RE: Q. To RAC or go vertical

I think the point of RAC is fault tolerance, not scalability. If it's performance you want then you want a bigger box, not more boxes. 8 CPUs is not big. You sure don't need the expensive hardware if all you want to run is 8 CPUs. It would be better to go with a smaller frame and use the money you save to get more CPUs and additional I/O capacity. For example, instead of E12K with 8 CPUs, get 4810 with 12 CPUs -- unless you have definite plans to push the E12K out to its limits in the future. Don't forget to consider the backup requirements of a 5 - 10 TByte database. Another consideration, I think, is that those big, fancy boxes require additional sys admin skills.

-----Original Message-----
Hi All

I would like to ask for your thoughts on whether to RAC or just go vertical (more cpu)

Background

Txn - OLTP like txn during day but batch extracts at night and

        very big batch extract periodically Data Volume - 5-10 TByte
Data volatility - 99 % of data is very much like a ware house (unchanged)

                other 1% is read/update/delete/insert

Options
1. Say a very large server like a HP Superdome or SUN E12000

        with 8 CPUs
        Server already exist so cost is in obtaining additional CPU/Blades
        ie Traditional Server using plain old vanilla Oracle EE


        - can still increase head room.  

        - batch programs can utilise all 8 CPUs

        - storage system need not cater for clustering


2,  Same large server like a HP Superdome or SUN E12000 but partitioned
        into two. Each with 4 CPU.
        Oracle RDBMS + RAC option


        - storage server need to cater for cluster config

        - max performance for batch is with 4 CPUs only

Which would you prefer and why. I am not convinced with the RAC option. Now
if I was going with cheaper Intel servers like Dell servers with 4 CPUS each, and
purchase say 4 nodes of 4 cpus each, that would be a different story. In this case
I have the equipment and ability to grow vertically.

ta
tony

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