Lab #1 : Installations
This lab sets the stage by having you install and configure databases that you will use throughout the course. You will install the Oracle Database 10g Express Edition (known as Oracle Database 10g XE) and the MySQL 5.1 community edition available at the beginning of the term.
Students may install these databases on any supported platform, but the course assumes that you’ll install them on a Microsoft® Windows operating system. You should also note that you should disable User Access Controls, or you’ll run into a plethora of permission problems. Ubuntu Workstation (32-bit) is also a viable alternative if you want to avoid purchasing a Windows operating system license; however, there aren’t any configuration instructions presently available on this site.
Those Mac OS X users should install VMWare® Fusion or Parallels to host a virtual machine. Sun Microsystems® Virtual Box is also available but has hampered some students from successfully deploying or using these database products in virtual machines. If you opt for Parallels or Virtual Box it is unlikely that the tutors will be able to help you troubleshot your implementations.
Objectives ↓
These are the lab objectives. It is possible that students may not know how to navigate in a command-line session, start/stop Services, or understand the concept of environment variables on the Windows Operating System (OS). These are basic skills that students should acquire by independent research if they’re not possessed at the start of the course.
Group Objectives
Group assignments are cooperative situations where you should learn from one another. Each team member should engage and type solution components individually. This tends to maximize the student learning opportunity. You should avoid the “expert and followers” paradigm, and become cooperative and interactive problem solvers. The “expert and followers” paradigm is where one person in a group does the work and learns, while others look over the shoulder at the work without truly understanding it. Team members become interactive problem solvers when they collaborate and work together on solving problems.
If something comes up, like an illness or excused absence, you may share files. The caution here is that the student receiving the work must master the concepts in the material before submitting the work to the instructor. The instructor may interview the student to determine their level of mastery and post group credit that may differ from other team members who performed the work.
- Learn how to install Oracle Database 10g XE, and configure a user schema (also known as an account and database in Oracle parlance).
- Learn how to start, stop, run interactive statements, and run external files from within the Oracle SQL*Plus environment.
- Learn how to start, stop, and status an Oracle Listener, and how to configure the
listener.oraandtnsnames.orafiles.
Individual Objectives
Individual assignments are situations where you apply the generalized concepts acquired in the group exercise, and transfer your skills to another database engine. You may ask questions but you should only receive general concepts, principles, or directions to published materials (such as the product documentation found in the resources). Likewise, those are the types of answers you should provide when asked questions by your peers. You should not share files in this part of the lab.
- Learn how to install MySQL 5.1 Database Engine, and configure a database and user account.
- Learn how to start, stop, run interactive statements, and run external files from within the
mysqlenvironment. - Learn how the MySQL Listener works, that is how it is started, stopped, and shared across multiple databases.
Resources ↓
These are the lab resources.
- Introduction to the basic concepts of databases and SQL.
- Install Oracle 10g XE Database Engine.
- Configure a user schema in an Oracle 10g XE Database installation.
- Install MySQL 5.1 Database Engine, and configure a database and user account.
- Configure a database and user account in a MySQL 5.1 Database installation.
- Oracle® Documentation.
- MySQL Documentation
Deliverables ↓
These are the lab deliverables.
Group Deliverables
Groups should demonstrate to the instructor or lab assistant during class time the following:
- Every team member has a working installation of the Oracle Database 10g XE.
- Every team member has configured a
studentuser schema. - Every team member can confidently connect to Oracle SQL*Plus command-line interface and run interactive and batch commands from script files.
Individual Deliverables
Individuals should demonstrate to the instructor or lab assistant during class time the following:
- Each student should have a working installation of MySQL 5.1 Database Engine.
- Each student should have configured a
sampledbdatabase instance, andstudentaccount. - Each student should confidently connect to
mysqlcommand-line interface and run interactive and batch commands from script files.
