Cloning Oracle Grid Infrastructure for a Standalone Server
Most documents that describe the steps needed to clone an Oracle database using Grid Infrastructure (GI) assume that the GI is already installed on the target host, and that the ASM instance is up and running.
The standard way to do this is to install GI from the installation media from scratch, either using the graphical installer, or scripting the process by invoking the installer in silent mode. The installer is responsible for copying the software as well as for the configuration of the Oracle Clusterware and Oracle ASM. Once this step is completed and ASM is up on the target host, database volumes can be refreshed from the source database volumes using FlashArray™ snapshots.
A quicker approach would be to copy the source FlashArray volume where the Oracle Grid and Database software is installed. However, doing this will work only if the hostname of the target machine is the same as the source. This is because the Grid Infrastructure configuration files have the hostname hardcoded in them when they were originally created on the source. In practical situations, the target host name will need to be different from the source host name, which will cause ASM to break.
In this article, we will look at how we can get around this issue by resetting the Grid Infrastructure configuration files. This can significantly reduce the time it takes to create an Oracle ASM instance because now we can leverage FlashArray's instant volume copy to clone the Oracle Home and Grid Home as well. This technique really comes in handy when we are dealing with Oracle running in a virtualized environment because it's common to create a new virtual machine as a clone of an existing one.
Steps to re-configure Grid Infrastructure
In this example scenario, we have a source VM vm-ora-vvol-prod-01 that is hosting a database vvprd01. The objective is to clone a new VM vm-ora-vvol-dev-01 that runs a copy of the database. The cloned VM was created using the instructions provided in Cloning an Oracle Database on VMware Virtual Volumes. The hostname of the cloned VM was not changed as that would break Grid Infrastructure configuration.
The following steps need to be performed on the cloned VM to change the hostname and re-configure Grid Infrastructure so that ASM and the database can be started.
Please note that all the commands in this documents with the exception of the the first one need to be executed on the cloned VM. The command prompt shows the name of the source VM because the hostname on the cloned VM has not been changed yet.
1. Collect information from ASM and database
If ASM on the cloned VM is up and running with the source hostname, then these commands can be run on the cloned VM. If ASM is down, these commands can be run on the source database instead. All we are doing here is collecting some information that will be used in one of the subsequent steps.
[oracle@vm-ora-vvol-prod-01 ~]$ srvctl config asm ASM home: <CRS home> Password file: Backup of Password file: ASM listener: LISTENER Spfile: +DATA/ASM/ASMPARAMETERFILE/registry.253.1035156397 ASM diskgroup discovery string: /dev/sd*
[oracle@vm-ora-vvol-prod-01 ~]$ srvctl config database -db vvprd01 Database unique name: vvprd01 Database name: vvprd01 Oracle home: /u01/app/oracle/product/18.0.0/dbhome_1 Oracle user: oracle Spfile: +DATA/VVPRD01/PARAMETERFILE/spfile.266.1038345579 Password file: Domain: Start options: open Stop options: immediate Database role: PRIMARY Management policy: AUTOMATIC Disk Groups: FRA,DATA Services: OSDBA group: OSOPER group: Database instance: vvprd01
2. Deconfigure the Oracle Restart stack on the target
Login as root and run the following command:
[root@vm-ora-vvol-prod-01 ~]# cd /u01/app/oracle/product/18.0.0/grid/crs/install
[root@vm-ora-vvol-prod-01 install]# ./roothas.sh -deconfig -force
Using configuration parameter file: /u01/app/oracle/product/18.0.0/grid/crs/install/crsconfig_params
The log of current session can be found at:
/u01/app/oracle/product/18.0.0/grid_base/crsdata/vm-ora-vvol-prod-01/crsconfig/hadeconfig.log
2020/04/22 11:47:10 CLSRSC-332: CRS resources for listeners are still configured
CRS-2791: Starting shutdown of Oracle High Availability Services-managed resources on 'vm-ora-vvol-prod-01'
CRS-2673: Attempting to stop 'ora.vvprd01.db' on 'vm-ora-vvol-prod-01'
CRS-2673: Attempting to stop 'ora.evmd' on 'vm-ora-vvol-prod-01'
CRS-2677: Stop of 'ora.evmd' on 'vm-ora-vvol-prod-01' succeeded
CRS-2673: Attempting to stop 'ora.cssd' on 'vm-ora-vvol-prod-01'
CRS-2677: Stop of 'ora.vvprd01.db' on 'vm-ora-vvol-prod-01' succeeded
CRS-2673: Attempting to stop 'ora.DATA.dg' on 'vm-ora-vvol-prod-01'
CRS-2673: Attempting to stop 'ora.FRA.dg' on 'vm-ora-vvol-prod-01'
CRS-2677: Stop of 'ora.FRA.dg' on 'vm-ora-vvol-prod-01' succeeded
CRS-2677: Stop of 'ora.DATA.dg' on 'vm-ora-vvol-prod-01' succeeded
CRS-2677: Stop of 'ora.cssd' on 'vm-ora-vvol-prod-01' succeeded
CRS-2793: Shutdown of Oracle High Availability Services-managed resources on 'vm-ora-vvol-prod-01' has completed
CRS-4133: Oracle High Availability Services has been stopped.
