1.3 Software Components

1.3.1 Oracle Private Cloud Appliance Dashboard

The Oracle PCA provides its own web-based graphical user interface that can be used to perform a variety of administrative tasks specific to the appliance. The Oracle PCA Dashboard is a WebLogic application that is available via the active management node. It is installed on top of the Oracle WebLogic Server 11g that is packaged with Oracle VM Manager, as described in Section 1.3.3, “Oracle VM Manager”.

Use the Dashboard to perform the following tasks:

Appliance system monitoring and component identification
Monitoring and identifying physical network connections
Initial configuration of management node networking data
Resetting of the global password for Oracle PCA configuration components

The Oracle PCA Dashboard is described in detail in Chapter 2, Monitoring and Managing Oracle Private Cloud Appliance.

1.3.2 Password Manager (Wallet)

All components of the Oracle Private Cloud Appliance have administrator accounts with a default password. After applying your data center network settings through the Oracle PCA Dashboard, it is recommended that you modify the default appliance password. The Authentication tab allows you to set a new password, which is applied to the main system configuration components.

Caution

The Oracle WebLogic Server password cannot be set from the Dashboard. Please change the password in the Oracle WebLogic Server Administration Console. Make sure it matches the password configured in the Wallet. Otherwise the Oracle PCA will not be able to connect to Oracle WebLogic Server. For details, see Section 7.9, “Changing Oracle WebLogic Server Passwords”.

Caution

When modifying component ILOM passwords, make sure that it is identical for all compute nodes and management nodes. The server ILOM password must be updated in three locations:

the ILOM's own interface
the Oracle PCA Wallet
the server IPMI configuration in Oracle VM Manager

Passwords for all accounts on all components are stored in a global Wallet, secured with 512-bit encryption. The password update functionality in the Dashboard is restricted to the Dashboard UI itself, Oracle VM Manager, the root user account on both management nodes, and the ovs user account of the Oracle VM mySQL database. It is possible to change the password for other accounts and components by setting the password manually and updating the Wallet entry from the command line of the master management node. For details, see Section 7.10, “Replacing Default Passwords Manually”.

Manually changing passwords is required in case the Wallet is out of sync with the current status of the hardware. For instance, this could occur after a backup of the appliance software and configuration is restored.

1.3.3 Oracle VM Manager

All virtual machine management tasks are performed within Oracle VM Manager, a WebLogic application that is installed on each of the management nodes and which provides a web-based management user interface and a command line interface that allows you to manage your Oracle VM infrastructure within the Oracle PCA.

Oracle VM Manager is comprised of the following software components:

Oracle VM Manager application: provided as an Oracle WebLogic Server domain and container.
Oracle WebLogic Server 11g: including Application Development Framework (ADF) Release 11g, used to host and run the Oracle VM Manager application
MySQL 5.5 Enterprise Edition Server: for the exclusive use of the Oracle VM Manager application as a management repository and installed on the Database file system hosted on the ZFS storage appliance.

Administration of virtual machines is performed using the Oracle VM Manager web user interface, as described in Chapter 4, Managing the Oracle VM Virtual Infrastructure. While it is possible to use the command line interface provided with Oracle VM Manager, this is considered an advanced activity that should only be performed with a thorough understanding of the limitations of Oracle VM Manager running in the context of an Oracle Private Cloud Appliance.

1.3.4 Operating Systems

Hardware components of the Oracle Private Cloud Appliance run their own operating systems:

Management Nodes: Oracle Linux 6 with UEK2
Compute Nodes: Oracle Linux 5 with UEK2
Oracle ZFS Storage Appliance ZS3-ES: Oracle Solaris 11

All other components run a particular revision of their respective firmware. All operating software has been selected and developed to work together as part of the Oracle PCA. When an update is released, the appropriate versions of all software components are bundled. When a new software release is activated, all component operating software is updated accordingly. You should not attempt to update individual components unless Oracle explicitly instructs you to.

1.3.5 Databases

The Oracle PCA uses a number of databases to track system states, handle configuration and provisioning, and for Oracle VM Manager. All databases are stored on the ZFS storage appliance, and are exported via an NFS file system. The databases are accessible to each management node to ensure high availability.

The following table lists the different databases used by the Oracle PCA.

