July 1998
Revision/Update Information: This is a revised document.
Digital Equipment Corporation
Maynard, Massachusetts
July 1998
Digital Equipment Corporation makes no representations that the use of its products in the manner described in this
publication will not infringe on existing or future patent rights, nor do the descriptions contained in this publication
imply the granting of licenses to make, use, or sell equipment or software in accordance with the description.
Possession, use, or copying of the software described in this publication is authorized only pursuant to a valid written
license from DIGITAL or an authorized sublicensor.
Digital Equipment Corporation 1998. All rights reserved.
The following are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation: DIGITAL, the DIGITAL logo, Alpha, AlphaServer,
TruCluster, ServerWORKS, and StorageWorks.
Third-party trademarks:
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All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Table of Contents
1 Advantages of DIGITAL HiTest Suites
What Is a DIGITAL HiTest Suite? ................................................................................................ ............ 11
DIGITAL HiTest Suite Components..........................................................................................................11
Additional Hardware and Software............................................................................................................12
2 About This DIGITAL HiTest Suite
Availability ................................................................................................................... ............................ 22
Features of SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400 ....................................... 22
Recommendations for SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400
HiTest Suite ................................................................................................................... .................. 22
Understanding Availability Features ................................................................................................... 23
Backup and Restore ..................................................................................................................... 23
Disk Storage Technologies...........................................................................................................23
Just a Bunch of Disks (JBOD)...............................................................................................23
Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) .................................................................... 23
Logical Storage Manager (LSM)...........................................................................................25
Clustering ..................................................................................................................... ............... 26
Redundant Components ............................................................................................................... 26
Installability ................................................................................................................. ............................. 26
Interoperability .......................................................................................................................................... 26
Price Range .................................................................................................................... ........................... 27
Scalability .................................................................................................................... ............................. 27
Additional Hardware Components ...................................................................................................... 27
Workload Capability...........................................................................................................................28
Services ..................................................................................................................................................... 29
Proof of Commitment: The DIGITAL Uptime Guarantee ................................................................... 29
Portfolio of Business Critical Services ........................................................................................ ........ 29
Complementary Support Services .............................................................................................. 210
Meeting Client Needs Locally or Globally.................................................................................210
For More Information ................................................................................................................ 210
Year 2000 Compliance ............................................................................................................................ 211
3 Configuration Data
Hardware and Software Components ......................................................................................................... 31
Special Configuration Rules .................................................................................................... .................. 37
R/3 Specific Configuration Rules .............................................................................................................. 38
Security Rules .................................................................................................................................... 38
Performance Rules..............................................................................................................................38
HiTest Notes for SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400 iii
Contents
4 System Installation and Setup
Hardware Installation .......................................................................................................... ...................... 41
KZPSA Installation.............................................................................................................................42
ESA 10000 Installation ......................................................................................................... .............. 43
Database Disks.............................................................................................................................46
Example with Eighteen Disks for the Database ............................................................................ 48
Setup the Second ESA 10000.......................................................................................................49
Setup the Database Disks on HSZ3 and HSZ4 (Optional).............................................................49
Performance Hints ....................................................................................................................... 49
Setup with Three Stripesets and Two Disks Each on the HSZ3 and HSZ4.................................. 410
Setup with Three Stripesets and Six Disks Each on the HSZ3 and HSZ4.................................... 411
Setup with Four Stripesets and Six Disks Each on the HSZ3 and HSZ4 ..................................... 412
Operating System Installation..................................................................................................................413
Disk Initialization ............................................................................................................................. 413
Operating System Custom Installation ........................................................................................... ... 414
Licenses....................................................................................................................... ..................... 418
Final Adjustments for the Operating System ..................................................................................... 418
Configure Network Interfaces ........................................................................................................... 420
FDDI Controller (fta0) ......................................................................................................... ...... 420
Fast Ethernet Controller (tu0).....................................................................................................420
DIGITAL UNIX Patch Installation ................................................................................................... 420
Network Setup .................................................................................................................................. 421
Hosts and Rhosts........................................................................................................................422
/etc/hosts ..................................................................................................................... ........ 422
Postinstallation Procedures ............................................................................................................... 422
