Sandbox Preparation

System requirements:
Laptop : Windows
Processor:
RAM: minimum 8 GB
Storage: minimum 50 GB

a) OEL 9 – as OS for the sandbox
b) Sandbox – database server (2 GB RAM)

1 Install Oracle virtual box – Virtualbox
2 Install Vagrant – vagrant
3 Install putty – putty

Once you have completed the software installation defined , follow these steps to create your Vagrant configuration files and prepare the machines for startup.

A. Create your Project Directory

Create a new directory on your Windows machine where you want to store your sandbox files.

• Example path: D:\sandboxes\postgres\sandbox

B. Open the Directory in Terminal

Navigate to the folder you just created, right-click the folder name (sandbox), and select Open in Terminal. This will launch a Windows PowerShell session directly in that location.

Example terminal prompt: PS D:\sandboxes\postgres\sandbox>

C. Initialize Vagrant

Execute the following command to generate the initial configuration file:

vagrant init

vagrant init

expand_for_screenshot (Vagrant init and copy to config.yaml)

# -*- mode: ruby -*-
# vi: set ft=ruby :

# --- Configuration Data ---
# Merged directly into the script for single-file portability
conf = {
  'shared' => {
    'box' => "oraclebase/oracle-9"
  },
  'nodes' => [
    { 'name' => 'sandbox',    'ip' => '192.168.56.150', 'mem' => 2048, 'cpu' => 2 },
  ]
}

Vagrant.configure("2") do |config|
  # Loop through each node defined in the Hash above
  conf['nodes'].each do |node|
    config.vm.define node['name'] do |node_config|
      
      node_config.vm.box = conf['shared']['box']
      node_config.vm.hostname = node['name']
      node_config.vm.network "private_network", ip: node['ip']

      node_config.vm.provider "virtualbox" do |vb|
        vb.name   = node['name']
        vb.memory = node['mem']
        vb.cpus   = node['cpu']
        
        # Recommended for OEL9: Ensure high-resolution timers and IO APIC are enabled
        vb.customize ["modifyvm", :id, "--ioapic", "on"]
      end

      # Optional: Add a provisioner if you want to automate the pg_bindir fix
      # node_config.vm.provision "shell", inline: "echo 'Postgres nodes ready!'"
    end
  end
end

# -*- mode: ruby -*-
# vi: set ft=ruby :

# --- Configuration Data ---
# Merged directly into the script for single-file portability
conf = {
  'shared' => {
    'box' => "oraclebase/oracle-9"
  },
  'nodes' => [
    { 'name' => 'sandbox',    'ip' => '192.168.56.150', 'mem' => 2048, 'cpu' => 2 },
  ]
}

Vagrant.configure("2") do |config|
  # Loop through each node defined in the Hash above
  conf['nodes'].each do |node|
    config.vm.define node['name'] do |node_config|
      
      node_config.vm.box = conf['shared']['box']
      node_config.vm.hostname = node['name']
      node_config.vm.network "private_network", ip: node['ip']

      node_config.vm.provider "virtualbox" do |vb|
        vb.name   = node['name']
        vb.memory = node['mem']
        vb.cpus   = node['cpu']
        
        # Recommended for OEL9: Ensure high-resolution timers and IO APIC are enabled
        vb.customize ["modifyvm", :id, "--ioapic", "on"]
      end

      # Optional: Add a provisioner if you want to automate the pg_bindir fix
      # node_config.vm.provision "shell", inline: "echo 'Postgres nodes ready!'"
    end
  end
end

Replace the content of Vagrantfile with above.

execute the command “vagrant up” in your power shell command line –

vagrant up

vagrant up

expand_for_screenshot_reference

vagrant up

In putty session , save the session with appropriate IP addresses and hostnames accordingly
session_name: sandbox, ip => 192.168.56.150

username: vagrant
password: vagrant

Congratulations. The Sandbox for the Hands on Lab is successfully configured.

as vagrant user, perform all below actions

# Add postgresql RPM repository - approx time 05 mins for installation 
sudo dnf install -y https://download.postgresql.org/pub/repos/yum/reporpms/EL-9-x86_64/pgdg-redhat-repo-latest.noarch.rpm

# Add postgresql RPM repository - approx time 05 mins for installation 
sudo dnf install -y https://download.postgresql.org/pub/repos/yum/reporpms/EL-9-x86_64/pgdg-redhat-repo-latest.noarch.rpm

# Disable the default PostgreSQL Application Stream module
sudo dnf -qy module disable postgresql

# Disable the default PostgreSQL Application Stream module
sudo dnf -qy module disable postgresql

# Install PostgreSQL 16 server and useful extras
sudo dnf install -y postgresql16-server postgresql16-contrib postgresql16

# Install PostgreSQL 16 server and useful extras
sudo dnf install -y postgresql16-server postgresql16-contrib postgresql16

# Force the SSH client to match the new libraries
sudo dnf reinstall openssh-clients openssh-server -y
sudo dnf update openssh-clients openssh-server -y

# Force the SSH client to match the new libraries
sudo dnf reinstall openssh-clients openssh-server -y
sudo dnf update openssh-clients openssh-server -y

we will create a cluster database named as “onboarding“

# Initialize the database cluster
sudo mkdir -p /var/lib/pgsql/onboarding
sudo chown postgres:postgres /var/lib/pgsql/onboarding
sudo -u postgres /usr/pgsql-16/bin/initdb -D /var/lib/pgsql/onboarding

# Initialize the database cluster
sudo mkdir -p /var/lib/pgsql/onboarding
sudo chown postgres:postgres /var/lib/pgsql/onboarding
sudo -u postgres /usr/pgsql-16/bin/initdb -D /var/lib/pgsql/onboarding

we will switch to the system’s postgres user and access the database using the psql utility.

# switch to postgres user
sudo -i -u postgres

# switch to postgres user
sudo -i -u postgres

# Start the Cluster onboarding
/usr/pgsql-16/bin/pg_ctl -D /var/lib/pgsql/onboarding -l logfile start

# Start the Cluster onboarding
/usr/pgsql-16/bin/pg_ctl -D /var/lib/pgsql/onboarding -l logfile start

# login to database
psql -p 5432 

# login to database
psql -p 5432 

Congratulations:
You have completed a sandbox cluster named – onboarding
Source database name is onboarding cluster running in port 5432.