Re: Dual Processor Server or 2 x Single Processor RAC Nodes?

>> We need to upgrade our oracle licenses from the current single processor
>> Oracle standard licence (which we run on Windows 2000 sp4 with 6 x Direct
>> Attach SCSI 18GB Drives in a raid 1 and raid 10 configuration) to a dual
>> processor configuration for performance and reliability reasons.
>
> Appreciate the detail! Wish everyone would do that.

No worries.

>
>>
>> We have the option of either purchasing another Oracle Standard Edition
>> CPU
>> licence for $19K, plus to the ongoing support costs or purchasing a new 2
>> x
>> CPU licence of Oracle Standard Edition One for $12K. The Oracle salesmen
>> say that OSE1 doesn't include RAC, but would we want to RAC in a small
>> system like this?
>
> Oracle Sales rep's gonna hate me as they tend to watch for every penny
> around this time ...
>
> Do you feel that the new configuration hold you for performance &
> reliability for 2-3 years?
>

On performance - probably yes, but on reliability, possibly no. If I get my way the entire business' operations will be running from the database in that time, and if the DB is down, the business is too.

> If yes, then go for OSE1, save the 7K and the associated support fees
> for the duration. Document this in the project files. Then, when it's
> time to buy the licenses for the second machine, remember that you have
> saved ($7K + (2[years] x 22% of $7K)) and apply that savings during the
> negotiations. That way, it doesn't hurt so much.
>
> However, at that time, you should also look at the additional things
> Enterprise Edition will give you and seriously consider moving up to that
> level if it's reasonable. The built-in features of EE are pretty serious
> cost savings for knowledgeable organizations.

Unfortunately EE is out of the ball park on our budget, as the business cost associated with an outage of the DB in no way justify the huge EE outlay. So given that we'll either go with a RAC environment (RAC is provided with SE) and try and avoid the outage or cludge a manual standby/alternate DB scenario (i.e. use DEVL ;) ).

>
> Of course, this assumes list prices. You may also discuss discounts with
> the rep and bump up to SE now if the budget allows and the discount is
> reasonable.
>
> However, if there is a planned possibility that you'll need upgrade to
> more than 2 CPUs in less than 24 months, I'd seriously consider going SE
> right away. That way you don't need to look at a 4-CPU machine when the
> upgrade comes - all you do is throw in another 2-CPU, license the new
> config and activate RAC.
>

My leaning at the moment is to go with OSE1 and use the existing SE as a backup server if things get really dire. Then if we outgrow the dual processor OSE1 box, or decide that we need higher availability, we can upgrade the OSE1 licence to standard edition and/or reactivate the support on the SE licence and go RAC then.

One final question I have - is in regard to the performance overheads that RAC places on an installation. How would the performance of a two node blade server (single CPU's) running RAC compare with a single 2 x CPU box. Is RAC even designed to run on such a small installation?

Thanks again for your help.

Mike Cretan Received on Tue Apr 05 2005 - 20:52:06 CDT