Labeling the Local Disks ........................................................................................................... 422
Labeling the Shared Disks..........................................................................................................423
Adding Swapspace.....................................................................................................................423
Installing the AdvFS Utilities.....................................................................................................423
TruCluster Available Server .................................................................................................... ......... 424
Logical Storage Manager (LSM).......................................................................................................425
Mandatory Disksetup ............................................................................................................ ..... 425
First ESA 10000 Installation ...................................................................................................... 427
Second ESA 10000 Installation (Optional if the Database is Bigger than 164 GB) .....................428
SAP R/3 Installation ................................................................................................................................ 429
SAP System ID.................................................................................................................................430
SAP and Oracle Directory Structure..................................................................................................430
Mandatory Directories for all Database Options.........................................................................430
Database with Disks with One ESA 10000 (includes HSZ1 and HSZ2):.....................................431
Database Disks with Two ESA 10000, Six Stripesets ................................................................. 432
Database Disks with Two ESA 10000, Seven Stripesets.............................................................432
Starting the SAP R/3 Installation ...................................................................................................... 433
Useful Add Ons ................................................................................................................................ 433
Postinstallation for TruCluster V1.5 in a SAP R/3 Environment ....................................................... 433
Differences to the Original Documentation ................................................................................ 434
5 Tests and Results
Overview of Results ............................................................................................................ ...................... 51
Test Environment ...................................................................................................................................... 51
Test Tools..................................................................................................................................................52
Test Configuration.....................................................................................................................................52
System Limits and Characterization Data .................................................................................................. 53
iv HiTest Notes for SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400
Contents
Test Process and Results............................................................................................................................53
6 Problems and Solutions
Foundation Operating System....................................................................................................................61
Error in UERF .................................................................................................................................... 61
AppSet Software........................................................................................................................................61
Local bin Directory.............................................................................................................................61
SM51 Failed ....................................................................................................................................... 62
Entries in TCPDB...............................................................................................................................62
Import of Online Documentation Failed..............................................................................................63
Errors in dev_w files in the Instance Work Directory..........................................................................63
APPL-SERVER not found .................................................................................................................. 64
Error in dev_w....................................................................................................................................64
Error During Making Oracle Intelligent Agent....................................................................................64
Testphase ...................................................................................................................... ............................ 64
No Connect to the Database................................................................................................................64
Unable to Obtain Requested Swapspace ........................................................................................... .. 64
Perl Is Needed .................................................................................................................................... 65
Mess-tools not Started ......................................................................................................... ............... 65
Error After Relocating with TruCluster AS.........................................................................................65
Error in Deassign TCP/IP alias ........................................................................................................... 65
Error for Each Simulated User............................................................................................................66
Problems with Sapgui ........................................................................................................... .............. 66
7 Detailed Hardware Configuration
System Diagram ........................................................................................................................................ 72
HiTest System Slot Configuration ............................................................................................................. 73
A Instructions to Modify the TCR Available Server SAP R/3 Installation
Stop R/3 ....................................................................................................................... ............................ A1
Setting up the XNTPD Time Daemon....................................................................................................... A1
Modifications to Provide a Failover without Database Dependencies ....................................................... A1
General Modifications .......................................................................................................... ............. A2
Modify the /etc/exports-files.............................................................................................................. A5
Modifications for the Oracle Database............................................................................................... A6
Create a Disk Service ........................................................................................................................ A7
Create a User-Defined Service........................................................................................................... A8
Task to Do after Relocation of the Database............................................................................................. A8
Procedure How to Put (SAP R/3 upgrade) a R/3 System in a Failover Environment ................................. A9
TruCluster AS Manager Utility................................................................................................................. A9
How to Set Up a Disk Service.......................................................................................................... A10
How to Set Up a User-Defined Service ........................................................................................... . A14
How to Relocate the Services ................................................................................................... ....... A16
Transactions and Tests to Check the R/3 System ............................................................................. A16
Modifications in R/3 to Prevent the Database Running on the Application Server to Pop-Up
a Sapgui Error ................................................................................................................. .............. A17
