1 Preinstallation Checklist

1.1.1 Check OracleMetaLink

Before you decide whether you want to install Oracle Database 11g release 1 (11.1) on existing hardware, or decide what server and storage hardware to purchase for an installation, log on to OracleMetaLink (https://metalink.oracle.com), and click the Certify tab. Check the Certification Matrix for Oracle RAC for the operating system platform on which you intend to install, to ensure that your hardware configuration is supported for use with Oracle Clusterware, and, if you intend to install it, Oracle RAC. You can receive guidance about supported hardware options that can assist you with your purchasing decisions.

At the time of this release, you can also check the following URL for direct access to the Certification Matrix:

http://www.oracle.com/technology/support/metalink/index.html

In addition to specific certified hardware configurations, the Certify page provides support and patch information, and general advice about how to proceed with an Oracle Clusterware or Oracle Clusterware with Oracle RAC 11g release 1 (11.1) installation, including important information about vendor clusterware and other configuration issues.

Contact your Oracle Sales Representative if you do not have an OracleMetaLink account.

Also, you may want to refer to Oracle.com (http://www.oracle.com) for additional resources about planning for specific implementation scenarios, best practices, and other information that can help you with your installation plan. In particular, refer to the following Web site:

http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/database/clustering/index.html

1.1.2 Check Oracle Technical Network

The Oracle Technical Network (OTN) contains white papers about deployment options, such as capacity planning, best practices on various NFS platforms, and extended clusters deployments, which are not addressed in this guide. You can review available papers at the following Web site:

http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/database/clustering/index.html

1.1.3 Review How to Use Cluster Verification Utility

All users intending to install Oracle Clusterware or Oracle RAC should use Cluster Verification Utility to ensure that the cluster is prepared for a successful installation.

Oracle provides Cluster Verification Utility to perform system checks in preparation for installation, patch updates, or other system changes. Learning how to use Cluster Verification Utility can help system administrators, storage administrators, and database administrators to ensure that each has completed required system configuration and preinstallation steps, so that installations, updates, or patches complete successfully.

If you have a vendor performing hardware or operating system configuration steps for you, then ask the vendor to complete the relevant Cluster Verification Utility check of the cluster after they complete their work to ensure that your system is configured correctly.

Database administrators should refer to the section "Confirming Cluster Readiness for Oracle RAC Installation with CVU" to confirm that their system is prepared for installation before they start an Oracle RAC installation.

1.1.4 Review and Back Up Existing Oracle Installations

If you have an existing Oracle installation, then document version numbers, patches, and other configuration information, and review upgrade procedures for your existing installation. Review Oracle upgrade documentation before proceeding with installation, to decide how you want to proceed.

For upgrades, note the following:

• You can have only one version of Oracle Clusterware running on a cluster at a time. It must be the most recent release of any software (Oracle Clusterware, Oracle Database, Oracle RAC and Automatic Storage Management) running on the cluster.

• You can have multiple Oracle homes of Oracle Database 10g release 1 or later on your cluster. However, the Oracle RAC database software in these homes must be from a version that is equal to or less than the version of Oracle Clusterware that is installed; you cannot have a version of Oracle Database on Oracle Clusterware that was released after the version of Oracle Clusterware that you are running.

  For example:

  If you have Oracle Clusterware 11g release 1 installed as your clusterware, then you can have an Oracle Database 10g release 1 single-instance database running on one node, and separate Oracle RAC 10g release 1, release 2, and Oracle RAC 11g release 1 databases also running on the cluster.

  However, you cannot have Oracle Clusterware 10g release 2 installed on your cluster, and install Oracle RAC 11g.

• You can install earlier or later versions of Automatic Storage Manager, but you can have only one ASM installation running in the cluster.

  Both forward and backward compatibility is available with different versions of Automatic Storage Manager (ASM). However, if you mix software versions, then be aware that ASM functionality reverts to the earliest software installation it supports.

  For example, if you install Oracle Clusterware 11g with ASM, and you use it to support an existing Oracle Database release 10.2.0.3 installation, then ASM functionality is equivalent only to that available in the 10.2 release version.

