Description
The Write Accelerator from Texas Memory Systems accelerates write-intensive Oracle databases.
The Write Accelerator is specifically designed to increase Oracle database performance. It accelerates Oracle databases by allowing them to handle substantially greater transaction volumes and add more concurrent users. The Write Accelerator can deliver many times the performance of a standard cached-RAID array and is more easily installed and managed by enterprises whose operations rely on Oracle-resident applications.
The Write Accelerator works on a simple premise: performance of write intensive databases is limited by two factors – latency and throughput. The Write Accelerator, a special edition RamSan solid state disk solution, offers unparalleled latency and throughput and unbinds Oracle applications limited by slow writes.
Solutions designed to accelerate writes must meet three requirements: tightly integrate with the operating systems that run Oracle, support Oracle and Oracle ASM, and follow Oracle’s stripe and mirror everything (SAME) rule. The Write Accelerator supports Oracle in Windows, Linux, Solaris, HP-UX, OpenVMS, and AIX environments, among others. The systems have been deployed with Oracle databases from Oracle 8i to Oracle 11g, including support for Oracle RAC and Oracle ASM. The Write Accelerator consists of two separate but bundled units, enabling complete support for SAME and allowing even the most demanding enterprises in the world 5-nines reliability for the solution.
The Write Accelerator can be directly attached to Oracle database servers or attached to storage networking components. Special skills or training are not required to install and administer a Write Accelerator. Administrators simply move their redo logs, undo segments, or temporary tablespaces to the Write Accelerator. Neither the Oracle database itself nor the operating system need to be modified to support the Write Accelerator.
“Write activity in Oracle is mostly a factor of the performance of the redo logs, undo segments, and temporary tablespaces,” says Mike Ault, Oracle Guru at Texas Memory Systems and author of more than 20 books on Oracle performance and tuning-related topics. “By moving these files to the Write Accelerator, application performance is boosted as server resources are made available to support more transactions and more concurrent users. Plugging it in is easier, more effective, and less costly than adding additional RAID arrays or constantly tuning the database.”
Oracle database administrators can determine if their application suffers from write contention or other I/O performance issues by analyzing their Oracle Statspack and Automated Workload Repository (AWR) reports using the free tool at StatspackAnalyzer.com, an Oracle community forum co-sponsored by Texas Memory Systems and Burleson Consulting.
Write Accelerator highlights:
Performance
The Write Accelerator connects to servers or network fabrics through basic Fibre Channel or InfiniBand interfaces and appears simply as a very fast disk to the network, able to act as any disk or storage system might. The Write Accelerator acheives dramatic performance gains in Oracle redo logs, temporary tablespaces, and undo segments.
Reliability
The Write Accelerator solution incorporates two individual solid state disk systems mirrored in host-side or Oracle ASM configurations, providing the highest degree of data protection and system reliability. In addition, each individual unit of the Write Accelerator solution includes multiple reliability features, including hot swappable power supplies and backup hard disks, redundant cooling fans, batteries, and optional redundant failover data ports. ChipKill technology, ECC and soft error scrubbing, and Active Backup, as noted below, are also part of the Write Accelerator’s suite of sophisticated reliability features.
Interoperability
The Write Accelerator is designed to look like a disk to the network. It is highly interoperable and works in virtually any enterprise environment. It is installed in numerous environments, including AIX, Solaris, HP-UX, OpenVMS, Tandem, Linux, and Windows. Hardware from Fibre Channel and InfiniBand vendors including Cisco, Emulex, Brocade, McData, Mellanox, QLogic, LSI Logic, and ATTO easily interoperates with the Write Accelerator.
Active Backup
The Write Accelerator includes the reliability and fuctionality of Active Backup®. Other SSDs and cache systems can only "destage" data from RAM to backup disks once power is already lost. This means that data is never backed up during normal operation and the time-to-complete-backup after power loss is unacceptably long. A Write Accelerator with Active Backup can continuously back up data on RAM to the internal backup hard disks without impacting performance. This means in an emergency situation data is anywhere from 60-100% on the backup hard drives already.
Chipkill Technology
Write Accelerator systems take reliability even farther by implementing IBM Chipkill technology. Standard error correcting code (ECC) implementations correct single-bit data errors in memory chips but cannot correct the multi-bit errors that can result in data integrity issues. Chipkill technology allows a memory system to correct a multi-bit failure up to and including a total chip failure.
Soft Error Scrubbing
All solid state disks can correct a single bit error before sending data to the server as a part of their ECC protection. The Write Accelerator, however, goes a step further by scrubbing, re-writing the corrected data to memory and then verifying the re-write to determine if a memory chip has a failure (a hard error) or if radiation transients caused the single bit error (a soft error). Systems that do not scrub single bit memory errors will either a) report errors to a system log that will eventually encourage replacement of a memory board or b) hide these errors thus leaving a potentially unsafe memory board in the system. Research on this topic suggests that 90% of single bit errors are soft errors. In these cases, the Write Accelerator will correct the error through the scrubbing process and prevent unnecessary downtime to replace the memory board.
