[Oracle RAC & VMWare] Creating disks in VMWare for Oracle RAC environments.

Hello all

How are you doing?

Some time ago, I helped my teammates Patricia Flores Solano (LinkedIn) and Thiago Ferreira (LinkedIn) create a document about a POC with VMWare and Oracle RAC that they were doing for a project.

The Oracle RAC installation follows the same steps as a Bare Metal environment, but we documented the process of creating the VMWare disks, which has some tricks and tips that can help to get better performance.

But always remember:

1. This step-by-step worked for us, but it might not work for you.
2. This post is designed to help you. Never change any productive or test environment without first testing and making sure the solution is suitable for your environment. 
3. I'm not responsible for that, ok?

Hope it helps. Let's get started!

1) We need to add on the sysctl.conf file.

       vm.swappiness = 1

       vm.dirty_background_ratio = 3

       vm.dirty_ratio = 80

       vm.dirty_expire_centisecs = 500 

       vm.dirty_writeback_centisecs = 100

2) Preparing Vmware Storage for Oracle RAC. 

For this, we will Shutdown the guest VM, edit VM, VM Option, Advanced , Edit configuration and Add new configuration params.

We'll change guest disk with enable.UUID=true.

3) Add PVSCSI

The "VMware Paravirtual SCSI adapter" is a high-performance storage controller which provides greater throughput and lower CPU use. VMware Paravirtual SCSI controllers are best suited for environments running I/O-intensive applications.

You can see more information about this here.

4) Add Disk for CRS Oracle RAC

5) Add Disk for DATA Oracle RAC in vCenter (VMs  >  linux01 > Click > Edit Settings)

6) ADD NEW DEVICE > Hard Disk

7) Deploy New Hard disk* and Edit

Location: HCI_Shared_Data

New Hard disk: 1700 GB

Disk Provisioning: Thick Provision Eager Zeroed

Sharing: Multi-writer

Disk Mode: Independent - Persistent

Virtual Device Node: SCSI controller 1

8) Now, I'll change the VM Linux 2 (VMs  >  linux02 > Click > Edit Settings)

9) ADD NEW DEVICE > Existing Hard Disk

10) Now, we'll check the disk.

[root@linux01 ~]# lsblk

NAME        MAJ:MIN RM  SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT

sdy          65:128  0  1.7T  0 disk

sdf           8:80   0  100G  0 disk

└─sdf1        8:81   0  100G  0 part

sdo           8:224  0  1.7T  0 disk

sdw          65:96   0  1.7T  0 disk

sdd           8:48   0  100G  0 disk

└─sdd1        8:49   0  100G  0 part

sdm           8:192  0  1.7T  0 disk

sdu          65:64   0  1.7T  0 disk

sdb           8:16   0  220G  0 disk

└─sdb1        8:17   0  220G  0 part /u01

sdk           8:160  0  1.7T  0 disk

sds          65:32   0  1.7T  0 disk

sdi           8:128  0  1.7T  0 disk

sdq          65:0    0  1.7T  0 disk

sr0          11:0    1 1024M  0 rom

sdg           8:96   0  100G  0 disk

└─sdg1        8:97   0  100G  0 part

sdx          65:112  0  1.7T  0 disk

sde           8:64   0  100G  0 disk

└─sde1        8:65   0  100G  0 part

sdn           8:208  0  1.7T  0 disk

sdv          65:80   0  1.7T  0 disk

sdc           8:32   0  100G  0 disk

└─sdc1        8:33   0  100G  0 part

sdl           8:176  0  1.7T  0 disk

sdt          65:48   0  1.7T  0 disk

sda           8:0    0  110G  0 disk

├─sda2        8:2    0  109G  0 part

│ ├─ol-swap 252:1    0    4G  0 lvm  [SWAP]

│ ├─ol-home 252:2    0   55G  0 lvm  /home

│ └─ol-root 252:0    0   50G  0 lvm  /

└─sda1        8:1    0    1G  0 part /boot

sdj           8:144  0  1.7T  0 disk

sdr          65:16   0  1.7T  0 disk

sdh           8:112  0  1.7T  0 disk

└─sdh1        8:113  0  1.7T  0 part

sdp           8:240  0  1.7T  0 disk

You can create as many VMDKs as needed for DATA, FRA and RECO.