Testing R/3 Basic Functionality.............................................................................................................. A17
Testing Message and Gateway......................................................................................................... A18
Testing Enqueue and Update Services ............................................................................................. A18
Batch Services ................................................................................................................................. A19
Testing Spool Service ...................................................................................................................... A20
HiTest Notes for SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400 v
Contents
Application Tests............................................................................................................................. A20
Additional Tests ..................................................................................................................................... A21
Test the Transport System................................................................................................................ A21
Testing the Installed DECsafe Configuration ................................................................................... A 22
Debugging and Diagnosing Tool sys_check .............................................................................. A22
Tasks for Setting the ASE Off-line............................................................................................ A22
Restrictions and Limitations ................................................................................................... ................ A23
Parameter in the rc_serv.conf file ............................................................................................. .............. A24
Figures
Figure 2-1: RAID Level Summary.............................................................................................................24
Figure 2-2: SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400 Price Range .......................... 27
Figure 2-3: SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400 HiTest Suite
Scalability .................................................................................................................... ........................... 28
Figure 2-4: SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400 Workload Capability.............29
Figure 4-1: ESA 10000 Frontview - Mandatory Disks................................................................................45
Figure 4-2: ESA 10000 - Database with Nine Times 4 GB Disks...............................................................47
Figure 4-3: ESA 10000 Frontview - Database with Eighteen Disks with 4 GB Disks ................................. 48
Figure 4-4: ESA 10000 Frontview HSZ3 and HSZ4.................................................................................410
Figure 4-5: ESA 10000 Frontview HSZ3 and HSZ4 with 3 Stripesets (6 Disks)....................................... 411
Figure 4-6: ESA 10000 Frontview HSZ3 and HSZ4 with 4 Stripesets (6 Disks)....................................... 412
Figure 4-7: Example for Volume SAP01 ........................................................................................... ...... 429
Figure 5-1: Test Environment ................................................................................................... ................. 51
Figure 7-1: System Diagram ..................................................................................................... ................. 72
Figure 7-2: HiTest System Slot Usage ........................................................................................... ............ 73
Figure 7-3: I/O Slot Usage.........................................................................................................................74
Tables
Table 2-1: SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400 Availability Features..............22
Table 2-2: RAID Levels and Descriptions ........................................................................................ ......... 24
Table 2-3: SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400 Year 2000
Compliance ..................................................................................................................... ...................... 211
Table 3-1: DIGITAL HiTest Template AppSet Software and Foundation Hardware ............................... 32
Table 3-2: DIGITAL HiTest Template Foundation Software .................................................................. 34
Table 3-3: System Management Station Template ..................................................................................... 35
Table 3-4: Component Revision Levels ..................................................................................................... 37
Table 7-1: Configuration Cabling .............................................................................................................. 73
Table 7-2: System Slot Usage (Minimum and Maximum Configurations) ................................................. 73
Table 7-3: I/O Slot Usage (Minimum and Maximum Configurations)........................................................74
vi HiTest Notes for SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400
Preface
This document provides an overview of DIGITAL HiTest Suites and detailed technical
information about the SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400 HiTest
Suite. This information includes the HiTest AppSet, the HiTest Foundation, configuration
details, installation instructions, tuning parameters, problems encountered and their solutions,
tests and test results, and system diagrams. Together, a HiTest Foundation and HiTest AppSet
(Application Set) comprise all of the components in a HiTest Suite. The HiTest Foundation
includes the hardware, operating system, middleware, and database software. The HiTest
AppSet contains a collection of software specific to one class of customer solutions.
Audience
Primary users of this document are DIGITAL and Partners sales representatives and technical
support personnel. Secondary audiences include product managers, customers, and the
personnel responsible for installing, setting up, and operating a DIGITAL HiTest Suite.
Organization
This document is organized as follows:
Chapter Title Description
Chapter 1 Advantages of Provides a summary of the benefits of DIGITAL HiTest Suites
DIGITAL HiTest Suites and an overview of the Suite covered in this document.
Chapter 2 About This Describes the specific characteristics of this HiTest Suite.
DIGITAL HiTest Suite
Chapter 3 Configuration Data Includes tables of configuration data about the hardware and
software components that define the DIGITAL HiTest
Template, and special configuration rules if any.
Chapter 4 System Installation Provides information for installing and setting up this
and Setup DIGITAL HiTest Suite.
Chapter 5 Tests and Results Describes how the tests were set up including database
organization, where data and programs were placed, and how
the tests were run. It also describes system limits and
characterization data.
Chapter 6 Problems and Discusses any problems and solutions that were discovered
Solutions during testing.
Chapter 7 Detailed Hardware Contains more detailed information about the configuration of
Configuration the hardware and software components listed in the
Configuration Data chapter.
Contains more detailed information about the TCR Available
Appendix A Instructions to
Server SAP R/3 Installation.
modify the TCR Available
Server SAP R/3 Installation
HiTest Notes for SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400 vii
Preface
Customer Feedback
What our readers think of this or any other DIGITAL documentation is important to us. If you
have any comments, we would appreciate hearing from you. Send your comments to:
reader-comments@digital.com.
Please reference the complete document title and part number (EK-HSPXB-HN. C01) in your
correspondence about this document.
Ordering Information
Copies of this and other DIGITAL documents can be ordered by calling 1-800-DIGITAL.
This document and other HiTest documents can be downloaded from the DIGITAL HiTest
web site, which also provides access to other HiTest information such as configuration tools
and parts updates.
http://cosmo.tay.dec.com/public/configsys/config_systems.htm
You can also visit the Technical Support Center web page, which provides additional
information such as pointers to benchmark centers and major technical training and events:
http://cosmo.tay.dec.com (Intranet)
http://www.businesslink.digital.com (Internet)
Related Documents
This document references the following manuals:
StorageWorks Array Controllers: HS Family of Array Controllers Users Guide
(EK-HSFAM-UG)
SAP R/3 DECsafe Package V2.2A (including Guide to the DECsafe Available Server)
DIGITAL UNIX Software Documentation (is delivered with DIGITAL UNIX on
CD-ROM).
