Od
Databases Azure

Oracle Database 23ai Free on Oracle Linux 8 on Azure User Guide

| Product: Oracle Database 23ai Free on Oracle Linux 8 on Azure

Overview

This guide covers deploying cloudimg's Oracle Database Free image on Oracle Linux 8 from the Azure Marketplace. The image ships Oracle AI Database 26ai Free, release 23.26 (Oracle's current Free release and the direct successor of Oracle Database 23ai Free) with a ready-to-use container database and pluggable database. The database starts automatically at boot and every VM gets its own randomly generated passwords on first boot.

What's included in this VM image:

  • Oracle AI Database 26ai Free 23.26 (64 bit) installed at /opt/oracle/product/26ai/dbhomeFree
  • FREE container database with the FREEPDB1 pluggable database, open read write
  • Oracle Listener on TCP port 1521, listening on all interfaces
  • Database and listener started automatically at boot (oracle-free-26ai service)
  • Per-VM passwords for SYS, SYSTEM and PDBADMIN, generated on first boot
  • SQL*Plus and SQLcl, with SQLcl and the database tools running on the operating system's OpenJDK 17 (patched with normal dnf updates)
  • AI Vector Search, JSON Relational Duality and Operational Property Graph
  • Oracle Linux 8.10, fully patched at build time, Hyper-V Gen2
  • 24/7 cloudimg support

Default user: azureuser · CDB: FREE · PDB: FREEPDB1 · Port: 1521

Prerequisites

  1. An active Microsoft Azure subscription
  2. An SSH key pair
  3. A Network Security Group rule allowing TCP 22 (and TCP 1521 only from your trusted IP if you will connect remotely)

Step 1: Deploy the virtual machine

Find Oracle DB 23ai Free on OL8 by cloudimg in the Azure Marketplace and select Create. Choose a resource group and region, a size of at least Standard_D2s_v3 (2 vCPU, 8 GB RAM), azureuser as the username and your SSH public key. Review and create.

With the Azure CLI:

az vm create \
  --resource-group my-rg \
  --name oracle-free \
  --image <marketplace image URN> \
  --size Standard_D2s_v3 \
  --admin-username azureuser \
  --ssh-key-values ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub

Step 2: Connect over SSH

ssh azureuser@<vm-public-ip>

The first boot starts the database and generates the passwords. This takes two to five minutes after the VM is created. Check that it has finished:

sudo systemctl status oracle-free-firstboot.service --no-pager

The service shows active (exited) when the credentials are ready.

Step 3: Read your credentials

sudo cat /stage/scripts/oracle-database-credentials.log

The file is readable only by root and lists the SYSTEM, SYS and PDBADMIN passwords for this VM. Change them after your first login (see Step 7).

Step 4: Connect locally with SQL*Plus

sudo su - oracle
sqlplus / as sysdba

SELECT name, open_mode FROM v$pdbs;
SELECT version_full FROM v$instance;

Connect to the pluggable database as SYSTEM:

sqlplus system@//localhost:1521/FREEPDB1

SQLcl is also available as sql for the oracle user:

sql system@//localhost:1521/FREEPDB1

Step 5: Connect remotely

Add an inbound NSG rule for TCP 1521 restricted to your own IP address, then connect from SQL Developer, SQLcl or any Oracle client with:

  • Host: the VM's public IP
  • Port: 1521
  • Service name: FREEPDB1
  • User: SYSTEM (or an application user you create)

Never open port 1521 to the whole internet.

Step 6: Manage the database service

sudo /etc/init.d/oracle-free-26ai status
sudo /etc/init.d/oracle-free-26ai stop
sudo /etc/init.d/oracle-free-26ai start

The service is enabled at boot, so the database and listener come back automatically after a restart.

Step 7: Change passwords and create an application user

-- as SYSDBA in the CDB
ALTER USER SYSTEM IDENTIFIED BY "<new password>";
ALTER USER SYS IDENTIFIED BY "<new password>";

-- create an application user in the PDB
ALTER SESSION SET CONTAINER = FREEPDB1;
CREATE USER appuser IDENTIFIED BY "<password>" QUOTA UNLIMITED ON USERS;
GRANT DB_DEVELOPER_ROLE TO appuser;

Free edition limits

Oracle Database Free is limited by Oracle to 2 CPU threads, 2 GB of database RAM and 12 GB of user data. It is licensed under the Oracle Free Use Terms and Conditions. For larger workloads move to a licensed Oracle Database edition.

Keeping the system up to date

sudo dnf -y upgrade

This also updates the OpenJDK used by SQLcl and the database tools. Oracle Database Free itself is updated by Oracle as new Free releases; to move to a newer release, export your data and import it into a new VM.

Troubleshooting

  • Credentials file still shows a placeholder: the first boot is still running. Wait a few minutes and check sudo journalctl -u oracle-free-firstboot and /var/log/oracle-free-firstboot.log.
  • Cannot connect remotely: confirm the NSG allows TCP 1521 from your IP and that sudo ss -tlnp | grep 1521 shows the listener.
  • Listener status: sudo su - oracle -c 'lsnrctl status'

Support

cloudimg provides 24/7 support for this image. Email support@cloudimg.co.uk with your VM details and a description of the issue.