Re: Listener under ASM or db?

  • From: Tim Gorman <tim@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: oracle-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2008 15:54:17 -0600

I was thinking the same thing, for the same reason, but hadn't seen the MetaLink note, and in reading it, I don't see it explicitly advising that the TNS listener reside under ASM home -- the note is geared toward the CSS.


Still, it makes good sense to locate a server-wide service such as the TNS Listener alongside other server-wide services such as ASM and CSS, except for the one glitch:  generally it is advisable to run the TNS Listener under the most up-to-date version of the RDBMS, because the TNS Listener is always backward-compatible (up to a point), but it is often not forward-compatible.  This backward- and forward-compatibility may not be such an issue with ASM and CSS (?), but it can be a huge issue with TNS.

So, with that backward- and forward-compatibility issue in mind, think about it again and ask:  which ORACLE_HOME's are likely to be upgraded/patched to the highest level over time?  One of the ORACLE_HOMEs dedicated to one (or more) RDBMS instances?  Or the (single) ORACLE_HOME dedicated to the (single) ASM instance?

Patching or upgrading the ORACLE_HOME of the ASM would involve taking it down, which of course means taking all RDBMS instances on the server down as well.

So, from the standpoint of aesthetics and symmetry, it sounds good to recommend placing the TNS Listener under the ASM home, but from a practical standpoint, I suspect that it would prove unwieldy over time.

Alternatives?  Run the TNS Listener under the ORACLE_HOME with the latest version of the RDBMS?  Run the TNS Listener under its own separate ORACLE_HOME?

Herring Dave - dherri wrote:

So if we ever add an addition 1+ database(s) to the server using ASM, then it makes most sense to keep the listener under ASM.  I?ll buy that.  I just wanted a reason behind using one location of the other.  Thanks Mark!

   

  Dave

   

  ___________________________________

  Dave Herring, DBA |   A c x i o m  M I C S / C S O

  630-944-4762 /office// /| 630-430-5988 //wireless //| 630-944-4989 /fax/
-------------------------

  FROM: Mark Strickland [mailto:strickland.mark@xxxxxxxxx]
SENT: Wednesday, September 17, 2008 3:59 PM
TO: Herring Dave - dherri
CC: oracle-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
SUBJECT: Re: Listener under ASM or db?

   

Dave, see Metalink Note #279353.1.  You should run the listener and CSS from the ASM home.  We're doing that here for new RAC installations.

Regards,
Mark Strickland
Seattle

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