Logical Storage Manager documentation is included in the DIGITAL UNIX Software
Documentation
DIGITAL UNIX Installation Guide V4.0D or higher (AA-QTLGB-TE)
SAP R/3 Installation on UNIX - ORACLE Database Guide
SAP Installation Guide Operating Dependencies
SAP Notes 86856 - R/3 Installation on UNIX
SAP Notes 86855 - R/3 Installation on UNIX - OS Dependencies
SAP Notes 86857 - R/3 Installation on UNIX - Oracle Database
A copy of the SAP R/3 DECsafe Package V2.2A is available from the DIGITAL Intranet at
http://www.fra.dec.com/SAP-Eng/available/cluster.html.
The SAP R/3 Installation on UNIX - Oracle Database Guide is delivered with the SAP R/3
software. For the SAP Notes send the FAX template, which is delivered with the software to
SAP.
viii HiTest Notes for SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400
1
Advantages of DIGITAL HiTest Suites
This chapter describes what a HiTest Suite is, the suite components and advantages, and
customer add-ons.
What Is a DIGITAL HiTest Suite?
DIGITAL HiTest Suites are guidelines for configuring a set of prequalified computer systems.
A HiTest Suite often contains all the hardware and software needed for a complete customer
solution. DIGITAL HiTest Suites can be used as a basis for configuring systems that satisfy a
wide set of customer requirements. Typically, Suites target specific markets such as Data
Warehousing or SAP Solution and Internet Servers.
In each HiTest Suite, the components are selected and the configurations designed to ensure
system reliability, application performance, and ability to upgrade. The suite's hardware and
software components have been successfully tested for interoperability.
The specifications for allowed ranges of hardware and software components, part numbers,
description, and revision information are listed in the DIGITAL HiTest Template in Chapter 3.
DIGITAL HiTest Suite Components
The SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400 HiTest Suite contains
three groups of components: the DIGITAL HiTest Foundation, and the DIGITAL HiTest
AppSet, and System Management Station.
The DIGITAL HiTest AppSet contains application software unique to the targeted market.
The DIGITAL HiTest Foundation contains the operating system, middleware, database
software, and hardware and can be used as a configuration guideline for the base platform for
many applications and target markets. This Suite will meet the needs of medium- to high-
end SAP TruCluster AS configurations. The System Management Station is an optional
standalone personal computer system containing software used to manage the HiTest system.
Select components from the HiTest Template to configure a DIGITAL HiTest System. Any
system configured as specified in the DIGITAL HiTest Template can be called a DIGITAL
HiTest System.
HiTest Notes for SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400 11
Advantages of DIGITAL HiTest Suites
Additional Hardware and Software
Besides the hardware and software specified in a DIGITAL HiTest Suite, additional hardware
and software can be added to a HiTest System. Add-on hardware consists of accessory
components such as printers, modems, and scanners that are supported by the operating
system and other software. Adding these components should not affect interoperability and,
therefore, the system can still be considered a DIGITAL HiTest System.
Customers who purchase a DIGITAL HiTest System that is configured below the maximum
specified in the Template, can later add additional hardware up to the specified maximum
range and still maintain the integrity of a DIGITAL HiTest System.
If additional hardware components beyond the maximum specified in the Template are
configured into a system, you still have the assurance that the rest of the system has been
thoroughly tested for component interoperability. Therefore, the risk of experiencing problems
is greatly reduced.
12 HiTest Notes for SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400
2
About This DIGITAL HiTest Suite
This HiTest Suite satisfies the needs of customers who require high-performance computing
capabilities on most reliable configurations. It is a customer demand to run the SAP business
application 24/7/52, which includes online backup and a failover mechanism. The scalability
of the AlphaServer 8400 ensures a broad range of configuration possibilities from small
companies up to medium and large enterprises. The performance of this configuration is well
known and the pretested systems guarantee a quick installation at a customer site.
The SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400 HiTest Suite includes the
following components:
SAP R/3
Oracle8 for DIGITAL UNIX
TruCluster Available Server for DIGITAL UNIX
DIGITAL UNIX
AlphaServer 8400
StorageWorks ESA 10000
This chapter describes the following characteristics of the SAP Oracle TruCluster AS
DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400 HiTest Suite and evaluates the Suite in terms of each:
Availability
Installability
Interoperability
Price Range
Scalability
Services
Year 2000 Compliance
HiTest Notes for SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400 21
About This DIGITAL HiTest Suite
Availability
Availability, which describes a computer system's ability to quickly recover from a failure,
can be described in terms of the following:
Data Protection Ensures long-term data accessibility by providing the facility to do off-
line data backup.
Data Availability Stores redundant data on line for rapid, automatic data recovery in
the event of a failure. Data availability is typically provided through the use of RAID
technology.
Platform Availability Enables processing to continue during failure by using
technologies that support failover to other components. Clustering, redundant power
supplies, battery backup, and other components provide support for platform availability.
Disaster Tolerance Protects against computer room disasters such as fire, flood, and
sabotage. Disaster Tolerant Systems require an additional system at a remote site and are
more expensive than the previously defined alternatives. (The DIGITAL HiTest process
does not test disaster tolerant configurations. If disaster tolerance is a requirement, your
sales person can provide more information.)
