Re: Oracle database on a nfs server

NetApp is now "ON Oracle," whatever that means. Their "Multiprotocol Network Filers" (some like to call them "toasters") are certified by Oracle as storage solutions for Oracle databases. Those certifications notwithstanding, here's a few things to know about NFS:

• No files > 4 Gb. It just won't work, b/c of some kind of integer overflow problem, even on a 64-bit host.
• Toasters like to crash a lot when they get full.
• You won't be able to use asynch_io=true on an NFS filesystem, so you will be stuck using multiple DB writers. Due to the network latency involved in this, you may have to tune the db_block_checkpoint_batch parameter higher than the default, just to complete checkpoints before the next log switch. Actually, a lot of I/O and SGA parameters will need to be carefully tuned. Be sure you have a large enough block buffer cache to have a hit ratio at least in the mid 90s. you want to avoid I/O to these things as much as possible. It will be basically like tuning Oracle on a very slow disk.
• Maybe you should keep your redologs local.

NetApp appears to have some papers on the topic. They are, of course, quite rosy in their outlook. Take a look at the URL:

http://www02.netapp.com/partners/byproduct.html#applications

Good luck,

--
Jeremiah Wilton      http://www.wolfenet.com/~jeremiah


On Tue, 13 Oct 1998, John P. Higgins wrote:


> 

> A few years back, I ran an Oracle database where the data files were NFS mounted

> from a remote fileserver. It ran fine for months. Then one day it corrupted a

> file. When I contacted Oracle support, I got a lot of sympathy -- they said NFS

> was a no-no for data files. NFS IS ok for the software.

> 

> drasfr_at_my-dejanews.com wrote:

> 

> > We will have soon a massive file server, a NetApp, and we will have an oracle

> > database.

> >

> > But we are wondering where to put the oracle program, does someone knows if

> > oracle across a network (nfs) will be good and fast enough, this database

> > will have millions of records, and we will add a few thousands of new records

> > a day.