Installing Oracle Database 11.2 on IBM AIX 6.1 (Includes HACMP)

SWAP space recommendation from Oracle corp. for Oracle 11g Release 2

If RAM is between 1 GB and 2 GB, SAWP should be 1.5 times the size of RAM

If RAM is between 2 GB and 16 GB, SWAP should be equal to the size of RAM

If RAM is more than 16 GB, SWAP should be 16 GB

Check RAM

# /usr/sbin/lsattr -E -l sys0 -a realmem

Check swap space

# /usr/sbin/lsps -a

Operating System Requirements

The following, or later versions, of the operating systems are required for Oracle Database 11g Release 2 (11.2):

- AIX 5L V5.3 TL 09 SP1 ("5300-09-01"), 64 bit kernel

- AIX 6.1 TL 02 SP1 ("6100-02-01), 64-bit kernel

The following operating system filesets are required for AIX 6.1:

- bos.adt.base

- bos.adt.lib

- bos.adt.libm

- bos.perf.libperfstat - 6.1.2.1 or later

- bos.perf.perfstat

- bos.perf.proctools

- rsct.basic.rte

- rsct.compat.clients.rte

- xlC.aix61.rte -10.1.0.0 or later

1. To determine the distribution and version of AIX installed, enter the following command:

# oslevel -s

For AIX 6.1: If the operating system version is lower than AIX 6.1 Technology Level 2 SP 1, then upgrade your operating system to this, or a later, level.

2. To determine whether the required filesets are installed and committed, enter a command similar to the following:

# lslpp -l bos.adt.base bos.adt.lib bos.adt.libm bos.perf.perfstat \

bos.perf.libperfstat bos.perf.proctools rsct.basic.rte rsct.compat.clients.rte \

xlC.aix61.rte

3. To determine the supported kernel mode, enter a command similar to the

following:

# getconf KERNEL_BITMODE

64

The following, or later, patches are required for Oracle Database 11g Release 2 (11.2) for AIX Based Systems:

Authorized Problem Analysis Reports (APARs) for AIX 6L:

- IZ41855

- IZ51456

- IZ52319

# /usr/sbin/instfix -i -k "IZ51456 IZ52319 IZ41855"

Note: IZ52319 and IZ41855 might not displayed because these are included in Isome other installed APARs

Create OS Level Groups and User

1. Check all OS requirements are met.
2. Add dba OS level groups using “smit security” command. For HACMP, use “smit hacmp” to add the shared group for the cluster
3. Add oracle user using “smit security” command. Select dba as Primary group for this user and /home/oracle as home directory. For HACMP, use “smit hacmp” to add the shared user for the cluster. Home directory is recommended to be on the local storage of the node.
4. Reset the password for oracle user. For HACMP, use “smit security” to reset password for both nodes in HACMP.

Configure Shell Limits (Copied from Oracle documentation)

5. Run “smit chuser” command and select “oracle” user to set the limits as follows.

Shell Limit (As Shown in smit)                Recommended Value

Soft FILE size                                                    -1 (Unlimited)

Soft CPU time                                                   -1 (Unlimited) Note: This is the default value.

Soft DATA segment                                           -1 (Unlimited)

Soft STACK size                                                -1 (Unlimited)

Soft Real Memory size                                       -1 (Unlimited)

Processes (per user)                                          -1 (Unlimited)

Note: This limit is available only in AIX 6.1 or later.

Refer to “Configure System Configuration Parameters” step for information on configuration of processes per user limits.

Edit /etc/security/limits file to set “rss = -1” under user “oracle” to set the “Soft Real Memory Size”. This file should have entries for “oracle” user as follows

oracle:

        fsize = -1

        data = -1

        stack_hard = -1

        stack = -1

        rss = -1

Configure System Configuration Parameters

Parameter                                                     Recommended Value

maxuprocs                                                        16348

ncargs                                                              128

6. Execute “smit chgsys” command and make sure that value in “Maximum number of PROCESSES” is equal or greater to the value of “maxuprocs” mentioned above. Also make sure that value in “ARG/ENV list size in 4K byte blocks” is greater or equal to the value of “ncarg” mentioned above.
7. Login as user “oracle” and execute command “ulimit -a” and confirm that limits have been set mentioned under “Configure Shell Limits.”

Checking Asynchronous Input Output Processes(Copied from IBM Document)

On AIX 6, the AIO device drivers are enabled by default. Increase the number of aioserver processes from the default value. The recommended value for aio_maxreqs is 64k (65536). Confirm this value.

Confirm the aio_maxreqs value using the procedure for your release:

AIX 6.1:

# ioo –o aio_maxreqs

aio_maxreqs = 65536

When performing an asynchronous I/O to a file system, note that each asynchronous I/O operation is tied to an asynchronous I/O server. Thus, the number of asynchronous I/O servers limits the number of concurrent synchronous I/O operations in the system.

