4 Installing Oracle Clusterware on Windows-Based Systems

This chapter describes the procedures for installing Oracle Clusterware on Windows, phase one of the Oracle Database 10g Real Application Clusters (Oracle RAC) installation on Windows-based systems. The topics in this chapter are:

Verifying Oracle Clusterware Requirements with CVU
Preparing to Install Oracle Clusterware with OUI
Installing Oracle Clusterware with OUI
Formatting Drives to Use Oracle Cluster File System after Installation

Note:

To install Oracle Clusterware on Windows Server 2008, use Oracle Database 10g Release 2 (10.2.0.3) for Microsoft Windows Vista and Microsoft Windows Server 2008 media. This media is available in the media pack and on Oracle Technology Network. In addition, for Windows Server 2008, you must have administrator privileges and run commands from an Administrative command prompt to run executables that reside in the Oracle Clusterware home.

Verifying Oracle Clusterware Requirements with CVU

Using the following command syntax, start Cluster Verification Utility (CVU) to check system requirements for installing Oracle Clusterware:

cluvfy stage -pre crsinst -n node_list

In the preceding syntax, replace the cluvfy command with the path and name for the command on the installation media and the variable node_list with the names of the nodes in your cluster, separated by commas.

For example, with the installation files in a stage directory on the C: drive, enter the following command for a cluster with nodes node1, node2, and node3:

C:\> stage\clusterware\cluvfy\runcluvfy.bat stage -pre crsinst -n node1,node2,node3

The Cluster Verification Utility Oracle Clusterware stage check verifies the following:

User Equivalence: User equivalence exists on all the specified nodes
Node Reachability: All the specified nodes are reachable from the local node
Node Connectivity: Connectivity exists between all the specified nodes through the public and private network interconnections
Administrative Privileges: The oracle user has proper administrative privileges to install Oracle Clusterware on the specified nodes
Shared Storage Accessibility: If specified, the Oracle Cluster Registry (OCR) device and voting disk are shared across all the specified nodes
System Requirements: All system requirements are met for installing Oracle Clusterware software, including kernel version, kernel parameters, software packages, memory, swap directory space, temp directory space, and required users and groups
Node Applications: VIP, ONS, and GSD node applications are created for all the nodes

Troubleshooting Clusterware Setup for Windows

If the CVU report indicates that your system fails to meet the requirements for Oracle Clusterware installation, then use the topics in this section to correct the problem or problems indicated in the report, and run the CVU command again.

User Equivalence Check Failed: Cause: Failure to establish user equivalency across all nodes. This can be due to not providing the administrative user on each node with the same password.; Action: When you install Oracle Clusterware, each member node of the cluster must have user equivalency for the Administrative privileges account that installs the database. This means that the administrative privileges user account and password must be the same on all nodes. CVU provides a list of nodes on which user equivalence failed. For each node listed as a failure node, review the Oracle user configuration to ensure that the user configuration is properly completed.

Node Reachability Check: Cause: One or more nodes in the cluster cannot be reached using TCP/IP protocol, through either the public or private interconnects.; Action: Use the command ping address to check each node address. When you find an address that cannot be reached, check your list of public and private addresses to make sure that you have them correctly configured. Ensure that the public and private network interfaces have the same interface names on each node of your cluster.

Administrative Privileges Check Failed

Cause: The administrative privileges required for installation are missing or incorrect.

Action: From the node where you intend to run OUI, verify that you have administrative privileges on the other nodes. To do this, enter the following command for each node that is a part of the cluster:

net use \\node_name\C$

where node_name is the node name.

If you find a node where you are not able to log on, then you must correct the user information on that node. Oracle recommends that you use the same user name and password on each node in a cluster, or use a domain user name. If you use a domain user name, then log on under a domain with a username and password that has local administrative privileges on each node.

When you have corrected the path configuration information on the node, run the CVU check again.

