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New to RAC, please help [message #74861] Mon, 23 June 2003 18:10 Go to next message
Juila
Messages: 8
Registered: June 2003
Junior Member
New to RAC, would like to seek some help for the following questions for me to get started. The system we are going to use will be Linux on Dell.

1) we plan to use direct attached SAN (Hitachi Data System) as the share storage. Do we still need clustering software, ie. OCFS (Oracle Cluster File System) as well as the Cluster Manager? My understanding is the clustering software is a must only when the shared storage for RAC is made up by the local disks. If OCFS is not needed, does that mean all the data consistency mechanism on the shared disks is handled by RAC itself already?

2) I have experience in building standalone Oracle9i on Linux on IBM Blades. I was wondering if there is any particular issues I need to pay more attention for building RAC
Re: New to RAC, please help [message #74862 is a reply to message #74861] Thu, 26 June 2003 01:47 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Martin Lehmann
Messages: 3
Registered: June 2003
Junior Member
Hi Julia,

you always need a "cluster software". On Linux this is delivered by Oracle. When you install the Oracle software, you have to
1. prepare your Linux OS, e.g. setup the watchdog.
There is a very good Oracle metalink note
"Step-By-Step Installation of RAC on Linux"
2. Install the Oracle provided Cluster Software
3. Start the Oracle Cluster Manager
4. Install Oracle RAC software

OCFS is a cluster filesystem, which allows you to use filesystems on your "shared" disks to hold the Oracle datafiles. This just an alternative to raw devices. I personally prefer the usage of raw devices.

Cheers,
Martin
Re: New to RAC, please help [message #74863 is a reply to message #74862] Thu, 26 June 2003 12:04 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Juila
Messages: 8
Registered: June 2003
Junior Member
Thank you very much Martin. It's definitly a great help for my first RAC/Linux build. So my further questions are:

1. Is Oracll Cluster Manager part of the Oracle provided Cluster Software?

2. Is RAC software bundled with 9iR2 EE ? Should RAC be installed from OUI or Cluster Manager?

3. Somehow I feel most people don't like raw devices, then what are your major concern of prefering the usage of raw devices?

Appreciate your time and expertise.

Julia.
Re: New to RAC, please help [message #74864 is a reply to message #74863] Fri, 27 June 2003 01:40 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Martin Lehmann
Messages: 3
Registered: June 2003
Junior Member
Hi Julia,
1. Oracle CM is provided by Oracle.
2. The RAC software and the CM are on the 9iR2 EE CDs.
a) Prepare Linux Environment (e.g watchdog)
b) Install CM using OUI.
c) Leave OUI
d) Configure, start Oracle CM
e) Install Oracle RAC SW (RAC option is only with running CM visibile.
f) Create database
g) Turn database into 'RAC' database
3. RAC uses shared disks. Oracle ensures data integrity on write operations. If you want to store the datafiles using a filesystem you need a "Cluster Filesystem", because the simultaneous writes need to be syncronized onow n filesystem level. There are some "professional" CFS available, but only on certain OS. For Linux Oracle provides a CFS just for RAC. I havn't tried it so far, but I think it introduces a new source of potential bugs/problems. Raw always works and is more performant.
Cheers, Martin
Re: New to RAC, please help [message #74865 is a reply to message #74864] Sun, 29 June 2003 13:40 Go to previous message
Juila
Messages: 8
Registered: June 2003
Junior Member
Thank you very much Martin. Very apprecited.

Julia
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