• Starting with release 10.1.0.6 and 10.2.0.3, you can use Database Upgrade Assistant (DBUA) for patch set upgrades with Oracle RAC. You can also use DBUA to upgrade between major point releases of Oracle RAC (for example, from 10.1 to 10.2, or 10.2 to 11g).

• If you want to upgrade Oracle Clusterware release 10.2 to Oracle Clusterware release 11g, then you must first apply the 10.2.0.3 or later patchset.

• If you intend to install Oracle Database, then it is faster to install all patches on the earlier database before creating a new database. For example, patch the Oracle Clusterware home, patch the database home, and then create the new database, instead of patching the Clusterware home, creating the database home, and then patching the database.

• You cannot change the owner of the Oracle ASM or Oracle Database home during an upgrade. You must use the same Oracle software owner that owns the existing Oracle ASM or Oracle Database home.

• As with any system change, back up your existing database before attempting to install new software.

1.1.5 Review Globalization Requirements

Before you start an installation where you want to support languages other than English, review Oracle Database Globalization Support Guide.

Note the following:

• Oracle recommends that you use Unicode AL32UTF8 as the database character set

  Unicode is the universal character set that supports most of the currently spoken languages of the world. It also supports many historical scripts (alphabets). Unicode is the native encoding of many technologies, including Java, XML, XHTML, ECMAScript, and LDAP. Unicode is ideally suited for databases supporting the Internet and the global economy.

• The locale setting of your operating system session determines the language of the user interface, and the globalization behavior for components such as Oracle Universal Installer, Oracle Net Configuration Assistant, and Database Configuration Assistant. It also determines the globalization behavior of Oracle Database sessions created by a user application through Oracle JDBC driver, unless overridden by the application.

• The NLS_LANG environment variable determines the language of the user interface and the globalization behavior for components such as SQL*Plus, exp, and imp. It sets the language and territory used by the client application and the database. It also declares the character set for entering and displaying data by the client application.

1.1.6 Review Documentation

Users planning to install Oracle Clusterware should review Oracle Clusterware Installation Guide for your operating system platform, particularly the Preinstallation, and the Storage chapters, to complete all required steps needed for a successful installation.

Oracle Clusterware Installation Guide also contains most tasks requiring root privileges or storage administrator privileges that need to be completed before starting an Oracle RAC installation.

In addition, review the Release Notes and OracleMetalink (https://metalink.oracle.com) to ensure that you have the most current information about system requirements and other information that can affect your installation. The small time that this review takes can save a much greater amount of time required to track down causes of installation errors later.

Oracle recommends that you install a Web browser on your cluster nodes, both to enable Oracle Enterprise Manager and Oracle Application Express, if you install Oracle RAC, and to access online documentation as needed. Online documentation is available in PDF and HTML formats.

1.2.1 Review Server Hardware and Software Requirements

The following is a summary of server hardware and software configuration.

Oracle Requires

Each node in a cluster requires the following:

• Supported server hardware, including processors and system configuration.

  Review OracleMetaLink before starting installation on existing hardware, and before purchasing new hardware, to ensure that the hardware is supported with Oracle Clusterware with Oracle RAC 11g release 1 (11.1).

  Note:

  You must use the same operating system on each node in the cluster. Oracle strongly recommends that you use the same software configurations on each node of the cluster.

• Operating system packages listed in system requirements.

  Customized operating system package installations are not supported, because they may not include required packages. You can add additional packages as needed, but if you subtract packages from the default packages set, then you may encounter "failed dependencies" errors for required software packages.

• A supported interconnect software protocol on each node, to support Oracle Clusterware voting disk polling, and to support Cache Fusion with Oracle RAC. Your interconnect must be certified by Oracle for your platform.

Oracle Recommends: System Administrator Tasks

Oracle recommends the following to simplify server installation and maintenance, and prevent service issues

• Enabling the Network Time Protocol feature of most operating systems, and ensuring that all nodes use the same reference Network Time Protocol server.

• Configuring redundant switches, for all cluster sizes.

• Using identical server hardware on each node, to simplify server maintenance.

Additional Options: System Administrators and Vendors

• Though you do not need to use vendor clusterware with Oracle Clusterware, Oracle supports the use of many vendor clusterware options. However, you must install Oracle Clusterware to use Oracle RAC. Be aware that when you use vendor clusterware, Oracle Clusterware defers to the vendor clusterware for some tasks, such as node membership decisions.

