Oracle Exadata Full Training - Extended Version
Module 1: What is Exadata
Exadata is Oracle's engineered system that combines optimized hardware and software to run
Oracle databases with extreme performance. It's designed for both OLTP and OLAP workloads and
provides smart scan, storage offloading, and flash cache acceleration.
Module 2: Exadata Architecture
Exadata consists of Compute Nodes (Database Servers), Storage Cells (Exadata Storage Servers),
InfiniBand or RoCE Network, and ASM Disk Groups. Each component plays a critical role in
delivering high-speed data access and high availability. Storage cells are responsible for Smart
Scan, while Compute Nodes handle the database processing. All nodes connect over a high-speed
fabric.
Module 3: Storage Index & Flash Cache
Storage Indexes prevent unnecessary IO by filtering blocks at the storage level before they are even
read. Flash Cache stores frequently accessed blocks using high-speed SSDs, reducing disk IO and
speeding up read operations.
Module 4: Smart Scan & Offloading
Smart Scan is the heart of Exadata's performance. It enables filtering, column projection, and some
function processing directly at the storage layer, reducing the amount of data sent to DB nodes.
Smart Scan happens during full table scans and not with index-based access.
Module 5: ASM + Cell Disk + Grid Disk
ASM manages the disk layout and striping. Cell Disks are raw disks in the storage server. Grid Disks
are logical slices carved out of cell disks and used by ASM to create disk groups such as +DATA
and +RECO. This layered approach gives better management and redundancy.
Module 6: High Availability & RAC
Exadata uses Oracle RAC for instance-level HA and uses redundancy at the storage level (High,
Normal) for disk protection. Multiple paths, failover nodes, and power supply make the system
resilient.
Module 7: CellCLI Tool
CellCLI is used directly on the storage cell node. It's the command-line interface for monitoring and
managing cell disks, grid disks, flash cache, and storage alerts. Commands like `list celldisk`, `list
griddisk`, `list alerthistory` are commonly used.
Module 8: Patching in Exadata
Patching includes DB Home (via opatch), Grid Infra (via opatchauto), Storage Cells (via patchmgr),
and OS (via dbnodeupdate.sh). Patch sequence matters: storage -> OS -> Grid -> DB. Tools like
datapatch apply SQL changes post-patch.
Module 9: Backup & Recovery
RMAN is used for physical backups. Backups may be stored on ZFS Appliance (on-prem), FRA,
NFS, or in the cloud using Oracle ARS. Smart backups in Exadata offload backup workloads to
storage cells.
Module 10: Monitoring Tools
Tools include: exachk (health check), oswatcher (OS stats collection), oratop (live DB performance),
cellcli (storage metrics). AWR reports and SQL Monitor help identify smart scan usage and query
bottlenecks.
Module 11: Performance Tuning with Smart Scan
Smart Scan works only for full table scans and direct path reads. It offloads filtering and column
selection to storage. Performance metrics can be tracked via v$sysstat, v$sql_monitor, and AWR
cell wait events.
Module 12: CellCLI Commands Deep Dive
Key commands include:
- list celldisk: shows raw disk status
- list griddisk: shows ASM usable disk info
- list flashcache: shows cache health
- alter cell shutdown/startup: to stop/start cell services
CellCLI is storage DBA's primary tool.
Module 13: Alert Logs & Troubleshooting
Alert logs are spread across components:
- DB logs: alert_DB.log
- ASM logs: alert_+ASM.log
- CRS logs: crsd.log, ocssd.log
- Storage cell: /opt/oracle/cell/.../alert.log
Tools like oswatcher and exachk help collect and verify system health during issues.
Module 14: Migration to Exadata
Migration can be done using:
- RMAN DUPLICATE: fastest, simplest for physical DBs
- Data Pump: object-level or schema-level
- Transportable Tablespaces (TTS): cross-platform support
- ZDM: zero downtime migration tool from Oracle
Post-migration, verify smart scan, stats, and tuning.
Module 15: ExaCS vs ExaCC
ExaCS (Cloud Service) is Oracle-managed in OCI. ExaCC (Cloud@Customer) is Oracle-managed
Exadata in customer DC.
- ExaCS: public cloud, no infra responsibility
- ExaCC: hybrid cloud, for data residency/latency control
Same software, managed differently based on location.
