Oracle Optimal Flexible Architecture (OFA) rules are a set of configuration guidelines created to ensure well-organized Oracle installations, which simplifies administration, support and maintenance.

• About the Optimal Flexible Architecture Standard
  Oracle Optimal Flexible Architecture (OFA) rules help you to organize database software and configure databases to allow multiple databases, of different versions, owned by different users to coexist.
• Changes to the Optimal Flexible Architecture for Oracle Database
  The Optimal Flexible Architecture recommended Oracle home path is similar to the following:
• Directory Tree Differences by Release
  Optimal Flexible Architecture has necessitated changes to the Oracle Database directory tree.
• Optimal Flexible Architecture Directory Naming Conventions
  Optimal Flexible Architecture uses directory naming conventions that make it easy to identify the precise Oracle home and database name that is associated with a set of files.
• Optimal Flexible Architecture and Multiple Oracle Home Configurations
  Learn about the various Optimal Flexible Architecture and multiple Oracle homes configurations.
• Comparison Between Optimal Flexible Architecture on Windows and UNIX
  You can implement Optimal Flexible Architecture on Windows and UNIX in a similar manner.
• Optimal Flexible Architecture Structure File Mapping
  The following table shows a hierarchical file mapping for the log files of a sample Optimal Flexible Architecture-compliant installation in the orcl database: