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IBM PureFlexTM System & Oracle Support

Doug Bloom IBM Systems and Technology Group Moshe Reder IBM Oracle International Competency Center April 11, 2012
Copyright IBM Corporation, 2012. All Rights Reserved. All trademarks or registered trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective holders

Table of contents
Abstract........................................................................................................................................1
Q1: What Oracle products will be supported on IBM PureFlex System? ................................................ 1 Q2: What about the IBM i operating system running on Power-based Compute Nodes on IBM PureFlex System?.................................................................................................................................... 1 Q3: Can you provide an example of support for Oracle Database on x86 Compute Nodes and list the Operating Systems that both IBM and Oracle will support in this environment?..................................... 1 Q4: What about PowerVMTM support on the IBM Flex System Power Compute Nodes?....................... 2 Q5: What about virtualization support on the IBM Flex System x86 Compute Nodes? .......................... 2 Q6: What is Oracles position on Linux on Power on IBM PureFlex System? ........................................ 2 Q7: Is there a summary of the expected certification on IBM Flex System Compute Nodes?................ 3 Q8: Can IBM PureFlex System be used for Oracle mixed architecture mode (split-tier) solutions with IBM System z?......................................................................................................................................... 3 Q9: What about IBM storage products and IBM PureFlex System? ....................................................... 3 Q10: Is IBM doing any testing of Oracle products with IBM PureFlex System?...................................... 3

Resources....................................................................................................................................4 Trademarks and special notices................................................................................................5

IBM PureFlex System & Oracle Support http://www.ibm.com/support/techdocs Copyright 2012, IBM Corporation

Abstract
This document answers some of the most common questions about IBMs PureFlex System and Oracle software product support for this IBM product.

Q1: What Oracle products will be supported on IBM PureFlex System?

A1: All the Oracle products currently certified on AIX, IBM i, Microsoft Windows, and Linux that run on IBM Power Systems and IBM System x are supported on IBM PureFlex System with the same applicable operating system versions. IBM PureFlex System continues IBM's policy of system binary compatibility and therefore customers choosing to run Oracle products may do so with confidence. Since Oracle's commitment to support their products is established on the basis of running on certified operating system and virtualization tools, not on the specific hardware platform, customers will receive full product support from Oracle. The latest list of Oracle product certifications can be found on the My Oracle Support website at: https://supporthtml.oracle.com/ep/faces/index.jspx Please note that a userid and password are required to access My Oracle Support.

Q2: What about the IBM i operating system running on Power-based Compute Nodes on IBM PureFlex System?
A2: Oracles JD Edwards World and EnterpriseOne are supported on IBM i 6.1 and 7.1 and therefore are supported on IBM PureFlex System Power-based Compute Nodes.

Q3: Can you provide an example of support for Oracle Database on x86 Compute Nodes and list the Operating Systems that both IBM and Oracle will support in this environment?
A3: Yes, as an example, Oracle Database 10g Release 2, 11g Release 1, and 11g Release 2 are currently certified and supported on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 5 on x86 servers. Therefore, they are supported on IBM Flex System x86 Compute Nodes. RHEL 5.7 or later is recommended because the x86-based Compute Nodes on IBM Flex Systems contain the new family of Intels Sandy Bridge processors, which optimally leverage RHEL 5.7 or later. (Note: Oracle recently announced intended support for RHEL 6 for Oracle Database 11g Release 2 and Fusion Middleware 11g Release 1 expected to be available by end of second quarter 2012 or early third quarter 2012). Oracle Database versions 10g Release 2, 11g Release 1, and 11g Release 2 are also certified on Microsoft Windows 2008, SUSE Linux Enterprise Linux (SLES) 10, and SLES 11 (note: SLES 11 SP2 fully leverages the new Intel processors) and are supported on those operating systems on IBM PureFlex System as well.

IBM PureFlex System & Oracle Support http://www.ibm.com/support/techdocs Copyright 2012, IBM Corporation

Q4: What about PowerVMTM support on the IBM Flex System Power Compute Nodes?
A4: Oracle fully supports PowerVM per the virtualization support matrix available on their website. Please note that the same certified and supported virtualization features available on the currently available Power Systems hardware are used with IBM PureFlex System . The IBM Oracle International Competency Center maintains IBM documents that provide regularly updated information on which PowerVM features are certified by Oracle based on the level of AIX and the level of Oracle Database. In addition, the document also lists IBM Power Systems features and subsystems such as GPFS and PowerHA and their certification with the Oracle Database. As with PowerVM, the subsystems and non-virtualized Power Systems hardware are supported by Oracle on IBM PureFlex System Power-based Compute Nodes. You can find the Oracle on IBM POWER Technology Adoption Roadmap at http://www-03.ibm.com/support/techdocs/atsmastr.nsf/WebIndex/PRS4711

Q5: What about virtualization support on the IBM Flex System x86 Compute Nodes?
A5: VMware is supported for use on the IBM Flex System x86 Compute Node, although Oracle does not perform certification with VMware. If a customer elects to implement VMware on IBM Flex System x86 Compute Node, Oracle may ask the customer to reproduce any Oracle software defect outside the virtualized environment in order for the customer to receive support. This is the same, as a customer might have to do today on any x86 system and is Oracles standard policy for all x86 systems running VMware. Oracles official VMware support position can be found in document 249212.1 on the My Oracle Support website. Please note that IBM PureFlex System does not require virtualization to be used on IBM Flex System x86 Compute Nodes, and Oracle fully supports their software products on physically partitioned environments running a certified operating system such as RHEL, SLES, or Windows.

Q6: What is Oracles position on Linux on Power on IBM PureFlex System?

