Book excerpt: A major prerequisite for the usage and deployment of Oracle database technology is a successful installation. The purpose of this Oracle 11g training course module is to offer a step-by-step guide for the configuration of a Linux or Microsoft Windows server to host an Oracle database Enterprise Edition installation. Especially in a Linux environment installation of the database requires careful preparation, configuration and sometimes troubleshooting in order to succeed. This course includes practical tips learned from many real-world installations which can assist you to achieve a successful installation in your environment. We will explore both a standalone database installation and also a grid infrastructure installation. Major objectives covered within this guide book include: - Configuration of the Linux and Microsoft Windows operating systems in anticipation of a database installation; Performing a Desktop Class installation of the Oracle 11g R2 Enterprise Edition database; - Performing a Server Class installation of the Oracle 11g R2 Enterprise Edition database; - Addressing configuration and setup issues using the FixUp utility;- Verification of a valid database installation; Database administrator and technical support interface options, including the use of Enterprise Manager, command-line SQL*Plus, and terminal console SSH;- Preparing a host system for the Grid Infrastructure and Oracle RDBMS installations and performing those installations;- Preparing a host system for ASM storage management; - Partitioning and configuration of storage devices for ASM storage on both Linux and MS Windows servers; While this course module applies specifically to the installation of the Enterprise Edition of the Oracle database, it covers basic topics which apply to any Oracle software installation. Therefore, this material is also useful for the installation of other Oracle products such as the Oracle Database Client, specialized options for a database server installation, and so on.