Network

Understand FAQs on network configuration and modification on Oracle Database Appliance.

Can I use odacli modify-networking to change the public network after provisioning?

Yes. Use odacli modify-networking --requestjson json_path to modify the public network configuration after provisioning. The command supports public network changes for bare metal system, DB systems, and bare metal system with DB systems together. Before applying the change, generate and review the networking impact report using the odacli create-networking-impact-report -r json_path command. Proceed with odacli modify-networking only after all readiness checks pass.

What should I check before running the odacli modify-networking command?

Run and review the networking impact report with the odacli create-networking-impact-report -r json_path and odacli describe-networking-impact-report --job-id job_id commands. Before proceeding, verify that:
  • Readiness checks pass.
  • DNS resolves the existing hostnames to the new IP addresses.
  • Oracle ILOM is reachable for different-subnet migration.
  • Oracle ASR is deleted if configured.
  • Oracle Data Guard post-update steps are understood.
  • Oracle Key Vault post-update steps are understood.
  • External clients, NFS exports, HANFS, HAVIP, and Application KVMs are accounted for.

Where should I run odacli modify-networking and networking impact report commands from?

Run these commands from the bare metal system:
  • odacli modify-networking
  • odacli create-networking-impact-report
  • odacli describe-networking-impact-report
  • odacli list-networking-impact-reports
  • odacli delete-networking-impact-report

These commands are not supported from inside a DB system. These commands must run from the bare metal system because DB system public networks are backed by bare metal system network or vnetwork resources.

How do I see all readiness checks when the report says all checks passed?

Run the odacli describe-networking-impact-report --job-id job_id --json command. When all checks pass, the default output shows a summary instead of listing every individual readiness check.

When is a complete JSON payload required?

A complete JSON payload is required for different-subnet migrations. For a different-subnet change, the payload must include the complete target network configuration for bare metal system and all affected DB systems using the impacted network or vnetwork. If any affected DB system is missing from the payload, validation fails. For same-subnet changes, the payload can include only the components that need to be modified, such as SCAN IPs, VIPs, DNS servers, or NTP servers.

What are common validation failures?

Common validation failures include:
  • Missing bare metal section for different-subnet migration.
  • Missing affected DB systems for different-subnet migration.
  • Missing networkName or vnetworkName.
  • Missing netmask.
  • Invalid IP address.
  • Duplicate IP address.
  • Duplicate hostname or VIP name.
  • Node number or name mismatch.
  • IP addresses in the same section belonging to different subnets.
  • Invalid use of the all section.

Can I reuse the same JSON payload for the impact report and the actual network modification?

Yes. odacli create-networking-impact-report and odacli modify-networking use the same JSON payload. The recommended flow is:
  1. Prepare the JSON payload.
  2. Run odacli create-networking-impact-report -r json_path.
  3. Review the report.
  4. Fix any reported issues.

Does odacli modify-networking create new network entities?

No. The command modifies existing network configuration only. It does not create a new public network, vnetwork, VLAN network, DB system, or host.

Which commands can I use to verify the network configuration after the change?

Use the relevant describe commands: odacli describe-network -n network_name -j, odacli describe-vnetwork -n vnetwork_name -j, and odacli describe-system -j.

Also verify Oracle Clusterware resources, DNS resolution, NTP synchronization, database listener registration, and application connectivity as applicable.

Can I modify only DNS or NTP settings?

Yes. DNS-only and NTP-only updates are supported. Use networkServices.dnsServers when updating DNS for a specific bare metal or DB system section. Use networkServices.ntpServers when updating NTP for a specific bare metal or DB system section. Use the all section only when the same DNS or NTP settings must be applied to the bare metal system and all DB systems.

Does odacli modify-networking update external DNS records?

No. External DNS records must be updated before running odacli modify-networking. The existing host names must resolve to the new IP addresses before the network modification starts. Verify name resolution before proceeding: 
nslookup node-hostname 
nslookup node-vip-name 
nslookup scan-name

Do not proceed until DNS resolves the target hostnames to the new IP addresses.

Can I change the VLAN ID?

Yes, but only for an existing VLAN-configured network or vnetwork. The command supports changing an existing VLAN ID from one value to another. It does not support converting a non-VLAN network into a VLAN network. Valid VLAN ID range: 1-4094.

What should I do if Oracle ASR is configured?

Use the odacli delete-asr command to delete Oracle ASR before running the odacli modify-networking command. After odacli modify-networking completes successfully, configure Oracle ASR again using the odacli configure-asr command. Oracle ASR is not reconfigured automatically when you run the odacli modify-networking command.

What should I do if Oracle Data Guard is configured?

