8 Managing Storage

Expand storage capacity and replace disks in Oracle Database Appliance.

Topics:

  • About Managing Storage
    Depending on the available drives, you can expand Oracle Database Appliance X6-2S, X6-2M, or X6-L storage to add NVMe disks or replace existing NVMe disks.
  • Replacing NVMe Disks
    Replace NVM Express (NVMe) disks on Oracle Database Appliance.
  • Expanding NVMe Storage
    Add NVM Express (NVMe) disks on Oracle Database Appliance X6-2M or X6-2L to expand storage.

About Managing Storage

Depending on the available drives, you can expand Oracle Database Appliance X6-2S, X6-2M, or X6-L storage to add NVMe disks or replace existing NVMe disks.

Use the ODAADMCLI commands to perform appliance storage maintenance tasks, including perform storage diagnostics and collect diagnostic logs for storage components.

Default Configuration for Oracle Database Appliance X6-2S or X6-2M

The default configuration for Oracle Database Appliance X6-2S or X6-2M includes two (2) NVMe disks. You can expand storage by adding two (2) additional disks for a total of four (4) NVMe disks. When you expand storage, you must add both NVMe drives, adding just one is not supported.

In the figure, callout 2 is the location of NVMe0 and callout 3 is the location of NVMe1. If you use an expanded configuration, the additional disks (NVMe2 and NVMe3) are located in callouts 4 and 5. Refer to the figure and table to identify the location of NVMe disks and other devices.

The following drives are available:

  • Default configuration: NVMe0 and NVMe1

  • Expanded configuration:NVMe0 , NVMe1, NVMe2, and NVMe3

Figure 8-1 NVMe Storage Device Locations for X6-2S or X6-2M

Description of Figure 8-1 follows
Description of "Figure 8-1 NVMe Storage Device Locations for X6-2S or X6-2M"

Table 8-1 Storage Connections for Oracle Database Appliance X6-2S or X6-2M

Callout Number Description

0

HDD/SSD 0

1

HDD/SSD 1

2

NVMe0

3

NVMe1

4

Filler panel (optional NVMe2)

5

Filler panel (optional NVMe3)

6

Filler panel

7

Filler panel

8

Filler panel

Default Configuration for Oracle Database Appliance X6-2L

The default configuration for Oracle Database Appliance X6-2L includes six (6) NVMe disks. You can expand storage by adding three (3) disks for a total of nine (9) NVMe disks. When you expand storage, you must add all three NVMe drives, adding just one or two is not supported.

The drive numbers start with NVMe0. Slots NVMe2 (callout 3), NVMe5 (callout 6) and NVMe8 (callout 9) are available for storage expansion on base configuration models.

Note:

You cannot add drives to NVMe9 (callout 10), NVMe10 (callout 10), or NVMe11 (callout 12).

The following drives are available:

  • Default configuration: NVMe0, NVMe1, NVMe3, NVMe04, NVMe6, and NVMe7

  • Expanded configuration: NVMe0, NVMe1, NVMe3, NVMe04, NVMe6, NVMe7, NVMe2, NVMe5, and NVMe8

Description of GUID-25817AE0-D519-4B4E-B8C3-D0A54F1A2D82-default.png follows
Description of the illustration GUID-25817AE0-D519-4B4E-B8C3-D0A54F1A2D82-default.png

In the figure, callout 1 is the location of NVMe0, callout 2 is the location of NVMe1, callout 4 is the location of NVMe3, callout 5 is the location of NVMe4, callout 7 is the location of NVMe6, and callout 8 is the location of NVMe7. If you use an expanded configuration, the additional disks (NVMe2, NVMe5, and NVMe8) are located in callouts 3, 6, and 9. Refer to the figure and table to identify the location of NVMe disks.

Table 8-2 Storage Connections for Oracle Database Appliance X6-2L

Callout Number Description

1

NVMe0

2

NVMe1

3

Filler panel (optional NVMe2)

4

NVMe3

5

NVMe4

6

Filler panel (optional NVMe5)

7

NVMe6

8

NVMe7

9

Filler panel (optional NVMe8)

10

Filler panel

11

Filler panel

12

Filler panel

Drive LED Indicators

Each NVMe drive slot has a light-emitting diode (LED) indicator indicating the disk status:

  • Green LED: OK/Activity. Disk is working normally. It is not save to pull the drive when the green indicator light is on.

  • Amber LED: Service needed or there is a critical warning. It is not safe to pull the drive when the amber indicator light is on.

  • Blue LED: The disk is powered off and it is safe to remove the drive from the system.

Caution:

The power off command is valid only for that session. When the system is restarted, all of the disks are automatically powered on.

Replacing NVMe Disks

Replace NVM Express (NVMe) disks on Oracle Database Appliance.

When you need to replace an NVMe drive, use the software to power off the drive before pulling the drive from the slot. If you have more than one disk to replace, complete the replacement of one disk before starting replacement of the next disk.

WARNING:

Pulling a drive before powering it off will crash the kernel, which can lead to data corruption.

Caution:

Do not pull the drive when the LED is an amber or green color. 

Refer to About Managing Storage for where pd_00 , pd_01, pd_02 and pd_03 are located.

Perform the following steps to replace an NVMe disk:

  1. Identify the resource name (n) of the disk to replace. For example: pd_01.

  2. Power off the disk.

    # odaadmcli power disk off n

  3. Confirm that the disk is powered off. The LED is blue when the disk is powered off.

  4. Pull the disk from the slot and insert a new formatted disk into the same slot.

  5. Power on the disk. It takes a few minutes for disk replacement operation to complete.

    # odaadmcli power disk on n

  6. Confirm that the LED is turned GREEN

  7. Check the status of disk replacement.

    # odaadmcli show disk

Expanding NVMe Storage

Add NVM Express (NVMe) disks on Oracle Database Appliance X6-2M or X6-2L to expand storage.

You must add all expansion disks and expand storage on a all disks at the same time. Once you expand storage, you cannot revert to the default configuration

Caution:

Do not run attempt to expand storage on one disk and then expand storage on the second disk. When you expand storage, insert both disks, turn all disks on, and then expand the storage.

See About Managing Storage for the location of the disk slots.

Example 8-1 Adding 2 NVMe Disks to an Oracle Database Appliance X6-2M

Perform the following steps to add 2 NVMe disks to an Oracle Database Appliance X6-2M:

  1. Insert the new disks pd_02 and pd_03 in their respective disk slots.

  2. Turn the disks ON by issuing the following command :

    $ odaadmcli power disk on pd_02 $ odaadmcli power disk on pd_03

  3. Execute the odaadmcli expand storage command.

    $ odaadmcli expand storage

    It can take up to five minutes for the operation to complete. The green LED indicator light appears when the disks are available.