http://www.linkedin.com/groups/ACFS-OCFS-Which-one-is31561 !.S.1!" 15!56 That is ASM=Cluster File System + Volume Manager.

Oracle binaries directly talks with atabase !iles in ASM diskgrou" using ASM instance.ASM itsel! automatically mount all "artitions without third "arty inter#ention. For OCFS it uses OS to mount all "artitions and use OS to locate them. ASM has !unctionality o! Mirroring and Stri""ing conce"t to reduce $O inter#ention. These reasons ACFS is Faster than OCFS FileSystem. %aw FileSystem is also !aster than OCFS FileSystem... ==================================================== ===========. The original &uestion really doesn't make sense. There are ( di!!erent technologies that are being discussed here) and the di!!erences are im"ortant. OCFS * general "ur"ose CFS * can be used !or database and non* database !iles * included in the +inu, kernel * only a#ailable on +inu, or -indows * uses its own 'clusterware' * can be use!ul i! migrating !rom a traditional !ilesystem based en#ironment with a lot o! legacy scri"ts etc ASM * can only be used !or database !iles) both %AC and non*%AC. $ncluded in the Oracle .rid $n!rastructure on all su""orted "lat!orms * "re!erred technology !or database storage ACFS * CFS built on to" o! ASM * you could look at it as ASM manages the "hysical de#ices) ACFS is +VM * cannot be used !or database !iles * not a#ailable on all "lat!orms

and while we are discussing it) there is also now irect/FS in the mi,. $ sus"ect they wanted to know the di!!erence between ASM and OCFS !or the database) and $ sus"ect the true answer) like a lot o! &uestions about Oracle) is '$t de"ends...' As to whether '%aw FileSystem is also !aster than OCFS FileSystem' $ belie#e the di!!erences are marginal) and are !ar outweighed by the di!!iculty in managing raw de#ices 0not to mention they are not really su""orted anymore1 My best answer in this situation would be a set o! &uestions2 3-ell ... that de"ends on a lot o! things. -hat are you intending to use ACFS #s. OCFS4 !or5 Are you intending to store a database's data!iles) control !iles) or redo logs on the !ile system5 -hat kind o! s"eed and through"ut do we need) and why53 Frankly) ACFS is s"eci!ically aimed at storing non*Oracle database !iles 0e.g. con!iguration !iles and binaries !or a""lication !iles1 because o! its sna"shotting !eatures. $ don't see a lot o! #alue !or ACFS in an Oracle database realm because ASM is aimed directly at e!!icient $6O !or Oracle database !iles. The 7,adata 8M doesn't e#en "ermit ACFS to be used) so $'m not sure that ACFS is a likely candidate !or many use!ul "ur"oses in the multi*T8 or *98 range. LiShan Cheng Technical Manager at ORAUX $ had to use OCFS4 !or :T+;F$+7 !or my last <<g%4 %AC im"lementation because the customer was told that i! they wanted to use ACFS !or :T+;F$+7 they had to "ay !or licenses. A "ain. Also OCFS4 usually works ok but i! the $6O load is high we might see e#ictions due to the disk heartbeat works A !ew years ago $ was im"lementing 7,tended %AC <=g%4 and we used /AS !or :T+;F$+7) e,ternal tables and backu" "ur"oses. Deepak Sankpal, PMP, ITIL Experienced Database Analyst

Com"aring ACFS to OCFS is like com"aring A""les to Oranges. /o doubt ACFS is the best. OCFS is old. ACFS is a layer on Oracle ASM. There are a number !eatures and ad#antages ACFS o!!ers such as2 * .eneral "ur"ose !ilesystem !or non* 8 !iles. ACFS is a multi* "lat!orm) scalable !ile system that e,tends Oracle ASM !unctionality to su""ort !iles maintained outside o! the database. * ynamic !ilesystem resi>ing. * ?igh 9er!ormance. * Su""orts /FS and C$FS "rotocols. * Ad#anced !eatures2 Sna"shot) %e"lication) Tagging) Security and 7ncry"tion. * Starting with <<.4.=.() ACFS su""orts %MA/ backu"s) archi#e logs) and ata 9um" dum"sets.

Oleks#ndr Oleksandr Denysenko oracle: consulting, outsourcing and support services in Ukraine Ch#ndr#Sekh#r$ %&think&th#t&it&w#s&#n&indirect&'uestion&-&(ou&h#)e&to&discuss&*ene+its&#nd& dr#w*#ck&o+&e#ch&product$ *ut&not&re#ll,&pro)ide&direct&#nswer&to&this&'uestion& *ec#use&it-s&e)en&impossi*le&to&do&*enchm#rks&in&some&c#ses .ust&#&short&summ#r,&on&#lre#d,&pro)ided&in+o&m,&/!.!0: 1&OCFS&doesn-t&directl,&rel#tes&to&11g&rele#se&0$&*ut&ACFS&w#s&introduced& in&11.0 1&ACFS&doesn-t&support&d#t#*#se&+iles$&*ut&OCFS&-&does&-&how&to&do& *enchm#rks&2 1&OCFS&runs&onl,&on&3inu4&Windows 1&OCFS&h#s&it-s&own&cluster&th#t&m#,&decide&th#t&it-s&time&to&re*oot&e)en&

