Re: Symantec ODM or ASM

  • From: Ram Srinivasan <srinivasanram2004@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: tgascard@xxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Mon, 3 Nov 2014 09:06:14 -0500

Hi:

  Right now we have Symantec's Veritas File System (5.1).  We do not have
ASM at this time.

       If the Unix folks want to control everything with regard to storage,
they would like to enforce Symantec's VFS, for which licensing costs
are very expensive.  On the other hand, ASM comes with the Oracle license,
and you do not have to pay any fee for ASM.  However, the DBAs will control
the storage disk groups and disk volumes, migration of volumes, etc.  Due
to politics, the Unix admins would always insist on symantec's veritas.  As
DBAs, we have to fight for ASM so that we can have control over the storage.

     Performance wise, ASM is much better than symantec's VFS.

     Please for heaven's sake, do not have both ASM and VFS one on top of
each other.  You are only asking for trouble.  One of these will suffice.
Even though some unix folks would suggest that ASM can sit on top of the
VFS, it is not a wise suggestion.  Never have both at the same time.

      At our place, the Unix admins wanted to have control over the DBAs,
and they enforced the use of  VFS here.  However, we have had lots of
problems with the Unix admins not knowing very well the use of VFS
software.  Hence, we have decided to get rid of VFS, and migrate all our
databases to ASM.  This migration project is in the initial stages.  I have
to do this migration on 5 networks for about 50 databases.

  So my suggestion to you is that if DBAs have more clout with the
management, insist that ASM is better than VFS in performance.  ASM is free
that comes with oracle license, whereas you have to pay lots of money for
VFS licenses.  Using VFS is going to cost more money to the management.
Also, insist that one of the two will suffice, and you should not have both.

Thanks.
Ram Srinivasan

On Wed, Oct 22, 2014 at 2:25 AM, Thierry Gascard <tgascard@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Hi, UNIX team want to use symantec ODM against ASM. In the past i uses
> Quick io. I did not find many technical information on it. What is the
> benefit to use a product that you have to pay against a free product like
> ASM. Thank you. Thierry
>
> Envoyé de mon iPhone--
> //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l
>
>
>


-- 
Sincerely
Ram Srinivasan

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