Network Checklist for Oracle Grid Infrastructure

Review this network checklist for Oracle Grid Infrastructure installation to ensure that you have required hardware, names, and addresses for the cluster.

During installation, you designate interfaces for use as public, private, or Oracle ASM interfaces. You can also designate interfaces that are in use for other purposes, such as a network file system, and not available for Oracle Grid Infrastructure use.

If you use a third-party cluster software, then the public host name information is obtained from that software.

Table 1-4 Network Configuration Tasks for Oracle Grid Infrastructure and Oracle RAC

Check	Task
Public network hardware	Public network switch (redundant switches recommended) connected to a public gateway and to the public interface ports for each cluster member node. Ethernet interface card (redundant network cards recommended, bonded as one Ethernet port name). The switches and network interfaces must be at least 1 GbE. The network protocol is Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and Internet Protocol (IP).
Private network hardware for the interconnect	Private dedicated network switches (redundant switches recommended), connected to the private interface ports for each cluster member node. Note: If you have more than one private network interface card for each server, then Oracle Clusterware automatically associates these interfaces for the private network using Grid Interprocess Communication (GIPC) and Grid Infrastructure Redundant Interconnect, also known as Cluster High Availability IP (HAIP). The switches and network interface adapters must be at least 1 GbE. The interconnect must support the user datagram protocol (UDP). Jumbo Frames (Ethernet frames greater than 1500 bits) are not an IEEE standard, but can reduce UDP overhead if properly configured. Oracle recommends the use of Jumbo Frames for interconnects. However, be aware that you must load-test your system, and ensure that they are enabled throughout the stack.
Oracle Flex ASM Network Hardware	Oracle Flex ASM can use either the same private networks as Oracle Clusterware, or use its own dedicated private networks. Each network can be classified PUBLIC or PRIVATE+ASM or PRIVATE or ASM. Oracle ASM networks use the TCP protocol.
Cluster Names and Addresses	Determine and configure the following names and addresses for the cluster: Cluster name: Decide a name for the cluster, and be prepared to enter it during installation. The cluster name should have the following characteristics: Globally unique across all hosts, even across different DNS domains. At least one character long and less than or equal to 15 characters long. Consist of the same character set used for host names, in accordance with RFC 1123: 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. Grid Naming Service Virtual IP Address (GNS VIP): If you plan to use GNS, then configure a GNS name and fixed address in DNS for the GNS VIP, and configure a subdomain on your DNS delegated to the GNS VIP for resolution of cluster addresses. GNS domain delegation is mandatory with dynamic public networks (DHCP, autoconfiguration). Single Client Access Name (SCAN) and addresses Using Grid Naming Service Resolution: Do not configure SCAN names and addresses in your DNS. SCAN names are managed by GNS. Using Manual Configuration and DNS resolution: Configure a SCAN name to resolve to three addresses on the domain name service (DNS).
Node Public, Private and Virtual IP names and Addresses	If you are not using GNS, then configure the following for each node: Public node name and address, configured in the DNS and in /etc/hosts (for example, node1.example.com, address 192.0.2.10). The public node name should be the primary host name of each node, which is the name displayed by the hostname command. Private node address, configured on the private interface for each node. The private subnet that the private interfaces use must connect all the nodes you intend to have as cluster members. Oracle recommends that the network you select for the private network uses an address range defined as private by RFC 1918. Public node virtual IP name and address (for example, node1-vip.example.com, address 192.0.2.11). If you are not using dynamic networks with GNS and subdomain delegation, then 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 Database uses VIPs for client-to-database connections, so the VIP address must be publicly accessible. Oracle recommends that you provide a name in the format hostname-vip. For example: myclstr2-vip.