Features of SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400
The DIGITAL HiTest process verified that each of the availability features provided by this
Suite operate correctly and provide the protection required for all configurations.
Table 2-1 indicates availability features that are always included in this HiTest Suite when
configured with the AppSet and those that are customer options.
Table 2-1: SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400
Availability Features
Availability Feature Enabling Technology Always Customer
Included Optional
Data Protection Backup and restore Yes
Data Availability Redundant disk storage (RAID) Yes
Redundant disk controllers Yes
Platform Availability System failover (clustering) Yes
Recommendations for SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer
8400 HiTest Suite
This HiTest Suite provides high availability while maintaining high performance because
hardware with a high mean-time-between-failure (MTBF) is used. Use of redundant data
storage ensures data availability. To reduce the risk of system failures, DIGITAL
recommends that the following levels of availability features be considered for this HiTest
Suite:
Data Protection
- Long term data accessibility is always provided with this HiTest Suite by the TZ-887
automated tape drive, which provides up to 280 GB of compressed data storage.
22 HiTest Notes for SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400
About This DIGITAL HiTest Suite
Data Availability
- High performance data access was maintained by using the non-redundant RAID 0
with large stripesets. Logical Storage Manager (LSM) was used for host based
mirroring to provide data redundancy.
- Redundant SCSI adapters were distributed across several PCI buses to maintain high
performance while avoiding a single point of failure.
- The use of shared SCSI bus storage is a requirement of the TruCluster Available
Server configuration.
Platform Availability
- The TruCluster configuration provides redundancy at the system level. The available
Server configuration of the TruCluster is used as this is the only configuration
certified by the partner for use with their application.
It may be necessary to create failover scripts for other software applications that run on the
clustered configurations of this DIGITAL HiTest Suite.
Understanding Availability Features
This section provides background information on the availability features included in this
HiTest Suite.
Backup and Restore
Backup and restore ensures that data remains available from one day to the next. It is
generally identified as a data protection technique because the stored information can also be
removed to a remote, protected environment. DIGITAL offers a range of backup and restore
capabilities from individual tape systems to automated tape libraries.
Disk Storage Technologies
This section describes the disk storage technologies used to provide availability for DIGITAL
HiTest configurations.
Just a Bunch of Disks (JBOD)
Just a bunch of disks (JBOD) refers to a multiple disk drive configuration, internal or external
to a host computer, in which there is no storage controller. Disk drives are managed by the
host system. To increase availability, JBOD storage systems are often configured with
hardware such as redundant power supplies and fans, or multiple SCSI buses.
Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID)
A Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) is a collection of disks managed by
specialized array management software. When using RAID, all disks in the RAIDset should
be the same type. Array management software may be host-based (execute in the host
computer) or subsystem-based (execute in an intelligent disk controller).1
Disk striping (RAID Level 0), is technically not RAID because it does not offer redundancy.
RAID Levels 2 and 3 are parallel access arrays (members are accessed concurrently). To
ensure that all disks participate in every I/O request, the minimum chunk size is kept small
(for example, a byte).
1 The RAID technique was described by D. A. Patterson, G. Gibson, and R. H. Katz "A Case for
Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive Disks (RAID)," Report No. UCB/CSD 87/391, University of
California, Berkeley CA 1987.
HiTest Notes for SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400 23
About This DIGITAL HiTest Suite
RAID Levels 4 and 5 are independent access arrays (members are not required to be accessed
concurrently). By keeping the minimum chunk size at least as large as a disk sector (block),
not all members have to participate in each I/O request.
RAID Levels 2 and 4 are not in general use.
Figure 2-1 summarizes the RAID levels. The shaded areas in Figure 2-1 refer to space used
for redundancy features.
Figure 2-1: RAID Level Summary
R A I D Level
0
S t r i p in g - No n r e d u n d a n t
1
M ir r o r i n g
2
B y t e Inte r le a v e d , E C C
3
B y t e In te r le a v e d , P a ri t y
4
B lo c k Interlea v e d , P a r it y
5
B lo c k Interlea v e d ,
D i s t r i b u te d P a r i t y
M L 0 1 4 3 32
DIGITAL and other companies also use the terms RAID 0+1, RAID 1+5 and Adaptive 3/5 to
refer to the combinations of these, and other, storage technologies. Table 2-2 describes the
RAID types to consider when choosing a RAID configuration.
