Configuring Oracle Real Application Clusters for high availability

To create an Oracle RAC database across multiple nodes, you must adapt the installation process for your product.

About this task

One of the limitations of the product installation program, is that it cannot install the database with the Oracle RAC Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) string. The installation program does not provide the option to input multiple nodes or build the required Oracle RAC URL, so a workaround is required.

Procedure

  1. Install and configure an Oracle RAC database environment. For more details about installing and configuring Oracle RAC, see the product documentation.
  2. Choose from one of the following workaround options to configure Oracle RAC for high availability:
    Option Description
    Create an Oracle RAC database across multiple nodes

    Instead of running the Tivoli®'s process automation engine installation program across all Oracle RAC nodes, you can specify a single node with the virtual IP address and database name.

    1. On the Database Configuration panel of the launchpad, you select the Database has already been created and configured option. The installation program installs the database in the Oracle RAC environment and the data can be shared across all nodes.
    2. From the\IBM\SMP\maximo\applications\maximo\properties\ directory, modify the maximo.properties file to include the full Oracle RAC JDBC URL as shown in the example.
    3. After the URL is updated, rebuild and deploy the Maximo EAR files.
    Install Tivoli's process automation engine to a single Oracle Database that is not part of the Oracle RAC cluster
    You can allow the product installation program to create and automate the database configuration. When the installation is complete, you can export the database to a backup and apply the backup to the Oracle Database cluster.
    1. From the\IBM\SMP\maximo\applications\maximo\properties\ directory, modify the maximo.properties file to include the full Oracle Database JDBC URL as shown in the example.
    2. After the URL is updated, rebuild and deploy the Maximo EAR files.
    Use Oracle Single Client Access Name (SCAN)

    Oracle SCAN is a feature of Oracle RAC that creates a single name for clients to access an Oracle RAC database environment. Oracle SCAN requires additional configuration, but when it is implemented you can access the entire cluster through a SCAN listener that uses only one SCAN name.

    This method creates a JDBC URL that is similar to a single node Oracle Database JDBC string, for example
    mxe.db.url=jdbc:oracle:thin:@scan_
    hostname:1521/RACDBServiceName.
    You can use the SCAN name during the product installation without the need to implement the previous workarounds.
    1. On the Database Configuration panel of the launchpad, select the Database has already been created and configured option.
    2. Finish the product installation as instructed by the launchpad.
    If you use Oracle SCAN and you add another node to the Oracle RAC cluster, no additional configuration is required for the JDBC connection string in the maximo.properties file.
    For more information about configuring Oracle RAC, see the Oracle product website.

Example

The following URL is a two-node Oracle RAC JDBC URL with load balancing:
jdbc:oracle:thin:@(DESCRIPTION=(LOAD_BALANCE=yes)(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=TCP)(HOST=NODE1_VIP)(PORT=1521))(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=TCP)(HOST=NODE2_VIP)(PORT=1521))(CONNECT_DATA=(SERVER=DEDICATED)(SERVICE_NAME=RACDB)))

This URL is based on the Oracle RAC entries that are in the tnsnames.ora file. This URL format works with Tivoli's process automation engine when it is configured after the installation in the maximo.properties file, but a workaround is required to install to an existing Oracle RAC database.



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