After that, just proceed with the installation as usual. 

That's it, guys!!! It's very easy, isn't it?

We hope that helps!

Regards

Mario

[Oracle Autonomous JSON] How to configure and using the Oracle API for MongoDB on Oracle Autonomous JSON Database - Part 2

 Hello everyone

In my last post, I presented how you can configure the Oracle Autonomous JSON Database to use the API for MongoDB.

And today, we're going to use the API to connect into MongoDB shell, create a simple collection and use those documents in the ADJ console.

If you want to see the first post, feel free to click here. 

But always remember:

1. This step-by-step worked for me, but it may not work for you.
2. It's a basic and limited environment. The real life will be different, for sure.
3. This post is for study and testing as well, and has no concern for performance and security best practices.

I have a MongoDB Intance in OCI Compute and I'm going to connect MongoSH in my ADJ using the connection string that I created in the first post. My user is named ADMIN:

mongosh -u admin -p XXXZZZ 'mongodb://XXZZZ-IRONMAN.adb.sa-saopaulo-1.oraclecloudapps.com:27017/admin?authMechanism=PLAIN&authSource=$external&ssl=true&retryWrites=false&loadBalanced=true'

I'll create a new collection and a new document using MongoSH. After that I'll create a new document using ADJ console and at the end I'll select this data in the console and MongoSH as well.

This example was adapted from the post "SQL NESTED Clause Instead of JSON_TABLE in Oracle Database 19c" from amazing ORACLE-BASE. 

So, let's get started!!!

1) I'll connect in MongoSH using my connection string:

2) Now, I'll access the ADJ console. Click on the "Database Actions" button and select the option "JSON".

  

3) First, I'll create a new decument in the MongoSH shell.

4) The second document will be created in the ADJ console. For this, click in "New" button in the ADJ console.

Click on the "Create" button and he massage bellow should appear.

And now, I have 2 documents in my collection.

And for read operations, I have two options:

1)  Click on the "Database Actions" button and select the option "SQL".

2) I'll create my SQL queries with the same SQL statements used in relational databases.

Using NESTED and WHERE, for example.

3) Finally, I may read my documents usinf MongoDB statements, for shure!!!

It's really cool, right!!!

In the next post, I'll show you how enabling REST is easy in ADJ.

I hope this post will help you!!!

Regards

Mario

[Oracle Autonomous JSON] How to configure and using the Oracle API for MongoDB on Oracle Autonomous JSON Database - Part 1

Hello all!!!

How are you doing?

Today I'll show how you can create an Autonomous Database JSON instance on OCI Free Tier and how you can connect your MongoDB with this instance using Oracle Database API for MongoDB. 

In Part 2, I'll create new collections in the MongoDB shell and demonstrate how we can use these in the ADJ console using JSON and traditional SQL syntax.

The MongoDB is running on OCI Compute Instance :) 

But always remember:

1) This step-by-step worked for me, but it may not work for you.

2) It's a basic and limited environment. The real life will be different, for sure.

3) This post is for study and testing as well, and has no concern for performance and security best practices.

So, let's get started!!!

1) Create a VCN. I'm not show the step by step for this, but it's really easy. Google helps you!!!

2) Now, I'll create the ADJ for testing. Click on Create Autonomous Database.

This is the most important setup that you need. For access the Oracle Database Actions Launchpad, you must have set "Secure access from allowed IPs and VCNs only" and put our VCN and our IP here. It's mandatory!!!

I'll insert my IP address and click "Add access control rule" to add my VCN, as well!

To finish, click "Create Autonomous Database" and wait!

3) ADJ created, it's time to check access to MongoDB.

For this verification, we need the link for mongosh. Click on "Database actions". 

In the end of the page, click on "Oracle Database API for MongoDB".

Copy the MongoDB connection string URL.

Finally, access the MongoDB server and test the connection.

Oh my god! Error!!!! Why????