Table 2-2: RAID Levels and Descriptions
RAID Description Advantages/Disadvantages
Level
Striping + increase in performance due to parallelism in
0
read and write
Data segmented and
- no fault tolerance (not a high availability
distributed across several
solution)
disks
Hardware Mirroring + good performance in read-intensive
1
applications (data can be read in parallel from
Data written twice to different
several disks)
disk spindles within the disk
- slower in writes (multiple writes required)
array
- spindle costs doubled
Striped Mirroring + good performance in reads (RAID 1)
0+1
Combined level 0 and 1 + write performance improved versus RAID 1
due to parallelism
Data mirrored onto and
+ adequate response maintained in event of disk
striped across several disks
failure
Best for performance-critical,
- spindle costs doubled
fault-tolerant environments
- recovery is I/O intensive
24 HiTest Notes for SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400
About This DIGITAL HiTest Suite
RAID Description Advantages/Disadvantages
Level
Parallel access array + high data transfer rate
2
Striped + ECC detects and corrects errors
ECC on separate drives - low I/O request rate
- not appropriate with modern drives
Parallel access array + good performance in reads due to parallelism
3
(like RAID 0)
Small minimum chunk size
+ costs only slightly increased compared to
Check bit calculated from
disks without high availability solutions
data
+ good performance with long records (high
Parity bits on dedicated disk,
data transfer rate)
data striped across remaining
- write performance penalty due to check bit
disks
calculation
- cannot overlap I/O (low I/O request rate)
Independent access array
4 + processes multiple requests simultaneously
Parity disk - parity disk is a bottleneck on writes
Independent access array + good performance in reads due to parallelism
5
(like RAID 0)
Parity Bit
+ costs only slightly increased compared to
Check bit and data distributed
disks without high availability solutions
(striped) across multiple disks
+ overlapped I/O
Best in environments that are
- write performance penalty due to check bit
mostly read and are not
calculation
performance sensitive
RAID 5 combined with + good performance in reads due to parallelism
1+5
(like RAID 0)
mirroring
Mirroring provided by LSM + double redundancy makes disk failure barely
noticeable
or Volume Shadowing
Most reliable and highest - spindle costs more than double
performance solution - write performance penalty due to check bit
calculation
The best features of 3 and 5 + good performance in reads due to parallelism
Adaptive
(like RAID 0)
3/5 Adapts between Level 3 and
+ costs only slightly increased compared to
Level 5 in response to
disks without high availability solutions
changes in the application's
workload + performs well with a wide variety of I/O loads
even when load characteristics change minute
by minute.
- write performance penalty due to check bit
calculation
Logical Storage Manager (LSM)
UNIX LSM provides low-overhead access to a logical view of storage devices. With LSM,
logical disks can be created from any combination of physical disks of any size. LSM
accomplishes this through the use of disk striping and mirroring. If a disk goes bad, the
inherent redundancy keeps storage available.
LSM includes a visual management interface to simplify storage management. Disk hot-spots
are highlighted so managers can see which parts of their storage configurations receive the
most or least accesses. The graphical interface can be used to rearrange storage layout
dynamically, either to grow or compress disk volumes as needs change, or to dynamically
tune performance and system utilization.
HiTest Notes for SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400 25
About This DIGITAL HiTest Suite
Clustering
A cluster is a group of systems that works collectively to provide fast, uninterrupted
computing service. Close cooperation can maximize performance and minimize down time.
Within a cluster, individual systems and their components do not have to match the
characteristics of mainframes, supercomputers, or fault-tolerant systems, yet can cooperate to
achieve the same results. Most clusters provide a cost-effective solution to achieve optimal
system availability and application performance, extensive scaling capability, and simplified
system management.
DIGITAL UNIX TruCluster Solutions include:
TruCluster Available Server is an environment for providing a quick recovery, failover (high
availability) environment for many UNIX applications, including standard database products,
NFS, printers, network logins, and so forth. The functionality of the Available Server is
included in the Production Server. TruCluster Available Server is designed for computing
environments that can tolerate a short disruption, but need critical applications automatically
restarted.
Redundant Components
Providing redundant components with a system increases that system's availability. If two
identical components provide complete redundancy to each other, the availability factor for
the set of components can increase by over 99% over a single component. Clustering and
RAID are technologies that use redundancy of systems and of disks. Other components may
be used in redundant configurations to further improve availability. Examples include disk
controllers, power supplies, and network controllers. Many are hot swappable components
that further increase availability by eliminating down time during replacement of the failed
unit.
Installability
Installability is the ease with which hardware and software components can be installed and
configured for use. Factors that are considered when evaluating installability include clarity
of installation steps, number of steps and duration appropriate to the complexity of the
product, and completeness of the installation and configuration information.
The DIGITAL HiTest process thoroughly examined all aspects of the installation of this
HiTest Suite. The installation procedures that were used are documented in Chapter 4.
A few minor problems were detected that affect the software installation of more complex
configurations. See Chapter 6 for more information.
DIGITAL Multivendor Computer Services (MCS) offers expert installation services.
Interoperability
Major components of this HiTest Suite have been tested for interoperability, including the
application, database, operating system, hardware, firmware, and service packs and patches.
