Listener, Servlet Engine, OJSP Engine

6. What is jserv?
Ans: jserv is nothing but servlet engine which will run u r servlets. It’s a module of apache which supports servlets.

7. What is self service application?
Ans: Whatever part of u r oracle application u r able to see through web browser is self service.

8. Where u will see when u r not able to get self service applications?
Ans: access_log, error_log, error_pls, jserv.log, wdbsvr.app(for apps password)

9. What is the location of jserv.log?
Ans: IAS_ORACLE_HOME/Apache/Jserv/log

10. What is the location of wdbsvr.app?
Ans: IAS_ORACLE_HOME/Apache/modplsql/cfg

11. What are jserv.conf and jserv.properties files?
Ans: These are the configuration files which were used to start jvm’s (servlet
engine) by apache.

12. What is mean by clearing cache and bouncing apache?
Ans: 1. Stop apache (adapcctl.sh stop apps)
2. Clear cache – Go to $COMMON_TOP/html/_pages and delete _oa_html
directory (rm –r _oa__html)
3. Start apache (adapcctl.sh start apps)

13. What is forms configuration file and its location?
Ans: appsweb_contextname.cfg @$COMMON_TOP/html/bin

14. What are the different modes u can start u r form server?
Ans: socket and servlet

15. What is the difference between socket and servlet mode?
Ans: In socket mode forms sessions are represented by f60webmx
In servlet mode forms sessions are represented by apache processes.

16. What are forms metric server and client?
Ans: When there are more than one form sever instances then forms metric
server and client will be used to load balance.

17. Where the forms server related errors will be logged?
Ans: access_log and error_log

18. What are report server configuration and log file name and its location?
Ans: Configuration file – REP_.ora
Log file – REP_.log @806_ORACLE_HOME/reports60/server
 
19. What is CGIcmd.dat file and its location?
Ans: CGIcmd.dat file is the run time parameter file the report server located @
806_ORACLE_HOME/reports60/server

20. What is the significance of DISPLAY variable?
Ans: Vnc server should be up and running at the specified port value in DISPLAY variable, otherwise report server may not able to show the graphics in
Reports.

21. Where is the concurrent manager log file located?
Ans: $COMMON_TOP/admin//log or $APPLCSF/$APPLLOG
 
22. Is apps password necessary to start all the components of oracle
application?
Ans: No. Only to start/stop concurrent manager’s apps password is needed.

23. What are dbc file and its location?
Ans: dbc file contain database connection information. DBC file is used by oracle applications to connect to database. Its location is $FND_TOP/secure

24. What is the other script by which u can start apache other than adapcctl.sh?
Ans: apachectl @IAS_ORACLE_HOME/Apache/bin

25. What is the configuration file for PL/SQL listener?
Ans: httpd_pls.conf @IAS_ORACLE_HOME/Apache/Apache/conf

26. How to find form server version?
Ans: f60gen and press enter, it will tell u the form server version or we can find out from the front-end using help menu.

27. What is RRA?
Ans: RRA stands for Report Review Agent. RRA is nothing but FNDFS which is
part of apps listener. RRA job is to pick the log/out file from the file system and show on the editor when u press view log/out button in ‘View concurrent requst form’.

28. What is apps listener?
Ans: Apps listener is the combination of FNDFS and FNDSM. FNDSM is service
manager which will monitor application services on that node when GSM: enable profile value is ‘Y’.

29. What is GSM?
Ans : GSM stands for Generic service Manager, which will monitor application
processes like web, forms etc and restarts any of this processes if goes down.

30. How to find the application version like 11.5.8/11.5.9….?
Ans: select release_name from fnd_product_groups;

31. How to find out what are the languages enabled in u r applications?
Ans: Query fnd_languages

Oracle Apps DBA - Adutilities

1. What is for “validating apps schema” option in adadmin?

Ans: It will check for the corrupted objects in apps schema

2. What is “compile apps schema” option in adadmin?
Ans: It will compile the invalid database objects.

3. How to find MRC is enabled or not?
Ans: In adadmin if covert to MRC options is there, then MRC is not enabled.
If maintain MRC options is there, then MRC is enabled.

4. How to find Multi-Org is enabled or not?
Ans: In adadmin if covert to Multi org option is there, then Multi-org is not
enabled. If maintain multi-org options is there, then Multi-org is enabled.

5. What is mean by MRC?
Ans: MRC stands for Multiple reporting Currency, this should be enabled to see
the reports in different currencies like (rupees, yaans etc).

6. What is Multi-Org?
Ans: If this is enabled we can store multiple organization information in a single oracle application instance.

7. What is the configuration file for ad utilities (like adadmin,adconfig etc)?
Ans: adconfig.txt @APPL_TOP/admin

8. What is adrelink?
Ans: adrelink will relink the executables with the libraries. Generally we will go for adrelink when some patch delivers some library files, or when executables were corrupted.

9. How to find the version of a file?
Ans: 1. adident Header
2. Strings -a filename | grep Header
 
10. What is adodfcmp utility?
Ans: This utility is used to recreate/repair corrupted database objects from
odf(object definition files) files.