The initial number of servers that are started during a system restart is determined by the minservers parameter. As concurrent asynchronous I/O operations occur, additional asynchronous I/O servers are started, up to a maximum of the value set in the maxservers parameter.

In general, to set the number of asynchronous I/O servers, complete the following procedure:

1. Adjust the initial value of maxservers to 10 times the number of disks that are to be used concurrently but no more than 80.

2. Monitor the performance effects on the system during periods of high I/O activity. If all AIO server processes are started, then increase the maxservers value. Also, continue to monitor the system performance during peak I/O activity to determine if there was a benefit from the additional AIO servers. Too many

asynchronous I/O servers increase memory and processor overload of additional

processes, but this disadvantage is small.

To monitor the number of AIO server processes that have started, enter the following:

# ps -ek|grep -v grep|grep –v posix_aioserver|grep -c aioserver

Note: Value could be “0” if there is not activity going on to the server

Tuning the AIX for Oracle

1. Execute following commands while logged in as root user, for more details about this, see document “Tuning IBM AIX 5.3 and AIX 6.1 for Oracle Database.pdf”

# vmo -L lgpg_size 

# vmo -L lgpg_regions

# vmo -p -o lgpg_size=16777216  -o lgpg_regions=256

# vmo -L lgpg_size 

# vmo -L lgpg_regions

# vmo -p -o lru_file_repage=0 -o minperm%=3 -o maxperm%=90 -o  maxclient%=90

# vmo -r -o page_steal_method=1  

# bosboot -ad /dev/ipldevice

2. Reboot the server

Miscellaneous Settings

1. Check /etc/hosts file. It should contain the host name and alias in it.
2. /etc/resolv.conf file should contain following entry
   
   nameserver      168.232.220.220domain  mydomain.com
3. Check /etc/netsvc.conf. This file should contain following entry to make sure that /etc/hosts file is used first for name resolution
   
   host = local, bind, nis
4. Set the xntpd for network time synchronization.
1. Make entry of time serve in the /etc/ntp.conf as follows
   server oa-10.utac.com.sg prefer
2. Use “smit xntpd” to start xntpd service.

Installation of Oracle 11G Release 2

1. Set the environment variables for user oracle in .profile which could be found in /home/oracle directory. For HACMP, do this on both nodes.
   ###################################################ORACLE_HOSTNAME=ibmaixha01
   ORACLE_BASE=/oracle;export ORACLE_BASE

ORACLE_HOME=/oracle/product/11.2.0.1/db_1;export ORACLE_HOME

ORACLE_SID=mydb;export ORACLE_SID

ORACLE_TERM=vt100; export ORACLE_TERM

NLS_LANG=american_america.UTF8; export NLS_LANG

ORA_NLS33=$ORACLE_HOME/ocommon/nls/admin/data; export ORA_NLS33

LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$ORACLE_HOME/lib:$ORACLE_HOME/lib32:/lib:/usr/lib:/usr/local/lib

export LD_LIBRARY_PATH

PATH=$ORACLE_HOME/bin:$PATH:$HOME/bin

set -o vi###################################################

2. Run the rootpre.sh script and root user. For HACMP, execute this script on both nodes of HACMP. This will also create a group hagsuser, add user oracle and root into this group on both nodes.
   Note: Do not run the rootpre.sh script if you have a later release

of the Oracle Database software already installed on this system.

Switch user to root:

$ su -

password:

#

Complete one of the following steps, depending on the location of the installation

files:

·        If the installation files are on disc, enter a command similar to the following, where directory_path is the disc mount point directory or the path of the db directory on the DVD:

# /directory_path/rootpre/rootpre.sh

·        If the installation files are on the hard disk, change directory to the Disk1 directory and enter the following command:

# ./rootpre.sh

3. Set ORACLE_HOSTNAME environment variable appropriately if required.
4. Login as oracle user and check if all environment variables are set correctly.
5. Set DISPLAY environment variable if required.
6. Run Oracle installer from the directory where software is placed.
   $ ./runInstaller
   Uncheck the box for security updates and click Next.
7. Select “Install database software only”, and click Next.
   
8. Select “Single database installation”, and click Next.
9. Select appropriate option for installation and click Next.
10. Enter ORACLE_BASE and ORACLE_HOME directories and click Next.
11. Specify oracle inventory location as mentioned bellow and click Next.
12. Click Next.
13. Click on Finish to start installation
14. Following screen shows the installation progress.
15. Run “orainstRoot.sh” and then “root.sh” as root.
16. Click Close to finish the installation.