Since interoperability problems are often related to inappropriate versions of components, the
specific versions that are known to interoperate are documented. Minimum and maximum
configurations for this Suite have been tested. The specific processes used for testing this
Suite are described in Chapter 5.
The HiTest Notes provide solutions to interoperability problems in several ways. First,
specific versions of all components are documented in Chapter 3. Second, installation and
setup instructions in Chapter 4 are written so that many interoperability problems are avoided.
Third, problems and solutions are documented in Chapter 6.
26 HiTest Notes for SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400
About This DIGITAL HiTest Suite
Some interoperability issues were discovered that related to reading large numbers of web
pages, apparent TruCluster hangs, and online documentation. See Chapter 6 for more
information and solutions.
Price Range
Figure 2-2 shows the approximate list price (U.S. dollars) for the minimum and maximum
HiTest Systems that can be configured from the SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX
AlphaServer 8400 HiTest Suite. These prices were effective as of March 1998. The price
range can vary significantly over time and with the inclusion of service packages, consulting,
country-specific prices, and other factors.
No matter what configuration is chosen, the resulting system is a leader in the industry due to
the price and the power of the AlphaServer 8400 CPU.
Figure 2-2: SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400 Price
Range
2
200 500 5
20 50
$100K $10 M
$10K $1 M
The purchase price of a system is only one factor affecting affordability. The cost of staff,
space, maintenance, and upgrade also affect the total cost of ownership. The system value is
determined by comparing these costs to the total benefit and deriving the return on
investment (ROI). Because these costs and the benefits are unique to each customer, the ROI
can best be determined by a joint customer and sales person team.
Scalability
For this HiTest Suite, scalability can be described in two ways. In terms of hardware,
scalability refers to the additional hardware components that can be added to a system within
and beyond the HiTest configuration. In terms of performance, scalability refers to the
workload capability of the HiTest configuration.
Additional Hardware Components
Systems that are configured from this HiTest Suite can easily be upgraded both within and
beyond the ranges specified in the Suite.
In Figure 2-3, hardware scalability for this Suite is illustrated in terms of memory, number of
CPUs, and disk space. Within the limits set for the enclosures called for in this HiTest Suite,
comparisons are shown for the minimum and maximum limits of the system configuration.
Note that within this DIGITAL HiTest Suite, the choice of system or cabinets can limit future
expansion. If expansion is needed, select components that will allow future expansion.
HiTest Notes for SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400 27
About This DIGITAL HiTest Suite
Figure 2-3: SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400 HiTest
Suite Scalability
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
HiT est
50%
40%
30% HiT est
20% HiT est
10%
0%
Memory Processors Storage
Systems configured within this range involve tradeoffs
between these, and sometimes other components.
Systems configured within this range generally exceed the
requirements of the market.
Systems configured within this range meet the
Hi Te st
requirements of most customers.
Systems configured within this range are generally
insufficient to meet the requirements of the market.
Systems cannot be configured in this range.
The AlphaServer 4x00 configurations of the SAP R/3 HiTest Suite meet the requirements for
80% of the SAP R/3 installations with 200 through 2000 users while providing significant
expansion capability for situations that may reach beyond the scope of this HiTest Suite.
In general, systems can be configured beyond the limits illustrated in Figure 2-3 by adding
additional storage cabinets, clusters, and other peripherals.
Workload Capability
Scalability also measures how performance is affected as additional resources and users are
added. When scalability is measured by workload capability, the factors that are considered
include the effectiveness of additional hardware; whether the system remains consistent as
you add to it; and how expensive it is to add to it.
DIGITAL HiTest Suites are selected to provide an appropriate workload capability for the
target application area. Often a choice of suites is available, each providing appropriate
coverage for specific situations. HiTest works closely with other DIGITAL groups to ensure
that a HiTest system will perform appropriately in a production environment. Many HiTest
systems are tested and tuned for performance.
Characterization tests were performed for SD benchmark (SAP standard benchmark). These
tests are described in Chapter 5.
28 HiTest Notes for SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400
About This DIGITAL HiTest Suite
Figure 2-4 shows the workload capability.
Figure 2-4: SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400
Workload Capability
200 2,000
500 5,000
20 50
100 clients
10 client 1,000 clients 10,000 clients
One SD user corresponds to about three users in real application. Depending on which parts
of the application are used, this number is higher or lower.
Benchmark data on other DIGITAL systems is available at the following URL:
http://www.fra.dec.com/SAP-CC/Intranet/sizing/sizingliste.html
Services
DIGITAL offers a range of service options. The following portfolio of Business Critical
Services is available for HiTest Suites and is backed by the DIGITAL Uptime Guarantee.
Proof of Commitment: The DIGITAL Uptime Guarantee
The DIGITAL Uptime Guarantee is a formal contract that commits DIGITAL to keeping a
client's business critical systems in operation at least 99.5% of the time, excluding outages
beyond the control of DIGITAL, such as electrical shutdowns, environmental failures, and
downtime caused by application failure. If uptime levels are lower than 99.5%, clients do not
pay the full service charge.
