SAN/ Oracle file system

[samdba]

Hi all,

We are implementing Storage Area Network (SAN).

Is it a good idea to install oracle software on the SAN?

Or it should be installed locally on the server.

I did not find much on Metalink about it.

If we install it on SAN, can we share Oracle HOME between various database servers accessing the Storage?

Pl. share the experinece.

Thanks in Adv.

[alenz]

If you are using a clustered file system (two hosts mounting the same volumes on the SAN) then you can run multiple databases, on different hosts, from one set of binaries. But you have to have the clustered file system (Veritas has a product that will allow for this).

If you install the binaries on array drives and you loose the primary host then you could potentally mount the same volumes on another host and startup (recover) the database.

If you are using a smart array (ex. EMC array) you will be able to make a BCV copy of the binaries and move them to another server very easily.

Andrew
OCP
[email protected]

[Edited by alenz on 05-03-2002 at 04:30 PM]

[samdba]

Hi Andrew,

Ours is not a clustered file system. It is a two tier Oracle Financials application system. That means, I cannot share single Oracle Home for multiple databases. Right?

My first point was that if we install Oracle system software on the SAN box instead of on local server, what will be the performance difference?

Can you pl. help me ******** this?

Thanks,

[alenz]

Originally posted by samdba
Hi Andrew,

Ours is not a clustered file system. It is a two tier Oracle Financials application system. That means, I cannot share single Oracle Home for multiple databases. Right?

My first point was that if we install Oracle system software on the SAN box instead of on local server, what will be the performance difference?

You are right. If you are not using clustered file system then you will need to install the binaries on each host. You will tell the Oracle Apps installer which host is the App server and which one is the DB server.

If you want to run two databases on the same host then you can run both databases out of the same Oracle Home.

I do not think you will see any performance difference. But this depends on how the Array is setup. If you are striping across tons of disks then you should see a performance improvment. But, then again, Oracle does not read or write to this area that much.

Andrew
OCP
[email protected]

[sanjay92]

I am also looking for the same type of question.
I have two nodes ( Sun E4500 ) each with 2 CPU's and Veritas Cluster Server ( VCS). There is shared disk Array. Currently, our system is configured as Active/Passive so this means at one time only one node can access the database. The Oracle software is installed on the local drives on each node.
My question is what is the industry standard for installing oracle software. Should, it is installed on local nodes or shared disk. I think, if the Oracle software is installed on shared disk then it is less maintenance when upgrading oracle or applying patch.


Please suggest ?

Sanjay

[alenz]

sanjay92, you are right. it is less maintenance.
But, what if you want to upgrade or patch the binaries. In this case you must bring this Oracle Home off line and then upgrade the binaries then upgrade the database. If you have the binaries installed on both nodes you can upgrade the binaries on one node, mount the database on this node, update the database and you are only down for the time it takes to update the database files.

I don't think there is an industry standard for this, both have advantages.

Andrew