A6: Oracle Database 10.2.0.5 is certified on RHEL 5 and SLES 10 on Linux for IBM Power and therefore is supported on IBM Flex System Power Compute Nodes so customers can run, and will receive support under Oracles extended support policy. Oracle Database 11g (all releases) has not been ported to Linux on Power, nor are there any plans to do so for any Power platform including IBM Flex System Power Compute Nodes.

IBM PureFlex System & Oracle Support http://www.ibm.com/support/techdocs Copyright 2012, IBM Corporation

Q7: Is there a summary of the expected certification on IBM Flex System Compute Nodes?
A7: Support is the same for IBM Flex System Power and x86 Compute Nodes as it is for any discrete IBM Power or System x product offering. The most current list of Oracle certifications can be found on Oracles My Oracle Support website under the certifications folder. IBM maintains documents called PAM guides (Product Availability Matrix) for many Oracle solutions. These are easy to read guides based on information from My Oracle Support and other sources. They are not intended to be treated as official documents of what is certified, rather, they provide an easy guide to which Oracle solutions are available on IBM platforms. They can be found at IBMs Techdocs website (http://www-03.ibm.com/support/techdocs/atsmastr.nsf/Web/Techdocs). Please search with the keyword oracle.

Q8: Can IBM PureFlex System be used for Oracle mixed architecture mode (split-tier) solutions with IBM System z?
A8: Yes. For those customers deploying split-tier solutions (sometimes referred as mixed mode architecture) with System z servers, IBM PureFlex System can be considered as another option for the application server tier similar to the zEnterprise BladeCenter Extension (zBX) blades or discrete systems such as System x or Power Systems servers. Integration is achieved through 1 or 10 GB Ethernet interconnects, and standard Oracle certified split-tier solutions running on IBM PureFlex System with either DB2 on z/OS or Oracle on Linux for System z as the back-end database server are supported.

Q9: What about IBM storage products and IBM PureFlex System?
A9: All current IBM storage products currently supported by Oracle continue to be supported with the introduction of the IBM PureFlex System.

Q10: Is IBM doing any testing of Oracle products with IBM PureFlex System?
A10: IBM tested IBM PureFlex System with Oracle products at the IBM Oracle International Competency Center. A white paper describing the results of these tests for IBM Flex Systems p460 Compute Node running AIX can be found at: http://www-03.ibm.com/support/techdocs/atsmastr.nsf/Web/Techdocs On the same website, there is also a technical note document describing the results of tests for Oracle products running under Linux on the IBM Flex System x240 Compute Nodes,available at: http://www-03.ibm.com/support/techdocs/atsmastr.nsf/Web/Techdocs

IBM PureFlex System & Oracle Support http://www.ibm.com/support/techdocs Copyright 2012, IBM Corporation

Resources
These websites provide useful references to supplement the information contained in this paper: IBM website for Oracle http://www.ibm.com/solutions/oracle/us/en/ IBM website for technical documents ( search keyword oracle ) http://www-03.ibm.com/support/techdocs/atsmastr.nsf/Web/Techdocs Oracles My Oracle Support website (userid and password required) https://supporthtml.oracle.com/ep/faces/index.jspx As an IBMer, you can request a userid and password sending an email to ibmoracle@us.ibm.com

For any questions related to IBM PureFlex System and Oracle products, please send your inquiry to the IBM Oracle International Competency Center at ibmoracle@us.ibm.com

IBM PureFlex System & Oracle Support http://www.ibm.com/support/techdocs Copyright 2012, IBM Corporation

Trademarks and special notices

Copyright. IBM Corporation 2012. All rights reserved. References in this document to IBM products or services do not imply that IBM intends to make them available in every country. IBM, the IBM logo, ibm.com, AIX, BladeCenter, DB2, GPFS, IBM PureFlex Systems, IBM Pure Systems, IBM PureApplication Systems, Power Systems, PowerHA, PowerVM, System x, System z, zEnterprise, and z/OS are trademarks or registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation in the United States, other countries, or both. IBM PureFlex Systems, IBM Pure Systems and IBM PureApplication Systems are trademarks or registered trademarks of International Business Machines in the United States, other countries or both. Intel and Xeon are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. Microsoft, Windows, Windows Server, and the Windows logo are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States, other countries, or both. Linux is a trademark of Linus Torvalds in the United States, other countries, or both. Other company, product, or service names may be trademarks or service marks of others. The information provided in this document is distributed AS IS without any warranty, either express or implied. The information in this document may include technical inaccuracies or typographical errors. Information concerning non-IBM products was obtained from a supplier of these products, published announcement material, or other publicly available sources and does not constitute an endorsement of such products by IBM. Sources for non-IBM list prices and performance numbers are taken from publicly available information, including vendor announcements and vendor worldwide homepages. IBM has not tested these products and cannot confirm the accuracy of performance, capability, or any other claims related to non-IBM products. Questions on the capability of non-IBM products should be addressed to the supplier of those products. All statements regarding IBM future direction and intent are subject to change or withdrawal without notice, and represent goals and objectives only. Contact your local IBM office or IBM authorized reseller for the full text of the specific Statement of Direction. Some information addresses anticipated future capabilities. Such information is not intended as a definitive statement of a commitment to specific levels of performance, function or delivery schedules with respect to any future products. Such commitments are only made in IBM product announcements. The information is presented here to communicate IBM's current investment and development activities as a good faith effort to help with our customers' future planning. Any references in this information to non-IBM websites are provided for convenience only and do not in any manner serve as an endorsement of those websites. The materials at those websites are not part of the materials for this IBM product and use of those websites is at your own risk.

IBM PureFlex System & Oracle Support http://www.ibm.com/support/techdocs Copyright 2012, IBM Corporation