Portfolio of Business Critical Services
The three vital elements of DIGITAL Business Critical Services are:
Availability Review
The first step in initiating a Business Critical engagement with DIGITAL is a
customized, in-depth availability analysis of the computing environment, beginning with
an overview of operating goals. This review identifies potential risks and trouble spots in
hardware, software, operations, physical environment, and network. A comprehensive
written report forms the basis for determining serviceability requirements.
Business Critical Gold Support
Clients who purchase Business Critical Gold Support work with a named technical
account manager who serves as the single point of contact and ensures that problems are
resolved quickly. A privileged hotline assures crisis response within 30 minutes. An
assigned support team works with the account manager to apply continuous effort to
critical problems. The on-site support agreement for Gold Support Customers provides
coverage 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Additional benefits include:
- Notification of software patches as soon as they become available
- Notification of known problems and fixes
- Monthly service activity review
- Operating system upgrade impact planning
- Bi-annual System Healthcheck assessments. These are conducted using advanced
system-based tools to assess the performance and security of systems. The collected
data is analyzed against accepted practices, and the findings, together with
recommendations for corrective action, are documented in a summary report.
HiTest Notes for SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400 29
About This DIGITAL HiTest Suite
Availability Partnership
With Availability Partnership, system availability is maintained at the required level by
measuring and analyzing actual system availability, and conducting regular updates to
the original Availability Review. Particular focus is placed on:
- Configuration and topology documentation
- Availability status reporting
- Change impact analysis
- Proactive problem avoidance based on proactive patch/FCO/firmware management
- Periodic detailed data collection and analysis
- Availability model update
- Contingency planning
- Service planning and advising
Complementary Support Services
The three key Business Critical Services are augmented by:
On-Site Parts Service
DIGITAL works with the client to determine the appropriate inventory levels for their
environment. A cost-effective rental parts solution is developed to maintain an on site
inventory of spare parts.
Installation and Startup
DIGITAL offers rapid, worry-free implementation of new hardware and software
including systems, PCs, terminals, workstations, networking components, operating
systems, layered products, applications, and software updates. Clients can choose
hardware installation, software installation and startup, or both.
Meeting Client Needs Locally or Globally
With 450 service center locations in l00 countries, DIGITAL is prepared to deliver consistent
and comprehensive service capabilities on a local or multinational basis. These services
encompass:
Total system support for servers, network operating system, applications, switching
components, and PCs
Multivendor support for a diverse range of products including networking equipment,
applications, and peripherals
Microsoft Solution Provider and Authorization Support Centers with the largest
concentration of Microsoft certified engineers in the world
For More Information
To find out more about DIGITAL Business Critical Services, contact your local DIGITAL
Multivendor Customer Services sales specialist or visit the Business Critical Services web site
at http://www.digital.com/services/mcs/mcs_critical.htm.
210 HiTest Notes for SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400
About This DIGITAL HiTest Suite
Year 2000 Compliance
Year 2000 Compliance refers to whether computer systems will properly recognize the date
change from December 31, 1999 to January 1, 2000. Current information on Year 2000 status
of DIGITAL products can be obtained from the DIGITAL Year 2000 Program web site at
http://ww1.digital.com/year2000/. Current information on the Year 2000 status
of other vendor's products should be confirmed with those vendors.
While HiTest does not explicitly test for Year 2000 compliance in the components of this
Suite, HiTest does check the published status of components where Year 2000 compliance
would be a concern. The Year 2000 information presented here is accurate as of March 1998.
Table 2-3 summarizes these findings.
The color codes used in the table represent the following categories of readiness:
Blue Version specified is Year 2000 ready today.
Green Currently not Year 2000 ready. Version to be Year 2000 ready specified with
Year 2000 date noted.
Yellow Under evaluation.
Red Will not be made ready for Year 2000. Product will be removed from active status
on or before 31 March 1998.
N Not Applicable - No Year 2000 implications exist for this component.
Table 2-3: SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400 Year 2000
Compliance
Component Year 2000 Status
AppSet software (SAP R/3) Blue
Database Software (Oracle8 for DIGITAL UNIX) Blue
Middleware (TruCluster Available Server for DIGITAL UNIX) Blue
Operating System (DIGITAL UNIX) Blue
Platform (AlphaServer 8400) Blue
Major Storage (if appropriate) (StorageWorks ESA 10000) N
HiTest Notes for SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400 211
SES Template Word 7 Blank Page Fix by Peter LaQuerre
3
Configuration Data
This chapter describes the SAP Oracle TruCluster AS DIGITAL UNIX AlphaServer 8400
HiTest Suite including the hardware, software, and firmware components and their revision
levels. If required, special configuration rules are explained.
Hardware and Software Components
Table 3-1 and Table 3-2 identify the range of hardware and software components that can be
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