Table 1.2 Oracle Private Cloud Appliance Databases

Item	Description
Oracle PCA Node Database	Contains information on every compute node and management node in the rack, including the state used to drive the provisioning of compute nodes and data required to handle software updates. Type: BerkeleyDB Location: `MGMT_ROOT/db/node` on the ZFS, accessible via `/nfs/shared_storage/db/node` on each management node
Oracle Fabric Interconnect Database	Contains IP and host name data for the Oracle Fabric Interconnect F1-15s. Type: BerkeleyDB Location: `MGMT_ROOT/db/infrastructure` on the ZFS, accessible via `/nfs/shared_storage/db/infrastructure` on each management node
Oracle PCA Netbundle Database	Predefines Ethernet and bond device names for all possible networks that can be configured throughout the system, and which are allocated dynamically. Type: BerkeleyDB Location: `MGMT_ROOT/db/netbundle` on the ZFS, accessible via `/nfs/shared_storage/db/netbundle` on each management node
Oracle Switch ES1-24 Ports Database	Defines the factory-configured map of Oracle Switch ES1-24 ports to the rack unit or element to which that port is connected. It is used to map Oracle Switch ES1-24 ports to machine names. Type: BerkeleyDB Location: `MGMT_ROOT/db/opus_ports` on the ZFS, accessible via `/nfs/shared_storage/db/opus_ports` on each management node
Oracle PCA DHCP Database	Contains information on the assignment of DHCP addresses to newly detected compute nodes. Type: BerkeleyDB Location: `MGMT_ROOT/db/dhcp` on the ZFS, accessible via `/nfs/shared_storage/db/dhcp` on each management node
Oracle PCA Mini Database	A multi-purpose database used to map compute node hardware profiles to on-board disk size information. It also contains valid hardware configurations that servers must comply with in order to be accepted as an Oracle PCA component. Entries contain a sync ID for more convenient usage within the CLI. Type: BerkeleyDB Location: `MGMT_ROOT/db/mini_db` on the ZFS, accessible via `/nfs/shared_storage/db/mini_db` on each management node
Oracle PCA Setup Database	Contains the data set by the Oracle PCA Dashboard setup facility. The data in this database is automatically applied by both the active and standby management nodes when a change is detected. Type: BerkeleyDB Location: `MGMT_ROOT/db/setup` on the ZFS, accessible via `/nfs/shared_storage/db/setup` on each management node
Oracle PCA Task Database	Contains state data for all of the asynchronous tasks that have been dispatched within the Oracle PCA. Type: BerkeleyDB Location: `MGMT_ROOT/db/task` on the ZFS, accessible via `/nfs/shared_storage/db/task` on each management node
Oracle PCA Synchronization Databases	Contain data and configuration settings for the synchronization service to apply and maintain across rack components. Errors from failed attempts to synchronize configuration parameters across appliance components can be reviewed in the `sync_errored_tasks` database, from where they can be retried or acknowledged. Type: BerkeleyDB Location: `MGMT_ROOT/db/sync_` on the ZFS, accessible via `/nfs/shared_storage/db/sync_` on each management node
Oracle PCA Update Database	Used to track the two-node coordinated management node update process. Note Database schema changes and wallet changes between different releases of the controller software are written to a file. It ensures that these critical changes are applied early in the software update process, before any other appliance components are brought back up. Type: BerkeleyDB Location: `MGMT_ROOT/db/update` on the ZFS, accessible via `/nfs/shared_storage/db/update` on each management node
Oracle VM Manager Database	Used on each management node as the management database for Oracle VM Manager. It contains all configuration details of the Oracle VM environment (including servers, pools, storage and networking), as well as the virtualized systems hosted by the environment. Type: MySQL Database Location: `MGMT_ROOT/ovmm_mysql/data/` on the ZFS, accessible via `/nfs/shared_storage/ovmm_mysql/data/` on each management node

1.3.6 Oracle Private Cloud Appliance Management Software

The Oracle Private Cloud Appliance includes software that is designed for the provisioning, management and maintenance of all of the components within the appliance.

Important

This software is not designed for human interaction. All configuration and management tasks must be performed using the Oracle PCA Dashboard. Do not attempt to run any of these processes directly without explicit instruction from an Oracle Support representative. Attempting to do so may render your appliance unusable.

