Re: Connecting an Exadata V2 to an X2

From: Andy Colvin <acolvin_at_enkitec.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2011 12:58:13 -0500
Message-Id: <3838D061-FAFA-40A5-8460-3320BB2D22FC_at_enkitec.com>

Exactly as Kerry said. We originally purchased a quarter rack V2, and chose to buy the half rack upgrade a year later. Because the V2 wasn't available for sale any more, we received X2 components. Purchasing an upgrade is different from a new Exadata purchase, as you will just receive the components needed to perform the upgrade (our half rack upgrade included 2 database servers, 4 storage servers, an Infiniband switch, and a bunch of cables). It took the Sun engineers a couple of days to get everything installed in the rack. The longest wait was for the labels that identify which cable goes into which server ship from another part of the universe apparently. After we had everything cabled in the rack, we were ready to configure the new components. You can either add the storage servers and database servers into the existing cluster, or create a second cluster and storage grid (that's what we did). There is nothing physically that would prevent you from connecting the V2 and X2 nodes into the same cluster. Just remember that you will have less memory on the V2 database servers compared to the X2 database servers (72GB vs 96GB).

The process of upgrading an Exadata system (1/4 to 1/2 rack, 1/2 to full rack) is to configure the griddisks on the new cells, add them into ASM, then add each of the database servers to the cluster.

We have one customer who has gone through the process of a 1/4 --> 1/2 rack upgrade...they were using all X2-2 parts, running Exadata storage server version 11.2.2.2.2 with database version 11.2.0.2 (BP5) at the time. One thing to remember is that the upgrade parts will be running on the latest Exadata software versions, so if your V2 is running older software versions (11.2.0.1 database or 11.2.1.X storage server version), you will need to look at patching your V2 to get it in sync with the X2 components. You definitely don't want them running on different patch levels if they're going to be in the same cluster.

Andy

Andy Colvin

Principal Consultant
Enkitec
andy.colvin_at_enkitec.com
http://blog.oracle-ninja.com
Office - 972-607-3744
Mobile - 214-763-8140

On Oct 20, 2011, at 8:32 AM, Kerry Osborne wrote:

> We have upgraded a V2 quarter rack to a half rack with X2 components. Works like a champ. Ours is all in one rack. The half rack upgrade price did not inlclude another rack. The component were shipped on a palate and the Sun guys came out and installed all the servers and the additional IB switch in the rack and then wired them all together. We did the configuration ourselves. I was in a pretty large meeting months after our upgrade when the subject came up and there seemed to be no clear statement of policy from the Oracle folks as to whether this was "allowable". But it is clearly technically possible and in fact, the only way to expand a V2 since you can't buy V2 components from them anymore.
> 
> Kerry Osborne
> Enkitec
> blog: kerryosborne.oracle-guy.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Oct 19, 2011, at 6:24 AM, jason arneil wrote:
> 

>> Hello,
>>
>> To clarify.
>>
>> I guess I mean expanding a V2 with X2 kit.
>>
>> So has anyone mixed V2 and X2 kit within the same rack (well different physical racks) but looking like 1 exadata rack.
>>
>> jason.
>>
>> --
>> http://jarneil.wordpress.com
>>
>>
>> On 19 Oct 2011, at 12:17, Frits Hoogland wrote:
>>

>>> Can you elaborate on the 'connecting' part? Do you mean connecting the
>>> infiniband networks of a V2 and an X2?
>>> 
>>> Frits Hoogland
>>> 
>>> http://fritshoogland.wordpress.com
>>> mailto:frits.hoogland_at_gmail.com
>>> cell: +31 6 53569942
>>> 
>>> Op 19 okt. 2011 om 13:13 heeft jason arneil <jason.arneil_at_gmail.com>
>>> het volgende geschreven:
>>> 
>>>> Hello,
>>>> 
>>>> I'm looking to hear about any good/bad experiences with connecting an Exadata V2 to a newer X2.
>>>> 
>>>> I'm particularly keen to hear from anyone who has done this, and what versions of the software you have used.
>>>> 
>>>> Feel free to contact me off-list if you would prefer.
>>>> 
>>>> Many thanks,
>>>> 
>>>> Jason.
>>>> 
>>>> --
>>>> http://jarneil.wordpress.com--
>>>> http://www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l
>>>> 
>>>> 

>>
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>>
>>

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Received on Thu Oct 20 2011 - 12:58:13 CDT