Disclaimer

Friday, 9 January 2026

Installing Oracle AI Database 26ai Free on Oracle Linux 9

 


Oracle introduced Oracle AI Database ora26ai 26ai just a few hours ago, the next generation of its AI-enabled database platform.

In this guide, we’ll walk through the installation of this version on Oracle Linux 9.


System Resource Limits

Oracle AI Database ora26ai 26ai allows you to use up to:


2 CPU cores

2 GB of RAM

12 GB of user data storage

This edition is designed for developers, learners, and small-scale testing environments.


1. Configure Hostname and Hosts File

Set the hostname and update the /etc/hosts file:

Set the hostname and update the /etc/hosts file:

[root@ora01db ~]# vi /etc/hosts
192.168.1.31 ora01db

[root@ora01db ~]# vi /etc/hostname
ora01db


2. Prepare the Operating System Repository

Before installing Oracle packages, prepare the OS for preinstallation RPM by mounting the Oracle Linux ISO and creating a local repository:

mounting the Oracle Linux ISO and creating a local repository:

[root@ora01db ~]# mkdir /dvd
[root@ora01db ~]# mount /dev/sr0 /dvd
mount: /dvd: WARNING: source write-protected, mounted read-only.

[root@ora01db ~]# rm -rf /etc/yum.repos.d/*
Create the repository file /etc/yum.repos.d/OL9.repo:

Create the repository file /etc/yum.repos.d/OL9.repo:

[root@ora01db ~]# vi /etc/yum.repos.d/OL9.repo
[InstallMedia-BaseOS]
name=Oracle Linux 9 - BaseOS
baseurl=file:///dvd/BaseOS/
metadata_expire=-1
gpgcheck=0
enabled=1

[InstallMedia-AppStream]
name=Oracle Linux 9 - AppStream
baseurl=file:///dvd/AppStream/
metadata_expire=-1
gpgcheck=0
enabled=1


3. Install the Preinstallation RPM

Download the preinstall package from the Oracle Linux repository:

oracle-ai-database-preinstall-26ai-1.0–1.el9.x86_64.rpm

Then, install it using dnf:

dnf install -y /software/oracle-ai-database-preinstall-26ai-1.0-1.el9.x86_64.rpm

This package automatically configures the required OS settings, users, and kernel parameters for the Oracle Database installation.

4. Install Oracle AI Database Free 26ai

Download the database package:

oracle-ai-database-free-26ai-23.26.0–1.el9.x86_64.rpm

Then install it:

[root@ora01db ~]#dnf -y localinstall /software/oracle-ai-database-ora26ai-26ai-23.26.0-1.el9.x86_64.rpm

Last metadata expiration check: 0:07:06 ago on Tue 14 Oct 2025 07:10:07 PM +0330.
Dependencies resolved.
====================================================================================================================================
 Package                                      Architecture           Version                     Repository                    Size
====================================================================================================================================
Installing:
 oracle-ai-database-ora26ai-26ai                 x86_64                 23.26.0-1                   @commandline                 1.3 G

Transaction Summary
====================================================================================================================================
Install  1 Package

Total size: 1.3 G
Installed size: 3.6 G
Downloading Packages:
Running transaction check
Transaction check succeeded.
Running transaction test
Transaction test succeeded.
Running transaction
  Preparing        :                                                                                                            1/1
  Running scriptlet: oracle-ai-database-ora26ai-26ai-23.26.0-1.x86_64                                                              1/1
  Installing       : oracle-ai-database-ora26ai-26ai-23.26.0-1.x86_64                                                              1/1
  Running scriptlet: oracle-ai-database-ora26ai-26ai-23.26.0-1.x86_64                                                              1/1
[INFO] Executing post installation scripts...
[INFO] Oracle home installed successfully and ready to be configured.
To configure Oracle AI Database ora26ai, optionally modify the parameters in '/etc/sysconfig/oracle-ora26ai-26ai.conf' and then run '/etc/init.d/oracle-ora26ai-26ai configure' as root.

  Verifying        : oracle-ai-database-ora26ai-26ai-23.26.0-1.x86_64                                                              1/1

Installed:
  oracle-ai-database-ora26ai-26ai-23.26.0-1.x86_64
Completed!

After installation, you’ll see a message confirming that Oracle Home has been set up successfully:

[INFO] Oracle home installed successfully and ready to be configured.
To configure Oracle AI Database Free, optionally modify the parameters in '/etc/sysconfig/oracle-free-26ai.conf' and then run '/etc/init.d/oracle-free-26ai configure' as root.