This software largely consists of a number of Python applications that run on the active management node. These applications are found in /usr/sbin on each management node and are listed as follows:

pca-backup: the script responsible for performing backups of the appliance configuration as described in Section 1.6, “Oracle Private Cloud Appliance Backup”
pca-check-master: a script that verifies which of the two management nodes currently has the master role
ovca-daemon: the core provisioning and management daemon for the Oracle PCA
pca-dhcpd: a helper script to assist the DHCP daemon with the registration of compute nodes
pca-diag: a tool to collect diagnostic information from your Oracle PCA, as described in Section 1.3.7, “Oracle Private Cloud Appliance Diagnostics Tool”
pca-factory-init: the appliance initialization script used to set the appliance to its factory configuration
pca-helper: a support script used to perform particular configuration tasks and to assist with appliance configuration
pca-node-db: a script used to maintain and update the Oracle PCA Node Database described in Section 1.3.5, “Databases”
pca-redirect: a script to redirect HTTP or HTTPS requests to the Oracle PCA Dashboard described in Section 1.3.1, “Oracle Private Cloud Appliance Dashboard”
ovca-remote-rpc: a script that allows other components to communicate with the various management scripts available on the management node
ovca-rpc: a script that allows the Oracle PCA Dashboard to communicate directly with the underlying management scripts running on the management node
pca-update-password: a script that controls password updates for each different component in the appliance
pca-updater: the script that allows you to download updated software for the Oracle PCA. It also allows you to activate the update, as described in Section 1.7, “Oracle Private Cloud Appliance Software Update”
pca-vm-tool: an internal script to facilitate virtual machine deployment.

Many of these applications use a specific Oracle PCA library that is installed in /usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages/ovca/ on each management node.

1.3.7 Oracle Private Cloud Appliance Diagnostics Tool

The Oracle Private Cloud Appliance includes a tool that can be run to collect diagnostic data: logs and other types of files that can help to troubleshoot hardware and software problems. This tool is located in /usr/sbin/ on each management and compute node, and is named pca-diag. The data it retrieves, depends on the selected command line arguments:

pca-diag
When you enter this command, without any additional arguments, the tool retrieves a basic set of files that provide insights into the current health status of the Oracle PCA. You can run this command on all management and compute nodes. All collected data is stored in /tmp, compressed into a single tarball (pcadiag_<node-hostname>_<ID>_<date>_<time>.tar.bz2).
pca-diag version
When you enter this command, version information for the current Oracle PCA software stack is displayed. The version argument cannot be combined with any other argument.
pca-diag ilom
When you enter this command, diagnostic data is retrieved, by means of ipmitool, through the ILOM of each component in the rack. The data set includes details about the host's operating system, processes, health status, hardware and software configuration, as well as a number of files specific to the Oracle PCA configuration. You can run this command on all management and compute nodes. All collected data is stored in /tmp, compressed into a single tarball (pcadiag_<node-hostname>_<ID>_<date>_<time>.tar.bz2).
pca-diag vmpinfo
Caution
When using the vmpinfo argument, the command must be run from the master management node.
When you enter this command, the Oracle VM diagnostic data collection mechanism is activated. The vmpinfo3 script collects logs and configuration details from the Oracle VM Manager, and logs and sosreport information from each Oracle VM Server or compute node. All collected data is stored in /tmp, compressed into two tarballs: pcadiag_<node-hostname>_<ID>_<date>_<time>.tar.bz2 and vmpinfo3-<version>-<date>-<time>.tar.gz.
To collect diagnostic information for a subset of the Oracle VM Servers in the environment, you run the command with an additional servers parameter: pca-diag vmpinfo servers='ovcacn07r1,ovcacn08r1,ovcacn09r1'

Diagnostic collection with pca-diag is possible from the command line of any node in the system. Only the master management node allows you to use all of the command line arguments. Although vmpinfo is not available on the compute nodes, running pca-diag directly on the compute can help retrieve important diagnostic information regarding Oracle VM Server that cannot be captured with vmpinfo. Running pca-diag from different locations can be particularly helpful in debugging InfiniBand fabric issues.

The pca-diag tool is typically run by multiple users with different roles. System administrators or field service engineers may use it as part of their standard operating procedures, or Oracle Support teams may request that the tool be run in a specific manner as part of an effort to diagnose and resolve reported hardware or software issues. For additional information and instructions, also refer to the section “Data Collection for Service and Support” in the Oracle Private Cloud Appliance Release Notes.