2.1.3 Improved Performance Using Partner Cache Reads

When a storage server resumes operation following planned maintenance, unplanned failure, or replacement of a hard disk drive or flash device, the Exadata Smart Flash Cache may not contain recently accessed data. However, a secondary copy of the recently accessed data normally resides in the cache of a partner storage server.

Building on existing capabilities, Oracle Exadata System Software release 26.1.0 introduces additional enhancements to caching algorithms and supporting infrastructure, further enabling a storage server to deliver high I/O performance immediately after maintenance by performing a partner read to a remote cache rather than a more expensive disk read on the local server.

In this release, partner cache reads are enabled for analytical workloads (using Smart Scan and Columnar Cache) and OLTP on databases using Oracle ASM or Exascale. In all cases, partner cache reads automatically transform local flash cache misses into remote cache hits, improving read I/O performance and minimizing disk reads. No user or administrator effort is required.

Additionally, Exascale uses partner cache reads to proactively accelerate cache warmup when a storage server comes back online.

This capability requires Oracle Database 23ai version 23.9 (July 2025) or later. For Oracle AI Database 26ai version 23.26.0, you must also apply patch 37606114. Later 26ai versions include this update.