e)er,thing&seems&ok 1&OCFS&h#s&some&cl#ims&on&it-s&st#*ilit,$&especi#ll,&during&high&worklo#d 1&ACFS&now&re'uires&licensing&#s&Cloud&FileS,stem$&*ut&OCFS&is&+ree 1&ACFS&h#s&*uilt&in&mirroring&on&AS5&le)el$&OCFS&doesn-t#nd&this& mirroring&m#,&*e&used&with&disk&s,stems&distri*uted&o)er&0&di++erent&sites&-& +or&dis#ster&reco)er, 1&ACFS&h#s&*uilt&in&sn#pshot&support$&OCFS&doesn-t 1&ACFS&.ust&c#n-t&*e&1!4&+#ster&th#n&OCFS-&#s&#lw#,s&-&-%t&depends...oracio Miranda Senior Oracle DBA at Unisys u!!) look like we need to start !rom scratch here) as Oleksandr say be!ore agree they ask OCFS #s ACFS to check your background and how old you are with Oracle. OCFS !rom the time or %AC @i) <=. use ASM and <<. use OCFS. Also i! the inter#iew is related to 78S %<4 or <<i ACFS it is not su""orted at all. Oracle su""ort OCFS only. 0 why) ACFS "er!orm badly when strike <==A s"ecially i! you share this ACFS o#er /FS 0 what work at kernel le#el 1) the real e,"lanation here is more com"licated 0 we can o"en a thread about what6why ACFS #s OCFS and what ha""ens i!.... They key !actor here is the way you answer the inter#iew and how much you know about "roducts 0 how to use them 1 as Oracle sale bo,es and you use the bo,es as the recommendations !rom the #endor) !or this case Oracle. $! some ask what is better) you need to say what e#er it is certi!ied and su""orted !or your solution) bits more bits less 0ACFS or OCFS 1 doesn't really care i! the #endor su""ort the com"onents. Bust kee" on mind. the conce"t is CFS 0 cluster File system 1 use OCFS) ACFS) VeritasFS) Ad#anceFS 0 truCD 1 doesn't really matters as they share the !ilesystem across the nodes. 0 .FS) or CEFS !rom silicon .ra"hics they works 1 but Oracle at the moment su""ort ACFS

and OCFS !or some "roducts) read about what is certi!ied and stick to short answers as long answers are not good in the inter#iews1. %emember the two goals !or the 8AS are 0 kee" the database u" and running well) "er!ormance and good res"onse time 1) and the second goal is ha#e a esca"e "lan 0 backu"s) 1 think two times i! your backu"s are ready to rebuild your system i! someone stole the ser#er or the datacenter strike a earth&uake. 0 send backu"s to a secure "lace 1... hardware or technology is not im"ortant at the time o! the "roblems. ata is what Oracle "rotect and Oracle ha#e se#eral ways to "rotect data. -hat technology you use to run) doesn't really matters Fust stick to what is certi!ied 0 sorry !or say this again 1. $ ho"e this answer make more clear what you need to answer to make more clear you know about this subFect.

6or#cio oracio Miranda Senior Oracle D!" at Unisys :7&S#d&+#ce&+or&this&comment.& 8he&m#in&re#son&wh,&ACFS&is&not&certi+ied&+or&9:S&e)en&i+&;&sh#re&ACFS& #cross&the&#pps&nodes&using&<FS$&7&the&onl,&w#,&so&+#r&=$&is&*ec#use&the&<FS& is&#&kernel&module.& 5e#ns.& 1.-&>ernel& 0.-&<FS&module& 3.-&AS5& ?.-&ACFS& %+&the&<FS&module&lost&the&+iles,stem&7&something&h#ppens&to&the&ACFS&=&the& kernel&will&*e&*us,&w#iting&+or&%O$&#s&the&ACFS&works&o)er&the&AS5&l#,er& ,ou&will&strike&#&de#d&lock&there.&7&until&the&point&to&m#ke&the&node&re*oot&=.& @o&the&l#*&#nd&see&wh#ts&h#ppens.& And&;&c#n-t&recommend&unsupported&or&;<-certi+ied&solutions&+or&,our& customers&#s&#t&the&end&Or#cle&will&s#,&it&is&not&supported.&:e&c#re+ul&with&

wh#t&;&recommend.& Ale#se&remem*er&i+&something&works&doesn-t&me#n&will&work&well.&Stress&the& s,stem&9:S&with&ACFS&o)er&<FS&#nd&check&wh#ts&h#ppens.&O+&course&;& c#n-t&put&the&#pps&#nd&the&@:&in&the&s#me&cluster&7&#s&th#t&is&not&wh#t&Or#cle& recommends&with&@:8ier&#nd&AAAS8ier=.