2020/04/22 11:49:14 CLSRSC-337: Successfully deconfigured Oracle Restart stack
3. Rename the host
Run the following commands as root to change the host name.
HOSTNAME=vm-ora-vvol-dev-01 HOSTIP=10.21.184.111 echo "$HOSTIP $HOSTNAME" >> /etc/hosts echo "$HOSTNAME" > /etc/hostname hostnamectl set-hostname $HOSTNAME --static
4. Reconfigure Restart stack
Run the following commands as root to reconfigure the Restart stack.
[root@vm-ora-vvol-dev-01 install]# ./roothas.sh -verbose
Using configuration parameter file: /u01/app/oracle/product/18.0.0/grid/crs/install/crsconfig_params
2020-04-22 11:51:46: mkpath (/u01/app/oracle/product/18.0.0/grid_base/crsdata/vm-ora-vvol-dev-01/crsconfig)
2020-04-22 11:51:46: Setting owner (grid:54331) and group (oinstall:54321) on file /u01/app/oracle/product/18.0.0/grid_base/crsdata/vm-ora-vvol-dev-01/crsconfig
2020-04-22 11:51:46: Setting permissions (0775) on file/dir /u01/app/oracle/product/18.0.0/grid_base/crsdata/vm-ora-vvol-dev-01/crsconfig
The log of current session can be found at:
/u01/app/oracle/product/18.0.0/grid_base/crsdata/vm-ora-vvol-dev-01/crsconfig/roothas_2020-04-22_11-51-46AM.log
LOCAL ADD MODE
Creating OCR keys for user 'grid', privgrp 'oinstall'..
Operation successful.
LOCAL ONLY MODE
Successfully accumulated necessary OCR keys.
Creating OCR keys for user 'root', privgrp 'root'..
Operation successful.
CRS-4664: Node vm-ora-vvol-dev-01 successfully pinned.
2020/04/22 11:52:22 CLSRSC-330: Adding Clusterware entries to file 'oracle-ohasd.service'
CRS-2791: Starting shutdown of Oracle High Availability Services-managed resources on 'vm-ora-vvol-dev-01'
CRS-2673: Attempting to stop 'ora.evmd' on 'vm-ora-vvol-dev-01'
CRS-2677: Stop of 'ora.evmd' on 'vm-ora-vvol-dev-01' succeeded
CRS-2793: Shutdown of Oracle High Availability Services-managed resources on 'vm-ora-vvol-dev-01' has completed
CRS-4133: Oracle High Availability Services has been stopped.
CRS-4123: Oracle High Availability Services has been started.
vm-ora-vvol-dev-01 2020/04/22 11:54:18 /u01/app/oracle/product/18.0.0/grid/cdata/vm-ora-vvol-dev-01/backup_20200422_115418.olr 70732493
2020/04/22 11:54:19 CLSRSC-327: Successfully configured Oracle Restart for a standalone server
5. Set attributes to auto-start services
By default, the following services do not auto-start, so we modify the AUTO_START attribute to enable it. Change directory to GI_HOME/bin and execute the following commands.
