This presentation covers the idea of logical virtual hostnames, their possible use cases with Oracle E-Business Suite, why it is a configuration that you "must-have" for disaster recovery, how it can improve your cloning processes and test/development environment lifecycle. We will talk about: - What is logical hostname. - Use case for disaster recovery configuration. Why it is an important piece of a DR strategy. - Use case for cloning process and how it can be improved. - Support status for 11i/R12.0/R12.1 and R12.2. Why it is very hot for R12.2 now. - Advanced configurations - how can Linux Containers make this configuration even more beautiful. The content is based on multiple client environment implementation experience.

1. Logical Hostnames in
Oracle E-Business Suite
PAVAN MARTI
Applications Database Consultant
Optimize DR and cloning processes.
ANDREJS PROKOPJEVS
Lead Applications Database Consultant

2. About me
© 2017 Pythian 2
Apps DBA from Riga, Latvia.
Speaking SQL since 2001.
In Oracle world since 2004.
“In love” with Oracle EBS since 2006.
Andrejs Prokopjevs
Lead Applications Database Consultant
At Pythian since 2011
@aprokopjevs
prokopjevs@pythian.com
https://www.pythian.com/blog/author/prokopjevs/

3. About me
© 2017 Pythian 3
Apps DBA from Ottawa, Canada.
In Oracle world since 2002.
In EBS world since 2005.
Pavan Marti
Applications Database Consultant
At Pythian since 2014
@Pavanmarti
marti@pythian.com
https://www.pythian.com/blog/

4. ABOUT PYTHIAN
Pythian’s 400+ IT professionals
help companies adopt and
manage disruptive technologies
to better compete
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5. TECHNICAL EXPERTISE
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using data science

6. Systems currently
managed by Pythian
EXPERIENCED
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in 35 countries
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Millennia of experience
gathered and shared over
19 years
EXPERTS
11,800 2400
© 2017 Pythian 6

7. Agenda
• What is logical hostname.
• Why it should be an important piece of a DR strategy.
• How cloning process can be improved.
• Support for 11i/R12 and R12.2. Why it is very hot now for R12.2.
• Advanced configurations - Linux Containers.
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8. What is logical
hostname
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9. What is a logical hostname?
• Like Apache’s virtual hostname (<VirtualHost>)?
• Logical = Virtual hostname.
• Logical <> Physical hostname.
• Virtual host or address is a mapping of your application logically for an end user.
• That’s it?
• Virtual host or address is also a mapping of your application configuration for a
hardware it runs on as well.
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10. Example #1
• Multiple applications running on single or multiple servers in pool.
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server1.domain.com
app1.domain.com
app2.domain.com
app3.domain.com
server2.domain.com
app4.domain.com
app5.domain.com
app6.domain.com

11. Example #2
• Clusters.
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server1.domain.com
app1.domain.com
app2.domain.com
app3.domain.com
server2.domain.com
app1.domain.com
app2.domain.com
app3.domain.com
Cluster 1
Load
Balancer

12. Example #3
• Cloud.
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ip-10-10-10-1
eu-1.cloud.com
app1.domain.com
app2.domain.com
app3.domain.com
ip-10-10-10-19
eu-1.cloud.com
app1.domain.com
app2.domain.com
app3.domain.com
Auto Scaling group
LBaaS
ip-10-10-10-…
eu-1.cloud.com
app1.domain.com
app2.domain.com
app3.domain.com
ip-10-10-17-21
us-1.cloud.com
app1.domain.com
app2.domain.com
app3.domain.com
DR

13. Why it should be an important
piece of a DR strategy
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14. DR – in general
• Option #1: Active-Active
• Option #2: Active-Passive
• Transparency
• Preferred
• Minimum downtime
• Minimum data loss
• SLA
• Maximum allowed switchover
window to be defined.
• Bi – Directional
• And to be tested, at least, on a bi-
yearly basis.
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ip-10-10-17-21
us-1.cloud.com
APP 1
DR
ip-10-10-10-10
eu-1.cloud.com
APP 1
Production

15. DR – Oracle E-Business Suite – DB tier
• Physical standby
• $$$ (EE license for standby).
• Lots of manual effort.
• Data loss of, at least, one redo log.
• Data Guard
• $$$ (EE license for standby).
• Automatic gap detection and
recovery.
• Flexible and easy switchover.
• Data loss depends on the mode
running.
• Active Data Guard
• $$$$$$ (additional option)
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ebsdb3.domain.com
PRODDR
DR
ebsdb1.domain.com
PROD1
Production - RAC
ebsdb2.domain.com
PROD2
DGB

16. DR – Oracle E-Business Suite – Apps tier
• Only Active-Passive
• APPS_BASE sync using rsync
• Most common example.
• Switchover
• Cloning
• Switchover back
• Another Cloning
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ebsapp3.domain.com
APPS_BASE
DR
ebsapp1.domain.com
APPS_BASE
Multi-Node production
ebsapp2.domain.com
APPS_BASE
RSYNC
CM log/out CM log/out

