Re: Which oracle server ?

IANAL_VISTA wrote:
>>On Wed, 08 Dec 2004 11:40:14 -0500, Murtix Van Basten wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Hi all,
>>>
>>> I will deploy a database project to an Oracle server, but I could
>>> not
>>>figure out which version of Oracle should I get. Here is my
>>>configuration: Hardware:
>>>Dell 1750 Dual Xeon 3.2Ghz, 2GB Ram, 3x36GB Hdd on Raid 5
>>>Operating System: Redhat Linux 9
>>>
>>>I will deploy only 1 database for the application. Only 1 DBA will
>>>use the Oracle server when necessary. When the database once
>>>deployed, Only 1 application will reach it to read and write data.
>>>There will not be any other database in the server. The server will
>>>be used for only this purpose, nothing else.
>>>
>>>From Oracle's website, I see there are Enterprise, Standard and
>>>Standard One level of purchasing options. In this case, which should
>>>I go with ?
>>>
>>>Thank you for answers.
>>>
>>>Murtix Van Basten.

> 
> 
> http://baarf.com

Because you are the second person to do it, here's my tuppence-worth before there's a third:

Before everyone else jumps in and says "Raid 5 is evil" or "use RAID 0+1", how about *looking* at his proposed configuration: he has a cheap, rather low-end server, and the additional disks involved in RAID 0+1 (for example) would rather be out of character with the rest of his system. What's more, he's got a fairly low amount of RAM, and he's not proposing to use a certified operating system.

So, wouldn't it be at least as productive (and probably cheaper for him) to point him towards increasing his RAM? Or to suggest deploying a certified version of Red Hat?

And rather more productive still, how about answering his actual question?

Just telling him "no RAID 5" doesn't help answer his actual question; is quite possibly inappropriate for him and his circumstances in any case; and misses one or two other more glaring issues that I'd suggest get sorted first.

And my answer to the OP would therefore be: define the purpose of this database. Then read

http://download-west.oracle.com/docs/cd/B14117_01/license.101/b13552/toc.htm

(Specifically, the Oracle Database Product Family bit).

...and see how your defined functional requirements best match Oracle's licensing options. If there is anything in table 1-1, for example, that you think you need or must have, then it will have to be the Enterprise Edition (and if you're not sure what a feature is, ask here).

Some bits of functionality will depend on ultimate database size as well as purpose, to some extent. For example, I wouldn't like to live without parallel database recovery in RMAN -but I could happily do so if my database was only (say) 10GB in size. But if it was 100GB, I think parallel recovery operations would become something of a must (your thoughts might be different, of course). Or another example: Flashback database is worth it's weight in metaphorical gold, but if you actually have to part with physical hard cash for it, it might be a different story.

If you cannot work out what features you need, or do not already know, then your best bet is to visit http://technet.oracle.com, download the relevant version for free, and start experimenting with Oracle functionality until you can decide on how to distinguish the absolute-musts from the nice-to-haves.

Once you've decided that, then it might be time to look at your hardware and O/S configuration -and at that point, what others have said about the problems of RAID5 is well worth taking on board. But you have at least one more pressing issue to deal with: your choice of O/S is unsupported. And I suspect 2GB of RAM will become a severe limitation long before your choice of RAID will.

Regards
HJR Received on Sun Dec 12 2004 - 23:05:22 CET