Configuring Oracle Real Application Cluster (RAC) for use with IBM Business Monitor

Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC) is an option of an Oracle database that brings together two or more computers to form a clustered database that behaves as a single system. In a RAC database, Oracle processes that are running in separate nodes access the same data from a shared disk storage.

Before you begin

When you create IBM® Business Monitor profiles using Oracle, enter the host and port of one of the RAC servers and the service name of the RAC service for the database name.

Then, after the systems are running, complete the configuration steps to modify the WebSphere data sources that should connect to the Oracle RAC with the RAC service name.

About this task

Depending on the version of Oracle RAC you are using with IBM Business Monitor, you might have to complete some configuration steps.

If you are using Oracle 11g R2 with the SCAN feature, IBM Business Monitor does not need additional manual configuration if you specify the service name during profile creation or topology configuration. jdbc:oracle:thin:@//[SCAN_LISTENER_HOST][:SCAN_LISTENER_PORT]/SERVICE is the format of the JDBC URL generated during configuration and will work for Oracle RAC without any manual updates.
If you do not want to use the SCAN feature or are using an earlier version of Oracle that does not support the SCAN feature, you must follow the configuration steps in the procedure to configure IBM Business Monitor for use with Oracle RAC.
There are two scenarios to consider:
- If you are using a Standalone profile, you need to create the profile using SID as the value for the database name.
- If you are setting up a Network Deployment environment, the profiles and the clusters need to be configured using SID.
IBM Business Monitor always creates the JDBC URL in the following format:
```
jdbc:oracle:thin:@//[SCAN_LISTENER_HOST][:SCAN_LISTENER_PORT]/SERVICE
```
You can edit that format for use with Oracle RAC:
```
jdbc:oracle:thin:@(DESCRIPTION=(ADDRESS_LIST=
(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=TCP)(HOST=rac-node1)(PORT=1521))
(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=TCP)(HOST=rac-node2)(PORT=1521)) 
(FAILOVER=on)(LOAD_BALANCE=on)
(CONNECT_DATA=(SERVER=DEDICATED)
(SERVICE_NAME=service_name)))
```

Procedure

Specify the RAC URL as the Oracle URL when defining the relevant Oracle JDBC data sources:

In the administrative console, select Resources > JDBC > Data sources.
Edit all of the data sources using Oracle with the JDBC URL to use one of the formats shown in "About this task".

Results

If you are using IBM Cognos® BI, after the systems have been restarted and are functioning, the IBM Business Monitor cubes can be published. When the first cube is published, the WBMONITOR_DB data source is created in IBM Cognos BI using the Oracle RAC URL that is now being used by the WebSphere data source.

If the cubes were published before the change in the Oracle RAC URL, complete the following steps:

In IBM Cognos BI, use IBM Cognos Administration to remove the WBMONITOR_DB data source.
Republish the cubes to re-create the IBM Cognos BI connection using the Oracle RAC URL.