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Lesson 4 The Database Configuration Assistant
Objective Describe functions of Database Configuration Assistant.

Database Configuration Assistant

Question: Has the "Oracle Database Configuration Assistant" been deprecated?
The Oracle Database Configuration Assistant (DBCA) has not been deprecated. DBCA remains a fundamental tool within Oracle's suite of software utilities. DBCA is instrumental in creating and deleting databases, configuring database options, and managing database templates. It facilitates automated database creation using best practice configurations. As Oracle continues to improve its product suite, DBCA has evolved alongside other components to accommodate newer features and capabilities.
For instance, Oracle Database 12c introduced the concept of multitenant architecture with Container and Pluggable databases, and DBCA was updated to create, delete, and manage these new database types. Similarly, as Oracle introduced new high-availability features, DBCA was updated to configure and manage Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC), Oracle Data Guard, and Oracle Restart.
Therefore, while the functionalities provided by DBCA have expanded and evolved with each new Oracle release, DBCA itself has not been deprecated. However, please note that the status of DBCA might have changed post-September 2021. I recommend consulting the latest Oracle documentation or contacting Oracle Support for the most up-to-date information.

Database Configuration Assistant

The Database Configuration Assistant is a wizard that can help you
  1. create a new database,
  2. modify an existing database, or
  3. delete an old database.
Prior to Oracle 8, this feature was accessible only through the Enterprise Manager. In Oracle, the Universal Installer uses the Database Configuration Assistant if a new database is being created during installation of the database software, although it can still be invoked from the Enterprise Manager.
Here is a table of Configuration Assistant features and the specific enhancements that those features produce.

Table of Configuration Assistant Features

Feature Description of enhancement
Create a new Database Produces a script that can be run later to create a database. Can create remote databases using Enterprise Manager's intelligent agent. Supports OFA (Optimal Flexible Architecture) directory structures.
Modify an existing database Configures new cartridges that have been installed but not configured on the database. Can enable or disable multithreaded server support.
Delete an existing database Deletes all database files except the initialization parameter files.

These enhancements support the new features that are integral to oracle. In addition, the enhancements help simplify the installation process, as they use the same tool during both installation and maintenance of a database.
The next lesson teaches you how to use the Database Configuration Assistant.