11. How you will change apps password?
Ans: FNDCPASS 0 y apps/ system/ SYSTEM APPLSYS
pwd>
 
12. what if apps password is changed with alter command?
Ans: Applications won’t work.

13. What is the difference between alter and FNDCPASS in changing apps
password?
Ans: FNDCPASS will update some fnd tables other than standard tables.

14. Where the FNDCPASS utility is located?
Ans: Concurrent node @FND_TOP/bin

Oracle Apps DBA - Concurrent Managers

1. What is a concurrent manager?
Ans: A concurrent manager is one which runs concurrent requests.

2. What are the different types of concurrent managers?
Ans: 1. internal concurrent manager – Will start all other managers and monitor
2. Standard Manager – All concurrent requests by default will to go this
3. Conflict resolution manager – Concurrent programs with
incompatibilities will be handled by this
4. Transaction manager – Handle all transaction requests

3. What are actual and target count in ‘Administer Concurrent Managers form’?
Ans: Target is the no. of concurrent processes a manager is supposed to start
(specified in the definition of concurrent manager).
Actual is the no. of processes a manager started actually.
Target and Actual should be always same.

4. What if Target and Actual are not same?
Ans: It means at operating system level resources are low to accommodate the
required processes for concurrent managers.

5. What are work shifts?
Ans: Work shifts are nothing but timings at which the concurrent manager is
supposed to run.

6. What if internal concurrent manager target and actual are not same?
Ans: we need to bounce the concurrent manager using adcmctl.sh

7. How to bounce a single concurrent manager?
Ans: From front-end using ‘Administer Concurrent Manager form’.

Oracle Apps DBA - Autoconfig

1. What is autoconfig?
Ans: Autoconfig is an ad utility which is used to main application environment and configuration files.

2. What are the parameter autoconfig will ask for?
Ans: Context file name and apps password

3. What is context file?
Ans: Context file is a central repository, which stores all application configuration information. The name is like _ .xml

4. How you will find autoconfig is enabled/not for u r applications?
Ans:
1. Open any env / configuration files, the first few lines will tell u that these files are maintained by autoconfig.
2. If contextname.xml file is there in APPL_TOP/admin

5. How autoconfig will create env and configuration files?
Ans: Autoconfig will go to each and every top template directory take the
templates from there and fill the values from xml file and create the required files.

6. In how many phases autoconfig will run?
Ans: Autoconfig will run in 3 phases.
1. INIT – Instantiate the drivers and templates
2. SETUP – Fill the template with values from xml and create files
3. PROFILE – Update the profile values in database.

7. What is the location of adconfig log file?
Ans: APPL_TOP/admin//log/
 
8. Is it possible to restore a autoconfig run?
Ans: Partially. Adconfig will create a restore script at
$APPL_TOP/admin//out/. This restore.sh will copy the backed up files before autoconfig run to its original locations. But the profile values updated in the database can’t be restored back.

9. How to run autoconfig in test mode?
Ans: adchkcfg.sh script at AD_TOP/bin. This script will run autoconfig in test
mode and create the difference file which tells us what is going to change, when u actually run autoconfig.

10. How to find autoconfig is enabled or not for database?
Ans: If we have appsutil directory under RDBMS_ORACLE_HOME

Oracle Apps DBA - Patching

1. What is a patch?
Ans: A patch can be a solution for a bug/it can be a new feature.

2. What are the different types of patches?
Ans: one-off, mini packs, family packs, maintenance packs, rollup patches,
consolidated patches.

3. What is a one-off patch?
Ans: An one-off patch is a small patch of (20-90K size) without any pre-req’s

4. What is a mini pack?
Ans: A mini pack is one which will upgrade any product patch set level to next
level like AD.H to AD.I

5. What is Family pack?
Ans: A Family pack is one which will upgrade the patch set level of all the
products in that family to particular patchsetlevel.

6. What is Maintenance pack ?
Ans: A maintenance pack will upgrade applications from one version to another
like 11.5.8 to 11.5.9

7. What is a Rollup patch?
Ans: A rollup patch is one which will deliver bug fixes identified after the release of any major application versions like 11.5.8/11.5.9

8. What is consolidated patch?
Ans: Consolidated patches will come into pictures after upgrades from one
version of applications to another, all post upgrade patches will a consolidated
and given as consolidated patch.

9. How u will find whether a patch is applied/not?
Ans: Query ad_bugs.

10. What is the other table where u can query what are the patches applied?
Ans: Ad_applied_patches.

11. What is the difference between ad_bugs and ad_applied_patches?
Ans: A patch can deliver solution for more than one bug, so ad_applied_patches
may not give u the perfect information as in case of ad_bugs.

