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Cluster Verify (cluvfy) is your friend - sort of
By Eric Gross | July 13, 2007
For the simplest way to determine a list of problems with an environment before you try to install Oracle DBMS software, don’t forget about the Cluster Verification Utility (documentation link) which ships with the Clusterware (CRS) media. The best case is once you have your media available on a host, run these commands to check it:
export CV_JDKHOME=[JRE 1.4 path]
export CV_HOME=[CRS media location]/cluvfy
[CRS media location]/cluvfy/bin/cluvfy stage -post hwos -n [comma delimited node list] -verbose
[CRS media location]/cluvfy/bin/cluvfy stage -pre crsinst -n [comma delimited node list] -verbose
[CRS media location]/cluvfy/bin/cluvfy stage -pre dbinst -n [comma delimited node list] -verbose
Using the help, you will find many more ways to use cluster verify, for instance you can call tests more granularly by using the “component” tests rather than the “stage” tests. One final caveat - in my experience this tool shoots out a number of false positive results and false negative results; your mileage may vary. Below are some of the issues we have with this tool.
Errors that can sometimes be ignored:
- Package existence failed for compat-gcc
- Package existence failed for compat-libstd
- Package existence failed for openmotif
- System architecture check failed
- Swap space check failed
- Suitable set of interfaces for VIPs - the tool incorrectly states that RFC-1918 addresses are not candidates for the VIP interface
There are an untold number of checks that are not run by the cluster verify tool which is why it makes sense to build or buy a superior checking system for Oracle to ensure that all systems meet all prerequisites. This is especially critical in situations where you plan on changing the configuration of Oracle entities (clusters & databases) down the road because missing requirements may not manifest issues until later, when it is too late to resolve them without unplanned downtime.
For the last word on Oracle requirements, refer to the only current reference for the requirements for all Oracle platforms - Metalink Note 169706.1 (login required) - Oracle RDBMS on AIX,HP-UX,Solaris,Tru64,Linux,MacOSX: Versions, Sizes, Requirements Quick Reference.
Topics: 10gR2, Cluvfy, Consistency, Database Automation, Metalink Notes, Provisioning