• You may require third-party vendor clusterware if you use a non-ethernet interconnect.

After you have set up server hardware, review "Checking Hardware Requirements" in the preinstallation chapter to ensure that your system has enough RAM, that the TMP and TEMP_DIR locations have enough available space for the installation, and that your system meets other hardware requirements.

1.2.2 Server Environment Configuration Overview

Configuring the server environment includes at least the following

• Creating standard configuration operating system groups and users, as described in the preinstallation chapter. This includes creating specific operating system users to install and own Oracle software, and various other groups and users to enhance the security of your Oracle Clusterware, application, and data files.

• Configuring the Oracle software owner user environments, as described in the Oracle Clusterware preinstallation chapters.

1.2.3 Oracle Base Overview

With Oracle Database 11g, during installation, you are prompted for the Oracle base path, instead of the Oracle home path.

In preparation for installation, Oracle recommends that you only set the ORACLE_BASE environment variable. Oracle Universal Installer (OUI) creates other paths and environment variables as necessary, in accordance with the Optimal Flexible Architecture (OFA) rules for well-structured Oracle software environments.

For example, with Oracle Database 11g, Oracle recommends that you do not set an Oracle home environment variable, and instead allow OUI to create it. If the Oracle base path is /u01/app/oracle, then by default, OUI creates the following Oracle home path:

/u01/app/oracle/product/11.1.0/db_1

1.2.4 Network Connections Overview

The following table provides an overview of network configuration requirements. Network administrators and system administrators can refer to the Preinstallation chapter in Oracle Clusterware Installation Guide for detailed configuration information.

Table 1-1 and the content following provides an overview of IP address requirements for network connections:

The following is additional information about each address type

• Virtual IP address: a public internet protocol (IP) address for each node, to be used as the Virtual IP address (VIP) for client connections. If a node fails, then Oracle Clusterware fails over the VIP address to an available node. This address should be in the /etc/hosts file on any client system that requires access to the database.

  During installation, the public VIP for each node is associated with the same interface name on every node that is part of your cluster. If you have a domain name server (DNS), then register the host names for the VIP with the DNS, so that it is resolvable from any client, as well as the cluster nodes. The VIP should not be in use at the time of the installation, because this is an IP address that Oracle Clusterware manages.

• Public IP address: a public host name address for each node, typically assigned by the system administrator during initial system configuration. The public IP address name must be resolvable to the hostname. Register both the public IP and the VIP address with the DNS. If you do not have a DNS, then you must make sure that both public IP addresses are in the node /etc/hosts file (for all cluster nodes),

• Private IP address: a private IP address for each node to serve as the private interconnect address for internode cluster communication only. The following must be true for each private IP address:

  • It must be separate from the public network

  • It must be accessible on the same network interface on each node

  • It must be connected to a network switch between the nodes for the private network; crosscable interconnects are not supported

  The private interconnect is used for internode communication by both Oracle Clusterware and Oracle RAC. The private IP address must be available in each node's /etc/hosts file. Oracle recommends that it is configured on a dedicated switch (or switches) that are not connected to anything other than the nodes in the same cluster.

  Note:

  All host names must conform to the RFC 952 standard, which permits alphanumeric characters. Host names using underscores ("_") are not allowed.

1.2.5 Secure Shell (SSH) Configuration Overview

Secure Shell (SSH) configuration is required for Oracle Clusterware and Oracle RAC.

System administrators can follow the procedure described in "Configuring SSH on All Cluster Nodes" in the Preinstallation chapter of Oracle Clusterware Installation Guide for your operating system, to configure SSH access for each node on the cluster to all other nodes of the cluster.

1.2.6 Browser Requirement Overview

You need a web browser to access documentation, and to use Oracle Enterprise Manager and Oracle Application Express. Web browsers must support Java Script and the HTML 4.0 and CSS 1.0 standards. The following browsers meet these requirements:

• Netscape Navigator 7.2

• Netscape Navigator 8.1

• Mozilla version 1.7

• Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 SP2

• Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.0 Beta or later

• Firefox 1.0.4

• Firefox 1.5

1.2.7 Platform-Specific Server Configuration Overview

Oracle Clusterware and Oracle RAC are tested with specific operating system kernels, and specific operating system components. Oracle requires that you use the operating system kernel and components that are certified for this release.