[root@vm-ora-prdm-test-03 bin]# ./crsctl modify res ora.cssd -attr "AUTO_START=1" -unsupported [root@vm-ora-prdm-test-03 bin]# ./crsctl modify res ora.diskmon -attr "AUTO_START=1" -unsupported
6. Start the CSSD service.
[root@vm-ora-vvol-dev-01 bin]# ./crsctl start resource ora.cssd -unsupported CRS-2672: Attempting to start 'ora.cssd' on 'vm-ora-vvol-dev-01' CRS-2672: Attempting to start 'ora.diskmon' on 'vm-ora-vvol-dev-01' CRS-2676: Start of 'ora.diskmon' on 'vm-ora-vvol-dev-01' succeeded CRS-2676: Start of 'ora.cssd' on 'vm-ora-vvol-dev-01' succeeded
7. Update Listener configuration
Login as grid. Update the hostname in $ORACLE_HOME/network/admin/listener.ora
# listener.ora Network Configuration File: /u01/app/oracle/product/18.0.0/grid/network/admin/listener.ora
# Generated by Oracle configuration tools.
LISTENER =
(DESCRIPTION_LIST =
(DESCRIPTION =
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = vm-ora-vvol-dev-01)(PORT = 1521))
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = IPC)(KEY = EXTPROC1521))
)
)
ENABLE_GLOBAL_DYNAMIC_ENDPOINT_LISTENER=ON # line added by Agent
VALID_NODE_CHECKING_REGISTRATION_LISTENER=ON # line added by Agent
Add the listener and start it.
[grid@vm-ora-vvol-dev-01 admin]$ srvctl add listener -l listener [grid@vm-ora-vvol-dev-01 admin]$ srvctl start listener [grid@vm-ora-vvol-dev-01 admin]$ srvctl status listener Listener LISTENER is enabled Listener LISTENER is running on node(s): vm-ora-vvol-dev-01
8. Configure ASM
Login as grid. Execute the following command to configure ASM. This command takes the ASM diskgroup discovery string and spfile path as arguments. The values come from step 1. Note here we have to use the ASM parameter file here.
[grid@vm-ora-vvol-dev-01 admin]$ srvctl add asm -l listener -d "/dev/sd*" -p "+DATA/ASM/ASMPARAMETERFILE/registry.253.1035156397" [grid@vm-ora-vvol-dev-01 admin]$ srvctl start asm
At this point, ASM instance should be up.
[grid@vm-ora-vvol-dev-01 admin]$ srvctl status asm ASM is running on vm-ora-vvol-dev-01 [grid@vm-ora-vvol-dev-01 admin]$ ps -ef|grep smon grid 14168 1 0 16:58 ? 00:00:00 asm_smon_+ASM
Check if the disk groups are mounted. If not, mount them.
[grid@vm-ora-vvol-dev-01 admin]$ asmcmd ASMCMD> lsdg State Type Rebal Sector Logical_Sector Block AU Total_MB Free_MB Req_mir_free_MB Usable_file_MB Offline_disks Voting_files Name MOUNTED EXTERN N 512 512 4096 4194304 2097152 2094544 0 2094544 0 N DATA/ MOUNTED EXTERN N 512 512 4096 1048576 1048576 1047875 0 1047875 0 N FRA/
Check the status of the resources using the following command.
[grid@vm-ora-vvol-dev-01 admin]$ crsctl status resource -t
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name Target State Server State details
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Local Resources
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ora.DATA.dg
ONLINE ONLINE vm-ora-vvol-dev-01 STABLE
ora.FRA.dg
ONLINE ONLINE vm-ora-vvol-dev-01 STABLE
ora.LISTENER.lsnr
ONLINE ONLINE vm-ora-vvol-dev-01 STABLE
ora.asm
ONLINE ONLINE vm-ora-vvol-dev-01 Started,STABLE
ora.ons
OFFLINE OFFLINE vm-ora-vvol-dev-01 STABLE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cluster Resources
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ora.cssd
1 ONLINE ONLINE vm-ora-vvol-dev-01 STABLE
ora.diskmon
1 OFFLINE OFFLINE STABLE
ora.evmd
1 ONLINE ONLINE vm-ora-vvol-dev-01 STABLE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9. Configure Database
Once required disk groups are mounted, we can go ahead and register the database. Again, the value for the spfile parameter for the database can be obtained from step 1.
[oracle@vm-ora-vvol-dev-01 ~]$ srvctl add database -db vvprd01 -oraclehome /u01/app/oracle/product/18.0.0/dbhome_1 \
-spfile +DATA/VVPRD01/PARAMETERFILE/spfile.266.1038345579
10. Start Database
Finally, we can start the database!
[oracle@vm-ora-vvol-dev-01 admin]$ srvctl start database -db vvprd01 [oracle@vm-ora-vvol-dev-01 admin]$ ps -ef|grep smon grid 24066 1 0 12:09 ? 00:00:00 asm_smon_+ASM oracle 26688 1 0 12:35 ? 00:00:00 ora_smon_vvprd01
The database name and DBID is the same as the source. It can be changed using the DBNEWID utility.