Review the networking impact report before running odacli modify-networking. After odacli modify-networking completes, run odacli modify-dataguard --transport-ips for each impacted Oracle Data Guard configuration listed in the networking impact report. Run odacli modify-dataguard --transport-ips from the system that currently hosts the primary database for that Oracle Data Guard configuration. If the system being modified currently hosts the primary database and application availability must be preserved, then perform a planned switchover before the network change.

What is the recommended order when Oracle Data Guard is configured across multiple Oracle Database Appliance systems?

First, set the Oracle Data Guard configuration to MAXIMUM_PERFORMANCE protection mode before starting the public network modification. Modify one Oracle Database Appliance system at a time. Do not modify the public network on multiple Oracle Data Guard sites at the same time.

Prefer modifying standby systems first. Run odacli modify-networking on the standby Oracle Database Appliance system. After the network change completes on that standby system, run odacli modify-dataguard --transport-ips from the current primary Oracle Database Appliance system for the impacted Oracle Data Guard configuration. This updates the Oracle Data Guard transport configuration so the modified standby can rejoin using the new network information.

Repeat the same sequence for each additional standby Oracle Database Appliance system. After all standby systems are updated and Oracle Data Guard transport is healthy, perform a planned switchover if the original primary system also needs a public network change. After the switchover, the original primary becomes a standby. Run odacli modify-networking on the original primary, now acting as standby. After the network change completes, run odacli modify-dataguard --transport-ips from the new primary Oracle Database Appliance system. If application availability must be preserved, do not modify the network on the current primary directly.

Perform a planned switchover first, then modify that system after it becomes a standby. After each site is modified, verify Data Guard status before moving to the next site.

What should I do if Oracle Key Vault-enabled databases are present?

Review the networking impact report before running the network change. After odacli modify-networking completes, run the Oracle Key Vault endpoint update for each impacted Oracle Key Vault-enabled database using odacli update-okvendpoint. Oracle Key Vault-enabled databases remain stopped after the network modification until the Oracle Key Vault endpoint is updated.

Does the command update external client-side tnsnames.ora files?

No. Only local configuration is updated. External client systems are not updated. You must update any external tnsnames.ora files, application connection strings, or client-side configuration that uses old IP addresses, VIPs, or SCAN addresses.

What happens to application KVMs or black-box VMs?

Oracle Database Appliance does not manage the network configuration inside application KVMs or black-box VMs. The networking impact report identifies application KVMs that use the affected network or vnetwork. You must manually update the guest-side network configuration if required.

What happens to HANFS or HAVIP?

Oracle Database Appliance tooling does not manage HANFS or HAVIP network lifecycle changes. If HANFS or HAVIP is configured and the public network changes, you must manually update the affected export and HAVIP configuration. The networking impact report calls out HANFS and HAVIP impact when detected.

Can the networking job be run again after failure?

Yes. The job can be run again. Fix the issue reported by the failed job or readiness check, then resubmit the same JSON payload, unless the error message instructs otherwise.

What should I do if the bare metal network modification succeeds but job fails during DB system network modification?

Fix the reported issue and run the same JSON payload again. Optionally, you can submit a JSON payload that contains only the DB system where the job failed. Bare metal system tasks that already completed either become no-ops or are skipped when the current configuration already matches the requested configuration.

Can DB systems be updated independently?

For same-subnet changes, selected DB systems can be updated independently. For different-subnet migrations, all affected DB systems using the impacted bare metal network or vNetwork must be included in the same payload.

Is this feature available in the Browser User Interface (BUI)?

No. Run ODACLI commands to use this feature.

Can I use this feature to modify private or ASM networks?

No. This feature is for public network, DNS, NTP, and supported VLAN ID changes on existing public network or vnetwork configuration. Private network and Oracle ASM network modification are outside the scope of this feature.

Can I use this feature to convert a DB system from public-network to a custom public vnetwork?

No. This feature modifies the configuration of an existing public network or vnetwork. It does not change the DB system network attachment model from public-network to a different custom vnetwork.

What happens if readiness checks fail?

The networking impact report does not generate the list of impacted components when readiness checks fail. The output shows failed checks, failure messages, and recommended actions. Fix the reported issues and run the odacli create-networking-impact-report -r json_path command again.

What should I do if the system becomes unreachable during a different-subnet migration?

Use Oracle ILOM console access to connect to the bare metal system. Verify the network configuration, DNS resolution, gateway, and Oracle Clusterware resource status. Fix the reported issue and rerun the same JSON payload if the modify-networking job did not complete successfully.

Troubleshooting Oracle Database Appliance

Parent topic: Oracle Database Appliance Frequently Asked Questions