Installing Oracle Database 12c as Container Database with three Pluggable Databases

Here is a video recorded during the creation of the first database. Go on if you want to see all the screenshots.

So we have already installed the software of the Oracle Database 12c release 1 (have a look at this post) and now we want to create a database using dbca.
So let's run dbca from the oracle user.

[oracle@vsi08devpom ~]$ dbca &

Select the operation you want to perform using dbca. Because I've already created an Oracle Database all the options are available. Anyway I want to create another database so I'm going to select Create Database.

During the Creation Mode screen you have two options:
1. you can create a database with default configuration. It's possible to create it as Container Database and create also one Pluggable Database.

I'm not going to click the finish button right now. I want to use the second option to create a database.

2. So choose Advanced Mode in which you configure your own database structure. This option enables you to perform more complex installations, such as creating individual passwords for different accounts, creating specific types of starter databases (for example, for transaction processing or data warehouse systems), using different language groups, specifying email notifications, and so on.

During the Advanced Mode screens you can choose to create the database as Container Database.
Select the Create as Container database option to create the database as a multitenant container database (CDB) that can support one pluggable database (PDB). If you want Oracle Universal Installer to create a PDB when it creates the CDB, specify the PDB name in the Pluggable Database Name field. The PDB name must be unique. If you need to create more than one PDB you have to provide a PDB Name Prefix.

The next Advanced Mode screen asks you how you want to manage your database: configuring the EM Database Express or registering it with EM Cloud Control.

The next screen asks you to specify passwords for SYS, SYSTEM and PDBADMIN or use the same password for all accounts.

The next screen asks you to select a listener or create a new one.

The next screen asks you to specify the storage locations for database files (storage type: File System or Automatic Storage Management) and for recovery related files (you can specify a Fast Recovery Area and enable archiving)

The next screen shows you the several database components you are going to configure like Oracle Database Vault or Label Security.

The next screen asks you to configure Database Vault and Label Security (I didn't select them during this installation).

The next screen let you specify settings about memory, default database block size and the maximum number of operating system user processes simultaneously connected to the database, character sets and the connection mode (dedicated server mode or shared server mode).Select the Enable Automatic Memory Management option to allow the database to automatically distribute memory between SGA and PGA. If you do not select this option, then the SGA and PGA must be sized manually.

The next screen asks you to select the Creation Options for the database (create, save as database template, generate database creation scripts).

The pre requisite checks are all satisfied.

Creation of the database configuration summary.

Database configuration summary created. So click finish button to begin the installation process.

 The database creation is in progress... still 36%.

 The database is finally created as well as the EM Database Express. In my case I was running another EM Database Express so the next available port was used (5501 instead of the "already in use" 5500). If you want to change the port number of your EM Database Express have a look at this post.

 Some screenshots from the EM Database Express.

That's all.