Exadata Cloud Machine -- first look, quick info and important facts

Recently started an ECM (Exadata Cloud Machine) migration project, or maybe I should say an ECC (Exadata Cloud at Customer) migration project.

This is a big migration project, including migration of the Core Banking databases.
It is a long run, but it is very enjoyable.
We have 2 ECCs to migrate to..

Finally, last week, initial deployment of the machines was completed by Oracle.
This week, we connected to the machines and started to play with them :)

I think, I will write several blog posts about this new toys in the coming months, but here is a quick info and some important facts about the ECC environments.

First of all, ECC is an Exadata :) Exadata hardware + Exadata software..

Technically, it is such a virtualized Exadata RAC environment, that we(consultants) and customers can not access its cells, Iloms, switches and hypervisor.

• It is a Cloud Machine, but it is behind the firewall of the customer.
• It has a Cloud Control Plane application , a GUI to manage the database services and this application is hosted in OCC (Oracle Cloud Machine), which can be thought as the satellite of ECC. 
• We do lots of stuff using this GUI. Database Service Creation (11.2.0.4, 12c, 18c) , Patching and etc..

• Database service creations and Grid operations are automatized. According to version of the database created using GUI, GRID is automatically created.. For ex: If we create a 12.2 database and if it is the first 12.2 database that we create in ECC, GRID 12.2 is also automatically created..(cloud operations) For ex: If we have GRID 12.1 and some DB 12.1 residing in ECC and if we want to create our first and new 12.2 Database, then GRID is automatically upgraded to 12.2 as well.
• The minimum supported DB version in ECC is 11.2.0.4. So we need to have our db compatible parameter set to 11.2.0.4 (mimum) in order to have a database on ECC -- this is related with the migration operations.
• We can install Enterprise Manager agents on ECC. So our customer can manage and monitor ECC nodes and databases using its current Enterprise Manager Cloud or Grid control.
• ECCs are virtualized. Only Oracle can access the hypervisor level. We and the customer can only access to the DOMu. In the DOMu RAC nodes , we and the customer do the OS administration.. Backups, patching, rpm installation and everything.. Customer is responsible for the DOMu machines, where GRID and Databases run on. Customer has root access for the DOMu nodes. (This means DB administration + OS administration is still continuing :))
• So customer can't access Cell servers, and even ILOM consoles..
• Administration for everyting that resides below the DomU layer, is done by Oracle
• Responsibility for everything that resides below DomU layer, is on Oracle.
• Currently, for every physical node, we have a VM node. For ex: If we have a 1/2 ECC. We have 4 physical nodes and 4 VMs.. (DOM u nodes) -- 1 to 1.
• We can create RAC multi-node or single node databases on ECC.
• We can also create databases manually on ECC. (without using the GUI).. Using scripts or runInstaller, everything can be done just like the old days. (as long as versions are compatible with ECC)
• If we create a 12C database using GUI, it comes as Pluggable.. So if we want to have a non-PDP 12C Database, we need to create it manually.
• Customer can connect to the RAC nodes (DOMu nodes) using SSH keys. (without password).. This is a must.
• Customer can install backup agents to ECC.. So without changing the current backup method and technology, customer can backup the databases running on ECC.
• There is no external infiniband connection to ECC.. External connection can be max 10Gbit.
• Enterprise Manager Express comes with ECC. We have direct links to Enterprise Manager Express in the Control plane.
• IORM is also available on GUI. Using GUI, we can do all the IORM configuration.. 
• In ECC, we can use In-memory and Active Dataguard .. Actually, we can use all the database options without paying any licenses.
• If we create 12.2 Databases, they are created with TDE.. So TDE is a must for 12.2 databases on ECC.
• However, we are not required to use TDE, if we are using 11G databases on ECC.
• The ASM diskgroups on ECC are High redundancy Diskgroups. This is the default an can not be changed!
• Exadata Image upgrade operations on the ECC environments are done by Oracle.

That'a all for now :) In my next blog post, I will show you how we can create database services on ECC. (using GUI)