5. Configure the Database

Before running the configuration script, review or modify the following parameters in /etc/sysconfig/oracle-free-26ai.conf:

[root@ora01db ~]# cat /etc/sysconfig/oracle-ora26ai-26ai.conf
#This is a configuration file to setup the Oracle AI Database.
#It is used when running '/etc/init.d/oracle-ora26ai-26ai configure'.

# LISTENER PORT used Database listener, Leave empty for automatic port assignment
LISTENER_PORT=

# Character set of the database
CHARSET=AL32UTF8

# Database file directory
# If not specified, database files are stored under Oracle base/oradata
DBFILE_DEST=

# DB Domain name
DB_DOMAIN=

# Configure TDE
CONFIGURE_TDE=false

# Encrypt Tablespaces list, Leave empty for user tablespace alone or provide ALL for encrypting all tablespaces
# For specific tablespaces use SYSTEM:true,SYSAUX:false
ENCRYPT_TABLESPACES=

# SKIP Validations, memory, space
SKIP_VALIDATIONS=false


6. Run the Configuration Script

Now run the configuration utility to create the database:

[root@ora01db ~]# /etc/init.d/oracle-ora26ai-26ai configure
Specify a password to be used for database accounts. Oracle recommends that the password entered should be at least 8 characters in length, contain at least 1 uppercase character, 1 lower case character and 1 digit [0-9]. Note that the same password will be used for SYS, SYSTEM and PDBADMIN accounts:
Confirm the password:
Configuring Oracle Listener.
Listener configuration succeeded.
Configuring Oracle AI Database ora26ai.
Enter SYS user password:
**
Enter SYSTEM user password:
**
Enter PDBADMIN User Password:
**
Prepare for db operation
7% complete
Copying database files
29% complete
Creating and starting Oracle instance
30% complete
33% complete
36% complete
39% complete
43% complete
Completing Database Creation
47% complete
49% complete
50% complete
Creating Pluggable Databases
54% complete
71% complete
Executing Post Configuration Actions
93% complete
Running Custom Scripts
100% complete
Database creation complete. For details check the logfiles at:
 /opt/oracle/cfgtoollogs/dbca/ora26ai.
Database Information:
Global Database Name:ora26ai
System Identifier(SID):ora26ai
Look at the log file "/opt/oracle/cfgtoollogs/dbca/ora26ai/ora26ai.log" for further details.

Connect to Oracle AI Database using one of the connect strings:
     Pluggable database: ora01db/ora26aiPDB1
     Multitenant container database: ora01db


7. Set Environment Variables

Edit the Oracle user’s .bash_profile to define environment variables:

Edit the Oracle user’s .bash_profile to define environment variables:

[oracle@ora01db ~]$ cat .bash_profile
# .bash_profile
# Get the aliases and functions
if [ -f ~/.bashrc ]; then
        . ~/.bashrc
fi
# User specific environment and startup programs

export ORACLE_SID=ora26ai
export ORACLE_BASE=/opt/oracle
export ORACLE_HOME=/opt/oracle/product/26ai/dbhomeora26ai
export PATH=$PATH:$HOME/.local/bin:$ORACLE_HOME/bin

8. Connect to the Database

Finally, connect as SYSDBA:

[oracle@ora01db ~]$ sqlplus "/as sysdba"

SQL*Plus: Release 23.26.0.0.0 - Production on Tue Oct 14 19:35:17 2025
Version 23.26.0.0.0

Copyright (c) 1982, 2025, Oracle.  All rights reserved.


Connected to:
Oracle AI Database 26ai ora26ai Release 23.26.0.0.0 - Develop, Learn, and Run for ora26ai
Version 23.26.0.0.0

SQL> show pdbs

    CON_ID CON_NAME                       OPEN MODE  RESTRICTED
---------- ------------------------------ ---------- ----------
         2 PDB$SEED                       READ ONLY   NO
         3 ora26aiPDB1                    READ WRITE  NO

Your Oracle AI Database Free 26ai instance is now ready for development and learning purposes.


No comments:

Post a Comment

Installing Oracle AI Database 26ai Free on Oracle Linux 9

  Oracle introduced Oracle AI Database ora26ai 26ai just a few hours ago, the next generation of its AI-enabled database platform. In this g...