Oracle RAC: Lessons from High-Availability Database Deployments

Oracle RAC powered critical systems at Interflora. Here's what I learned about enterprise database high availability.

RAC vs Data Guard

RAC provides active-active clustering for read scalability and local high availability. Data Guard provides disaster recovery across sites. You often need both.

Deployment Considerations

• Shared storage (ASM or SAN)
• Network bandwidth between nodes
• Application connection pooling
• Cache fusion tuning

Backup Strategy with RMAN

Oracle Recovery Manager (RMAN) is essential. Automated backup schedules, retention policies, and regular restore tests are non-negotiable.

Operational Reality

RAC requires specialized DBA skills. Factor in training and potentially consulting support for initial deployments.