12. How u apply a patch?
Ans: ad patch

13. What inputs you need to apply a patch other than driver name and etc?
Ans: apps and system passwords

14. What are the table u r ad patch will create and when?
Ans: Ad patch will create FND_INSTALL_PROCESSES and
AD_DEFERRED_JOBS table when it will apply d, g and u drivers

15. What is the significance of FND_INSTALL_PROCESSES and
AD_DEFERRED_JOBS table?
Ans: FND_INSTALL_PROCESSES table will store the worker information like
what job is assigned to which worker and its status. AD_DEFERRED_JOBS will
come into picture when some worker is failed, it will be moved to
AD_DEFERRED_JOBS table, from where again adpatch will take that job and try
to resign, after doing this 3 times if still that worker is failing, then adpatch will stop patching and throw the error that particular worker has failed. We need to trouble shoot and restart the worker.

16. If it is a multinode installation which driver we need to apply on which node?
Ans: c, d, g on concurrent node and c, g on web node. If it is u-driver we need to apply on all nodes.

17. While applying a application patch is that necessary that u r database and
listener should be up?
Ans: Yes. Why because adpatch will connect to database and update so many
tables etc…..

18. While applying a patch if that patch is failing because of a pre-req then how you will apply that pre-req patch and resume with the current patch?
Ans: We need to take the backup of FND_INSTALL_PROCESSES and
AD_DEFERRED_JOBS tables and restart directory at APPL_TOP/amdin/SID
and then use adctrl to quit all the workers. Then apply the pre-req patch, after
that rename u r restart directory to its original name and create
FND_INSTALL_PROCESSES and AD_DEFERRED_JOBS tables from the
backup tables. Start adpatch session and take the options want to continue
previous session.

19. What is adctrl?
Ans: Adctrl is one of the ad utilities, which is used to check the status of workers and to manage the workers.

20. Can u name some of the menu options in adctrl?
Ans: Check the status of workers, tell manager that worker has quitted, restart a failed worker etc….

21. How to skip a worker and why?
Ans: We can skip a worker using option 8 in adctrl which is hidden. We will go for skipping a worker when we have executed the job which the worker is supposed to do.

22. How adpatch knows what are the pre-req for the patch which it is applying?
Ans: With every patch a file called b.ldt file will be delivered
which contain the pre-req information. Adpatch load this into database using
FNDLOAD and check, whether those pre-req patches were applied or not.

23. What is FNDLOAD?
Ans: FNDLOAD is a utility which is similar to sql-loader but loads code objects
into database, where as SQLLOADER loads data objects into database.
 
24. What c-driver will do?
Ans: C-drive copies the files from patch unzipped directory to required location in u r application file system. Before copying it will check the file version of the
existing file at the file system with the file version of the file in the patch. If the patch file version is higher than what it is at file system level then only c-driver will copy that files.
 
25. How adpatch will know the file versions of the patch delivered files?
Ans: With each patch a file with name f.ldt is delivered, which
contain the file versions of the files delivered with the patch. Adpatch will use this file to compare the file versions of files it’s delivering with the file on file system.
 
26. What is the adpatch log file location?
Ans: APPL_TOP/admin/SID/log
 
27. What are the worker log file name and its location?
Ans: adwork01, adwork02…… and location is APPL_TOP/admin/SID/log
 
28. How u will know what are the files the patch is going to change just my
unzipping the patch?
Ans: When u unzip a patch it will keep all the files related to a particular product under that directory inside u r patch directory for example if the patch delivering files related to FND product then it will create a sub directory under the patch directory with the name FND in which it will put all related files to that product
 
29. What is the significance of backup directory under u r patch directory?
Ans: When we apply a patch it will keep the copy of the files which its going to
change in file system.
 
30. What are the different modes you can run your adpatch?
Ans: 1.Interactive – default mode
2. Non interactive – Use defaults files to store prompt values
(Adpatch defaults file= interactive=no)
3. Test – Without actually applying a patch just to check what its
doing.(adpatch apply=no)
4. Pre-install – (adpatch preinstall=y) this mode will be useful to decrease
upgrade downtime as it applies bug fixes without running SQL, EXEC and
generate portion of patch.
 
31. How u will monitor u r applications as well as database?
Ans: We have our custom scripts which are scheduled to run at a specific time
which will monitor whether applications and databases are up/not. And it will mail us if some processes is not running. And we have one script which will check database alert log for ORA errors and mails it to us . Based on this we will react. 

32. When a patch delivers java files what extra file u will get when u unzip the
patch, other then u r driver and read me files?
Ans: j.zip
 
33. What is apps.zip/appsbrog2.zip file?
Ans: apps.zip/appsbrog2.zip is the patchable archive of all java class files
required for oracle application.
Apps.zip was used to old application version, but from 11.5.8 onwards its
appsbrog2.zip
 
34. What is the location of apps.zip/appsbrog2.zip?
Ans: AU_TOP/java and JAVA_TOP

35. How to skip copy portion while applying a patch?
Ans: Adpatch options=nocopyportion
 
36. How to merge patches and what type of patches can be merged?
Ans: admrgpch. We can merge any kind of application patches, if any of the
patch contain a u-driver then merged patch will contain u_merged.drv otherwise c_merged.drv, d_merged.drv and g_merged.drv