Oracle recommends that you or your system administrator review the system requirements carefully in Oracle Clusterware Installation Guide before beginning installation, to ensure that your system meets these requirements. If your system does not meet minimum operating system kernel and component requirements, then your installation may fail to complete, or other errors may develop during Oracle Clusterware or Oracle Database runtime.

In addition to the standard system requirements configuration, deployment on specific server hardware can include additional operating system configuration steps. Review the Preinstallation chapter, and check the OracleMetalink Certify page to ensure that you are aware of any additional requirements or recommendations for your specific hardware platform configuration.

1.3.1 Overview of Oracle Database and Recovery File Options

There are three ways of storing Oracle Database and recovery files:

• Automatic Storage Management: Automatic Storage Management (ASM) is an integrated, high-performance database file system and disk manager for Oracle Database files. It performs striping and mirroring of database files automatically.

  Note:

  For Standard Edition Oracle Database installations using Oracle RAC, ASM is the only supported storage option.

• A supported shared file system: Supported file systems include the following:

  • A supported cluster file system: Note that if you intend to use a cluster file system for your data files, then you should create partitions large enough for the database files when you create partitions for Oracle Clusterware. If you intend to store Oracle Clusterware files on Oracle Cluster File System 2 (OCFS2), then you must ensure that OCFS2 volume sizes are at least 500 MB each.

    See Also:

    The Certify page on OracleMetalink for supported cluster file systems

  • NAS Network File System (NFS) listed on Oracle Certify: Note that if you intend to use NFS for your data files, then you should create partitions large enough for the database files when you create partitions for Oracle Clusterware.

  See Also:

  The Certify page on OracleMetalink for supported Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices, and supported cluster file systems

  Note:

  Oracle Clusterware software can be installed on OCFS2. However, Oracle Clusterware software cannot be installed on Oracle Cluster File System (OCFS). Oracle Clusterware software can be installed on network-attached storage (NAS).

  For OCFS2 certification status, refer to the Certify page on OracleMetaLink:

• Block or Raw Devices: A partition is required for each database file. If you do not use ASM, then for new installations on raw devices, you must use a custom installation.

  Note:

  On Linux, Oracle recommends using block devices for new installations.

1.3.2 General Storage Considerations for Oracle RAC

For all installations, you must choose the storage option that you want to use for Oracle Database files, or for Oracle Clusterware with Oracle RAC (Oracle RAC). If you want to enable automated backups during the installation, then you must also choose the storage option that you want to use for recovery files (the flash recovery area). You do not have to use the same storage option for each file type.

For single-instance Oracle Database installations using Oracle Clusterware for failover, you must use OCFS2, ASM, block devices (on Linux), or shared raw disks if you do not want the failover processing to include dismounting and remounting of local file systems.

The following table shows the storage options supported for storing Oracle Database files and Oracle Database recovery files. Oracle Database files include data files, control files, redo log files, the server parameter file, and the password file.

https://metalink.oracle.com

Use the following guidelines when choosing the storage options that you want to use for each file type:

• You can choose any combination of the supported storage options for each file type provided that you satisfy all requirements listed for the chosen storage options.

• Oracle recommends that you choose Automatic Storage Management (ASM) as the storage option for database and recovery files.

• For Standard Edition Oracle RAC installations, ASM is the only supported storage option for database or recovery files.

• You cannot use ASM to store Oracle Clusterware files, because these files must be accessible before any ASM instance starts.

• If you intend to use ASM with Oracle RAC, and you are configuring a new ASM instance, then your system must meet the following conditions:

  • All nodes on the cluster have the 11g release 1 (11.1) version of Oracle Clusterware installed.

  • Any existing ASM instance on any node in the cluster is shut down.

• If you intend to upgrade an existing Oracle RAC database, or an Oracle RAC database with ASM instances, then you must ensure that your system meets the following conditions:

  • Oracle Universal Installer (OUI) and Database Configuration Assistant (DBCA) are run on the node where the Oracle RAC database or Oracle RAC database with ASM instance is located.

