Re: Anyone with experience with the Oracle Data Appliance/ODA?

The ODAs apparently are each set up as two stand-alone servers with shared storage. I understand that one needs to use oakcli to create databases and that this tool hides pretty much all functionality that we are used to through dbca etc.
Yes, oakcli is the magic behind ODA but it does not preclude you from using DBCA. If you need to create a database that does not fall into one of the oakcli templates, feel free to use DBCA or any other classic method.

But what does it do exactly?
Oakcli is nothing more than a bunch of very well written perl and shell scripts that wrap the classic tools included with the Oracle database software. They are easy to find and read if you really want to know what they are doing.

How does one manage the OCFS?
You will not find OCFS on the ODA. It uses ACFS for the cluster file system as well as the database files.

Can a file system be mounted on both nodes, or just on one? Is this automatic?
Oakcli will take care of this for you.

Given a complete backup (... which is a problem all of its own...), how does one restore a database?
Use RMAN or Enterprise Manager for this. There will be little difference from a standard RAC database in how you backup and restore a database.

Don't use centralised wallets with TDE, otherwise problems will arise -- but what does that even mean?
This isn't specific to the ODA. There are a number of reasons to have local wallets in RAC -- one of the most important being that you can't have a local only autologin wallet if it is shared with multiple nodes.

You will find little argument that the documentation for ODA is mediocre at best. This is why a number of training companies (including the one I teach for) have developed their own content for the ODA. I think your best course of action, though, is to get yourself a couple of excellent books. Practical Oracle Database Appliance
<http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Oracle-Database-Appliance-Curtis/dp/1430262656> Oracle Database Appliance: A Hands-On Guide <http://www.amazon.com/Oracle-Database-Appliance-Hands--Guide/dp/0071827447>

Seth Miller

On Fri, Jan 29, 2016 at 10:42 PM, De DBA <dedba_at_tpg.com.au> wrote:

> I've just read through that documentation, as I will shortly get the
> responsibility for 2 ODA's. I would not classify the 3 software manuals and
> 2 hw manuals as good documentation. After reading all of it, I've got more
> questions than what I started out with...
>
> The ODAs apparently are each set up as two stand-alone servers with shared
> storage. I understand that one needs to use oakcli to create databases and
> that this tool hides pretty much all functionality that we are used to
> through dbca etc. But what does it do exactly? How does one manage the
> OCFS? Can a file system be mounted on both nodes, or just on one? Is this
> automatic? Given a complete backup (... which is a problem all of its
> own...), how does one restore a database? Don't use centralised wallets
> with TDE, otherwise problems will arise -- but what does that even mean?
> Questions...
>
> Pointers to more complete documentation/blogs/etc. regarding managing and
> patching the ODA are very welcome!
>
> Cheers,
> Tony
>
> On 30/01/2016 6:38 am, Hans Forbrich wrote:
>
> Yes, lack of documentation was a problem at one time.
>
> That has significantly improved. See
> http://docs.oracle.com/en/engineered-systems/
>
> /Hans
>
> On 29/01/2016 12:54 PM, Andrew Kerber wrote:
>
> I have run into problem with a lack of good documentation on its use.
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
> On Jan 29, 2016, at 1:49 PM, <Jay.Miller_at_tdameritrade.com> <
> Jay.Miller_at_tdameritrade.com> wrote:
>
> Hi
>
>
>
> We just attended an ODA presentation and it looks very promising as a
> solution for our non-prod testing environment as it would allow us to clone
> multiple instances of the gold copy test databases easily (without needing
> to coordinate with other departments as we do now) and apply patches for
> those environments quickly and easily as well.
>
>
>
> Any real life pros or cons that anyone has experienced with the appliance?
> We’d keep our production and performance testing environments off it at
> least for now.
>
>
>
>
>
> Jay Miller
>
> Sr. Oracle DBA
>
> 201.369.8355
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> [image: View Tony van Lingen's profile on LinkedIn]
> <https://au.linkedin.com/pub/tony-van-lingen/3b/105/572>
>

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