The error "Client network socket disconnected before secure TLS connection was established" is easy to solve.

We also need to put the Compute Instance Public and Private IP where we run the MongoDB on "Access control list".

And now, I have succeeded!!!

In the next post, I going to create some collections and load documents into MongoDB console, and I'll work with those tables in the ADJ console using the "Traditional Select Syntax".

It's going to be cool! :) 

I hope this post helps you!

Regards

Mario

[Oracle Autonomous JSON] Create new Instance on OCI Free Tier

Hello all!!!

How are you doing?

Today I'll show how you can create an Autonomous Database JSON instance on OCI Free Tier.

I'll use the instance in future posts about JSON and Oracle.

But always remember:

1) This step-by-step worked for me, but it may not work for you.

2) It's a basic and limited environment. The real life will be different, for sure.

3) This post is for study and testing as well, and has no concern for performance and security best practices.

So, let's get started!!!

1) Select "Oracle Database" in menu

2) Click on "Autonomous JSON Database"

3) Click on "Create Autonomous Database"

4) Select the Compartment - Never use the Root compartment, put other information (Display name, Database name) and password as well.

And now, I'm waiting for the conclusion of the process.

A few minutes later, the Instance is ready for use.

That's it my friend!! Easy!!!

I hope it helps you!

Regards

Mario

[Oracle 23c] How to install an Oracle 23c test environment on Linux 8 running on VirtualBox in five commands.

Hello all!!!

How are you doing?

Today I'll show how you can install Oracle 23c in a Linux 8 using VirtualBox.

If you need help to install Linux on VirtualBox, you can use this link: 

ORACLE-BASE - Oracle Linux 8 (OL8) Installation 

But always remember:

1) This step-by-step worked for me, but it may not work for you.

2) It's a basic and limited environment. The real life will be different, for sure.

3) This post is for study and testing as well, and has no concern for performance and security best practices.

So, let's get started!!!

1) We are run the dnf to install and configure pre-requirements using ROOT user.

dnf install -y oraclelinux-developer-release-el8

dnf install -y oracle-database-preinstall-23c

If you don't know what DNF is, it's a software package manager, the successor to famous YUM. The DNF check and install dependencies and determine some actions required to install this. Feel free to view this link and learn more about it: Using the DNF software package manager

2) I'll download the Oracle 23c software using WGET (or CURL).

wget https://download.oracle.com/otn-pub/otn_software/db-free/oracle-database-free-23c-1.0-1.el8.x86_64.rpm

or

curl -L -o oracle-database-preinstall-23c-1.0-0.5.el8.x86_64.rpm https://yum.oracle.com/repo/OracleLinux/OL8/developer/x86_64/getPackage/oracle-database-preinstall-23c-1.0-0.5.el8.x86_64.rpm

3) Now, I'll install the Oracle 23c Software

dnf -y localinstall /root/oracle-database-free-23c-1.0-1.el8.x86_64.rpm

If I try to install using the Oracle user, I'll get this error:

4) It's time to create database in silent mode - using Oracle user

export DB_PASSWORD=SysOracle1106

(echo "${DB_PASSWORD}"; echo "${DB_PASSWORD}";) | /etc/init.d/oracle-free-23c configure

5) And finally, I'll enable the Oracle 23c on SYSTEMCTL

systemctl enable oracle-free-23c

The Oracle Env values are:

export ORACLE_HOME=/opt/oracle/product/23c/dbhomeFree

export PATH=$ORACLE_HOME/bin:$PATH

The credencials to connect will be:

-- CDB

sqlplus sys/SysOracle1106@//localhost:1521/free as sysdba

-- PDB

sqlplus sys/SysOracle1106@//localhost:1521/freepdb1 as sysdba

And finally, to start and stop the service, we can use:

/etc/init.d/oracle-free-23c stop

/etc/init.d/oracle-free-23c start

For this blog post, I used these great blogs:

Installation Guide for Linux x86-64

Tm-apex.hashnode.dev

Oracle-Base

And as Woody Woodpecker says: "That's all folks!!!"

I hope this helps you!!

Regards

Mario