Re: Question about Sun disk space configuration for large Oracle database

From: <bit-bucket_at_maney.org>
Date: 8 Aug 2001 14:11:10 GMT
Message-ID: <9krh9v$k7v$1@newsread.stdio.com>

In comp.sys.sun.hardware Richard Piasecki <ogo_at_mailexcite.com> wrote:

[deletia]

: 1) If I allow a single RAID controller to handle multiple arrays, how can
: I minimize I/O contention to those arrays. Can a single RAID controller
: handle multiple requests to different arrays in parallel?
: 2) How do I set up a partition of 550 gigabytes? Can a single array be
: composed of 32 disks (assuming RAID 0+1 with 36 gig disks)?
: 3) Specifically for the Oracle DBAs, would you recommend any changes to
: the proposed configuration to improve performance?
: 4) If you were in my shoes, how would you do it? What specific Sun hardware
: should be used?
 

: My company's upper management does not have the time right now (due to a
: very tight product development schedule) to bring in Sun reps to get
: answers to these questions, so I greatly appreciate whatever assistance
: the USENET community can provide.

: PROPOSED CONFIGURATION
: ----------------------
 

: Dir Size Usage Recommendation
: ---- ----- ------------------------- -----------------
: / 50 GB All system software Four(4) 36 GB dsks RAID 0+1
: /u01 2 GB First Online Redo Logs Part of root (/)

[deletia]

IMO, as an SA, this is a mistake. Whenever possible, you really should maintain strict separation between the System and the Application Data.

I'd suggest that you do something more along the lines of:

DG       Size     Filesystem(s)                 Recommendation
------   -----    -------------------------     -----------------
rootdg   36 GB    /, /var, /opt, /usr           Two(2) 36 GB Internal

userdg 36 GB /var/log, /var/mail, /home Two(2) 36 GB Internal

You should install the Oracle software in rootdg (in accordance with your local software installation standards for location) but all of the Oracle data (including the Redo logs and table space) should be placed out on external disks. I'm not an Oracle guru so I'll leave that part of the layout to you.

This will make your Disaster/Recovery, Backup and Upgrade options much more robust and easier to accomplish. For instance, if you started with an E450 for the server hardware and the data out on an A1000, it would be simplicity itself to upgrade to an E6500 because all you would need to do would be to build the machine, shutdown both servers, change the cabling, and boot the 6500. Minimal downtime.

Remember, "Fast, cheap, safe; pick any two".

Also, I'd strongly reccommend that you pick up a copy of "Sun Performance and Tuning" by Adrian Cockcroft and Richard Pettit (Prentice Hall ISBN: 0-13-095249).

fpsm

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Received on Wed Aug 08 2001 - 09:11:10 CDT