Re: more of less or less of more?

oracledoctor_at_gmail.com wrote:
> I am lead dba for a project to implement 10G RAC at our company. We
> currently have several small applications running on independant Oracle
> databases and are looking to consolidatethose to a single RAC
> deployment.
>
> I am having an ongoing argument with my boss regarding the architecture
> of said RAC. My understanding is that Oracle recommends more, smaller,
> boxes (2 CPU with 8 GB RAM) as opposed to fewer larger boxes (4 CPU and
> up). His argument is that 2 - 4 CPU boxes will give you better
> performance than 4 - 2 CPU boxes. I know that I have seen white
> papers that discuss this very point and any Oracle instructor that I
> have posed the question to has said the same thing, but I cannot put my
> hands on said white paper(s) and my boss does not take much creedance
> in 'hear say'. He is also from the old school, pre 10G world of OPS
> where 'pinging' was a major factor.
>
> Can someone please point me in a direction where I might find some
> written documentation supporting my argument.
>
> Any help in fighting this battle would be greatly appreciated

Lets assume your applications need 8 CPUs to run.

If you build it with 4 x 2CPU and one box burns itself to the ground you still have 75% of your processing power and the ability for another node to fail and your application is still up.

Your boss would prefer 2 x 4CPU boxes. Assuming one fails you have a standalone system and no ability to perform rolling updates when they are possible.

Your boss doesn't get RAC. If he has questions feel free to have him contact me off-line (no charge).

Daniel Morgan
www.psoug.org Received on Mon May 01 2006 - 17:00:28 CDT