PDB Directory Structure with OMF

Question

If one create a PDB using Oracle Managed Files (OMF) the directory structure for the files are using the GUID instead of the PDB Name. Is there any chance to change this? It's very difficult to find out which file belongs to which PDB if you have serveral PDBs up and running.

Answer 1

rp0428 wrote:
If one create a PDB using Oracle Managed Files (OMF) the directory structure for the files are using the GUID instead of the PDB Name. Is there any chance to change this? It's very difficult to find out which file belongs to which PDB if you have serveral PDBs up and running.
What value of DB_CREATE_FILE_DEST are you using? Just set it to where you want the files created for the PDB.
http://docs.oracle.com/cd/B28359_01/server.111/b28310/omf003.htm#i1006430
When creating a tablespace, either a permanent tablespace or an undo tablespace, the DATAFILE clause is optional. When you include the DATAFILE clause the filename is optional. If the DATAFILE clause or filename is not provided, then the following rules apply:
  If the DB_CREATE_FILE_DEST initialization parameter is specified, then an Oracle-managed datafile is created in the location specified by the parameter.
Here is a simple example:
SQL> alter system set db_create_file_dest=’/u01/app/oracle/oradata/myDir/myNewPDB′;
System altered.
SQL> create pluggable database myNewPDB from myOldPDB;
Pluggable database created.
You can't control the actual filenames when using OMF, only the destination folder.
Edited by: rp0428 to fix typo
Your comment about the optional parameter DATAFILE is only valid if you don't want to change any of the default values for size, extendsize and maxsize. As I don't like "UNLIMITED" for the maxsize I have to specify DATAFILE according to the documentation:
Oracle 12c Database Administrator's Guide 12c: "However, if in your DATAFILE clause you override these defaults by specifying a SIZE value (and no AUTOEXTEND clause), then the data file is not autoextensible."
Your example makes the directory structure even more complex: Oracle always adds the name of the database and the GUID to the directory. So for your example you end up with the following directory structure:
/u01/app/oracle/oradata/myDir/myNewPDB/<CDB_NAME>/<GUID>
Her's an example:
SQL> ALTER SYSTEM SET db_create_file_dest='/u02/oradata/JO3';
SQL> CREATE PLUGGABLE DATABASE JO3 ...
SQL> SELECT name FROM v$datafile WHERE CON_ID=7;
NAME
/u02/oradata/JO3/CJOHANN/F23385330E6F7CE2E043411E10ACD344/datafile/o1_mf_system_9hpk1l9f_.dbf
/u02/oradata/JO3/CJOHANN/F23385330E6F7CE2E043411E10ACD344/datafile/o1_mf_sysaux_9hpk1l9t_.dbf