Configuration Generator for Oracle Maximum Availability Architectures

Introduction

MAAGEN is a configuration generator for Oracle Maximum Availability Architecture (MAA) configurations.

The Oracle Maximun Availability Architecture (MAA) combines Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC) which provides high availability capabilities with Oracle Data Guard which provides disaster recovery failures. Oracle RAC protects against failures of individual servers within the data centre; Oracle Data Guard protects against complete or partial loss of an entire data centre.

MAAGEN generates scripts and files to support MAA configurations. The configuration is initially defined in an XML document. MAAGEN takes the XML file as input and generates all files and scripts required to implement the MAA configuration including network configuration files, RMAN duplication scripts, parameter and control file configuration, OCR configuration and Data Guard Broker configuration.

MAAGEN generates the same set of scripts for every standby database configuration. Whilst the script names are identical, the contents differ signficantly based on the definition in the XML document.

MAAGEN is written in Perl to allow end-users to modify the tool if necessary to support new requirements e.g. new versions, environments etc. Alternatively support is available either on-site or remotely.

An XML-schema document is provided to ensure that modifications to the XML document are syntactically and semantically valid.

This section contains the following pages:

Specification
Physical Standby Creation
Physical Standby Recreation
Data Guard Role Transitions

Supported Configurations

MAAGEN can support MAA configurations with any number of nodes in the primary and standby clusters.

The default version of MAAGEN supports Oracle 11.1 and above. It can be adapted to support earlier versions.

MAAGEN supports MAA configurations on Linux, Solaris, AIX. It can be extended to support HP/UX if necessary.

MAAGEN can also be extended to support a number of extended MAA configurations including:

The default version of MAAGEN implements the following functionality:

The following attributes are configurable:

In addition initialization parameters can be specified for either the primary or standby databases

MAAGEN can also be extended to support the following features:

Prequisites

On Enterprise Linux, a basic version of Perl is usually installed by default. However, the MAAGEN Perl script uses the Perl XML parser which is not installed by default. To install the XML parser use yum. For example:

[oracle@server1]$ yum install perl-XML-LIbXML

The yum install command will install the perl-XML-LibXML package and any prerequisite packages.

At present the MAAGEN Perl script has only been executed in Linux x86-64 environments. Theoretically it will execute on Solaris and AIX, but the scripts and/or environment may require minor modification to achieve this.

Implementation

MAAGEN consists of several components:

History

MAAGEN has evolved over a number of years. MAAGEN or its predecessors has been implemented for around a dozen large UK-based Oracle users running MAA configurations. The script is currently written in Perl and is configured using an XML document. Perl remains the preferred scripting language because of its declarative syntax, block structure and support for objects.

Consultancy

MAAGEN is free for customers purchasing five or more days consultancy from JulianDyke.com Limited.

Experience has shown that it takes around five days to implement MAAGEN in a new organisation. This typically consists of:

Minor enhancements can usually be achieved during the initial five days. Major enhancements may require additional days.

Creation of a test environment is recommended for production sites unable to perform failover testing during working hours.

Pricing

MAAGEN is included for customers purchasing five or more days consultancy from JulianDyke.com Limited. Remote support is available and is currently free.

MAAGEN includes a Perl script which customers are permitted to modify. To reduce testing overheads, enhancement requests can be made to merge changes into the base release. Enhancements will be made if they do not conflict with existing/planned functionality.

Customers are free to use MAAGEN for any number of configurations within their organisation. MAAGEN cannot be distributed outside the organisation purchasing the consultancy.

MAAGEN is available free of charge to existing customers of JulianDyke.com Limited.

MAAGEN is not available for download. It is distributed by e-mail to qualifying customers.