RAC Storage Setup

Hi,

1. Shutdown both nodes and create a folder in your hard disk to create Virtual disks

E:\VMSharedStorage is my folder on EHDD

2. Open Command prompt and navigate to C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox (This is the directory where Virtual Box was installed on my PC)

cd C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox

3. Execute below commands to create disks

VBoxManage createhd --filename E:\VMSharedStorage\asm1.vdi --size 5120 --format VDI --variant Fixed

VBoxManage createhd --filename E:\VMSharedStorage\asm2.vdi --size 20480 --format VDI --variant Fixed

VBoxManage createhd --filename E:\VMSharedStorage\asm3.vdi --size 20480 --format VDI --variant Fixed

VBoxManage createhd --filename E:\VMSharedStorage\asm4.vdi --size 20480 --format VDI --variant Fixed

4. Execute the below commands to attach these hard disks to node1. Here RACNODE1 is the VM name, not the hostname of node1

VBoxManage storageattach RACNODE01 --storagectl "SATA" --port 1 --device 0 --type hdd --medium E:\VMSharedStorage\asm1.vdi --mtype shareable

VBoxManage storageattach RACNODE01 --storagectl "SATA" --port 2 --device 0 --type hdd --medium E:\VMSharedStorage\asm2.vdi --mtype shareable

VBoxManage storageattach RACNODE01 --storagectl "SATA" --port 3 --device 0 --type hdd --medium E:\VMSharedStorage\asm3.vdi --mtype shareable

VBoxManage storageattach RACNODE01 --storagectl "SATA" --port 4 --device 0 --type hdd --medium E:\VMSharedStorage\asm4.vdi --mtype shareable

5. Execute the below commands to mark the storage as shareable

VBoxManage modifyhd E:\VMSharedStorage\asm1.vdi --type shareable

VBoxManage modifyhd E:\VMSharedStorage\asm2.vdi --type shareable

VBoxManage modifyhd E:\VMSharedStorage\asm3.vdi --type shareable

VBoxManage modifyhd E:\VMSharedStorage\asm4.vdi --type shareable

6. Execute below commands to attach storage to node2, here RACNODE02 is the name of the VM not the hostname of node2

VBoxManage storageattach RACNODE02 --storagectl "SATA" --port 1 --device 0 --type hdd --medium E:\VMSharedStorage\asm1.vdi --mtype shareable

VBoxManage storageattach RACNODE02 --storagectl "SATA" --port 2 --device 0 --type hdd --medium E:\VMSharedStorage\asm2.vdi --mtype shareable

VBoxManage storageattach RACNODE02 --storagectl "SATA" --port 3 --device 0 --type hdd --medium E:\VMSharedStorage\asm3.vdi --mtype shareable

VBoxManage storageattach RACNODE02 --storagectl "SATA" --port 4 --device 0 --type hdd --medium E:\VMSharedStorage\asm4.vdi --mtype shareable

Start both the nodes, now you should be able to detect the storage on both the nodes using fdisk -l command

Now partition the disks on any one node

1. As root user, execute the command fdisk -l, you will notice the disk names that are not partitioned, it says

Disk <diskname> doesn't contain a valid partition table

2. Run the command fdisk <diskname>

When prompted for an option, type n to create new partition

Type p to create primary partition

Type 1 to enter first partition number

Click enter for first cylinder

Click enter for last cylinder

Type w to write and quit.

This creates a new partition that utilizes whole disk size.

Note: ASM is not always stable when using partitions which consume a portion of a disk device. It is recommended that a single partition for the entire disk be used. (Reference : Oracle Database 11g R2: Grid Infrastructure & ASM by Sideris Courseware Corporation - Section 1 - Configuring the Server for Grid Infrastructure Installation - Chapter 5: Managing Linux Devices )

3. Now fdisk -l command should display a valid partitioned table

Thats it !!!

Regards

Charan