Beginning Oracle Database 11g Administration From Novice to Professional

CHAPTER 6 DATABASE CREATION 103
Figure 6-8. Database Configuration Assistant, Step 1: Operations
Select Create a Database and click Next to go to Step 2: Database Templates.
Step 2: Database Templates
Figure 6-9 shows the screen for Step 2: Database Templates. This screen lists the available
templates, which specify initialization parameters and other choices that you make
when creating a database. The use of templates is a very good practice; standardization
usually improves the quality and maintainability of databases. Oracle provides three
default templates: General Purpose or Transaction Processing, Custom Database, and
Data Warehouse. It is tempting to choose the general-purpose template, since it is first
in the list and the name indicates that it will suit most purposes. However, note that this
template—along with the data warehouse template—is pre-seeded; that is, it includes
pre-created data files. Pre-seeded templates are less customizable but allow databases to
be created very quickly. Unfortunately, as you’ll see in Table 6-1 later in this chapter, the
pre-created data files are loaded with a great deal of optional software. You will probably
never need most of these options, even though the installer refers to them as “common
options.” In the Exercises section, you will be asked to create your own pre-seeded template
with just the software you need and with certain desirable settings.