1. Deploying Oracle Database Exadata Cloud at Customer (Gen 1/OCI-C)
  2. Network Requirements
  3. Networks and Network Services

Networks and Network Services

Learn about the network requirements for Exadata Cloud at Customer.

Network Requirements

Exadata Cloud at Customer utilizes various different networks to provide secure and reliable network connectivity for different application and management functions. The following list outlines the minimum network requirements to install an Exadata Cloud at Customer system:

Note:

Each network described below requires its own separate VLAN and subnet.

  • Oracle cloud management network

    This network connects Exadata Cloud at Customer servers and switches to the Cloud Control Plane and the Oracle Advanced Support Gateway, and is used by Oracle exclusively for administrative work on all Oracle-managed infrastructure components of Exadata Cloud at Customer.

    Each database server and Exadata Storage Server has two network interfaces connected to the Oracle cloud management network. One provides management access to the server through one of the embedded 1/10 GbE Ethernet ports (NET0). The other provides access to the Integrated Lights-Out Management (ILOM) subsystem through a dedicated ILOM Ethernet port. Exadata Cloud at Customer is delivered with the ILOM and NET0 ports connected to the Ethernet switch in the rack. Cabling or configuration changes to these interfaces are not permitted.

  • Client network

    This network connects the Exadata Cloud at Customer database servers to your existing client network and is used for client access to the database servers. Applications access databases on Exadata Cloud at Customer through this network using Single Client Access Name (SCAN) and Oracle RAC Virtual IP (VIP) interfaces.

    The client access network uses a pair of 10 GbE interfaces, which are connected to the customer network through a pair of top-of-rack switches. Depending on your overall Exadata Cloud at Customer configuration, the top-of-rack switches may reside in the same Exadata Cloud at Customer rack, or in another Exadata Cloud at Customer rack, or in the Cloud Control Plane rack.

    The database servers support channel bonding to provide higher bandwidth or availability for client connections to Exadata Cloud at Customer. Oracle recommends channel bonding for the client access network. For the connection to your corporate network, you must provide network switches capable of supporting your chosen bonding mode. For example, if mode 4 (IEEE 802.3ad Link Aggregation) is configured, then you must supply and configure network switches capable of supporting this bonding mode.

    By default, at the operating system level inside DomU on each database server, the network interfaces supporting the client access network are identified as eth6 and eth7 on quarter and eighth rack systems, or as eth4 and eth5 on half and full rack systems. When bonding is used the corresponding bonded interface is identified as bondeth0.

  • Backup network

    This network is similar to the client access network, as it connects the Exadata Cloud at Customer database servers to your existing network. It can be used for access to the database servers for various purposes, including backups and bulk data transfers.

    By default, the backup network uses a pair of network interfaces that support up to 10 GbE, which are connected to the customer network through a pair of top-of-rack switches.

    Channel bonding is supported for the backup network to provide higher bandwidth or availability, and Oracle recommends channel bonding for the backup network. For the connection to your corporate network, you must provide network switches capable of supporting your chosen bonding mode. For example, if mode 4 (IEEE 802.3ad Link Aggregation) is configured, then you must supply and configure network switches capable of supporting this bonding mode.

    By default, at the operating system level inside DomU on each database server, the network interfaces supporting the backup network are identified as eth2 and eth3 on quarter and eighth rack systems, or as eth6 and eth7 on half and full rack systems. When bonding is used the corresponding bonded interface is identified as bondeth1.

  • InfiniBand private network

    This network connects the database servers and Exadata Storage Servers using the InfiniBand switches on the rack. Each server contains two InfiniBand network interfaces (IB0 and IB1) that are connected to InfiniBand switches on the rack. Oracle Database uses this network for Oracle RAC cluster interconnect traffic and for accessing data on Exadata Storage Servers. This non-routable network is fully contained in Exadata Cloud at Customer, and does not connect to your existing network.

Data Center Network Services

Exadata Cloud at Customer requires the following data center network services:

  • DNS server

    As part of the deployment process, you will work in combination with Oracle to determine the host names and IP addresses to be used when deploying Exadata Cloud at Customer.

    The host names and IP addresses for the Oracle cloud management network, client access network, backup network, and customer administration network, along with all single client access name (SCAN) addresses, and VIP addresses, are registered in an Oracle owned and managed Domain Name System (DNS) implementation that resides in the Cloud Control Plane.

    You are required to configure DNS zone delegation on your corporate DNS servers so that all requests related to Exadata Cloud at Customer are forwarded to the Oracle owned and managed DNS.

  • NTP server

    At least one reliable NTP server is required and should be accessible on the Oracle cloud management network and the customer administration network. At deployment time, all servers and switches in Exadata Cloud at Customer are configured to reference the same NTP servers so that the Exadata Cloud at Customer servers and switches are synchronized to the same time. The NTP sever configuration can also be changed after initial deployment if required.