Preinstallation Considerations

Oracle Parallel Server/Real Application Clusters is a scalable application that can run on more than one node concurrently. Before you install Sun Cluster Support for Oracle Parallel Server/Real Application Clusters, consider the points that are listed in the subsections that follow.

Atypical Features of This Data Service

Sun Cluster Support for Oracle Parallel Server/Real Application Clusters is an atypical Sun Cluster high-availability data service. This data service is a set of packages that, when installed, enables Oracle Parallel Server/Real Application Clusters to run on Sun Cluster nodes. This data service also enables Sun Cluster Support for Oracle Parallel Server/Real Application Clusters to be managed by using Sun Clustercommands.

This data service does not provide automatic failover or fault monitoring because the Oracle Parallel Server/Real Application Clusters software already provides this functionality. The Oracle Parallel Server/Real Application Clusters software is not registered with or managed by the Sun Cluster Resource Group Manager (RGM).

You can configure Oracle Parallel Server/Real Application Clusters to use the shared-disk architecture of the Sun Cluster software. In this configuration, a single database is shared among multiple instances of the Oracle Parallel Server/Real Application Clusters software that access the database concurrently. The UNIX Distributed Lock Manager (Oracle UDLM) controls access to shared resources between cluster nodes.

Hardware and Software Requirements

Before you begin the installation, note the hardware and software requirements in the subsections that follow.

Sun Cluster Framework Requirements

Sun Cluster Support for Oracle Parallel Server/Real Application Clusters requires a functioning cluster with the initial cluster framework already installed. See the Sun Cluster 3.1 10/03 Software Installation Guide for details about initial installation of cluster software.

Storage Management Requirements

Decide which storage management scheme to use:

• VERITAS Volume Manager (VxVM) with the cluster feature

• Hardware redundant array of independent disks (RAID) support

• The cluster file system

  If you use the cluster file system, decide which volume manager to use:

  • Solaris Volume Manager

  • VxVM without the cluster feature

Software License Requirements

Verify that you have obtained and installed the appropriate licenses for your software. If you install your licenses incorrectly or incompletely, the nodes might abort.

For example, if you use VxVM with the cluster feature, verify that you have installed a valid license for the Volume Manager cluster feature by running one of the following commands:

• For versions of VxVM earlier than 3.5, run the vxlicense -p command.

• For VxVM version 3.5, run the vxlicrep command.

Supported Topology Requirements

Check with a Sun Enterprise Services representative for the current supported topologies for Sun Cluster Support for Oracle Parallel Server/Real Application Clusters, cluster interconnect, storage management scheme, and hardware configurations.

Patch Installation Requirements

Ensure that you have installed all of the applicable software patches for the Solaris operating environment, Sun Cluster, Oracle, and your volume manager. If you need to install any Sun Cluster Support for Oracle Parallel Server/Real Application Clusters patches, you must apply these patches after you install the data service.

Location of Application Binary Files and Application Configuration Files

You can install the application binary files and application configuration files on one of the following locations.

• The local disks of each cluster node. Placing the application binary files and application configuration files on the individual cluster nodes enables you to upgrade the application later without shutting down the data service.

  The disadvantage is that you then have several copies of the application binary files and application configuration files to maintain and administer.

• The cluster file system. If you put the application binary files and application configuration files on the cluster file system, you have only one copy to maintain and manage. However, you must shut down the data service in the entire cluster to upgrade the application. If a small amount of downtime for upgrades is acceptable, place a single copy of the application binary files and application configuration files on the cluster file system.

Requirements for Using the Cluster File System

You can store all of the files that are associated with Oracle Parallel Server/Real Application Clusters on the cluster file system, namely:

• Application binary files

• Control files

• Data files

• Log files

• Configuration files

The input/output (I/O) performance during the writing of redo logs is affected by the location of the device group for redo logs. For optimum performance, ensure that the primary of the device group for redo logs is located on the same node as the Oracle Parallel Server/Real Application Clusters database instance. This device group contains the cluster file system that holds online redo logs and archived redo logs of the database instance.

See the planning chapter of the Sun Cluster 3.1 10/03 Software Installation Guide for information about how to create cluster file systems.