The Write Accelerator Solution includes two individual Solid State Disk units. These are the specs of one of the two units:
I/Os Per Second |
200,000 |
Capacity |
16-32 GB |
Bandwidth |
1.5 GB per second |
Latency |
Less than 15 microseconds |
Fibre Channel Connection |
|
InfiniBand Connection |
|
Management |
|
LUN Support |
|
Data Retention |
|
Reliability and Availability |
|
Backup Procedures |
|
Size |
5.25" (3U) X 16" |
Power Consumption (peak) |
250 Watts |
Weight (maximum) |
70 lbs |
BRONZE WARRANTY
Equipment purchased from Reactive Data LTD (Reactive) is warranted for 1 year from the date of shipment. The warranty includes return-to-factory service for equipment that does not meet its published specification during normal operation. Damage due to external causes including, but not limited to abuse, misuse, electrical power problems or any usage not in accordance with specifications and instructions automatically voids the warranty. REACTIVE ACCEPTS NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY EXPENSES OR DAMAGES INCLUDING LOST REVENUE INCURRED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY AS A RESULT OF DEFECTIVE TMS EQUIPMENT, OR FOR ANY EXPENSES INCURRED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY WHILE THE EQUIPMENT IS BEING REPAIRED AT THE REACTIVE FACTORY.
Return to Factory
During the period that the equipment is covered by warranty, defective equipment can be returned to the factory for repair or replacement. The customer is responsible for shipping the equipment back to the factory, together with a detailed description of the nature of the problem and the tests used to determine the failure. Reactive will take all reasonable steps to repair or, at the discretion of Reactive, replace the faulty equipment within ten working days of receipt. The customer is responsible for shipping the repaired or replaced equipment back. In an emergency, special arrangements may be negotiated subject to the availability of Reactive resources and components.
Telephone and Software Support
Telephone support is available for a period of five years after purchase, during normal Reactive business hours. Firmware and software upgrades will be available at no cost.
Repairs/Returns
Prior to returning any product, Reactive must first authorise and issue a Return Material Authorization (RMA) number. Any item returned without an RMA number is subject to refusal. Freight collect or COD returns will be refused. To receive an RMA number, contact Reactive. When contacting Reactive Customer Service please have the Reactive part number, the serial number and a detailed description of the problem. All returned goods must be shipped freight prepaid in the original boxes and packing materials, with the Reactive RMA number prominently displayed on the outside of each shipping container. Once the RMA has been issued, the items must be returned to Reactive within thirty (30) days, or else the RMA will be cancelled.
SILVER WARRANTY - Advanced Parts Replacement
Reactive Data LTD Silver Warranty may be purchased which provides all of the features of the Bronze plan. In addition, for one to three years (customer option), Reactive will ship a new replacement part to the install site for delivery the next business day if, in the judgment of Reactive, an issue as described by the customer is the result of a defective part. Reactive must be notified by 2:00 p.m. GMT in order to guarantee next day shipping. The customer is responsible for shipping the defective part back to the factory no later than ten days after receipt of the replacement hardware. If Reactive has not received the defective hardware after this time, the customer will be charged the full price of the replacement hardware. The customer is responsible for shipping costs. Silver warranty option must be purchased at time of equipment purchase, and does not extend the basic warranty by default.
GOLD WARRANTY - On-site Repair - Business Hours
Reactive Data LTD Gold Warranty may be purchased which provides all of the features of the Silver and Bronze plans. Additionally, in the event of a hardware failure, customer should call a special 800 number for 24/7 technical support 365 days a year to receive technical assistance from Reactives technical support staff. Gold Warranty also provides, when necessary, on-site service at the customer location Monday through Friday between the customer location hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. On-site service is only applicable to non-user replaceable components; on-site service does not cover software related issues. Customer must purchase a spares kit for items that will be maintained under the Gold Warranty.
PLATINUM WARRANTY - On-site Repair - 24/7
Reactive Data LTD Platinum Warranty may be purchased for the United States and most Western European countries* which includes all of the coverage in the Silver and Bronze plans plus the added protection of on-site four (4) hour response, when necessary, at the customer location seven (7) days a week. As with the Gold Warranty, customer is provided a special 800 number for 24/7 technical support 365 days a year. In the event of a failure, customer should call to receive immediate technical assistance from Reactives technical support line. On-site service is only applicable to non-user replaceable components; on-site service does not cover software related issues. Customer must purchase a spares kit for items that will be maintained under the Platinum Warranty.
* Please contact Reactive for details on coverage areas.
OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY
Faulty equipment may be returned to the factory for repair up to five years after purchase with appropriate RMA. The customer is responsible for shipping the equipment back to the factory, together with a detailed description of the nature of the problem and the tests used to determine the failure. Reactive will take all reasonable steps to repair or, at the discretion of Reactive, replace the faulty equipment within thirty working days of receipt. Customer will be charged current list prices for replacement components. The customer is responsible for shipping the repaired or replaced equipment back. In an emergency, special arrangements may be negotiated subject to the availability of Reactive resources and components. Subject to availability, Reactive field service personnel will perform troubleshooting of equipment.