Preparing to Convert with rconfig and Oracle Enterprise Manager

You can use rconfig or Oracle Enterprise Manager to assist with converting a single-instance database installation to an Oracle RAC database.

The first of these, rconfig, is a command-line utility. Oracle Enterprise Manager Cloud Control database administration option, Convert to Cluster Database, provides a GUI-based conversion tool. Before you start the conversion, back up your existing database; you should take a backup of your database before starting any major change.

Note:

Starting with Oracle AI Database 26ai, the RCONFIG utility is deprecated.

Prerequisites for Converting to Oracle RAC Databases

Your Oracle Real Application Clusters (Oracle RAC) environment must meet these prerequisites before you can convert your database.

Before you convert a single-instance database to an Oracle RAC database, ensure that the following conditions are met for each cluster node that you intend to make an Oracle RAC database node:

Oracle Clusterware 26ai is installed, configured, and running.
Oracle RAC 26ai software is installed.
The Oracle software has the Oracle RAC option enabled.
Shared storage, either Oracle Cluster File System or Oracle ASM, is available and accessible from all nodes.
User equivalence exists for the oracle account, or the user account used to install the Oracle software.
If you intend to use Oracle Enterprise Manager, then the Oracle Management Agent on each node is configured and running, and is configured with cluster and host information.
You have backed up your existing database.

Note:

You must use clustered Oracle ASM instances for Oracle RAC databases.

Configuration Changes During Oracle RAC Conversion Using rconfig

These changes occur when you convert a single-instance database to Oracle RAC using the rconfig utility.

Note:

Starting with Oracle AI Database 26ai, the RCONFIG utility is deprecated.

Oracle recommends that you use Database Configuration Assistant (DBCA). Beginning with Oracle Enterprise Manager 13c Release 5 Update 23 (13.5.0.23), converting a single-instance database to Oracle RAC through Oracle Enterprise Manager using the RCONFIG utility is no longer supported.

During the conversion, rconfig places the target Oracle RAC database into archive log mode, and enables archiving for the database. If you do not plan to use archive log space, then you can disable archive logging after the conversion has completed.
For the Shared Storage Type value, if you enter CFS, and you use a cluster file system for your single-instance database storage, then rconfig converts the environment to use Oracle Managed Files for database storage, and places the data files in a subdirectory located under the shared storage location.
During the conversion, rconfig moves database files to a specified shared location, and configures them using Oracle Managed Files.
To avoid using Oracle Managed Files with your converted database, the single-instance database files must be located in a shared file system, and you must indicate that rconfig should not move the files.

Converting Databases to Oracle RAC Using rconfig or Oracle Enterprise Manager

This list describes scenarios for converting a single-instance Oracle AI Database to an Oracle RAC database.

Converting a single-instance Oracle AI Database 26ai database to an Oracle RAC 26ai database, running out of the same Oracle home and using the same data files as the single-instance database.
In this scenario, run the rconfig utility from the Oracle RAC database home, or use the Convert to RAC option on the single-instance database target of Oracle Enterprise Manager Cloud Control.
Converting a single-instance database that uses a release of Oracle AI Database earlier than Oracle AI Database 26ai to an Oracle RAC 26ai database, running out of the same Oracle home and using the same data files as the single-instance database
In this scenario, use Oracle Universal Installer and Database Upgrade Assistant (DBUA) to update the single-instance database to Oracle AI Database 26ai. Then use rconfig or the Oracle Enterprise Manager Convert to RAC option, as described in the preceding scenario.
Converting a single-instance Oracle AI Database 26ai to an Oracle RAC 26ai database, running out of a different Oracle home and using the same data files as the single-instance database.

In this scenario, run the rconfig utility in the target database home, or use the Convert to RAC option in the single-instance database target of Oracle Enterprise Manager Cloud Control. Provide the file storage location when prompted.

Note:
If you specify Oracle home users for both the target database home and the source database home, then the Oracle home user for the target database home must be the same as the Oracle home user for the source database home.
Converting a single-instance Oracle AI Database 26ai to an Oracle RAC 26ai database, running out of a different Oracle home, and where the host on which the single-instance database runs is not a node used by the Oracle RAC database.
In this scenario, create a clone image of the single-instance database, and move the clone image to a host that is one of the nodes used by the Oracle RAC database. Then use rconfig or the Oracle Enterprise Manager Convert to RAC option, as described in the preceding scenario.

Converting Databases to Oracle RAC Using Oracle Enterprise Manager

You can use Oracle Enterprise Manager Cloud Control to convert a single-instance database to an Oracle RAC database.

To use this feature, complete the following steps:

Log in to Oracle Enterprise Manager Cloud Control. From the Home page, click the Targets tab.
On the Targets page, click the Databases secondary tab, and click the link in the Names column of the database to convert to Oracle RAC.
On the Database home page, from the Availability menu, select Convert to Cluster Database.
Log in as the database user SYS with SYSDBA privileges to the database you want to convert, and click Next.
On the Convert to Cluster Database: Cluster Credentials page, provide a user name and password for the oracle user and password of the target database to convert. If the target database is using Oracle ASM, then also provide the SYSASM user and password, and then click Next.
On the Hosts page, select the host nodes in the cluster to be cluster members in the installed Oracle RAC database. When you have completed your selection, click Next.
On the Convert to Database: Options page, select whether you want to use the existing listener and port number, or specify a new listener and port number for the cluster. Also provide a prefix for cluster database instances on the cluster.
When you have finished entering information, click Next, or click Help if you need assistance in deciding how to enter information.
On the Convert to Cluster Database: Shared Storage page, either select the option to use your existing shared storage area, or select the option to have your database files copied to a new shared storage location. Also, decide if you want to use your existing fast recovery area or copy your recovery files to a new fast recovery area using files managed by Oracle AI Database.
If you use Oracle ASM, then Oracle recommends that you place the data files and the recovery files in separate failure groups. A failure group is defined by shared hardware, such as a controller shared between two disks, or two disks that are on the same spindle. If two disks share hardware that could fail, making both disks unavailable, then theses disks are said to be in the same failure group. If you do not use Oracle ASM, then Oracle recommends that the data files and the recovery files are stored in separate locations, for example, separate Oracle ASM failure groups, so that a hardware failure does not affect availability.

When you have finished entering information, click Next, or click Help if you need assistance in deciding how to enter information.
On the Convert to Cluster Database: Review page, review the options you have selected. Click Submit Job to proceed with the conversion. To change any options you have selected, click Back. To cancel the conversion, click Cancel.
On the Confirmation page, click View Job to check the status of the conversion.