Preparing to Install Oracle Clusterware with OUI

Before you install Oracle Clusterware, use the following checklist to ensure that you have all the information you will need during installation, and you have completed all tasks that must be done before starting to install Oracle Clusterware. Mark the check box for each task as you complete it, and write down the information needed, so that you can provide it during installation.

Verify Cluster Privileges

Before running Oracle Universal Installer, from the node where you intend to run the Installer, verify that you have administrative privileges on the other nodes. To do this, enter the following command for each node that is a part of the cluster:
```
net use \\node_name\C$
```
where node_name is the node name.
Shut Down Running Oracle Processes

If you are installing Oracle Clusterware on a node that already has a single-instance Oracle Database 10g installation, then stop the existing ASM instances. After Oracle Clusterware is installed, start up the ASM instances again. After Oracle Clusterware is installed, when you restart the ASM instances, they use the cluster CSS daemon instead of the daemon for the single-instance Oracle database.

If a GSD from Oracle9i, Release 9.2 or earlier is running, then stop it before installing Oracle Database 10g Oracle Clusterware by stopping the OracleGSDService in the Services window.
Note:
If you receive a warning to stop all Oracle services after starting OUI, then run the command
```
Oracle_home\bin\localconfig delete
```
where Oracle_home is the home that is running CSS.
Decide if you want to install other languages

During installation, you are asked if you want to install additional languages other than the default.

Note:
If the language set for the operating system is not supported by Oracle Universal Installer, then Oracle Universal Installer, by default, runs in the English language.
Determine your cluster name, public node names, private node names, and virtual node names for each node in the cluster

If you install the clusterware during installation, then you are asked to provide a public node name and a private node name for each node. When you enter the public node name, use the primary host name of each node. In other words, use the name displayed by the hostname command but without any portion of the domain name that may be returned by the command.

In addition, ensure that the following are true:
- Determine a cluster name with the following characteristics:
  - It must be globally unique throughout your host domain
  - It must be at least one character long and less than 15 characters long
  - It must consist of the same character set used for host names: underscores (_), hyphens (-), and single-byte alphanumeric characters (a to z, A to Z, and 0 to 9). If you use third-party vendor clusterware, then Oracle recommends that you use the vendor cluster name
- Determine a private node name or private IP address for each node. The private IP address is an address that is only accessible by the other nodes in this cluster. Oracle uses private IP addresses for inter-node, or instance-to-instance Cache Fusion traffic. Oracle recommends that you provide a name in the format public_hostname-priv. Example: myclstr2-priv.
- Determine a virtual host name for each node. A virtual host name is a public node name that is used to reroute client requests sent to the node if the node is down. Oracle uses virtual IP addresses (VIPs) for client to database connections, so the VIP address must be publicly accessible. Oracle recommends that you provide a name in the format public_hostname-vip. Example: myclstr2-vip
  Note:
  The following is a list of additional information about node IP addresses:
  - The IP addresses that you use for all of the nodes in the current installation process must be from the same subnet.
  - If you create private and virtual host names in the format nodename-priv and nodename-vip, then OUI looks up these addresses and fills them in by default during the installation. If the OUI does not find these addresses, then you must fill in addresses during installation.
  - Host names, private names, and virtual host names are not domain-qualified. If you provide a domain in the address field during installation, then the OUI removes the domain from the address.
  - Private IP addresses should not be accessible as public interfaces. Using public interfaces for Cache Fusion can cause performance problems.
Determine the complete path for the raw devices or shared file systems, and set up the voting disk and Oracle Cluster Registry partitions

During installation, at the Cluster Configuration Storage page, you are asked to provide paths for two files that must be shared across all nodes of the cluster, either on a shared raw device, or a shared file system file:
- The Cluster Synchronization Services (CSS) voting disk is a partition that Oracle Clusterware uses to verify cluster node membership and status. Provide at least 256 MB disk space for the voting disk.
- The Oracle Cluster Registry (OCR) contains cluster and database configuration information for the Oracle RAC database and for Oracle Clusterware, including the node list, and other information about cluster configuration and profiles. Provide at least 256 MB disk space for the OCR.
In addition, if you intend to use Oracle Cluster File System (OCFS) then you are prompted to indicate which of the available disks you want to format with OCFS, what format type you want to use, and to what drive letter the formatted OCFS disk is mounted.