  • The Oracle RAC database or Oracle RAC database with an ASM instance is running on the same nodes that you intend to make members of the new cluster installation. For example, if you have an existing Oracle RAC database running on a three-node cluster, then you must install the upgrade on all three nodes. You cannot upgrade only 2 nodes of the cluster, removing the third instance in the upgrade.

  See Also:

  Oracle Database Upgrade Guide for information about how to prepare for upgrading an existing database

• If you do not have a storage option that provides external file redundancy, then you must configure at least three voting disk areas to provide voting disk redundancy.

1.4.1 Oracle Clusterware and Vendor Clusterware

Oracle Clusterware provides clustering services. You do not require vendor clusterware when you use Oracle Clusterware. If you intend to install Oracle RAC, then you must install Oracle Clusterware.

1.4.2 Shared Components of Oracle RAC Installations

For Oracle RAC, you and your system administrator should note that all instances in Oracle RAC environments share the control file, server parameter file, redo log files, and all data files. These files must be placed on a shared cluster file system or on shared disks, and all the cluster database instances must have access to them. Each instance also has its own set of redo log files. During failures, shared access to redo log files enables surviving instances to perform recovery.

1.4.3 Oracle Database 11g Real Application Clusters Release Compatibility

You can install and operate different releases of Oracle Database software on the same computer:

• When you have Oracle Clusterware installed with different release versions of Oracle software, the Oracle Clusterware version must be greater than or equal to the Oracle Database or Automatic Storage Management software version.

  Oracle Clusterware release 11.1 can support Oracle Database 10g release 1 (10.1.0.2) or later, or release 2 (10.2.0.4) or later.

• If you have an existing Oracle home, then you can create a new Oracle home and install Oracle Database 11g into the new Oracle home. You should install Oracle Clusterware in a separate Oracle Clusterware home. Note that if you intend to install Oracle Database 11g with RAC, then you must install Oracle Clusterware 11g. Each node can have only one Oracle Clusterware home. You can install Oracle RAC into a new home, and use OUI to deinstall and reinstall it as part of a test plan.

• If you are running the Oracle9i release of Oracle RAC, and you want to continue to use that release, then you must run cluster software that is compatible with that release, such as Oracle Cluster Manager or a third party cluster software. Oracle Clusterware release 11g can be installed on the same system as Oracle9i database software, but Oracle9i software cannot be supported by Oracle Clusterware 11g.

  Note:

  If you want to remove third party cluster software after upgrading your database to Oracle Database 10g or Oracle Database 11g, then you must first remove the third party cluster software, and then re-install Oracle Clusterware.

• If OUI detects a previous database release, then OUI asks you about your upgrade preferences. You have the option to upgrade one of the previous release databases with DBUA or to create a new database using DBCA. The information collected during this dialog is passed to DBUA or DBCA after the software is installed.

  If OUI detects a previous Oracle Clusterware release, then you are asked to upgrade the existing Oracle Clusterware installation. Only one Oracle Clusterware version can exist on a server, and servers must be members of one cluster only.

  Note:

  Do not move Oracle binaries from the Oracle home to another location. Doing so can cause dynamic link failures.

• You can run different releases of Oracle Database and Automatic Storage Management (ASM). If the Oracle Database release and the ASM release are the same release, then they can both run out of the same Oracle home. If they are different releases, then the Oracle Database release and the ASM release must be in their separate release homes. For example, you can install an ASM release 11g release 1 (11.1) instance and use it with Oracle Database 10g release 2 (10.2) database, or you can install an Oracle 11g release 1 (11.1) database and use it with an ASM 10g release 2 (10.2) instance.

  Note:

  When using different release ASM and Oracle Database releases, the functionality of each is dependent on the functionality of the earlier software release. For example, an Oracle Database 10g release 10.2 database using an ASM 11.1.0.2 instance will not be able to use new features available for ASM in the 11.1.0.2 release, but instead only ASM 10.2 features. Conversely, an Oracle Database 10g release 11.1.0.2 using an ASM instance release 11.1 will function like a release 10.2 database.