Oracle FAQ Your Portal to the Oracle Knowledge Grid
HOME | ASK QUESTION | ADD INFO | SEARCH | E-MAIL US
 

Home -> Community -> Mailing Lists -> Oracle-L -> Re: polyserve and oracle 10g

Re: polyserve and oracle 10g

From: Connor McDonald <mcdonald.connor_at_gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 7 Jun 2005 08:47:20 +0800
Message-ID: <5e3048620506061747b9ccef7@mail.gmail.com>


I bounced the initial post off Kevin Closson at Polyserve, and he replied as follows:

<quote>

>>i've seen some references that oracle does not certify oracle=20
>>products running on polyserve and that the support for=20
>>"Unbreakable Linux" is therefore not provided.  i believe this=20
>>is because polyserve requires a custom kernel to run.

This is a long answer to a topic that is actually wider than PolyServe. The key is knowing what "Unbreakable Linux" is.

PolyServe contains Kernel Loadable Modules (KLM). Just loading a=20 non-open-source KLM into the kernel voids "Unbreakable Linux".=20 That includes certain Fiber Channel HBA drivers, certain=20 MPIO drivers and so on. The only software allowed to be closed source is Oracle for "Unbreakable Linux".=20

PolyServe is not going to open source our products. Like Oracle, we have a great deal of proprietary value add and a business model that does not favor open sourcing. The value-add is exactly why HP=20 and Novell resell (and OEM in the case of HP) PolyServe - and provide support=20
for it along with Linux. Not all problems can be solved with Open Source.
That is the very reason customers are still choosing Oracle instead of MySQL for certain IT needs.

So the answer to this question is to first understand "Unbreakable Linux".=20
The following points are based on quotes from this URL:

http://www.oracle.com/technology/tech/linux/htdocs/oracleonlinux_faq.html#6

  1. Unbreakable Linux is support for the Operating System.

"Oracle customers running RHEL, SLES or Asianux, can call Oracle=20 directly for any Oracle or OS issue. Oracle will diagnose the issue=20 and will work with the OS partner to address the operating system=20 issue as needed."

2. Even with Unbreakable, customers still need OS support from the OS provider.

"customers must have a current support contract in place with Oracle.=20 In addition, Novell and Asianux customers must maintain current support=20 contracts with those distributors, and Red Hat customers must maintain=20 a Standard or Premium support contract with Red Hat to be eligible for=20 Unbreakable Support."

3. Choosing to deploy outside the "Unbreakable" model does not render

   Oracle products unsupported

"If a customer recompiles the kernel or uses third-party software that modifies=20
the Linux kernel, they are no longer eligible for Unbreakable Linux Support=20
and can't receive direct Linux OS technical support from Oracle. In these=20
cases, Oracle will continue to support Oracle products on the certified Linux=20
distributions."

The PolyServe website contains a good deal of Oracle specific content. The=20
value propositions are all outlined in solution briefs stored there.

Kevin Closson
Chief Architect, Database Solutions
PolyServe
</quote>

hth
Connor

On 6/7/05, Marquez, Chris <cmarquez_at_collegeboard.org> wrote:
> Haroon,

>=20

> I have used OCFS.
> It is little slow, and took a lot of probably unfair abuse ( from me) whe=
n really many of our issues *might* be hardware related.
> Still OCFS is not the best, but worth the price we paid for it.
> I *think* and believe that Polyserve is the best and clear leader in the =
Oracle-RAC-Linux space.
> I would love to have tried it and talk to some (on this list) who have.
>=20
> Below are some of my personal notes and comment during our initial RAC co=
nfig/test and links...not much here.
> 1.) I personally would not use/trust the RH or VERITAS option, only becau=
se they seem new...and I don't like *new* with RAC!
> 2.) email Polyserve directly...trust me...the know if they are certified =
with Oracle or not...open a TAR too...do both and you eventually get a fina= l answer?
>=20

> hth
>=20

> PS All my stuff is 9i...never used RAC and 10g.
>=20

> Chris Marquez
> Oracle DBA

>=20
> =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
> Global Cluster Filesystem-GFS, Cluster Filesystem-CF;
> =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D >=20
> >>Wouldn't looking at another alternative of OCFS meaning products like R=
edhat Global Filesystem
> Yes, and RAW is an alternative.
> Other Global Cluster Filesystem-GFS, Cluster Filesystem-CF;
> - Polyserve; http://www.polyserve.com/sol_linux_9irac.html
> - Red Hat; http://www.redhat.com/software/rha/gfs/
> - VERITAS Storage Foundation for Oracle; http://www.veritas.com/Products=
/www?c=3Dproduct&refId=3D145
>=20

> RAW is;
> * Has not additional cost to us.
> * Is support by Oracle and for many, many years the only options for OPS/=
RAC.
> * Been used by Oracle OPS/RAC for 7+ years.
> * Administratively more challenging...you have to be diligent in space ad=
ministration when using RAW...not for the lazy!
>=20

> Global Cluster Filesystem-GFS, Cluster Filesystem-CF is;
> * (Other than OCFS) An additional expenses.
> * (Other than OCFS) something we/I have no experiences with.
> * "Might" not support by Oracle (this is critical).
>=20
>=20
>=20

> -----Original Message-----
> From: oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org on behalf of Haroon A. Qureshi
> Sent: Sun 6/5/2005 4:43 AM
> To: oracle-l_at_freelists.org
> Subject: polyserve and oracle 10g
>=20

> greetings,
>=20

> a client is planning on implementing 10g RAC and is looking
> into hardware and filesystems to use for the implementation.
> they have settled on linux on ibm servers and are still
> deciding which cluster file system to use. polyserve is an
> option, as well as OCFS.
>=20

> i've seen some references that oracle does not certify oracle
> products running on polyserve and that the support for
> "unbreakable linux" is therefore not provided. i believe this
> is because polyserve requires a custom kernel to run.
>=20

--=20
Connor McDonald
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D
email: connor_mcdonald_at_yahoo.com
web: http://www.oracledba.co.uk

"Semper in excremento, sole profundum qui variat"

--
http://www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l
Received on Mon Jun 06 2005 - 20:52:20 CDT

Original text of this message

HOME | ASK QUESTION | ADD INFO | SEARCH | E-MAIL US