Ensure that you create at least the minimum required drives for installation.

See Also:
The pre-installation chapters in Part II for information about the minimum raw device sizes

Installing Oracle Clusterware with OUI

This section provides you with information about how to use Oracle Universal Installer (OUI) to install Oracle Clusterware. It contains the following sections:

Starting OUI in Console Mode
Running OUI to Install Oracle Clusterware
Installing Oracle Clusterware Using a Cluster Configuration File

Starting OUI in Console Mode

If you are performing an installation using VNC or terminal services, then you should perform that installation in console mode. If you do not do this, then the Oracle Clusterware software installs, but cluster configuration assistants fail.

Use the following command to start terminal services in console mode:

mstsc -v:servername /F –console

Running OUI to Install Oracle Clusterware

Perform the following procedures to complete phase one, install Oracle Clusterware with Oracle Universal Installer, of the installation of Oracle Database 10g with Oracle RAC:

Log in to Windows with Administrative privileges and run the setup.exe command on the Oracle Clusterware media. This will open the Oracle Universal Installer (OUI) Welcome page.
After you click Next on the Welcome page, the Specify File Locations page will allow you to accept the displayed path name for the Oracle Clusterware products or select a different one. You may also accept default directory and path name for the location of your Oracle Clusterware home or browse for an alternate directory and destination. You must select a destination that exists on each cluster node that is part of this installation. Click Next to confirm your choices.
The installer verifies that your environment meets all of the minimum requirements for installing and configuring the products that you have chosen to install. The results are displayed on the Product-Specific Prerequisite Checks page. Verify and confirm the items that are flagged with warnings and items that require manual checks. After you confirm your configuration, OUI proceeds to the Cluster Configuration page.
Note:
If the check identifies an existing, local CSS, you must shutdown the Oracle database and ASM instance from the Oracle home where CSS is running. To accomplish this, run the following command, using the existing Oracle home, in a separate window before you continue with the installation:
```
Oracle home\bin\localconfig delete
```
The Cluster Configuration page contains predefined node information if OUI detects that your system has Oracle9i Release 2 clusterware. Otherwise, OUI displays the Cluster Configuration page without predefined node information.

Provide your own cluster name if you do not wish to use the name provided by OUI. Note that the selected cluster name must be globally unique throughout the enterprise and its allowable character set is the same as that for hostnames, that is, underscores (_), hyphens (-), and single-byte alphanumeric characters (a to z, A to Z, and 0 to 9).

Note:
If your cluster has Oracle9i Release 2 clusterware installed, then you must enter the same cluster name that you used for the Oracle9i Release 2 installation or else the installation will fail.

Enter a public, a virtual, and a private host name for each node. Do not include a domain qualifier with the host names. When you enter the public host name, use the primary host name of each node, that is, the name displayed by the hostname command. The virtual node name is the name to be associated with the VIP for the node. The private node refers to an address that is only accessible by the other nodes in this cluster, and which Oracle uses for Cache Fusion processing. You should enter the private host name for each node.

Note:
You may provide the cluster configuration information in a text file and provide that file name instead of completing the individual fields on the Cluster Configuration page. See the following section, "Installing Oracle Clusterware Using a Cluster Configuration File", for details about cluster configuration files.

