4.8 Using Exascale with Older Oracle Releases

This topic outlines options for using Exascale storage to support older Oracle Grid Infrastructure and Oracle Database software releases.

Starting with Oracle Grid Infrastructure 23ai (release 23.5.0) and Oracle Database 23ai (release 23.5.0), you can use Exascale to natively store and manage the Oracle Grid Infrastructure shared files (OCR and voting files), and Oracle Database files such as data files, control files, log files, and so on. Using Exascale in conjunction with natively supported Oracle software releases enables full functionality for optimal system performance.

However, you can use Exascale storage to support older Oracle Grid Infrastructure and Oracle Database software releases. The following outlines the available options:

• Option 1: Use Exascale Direct Volume (EDV).

  This option uses Oracle Grid Infrastructure release 23.5.0 (or later) and native Exascale vault storage for the Oracle Grid Infrastructure shared files.

  You can use EDV to provide storage for databases that use Oracle Database software before release 23.5.0. You can use EDV in either of two ways:

  • You can use EDV attachments as ASM grid disks to define an ASM disk group based on EDV storage. The resulting disk group can store your Oracle Database files the same way as any other ASM disk group.

  • You can use Oracle Advanced Cluster File System (ACFS) to create a cluster-aware file system based on EDV storage. The resulting file system can store your Oracle Database files and other files, such as Oracle Database binaries, log files, and so on.

  Note:

  By using either of the above approaches, the associated Oracle databases cannot use Exadata Storage Server offloading capabilities, such as Exadata Smart Scan, to offload database processing to the storage servers.

• Option 2: Use Exascale Block Volumes and iSCSI.

  This option uses standard iSCSI protocols as the means to expose Exascale block volumes to database servers or virtual machines (VMs).

  For example, you can use iSCSI attachments as ASM grid disks to define an ASM disk group based on Exascale block storage. The resulting disk group can store your Oracle Database files the same way as any other ASM disk group.

  Note:

  By using this option, the associated Oracle databases cannot use Exadata Storage Server offloading capabilities, such as Exadata Smart Scan, to offload database processing to the storage servers.

• Option 3: Use a Hybrid Installation with Exascale and Oracle ASM.

  In a hybrid installation, part of the available Exadata storage is allocated to Exascale, while the other part is allocated to Oracle ASM. Under this arrangement, you can use Exascale natively for supported Oracle Grid Infrastructure and Oracle Database releases. And, you can use Oracle ASM natively for older Oracle Grid Infrastructure and Oracle Database releases.

  By using this option, all of your Oracle databases can take full advantage of Exadata Smart Storage features, such as Exadata Smart Scan.