Recently I tweeted the download link for the Virtual Box OVA file for 12c upgrade Hands on Lab.
Since 11g free extended support is ending in the next few months, this is the time DBAs are busily planning to upgrade their 11g databases to 12c.
The HOL OVA available in OTN is a great learning tool for all DBAs planning to upgrade to 12c database. After you download the 8 zip files to your computer, use 7-zip or similar utility to uncompress the files. Then import the resulting .OVA file to your virtualbox.
Once you start the VM and login as oracle, the screen background pretty much shows the architecture of what is available and what you will learn using the VM.
The PDF file included in the zip shows you how to perform 4 lab exercises.
In addition I would also recommend downloading and applying the latest PSU on 12.1.0.2 home 🙂
With four databases and three software installations readily available, your learning opportunities are unlimited…
oracle@localhost:~$ tail -5 /etc/oratab # FTEX:/u01/app/oracle/product/11.2.0:N CDB2:/u01/app/oracle/product/12.1.0.2:N CDB1:/u01/app/oracle/product/12.1.0.1:N UPGR:/u01/app/oracle/product/11.2.0:N oracle@localhost:~$
If you mess up something, don’t worry – just re-import the OVA file again… 🙂
Don’t forget to check out the Oracle Database 12c Learning Libary.
Good luck!
And thanks to Mike Dietrich and Roy Swonger of Oracle for making these HOL available to the community.