Click Next after you have entered the cluster configuration information. This saves your entries and opens the Specify Network Interface Usage page.
In the Specify Network Interface Usage page OUI displays a list of cluster-wide interfaces. Use the drop-down menus on this page to classify each interface as Public, Private, or Do Not Use. The default setting for each interface is Do Not Use. You must classify at least one interface as Public and one as Private. Click Next when you have made your selections to open the Select Disk Formatting Options page.
On the Cluster Configuration Storage page, identify the disks that you want to use for the Oracle Clusterware files and, optionally, Oracle Cluster File System (OCFS) storage. Highlight each of these disks one at a time and click Edit to open the Specify Disk Configuration page where you define the details for the selected disk.

Notes:

The OUI page described in this step displays logical drives from which you must make your selections.

If you are installing on a cluster with an existing cluster file system from an earlier release of Oracle, then the OCR and voting disk will be stored in that file system. In this case, you do not require new partitions for the OCR and voting disk, even if you do not format a logical drive for data file storage.
On the Specify Disk Configuration page, designate whether you want to place a copy of the OCR, a copy of the voting disk, or a copy of both files on the partition. If you plan to use OCFS, then indicate whether you plan to store software, database files, or both software and database files on selected disk. For OCFS, disks, select an available drive letter to be used to mount the partition once formatted.
After you click Next, OUI checks whether the remote inventories are set. If they are not set, then OUI sets up the remote inventories by setting registry keys. OUI also verifies the permissions to enable writing to the inventory directories on the remote nodes. After completing these actions, OUI displays a Summary page that shows the cluster node information along with the space requirements and availability. Verify the installation that OUI is about to perform and click Finish.
When you click Finish, OUI installs OCFS and Oracle Clusterware software on the local node and validates the installation again. OUI will also create any required OCFS file systems. After validating the installation, OUI completes the Oracle Clusterware software installation and configuration on the remote nodes.
For installations of Oracle Clusterware on a system that also contains Oracle9i Real Application Clusters, note these additional considerations and complete the steps as necessary:
- Restart all of the newly installed Oracle Database 10g cluster member nodes. You can restart one node at a time so that availability of Oracle9i databases is not disrupted.
- If there will be a significant delay before you perform phase two of the Oracle RAC installation to install Oracle Database 10g with Oracle RAC software, then execute the command CRS_home\bin\gsdctl start to start the GSD manually to service the 9.2 SRVCTL tool and assistants. Then, before configuring Oracle Database 10g with Oracle RAC software, run the command CRS_home\bin\gsdctl stop to stop the GSD.

At this point, you have completed phase one, Oracle Clusterware installation, and are ready to install Oracle Database 10g with Oracle RAC as described in Chapter 5, "Installing Oracle Database 10g with Oracle Real Application Clusters". If you intend to use Oracle Clusterware without an Oracle RAC database, then refer to the single-instance Oracle Database installation guide.

Installing Oracle Clusterware Using a Cluster Configuration File

During installation of Oracle Clusterware, on the Specify Cluster Configuration page, you are given the option either of providing cluster configuration information manually, or of using a cluster configuration file. A cluster configuration file is a text file that you can create before starting OUI, which provides OUI with information about the cluster name and node names that it needs to configure the cluster.

Oracle suggests that you consider using a cluster configuration file if you intend to perform repeated installations on a test cluster, or if you intend to perform an installation on many nodes.

To create a cluster configuration file:

On the installation media, navigate to the directory Disk1\response.
Using a text editor, open the response file crs.rsp, and find the section CLUSTER_CONFIGURATION_FILE.
Follow the directions in that section for creating a cluster configuration file.

Formatting Drives to Use Oracle Cluster File System after Installation

If you install Oracle Database 10g with Oracle RAC, and later you want to install OCFS, then run the ocfsformat.exe command from the crs_home\cfs directory using the following syntax. Use /f to apply the force option and reformat the partition if you previously formatted the partition with OCFS. Additional variable definitions for the following example are:

drive_letter is the drive on which you want to format OCFS
clustersize is the size of a file system block (the minimum amount of space that OCFS allocates for a file).
volume_label is an optional volume label

crs_home\cfs\ocfsformat.exe /l drive_letter /c clustersize [/v volume_label] [/f]