Creating a VirtualBox virtual machine for installing Oracle database in Linux

Example of creating a VirtualBox virtual machine for installing an Oracle database server
The virtual machine is created in Ubuntu.
A virtual machine is created similarly in RedHat distributions.

Set a variable with the name of the virtual machine being created to avoid repeatedly typing this value in commands.

# su - vmadm
$ vm=vm_oel6.4_oradb12.1
$ echo $vm

Create directories for the virtual machine and for snapshots

$ mkdir -p ${VM_HOME}/${vm}/snapshots

Creating and registering the virtual machine:

Find out the list of supported operating systems

$ VBoxManage list ostypes

If creating an Oracle Linux 64 virtual machine:

$ VBoxManage createvm \
--name ${vm} \
--ostype Oracle_64 \
--basefolder ${VM_HOME}/${vm} \
--register

You should see the message:
Virtual machine ‘vm_oel6.4_oradb12.1’ is created and registered.

Selecting a motherboard with a more modern chipset. Default is piix3

$ VBoxManage modifyvm ${vm}  --chipset piix3

Setting up processors.

$ VBoxManage modifyvm ${vm}  --cpus 2

Setting the RAM amount

$ VBoxManage modifyvm ${vm} --memory 4096

Connecting a 32 MB video card

$ VBoxManage modifyvm ${vm} --vram 32

Removing the sound card, removing the floppy drive

$ VBoxManage modifyvm ${vm} --floppy disabled --audio none

Connecting the hard disk controller (SAS)

$ VBoxManage storagectl ${vm} \
--add sas \
--name "SAS Controller"

Creating virtual hard disks. Size is recommended to be set according to available resources. Otherwise, problems and virtual machine crash may occur):

$ cd ${VM_HOME}/${vm}/${vm}

If you don’t want to copy-paste the same thing 8 times, you can use just one command:

Create disks with 1 command:

$ for i in $(seq 1 8 )
do VBoxManage createhd --filename ${vm}_dsk_dsk$i.vdi --size 40960 --format VDI --variant Standard
done

Attach disks with 1 command:

$ for i in $(seq 1 8 )
do let port=$i-1; VBoxManage storageattach ${vm} --storagectl "SAS Controller" --port $port --type hdd --medium ${vm}_dsk_dsk$i.vdi
done

Connect the IDE controller to which the DVD-ROM will later be connected:

$ VBoxManage storagectl ${vm} \
--add ide \
--name "IDE Controller"

Connect the DVD image of the operating system being installed to the IDE controller:

$ VBoxManage storageattach ${vm} \
--storagectl "IDE Controller" \
--port 0 \
--device 0 \
--type dvddrive \
--medium /mnt/dsk2/_ISO/_OEL/OracleLinux-R6-U4-Server-x86_64-dvd.iso

Connecting network interfaces:

(My computer is connected to a router (a regular home router). Data exchange between my computer and the virtual machine will go through it. If you are not using a router or switch, you need to create network interfaces with the parameter set to internal connection instead of bridged.)

Run the command;

$ VBoxManage list bridgedifs

Pay attention to the value:

Name:            eth0

I use eth0 as the main physical interface that virtual machines will use as a bridge.

Connecting 2 virtual network interfaces “Intel® 82540EM Gigabit Ethernet Controller” to the virtual machine, operating as bridged:

$ VBoxManage modifyvm ${vm} \
--nictype1 82540EM \
--nic1 bridged \
--bridgeadapter1 eth0

Connect the DVD image of the operating system being installed to the IDE controller:

$ VBoxManage modifyvm ${vm} \
--nictype2 82540EM
--nic2 bridged \
--bridgeadapter2 eth0

(If you plan to install RAC, it is recommended to set up a 3rd interface)

$ VBoxManage modifyvm ${vm} \
--nictype3 82540EM \
--nic3 bridged \
--bridgeadapter3 eth0

Determining the boot order of devices

$ VBoxManage modifyvm ${vm} \
--boot1 disk \
--boot2 dvd

Setting the snapshot directory

$ VBoxManage modifyvm ${vm} \
--snapshotfolder ${VM_HOME}/${vm}/snapshots

Enable RDP connection to the machine:

$ VBoxManage modifyvm ${vm}
–vrde on
–vrdemulticon on
–vrdeauthtype null
–vrdeaddress 192.168.1.5
–vrdeport 3389

Here we specify:

–vrdeaddress - IP address of the machine where VirtualBox is installed.
–vrdeauthtype null - no authentication required.
–vrdemulticon on - multiple connections to virtual machines are allowed.
–vrdeport - port to which you can connect when the virtual machine starts.

Creating a snapshot before OS installation

$ VBoxManage snapshot ${vm} take before_os_installation

VIRTUAL MACHINE IS READY FOR OPERATING SYSTEM INSTALLATION

Show the result of the created virtual machine:

$ VBoxManage showvminfo ${vm}  | less

Start the virtual machine with RDP connection capability

$ VBoxHeadless --startvm ${vm}

View running virtual machines with the command

$ vboxmanage list runningvms

If you work in Linux, you can connect to the virtual machine using rdesktop

$ rdesktop \
-r sound:local \
-k common  \
-g  1600x1024 \
192.168.1.5:3389

If you need to connect with a specific “geometry”, use the parameter -g 1600x1024

If you need to work in full-screen mode, remove the -g flag and replace it with -f

To exit full-screen mode - CTRL+ALT+ENTER

rdesktop - all available options:
http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/lucid/man1/rdesktop.1.html

In Windows, Remote Desktop Connection (mstsc.exe) is suitable for this. In Linux, there is a similar program for connecting to remote desktops - Remmina.

A more detailed document on creating snapshots and backups of virtual machines:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZU6Hk5DYitFYwlRFqN2qmJr6maPpvgsVc6ZTiZ1kYVA/edit