10G Enterprise Manager Standalone Java Console

Sorry about the SGT (Sissy GUI Tool) crack… I was around when the migration from command line to Oracle Enterprise Manager first took place. I must admit, it was hard for me to give up the command line interface that I trusted. Every time I entered a command using the new tool, I used the "Show SQL" button to review the SQL that was being executed. I began using the term "SGT" or "Sissy GUI Tool" to describe Oracle's new graphical administrative tool to my students. I thought that real DBAs used command line! I think I'm showing my age here. I still recommend to everyone that they learn how to administer Oracle using a command line interface before they become experts on the "SGT".

But, like the majority of Oracle DBAs, I am also an avid user of Oracle's graphical administrative toolsets. The toolsets make day-to-day administration so much easier that I actually can't remember the last time I used the traditional command line interface. 10G EM provides so many features and so much advanced functionality that it makes my unit more productive and allows us to provide a higher quality level of support to our customers.

But what happens when the 10G management server environment becomes unavailable? Maybe one of your friendly UNIX admins drips jelly from their donut on the main motherboard. Do you immediately resort to command line? You certainly can choose to use a command line interface but 10G EM also provides a Standalone Java Console that will allow you to continue to perform basic database administration tasks using a point-and-click GUI interface. For brevity's sake (there's something new coming from me), I will shorten the name of the 10G Enterprise Manager Standalone Java Console to Java Console in this discussion. I'll continue to call the version that uses a management server and a repository 10G EM. Clear as mud? Good.

The Java Console does not use a management server or a repository. If you have experience with previous versions of Enterprise Manager, you'll know that the login popup screen gave you the option of either connecting to the product standalone or logging into a management server.

Like previous standalone versions, the Java Console does not require a management server, repository or agents running on the targets. You are making a direct Oracle Net connection to the target databases you intend to administer. If you don't have a management server environment available, you also don't have the capability of taking advantage of the advanced features and functionality it provides.

More specifically, you won't be able to:

• Use any of the features and functionality provided by the ADDM repository
• Take advantage of the advice provided by the Enterprise Manager advisors
• Schedule alerts, events, jobs
• Automate repetitive administrative tasks
• Backup database files using 10G EM's backup toolset
• Customize, schedule or publish reports
• Use virtually any of the advanced features I have been blogging about

But the tool will allow you to perform basic database administration tasks. I'll admit that we were forced to use the Java Console when our 10G EM management server and repository hardware platform "went kaput." "Went kaput" is putting it mildly. After our UNIX administrators tried virtually every trick in the book to restart it, we were forced to call in the vendor . You know you are in trouble when that happens (must have been extra sticky jelly). You really know you are in trouble when the vendor retries everything your UNIX admins just did and then begins replacing hardware components.

The system was old and really needed replacing. My boss came to the rescue when he stated "Maybe we should just give this thing its last rites and we'll buy your unit a newer and more powerful platform." Hey, you don't have to ask me twice - new server here we come. We set up manual monitoring scripts to provide proactive monitoring functionality until our new environment was up and running. I then remembered that we could continue to use a GUI tool to administer our 10G databases. Java Console to the rescue!

In addition, the Java Console allows you to administer some advanced features that have yet to be supported by 10G EM. Take a look at this screenshot. It is 10G EM's administrative tab for a 10G database. Look at the text in the red block. That is Oracle's hint that if want to use a GUI interface to administer Streams, Advanced Replication, Advanced Queues, XML Database, Spatial and Workspace, you'll need to use the Java Console. Oracle states that it will eventually integrate this functionality into 10G EM. Once the integration is complete, the Java Console will be decommissioned. I'm just hoping that Oracle continues to provide a standalone version of Enterprise Manager. Just in case my 10G EM management server ever goes "kaput" again.

Installation and Activation
Installation is simple. The Java Console program is on the Oracle 10G Client software CD. When you are prompted to choose the type of installation, select the Administrator option and the Java Console will be installed with the rest of the software. After the installation is complete, navigate to the Oracle home's bin directory where you installed the Oracle Client and type in:

oemapp console

The main administrative console should appear. You'll notice that the interface looks VERY similar to the 9i version of Oracle Enterprise Manager. If the console does not appear, go to the 10G Enterprise Manager Grid Control Installation and Basic Configuration manual on Technet and scroll to the bottom. Look for the chapter on the Java Console and verify that you have the correct shared library path environment variables set for your system.

Adding Databases to the Navigation Tree
After the console appears, you'll need to add a database to the tree to begin administering it. Click on the Navigator drop down button at the upper right hand side of the Java Console and then click on the Add Database to Tree navigation button. The Java Console will display the Add Database to Tree popup panel. Enter the required information to add the database to the Java Console's administration tree. The popup panel also provides you with the capability of selecting databases from your local TNSNAMES.ORA file. Once the database is added, you should see it appear on the navigation tree on the left side of the Java Console's main administration panel.

When you click on the database, you'll see a popup asking you to provide your logon credentials. You can choose to enter them on the popup or you can click on the Configuration dropdown and choose the Local Preferred Credentials option to activate the Edit Local Preferred Credentials popup which allows you to enter logon credentials for all databases in the tree.

Using the Java Console
After I entered my logon credentials, I clicked on the database to activate the options dropdown menu for the database I am administering. If you have been using previous versions of Oracle Enterprise Manager, the interface and selections should look very familiar to you. You also need to take a look at the bottom of the page. That is where you'll find the buttons that allow you to administer Streams, Advanced Replication, etc..

Wrapup
I hope you enjoyed this article on the 10G Enterprise Manager Java Console. If you want to use a GUI tool to administer some of the advanced features that 10G EM can't or you have a 10G Management Server that is unavailable, the Java Console will currently be your only alternative to command line.