6or#cio oracio Miranda Senior Oracle D!" at Unisys ple#se&check&how&<FS-ACFS&per+orm&under&the&+ollowing&scen#rios.& 1.-&5#ke&the&Files,stem&ACFS&strike&1!!B$&check&how&n+s&per+orms.& 0.-&use&sh#red&AAA&8OA&#nd&check&how&the&response&time&o+&some&c#ll&in& the&#pps&ser)er&per+orm&o)er&the&ACFS.&7per+orm#nce&issue&in&the&ACFS& when&,ou&h#)e&o)er&0!!>&+iles&per&director,=.& 3.-&F#il&o)er&test$&i+&,ou&#lloc#te&#&<FS&ser)ice&7using&the&cluster&ser)ice&o+& grid=.&#nd&cre#te&#&C%A&in&order&to&resist&the&lost&o+&the&<FS&Ser)er&7e4#mple& node1=&the&response&time&when&the&ser)ice&mo)e&+rom&node&1&to&node&0$&will& *e&#round&0&min.&the&pro*lem&#s&soon&,ou&get&the&ser)ice&*#ck&the&n+sDlock& h#)e&the&pointer&still&open$&so&,ou&#re&no&#*le&to&write&the&s#me&+ile&7is& lock=.& ?.-&;nder&re#d/write&stress&situ#tion$&the&ACFS&will&not&respond&+#ster$&#s& <FS&works&#s&#&>ernel&module$&the&<FS&h#)e&priorit,&o)er&the&@%S>&%O&o+& the&ACFS&7#s&ACFS&is&#&progr#m&using&the&ACFS&li*&=.&so&*oth&resources& will&+ight&+or&%O&#t&kernel&le)el$&the&kernel&doesn-t&know&the&ACFS&h#)e& priorit,&here.&As&the&cluster&is&not&#*le&to&write&into&the&AS5&)oting&disk& onl,&#+ter&0 &seconds&o+&re#ll,&stress&the&node&will&re*oot.&Simil#r&situ#tion& o)er&OCFS&7old&OCFS&)ersion&1.?&%&think$&the&one&used&with&EAC& i=.& Check&this&+our&points.&ACFS&i+&#&good&solution&*ut&how&the&9:S&works$&%& don-t&think&is&the&*est&mi4&ACFS-<FS. Senior Oracle DBA at Unisys The worst case scenario is totally lost o! the storage. And !or that scenario you need a backu" o! the FS. CFS 0Cluster FileSystem 1 doesn't mean the data will be "rotected <==A Fust two o more ser#ers can access the same !ilesystem. VCFS) CEFS) .FS) OCFS) ACFS) etc. $! you lost the data layer then

you can get the backu"s. 8ut to answer your &uestion) i! you lost the OS layer only) but the ASMdisks are <==A OG) then you need to !ollow a disaster reco#er scenario. 0 but trust me) nothing is better than a backu" 1. oracio Miranda Senior Oracle DBA at Unisys $ think $ was lost when $ read some o"inions related to OCFS #s ASM) the main thing here is the answer to the original &uestion. 3ACFS and OCFS 2 -hich one is the !astest in running and best in "er!ormance in <<g release 4 5$t was asked in inter#iew3. And the best answer $ thinks) come !rom you -ill. 9erha"s a good answer may include all6some the !ollowings "oints. May be a com"lete answer will include. =.* 7,"lain you can ha#e double or tri"le mirror o! the data) !eature only !or ASM. <.* o"inion 0geek #ersion but < or 4 min 1. 4.* Check i! the "roducts using the database are certi!ied with ASM or OCFS3 (.* "roblems 2 $s well know under hea#y load the OCFS will reboot notes. 0 o#er @i 1 D.* Follow the recommendation o! the #endors) and kee" the contact numbers i! the #endor recommends something that is not working "ro"erly. $ think a best answer will include all this "oints.

Sr. Oracle Applications DBA at Carni al Cr!ise "ines H?oracio * I4 is a good "oint. 0all o! them are) actually1 Com"anies need to deli#er solutions) but they are "rimarily interested in managing risk. %unning an uncerti!ied con!iguration is "retty high on the risk meter.

For instance) Oracle ACFS was not certi!ied !or the a""sTier on 78S when we considered it in late 4=<4. $ don't know the current status. $ used to try to stay u" on e#erything) but there's too much. These days) $ check the certi!ication whene#er we ha#e to make a decision. 8ack to the inter#iew) you don't ha#e to know e#erything about OCFS and ACFS certi!ication. $! you think you know) you can say) 3$ don't think ACFS is certi!iedJ3 or you can say) 3isn't there a "roblem with OCFS rebooting under load53. My "oint is you don't ha#e to be an e,"ert. Bust hit on e#erything that you'd consider when you make this ty"e o! decision.