We will begin our discussion of the RAC architecture for Oracle 11g at the macro level from 50,000 feet, with an example three-node Oracle 11g RAC environment as shown in the following diagram:
This diagram illustrates a fully redundant Oracle 11g RAC architecture in terms of hardware, network, storage, and database layout and configurations. Later in the chapter, we will in turn explain each of these key components and how they function within the grand scheme of an Oracle RAC environment. We also will provide you with guidance on how to best choose the right components for your Oracle RAC environment. As you can see, Oracle RAC is a complex mix of system, network, and database technologies. This provides the ability to scale up or out for large mission-critical information systems to support either OLTP (Online Transaction Processing), DSS (Decision Support Systems), and Data Warehouse, or ERP environments such as Oracle 11i/R12 EBS and PeopleSoft or SAP. The...