ORA-01503 CREATE CONTROLFILE FAILED… while trying to create a database

Since you asked RAC, please see if you can use this non-RAC example as a starting point. For db_name != db_unique_name != sid - Non-RAC - Oracle 12.1 - Custom Database (not seed)

On the command line, set ddbname == parameter db_unique_name, and also set parameter db_name

dbca    \
-silent \
-createDatabase \
-templateName    wailua.dbt     \
-sid wailua20           \
-gdbname wailuaq        \
-initParams db_unique_name=wailuaq,db_name=wailua       \

where wailua.dbt is copied from New_Database.dbt

db_name and db_unique_name are not mentioned in wailua.dbt

Note that variables SID and DB_UNIQUE_NAME expand in the template.

[oracle@waipio1 wailua20 templates]$ echo $ORACLE_SID
wailua20

[oracle@waipio1 wailua20 templates]$ sqlplus / as sysdba

SQL*Plus: Release 12.1.0.1.0 Production on Wed Jun 11 00:48:22 2014

Copyright (c) 1982, 2013, Oracle.  All rights reserved.


Connected to:
Oracle Database 12c Enterprise Edition Release 12.1.0.1.0 - 64bit Production
With the Partitioning, Automatic Storage Management, OLAP, Advanced Analytics
and Real Application Testing options

SQL> show parameter db_name

NAME                                 TYPE        VALUE
------------------------------------ ----------- ------------------------------
db_name                              string      wailua
SQL> show parameter db_unique_name

NAME                                 TYPE        VALUE
------------------------------------ ----------- ------------------------------
db_unique_name                       string      wailuaq

oratab:
wailua20:/app/oracle/product/12.1.0/db_1:N:         # line added by Agent

ASM:
asmcmd ls data/WAILUAQ/
CONTROLFILE/
DATAFILE/
ONLINELOG/
PARAMETERFILE/
TEMPFILE/
spfilewailua20.ora

Full crdb.wailua.ksh dbca script: http://pastebin.com/vx3k5g3U/

dbca log: http://pastebin.com/8UQDEDZn/

This means that the listener (the software that listens on the network for database connection attempts) doesn't know that your DB exists.

Normally, when you start up an Oracle 11g DB, it'll automatically "register" with the listener within 60 seconds or so (I believe it's background process PMON responsible for this). You can force a listener registration by connecting as sysdba on the local machine - e.g.:

SHELL> sqlplus / as sysdba

Then typing:

SQL> ALTER DATABASE REGISTER;

This will tell the database to register with the listener.

However - this relies on the database knowing how to talk to the listener! Because your listener is listening on port 1522, so you'll need to explicitly tell your database where to find it:

See http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E11882_01/network.112/e41945/listenercfg.htm#NETAG1154 ("Registering Information with a Local Listener")

For a real-world example, see:

http://edstevensdba.wordpress.com/2011/07/30/exploring-the-local_listener-parameter/

As to whether you should use DBCA or the query... it's up to you. DBCA is by far the simpler, however it also hides the details away. My preference is to use DBCA to generate a set of scripts which I then peruse and alter as appropriate.