17. Challenge
• Why cloning?
• EBS configuration is very tight to node name (FND).
• R12.2: EBS configuration is very tight to node name and IP address of that node (+ADOP).
• To enable a new DR node, you need to follow cloning process to get the new node set.
• It takes time
• 30-60 minutes, and even longer.
• Workarounds
• Well scripted and tested automated process, but still adcfgclone.pl takes time.
• Have DR nodes already inside the primary configuration.
▪ Reports of unavailable nodes in the stack.
▪ Still requires post steps (like relocation of the Concurrent Managers).
• Very complex process !!! © 2017 Pythian 17

18. ebsapp3.domain.comebsapp1.domain.com
How it should look like?
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app.domain.com
APPS_BASE
DR
app.domain.com
APPS_BASE
Production
CM log/out CM log/outRSYNC
Hi! I am a logical hostname.

19. Benefits
• Forget about the cloning.
• Forget about configuration post steps.
• Just restart your applications, as is.
• 5-10 minutes, and we are done?
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20. How cloning process can be
improved
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21. Cloning process
• Cloning using rapid clone
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prod1.domain.com
Application Tier
Source Target
COPY
Run adpreclone.pl Run adcfgclone.pl
prod2.domain.com
Database Tier
test1.domain.com
Application Tier
test2.domain.com
Database Tier

22. Cloning process - detailed
• What does adpreclone.pl do
• Creates cloning stage.
• Retrieves database information and creates cloning scripts.
• What does adcfgclone.pl do
• Creates context file.
• Configures the target, registers and relinks the Oracle Homes.
• Optionally restarts the services.
• Post steps
• Complexity depends on the stack size
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23. Challenges
• Why hostname area is important? Why we can’t just copy the files?
• EBS configuration, FND tables.
• Profile options.
• Concurrent Managers validate “uname -n” !!!
• Multi node, Load balancer, OID/SSO integrations.
• … etc. Lots of more.
• How much time typicaly cloning takes?
• Few hours to days depending on architecture and resources.
• Workarounds
• Automation (scripts, Ansible, etc)
• Applications Management Pack (EM)
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24. prod3.domain.com
How it could look like?
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Source
prod1.domain.com
app1.domain.com
APPS_BASE
prod2.domain.com
app2.domain.com
APPS_BASE
Hi! I am a logical
hostname.
Target
COPY
COPY
test3.domain.com
test1.domain.com
app1.domain.com
APPS_BASE
db1.domain.com
test2.domain.com
app2.domain.com
APPS_BASE
EBSDB
db1.domain.com
EBSDB

25. Benefits
• No need of Source and Target steps
• Cloning is just a copy of source to target.
• Any DB tier change (SID, host, port) is just a context update plus AutoConfig.
• Reduces the manual effort. Automation is easy.
• Reduces the work within few hours, or even minutes (cloud).
• But still you may have some extra manual tasks.
• Update of profile options, printer settings.
• Change of the database and applications passwords.
• Change the front-end URL (load balancer).
• Re-registration of OID/OAM if its SSO integrated.
• Customizations, interfaces.
• Can be easily scripted still.
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26. Cloud provisioning example
• Create VM Image /
Template
• Create and Configure
virtual machines from the
template
• First-boot bootstrap to
script instance specific post
steps.
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ebsapp.domain.com
APPS_BASE
Source New Target
ebsdb.domain.com
DATABASE
ebsapp.domain.com
APPS_BASE
ebsdb.domain.com
DATABASE
Virtual Machine Repository
VIRTUAL MACHINE TEMPLATES

27. Support for 11i/R12 and
R12.2
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28. Logical hostname support
• Release 11i / R12.0 / R12.1
• Only physical hostname is supported.
• You have to configure logical name as a physical hostname on the server.
• OS commands must return the hostname configured.
▪ uname -n
▪ hostname
• Release R12.2
• Official support and solution are implemented.
• Configuration can be based on logical hostname.
• Requires a specific patch level.
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29. R12.2 requirements
• Patch level
• Patch 25178222:R12.AD.C.Delta.9
• Patch 25180736:R12.TXK.C.Delta.9
• Patch 17075726:R12.FND.C
• Alias in /etc/hosts
• Web entry points to be pointed to logical end point
• s_hostname, s_%host
• s_webentryurlprotocol, s_webentryhost, s_webentrydomain, s_active_webport
• s_login_page
• s_external_url
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30. R12.2 – what is changed?
• Context name, s_hostname, s_%host context variables can be pointed to logical
hostname value.
• s_physical_hostname context variable is introduced.
• $APPL_TOP/APPSVIS122_vis122app01.env
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<host oa_var="s_hostname">ebsapp1</host>
<physical_hostname oa_var="s_physical_hostname">prod1</physical_hostname>
currentHost=`hostname|sed 's/..*//g'|tr "[A-Z]" "[a-z]"`
host=`echo ”ebsapp1"|tr "[A-Z]" "[a-z]"`
physicalHost=`echo ”prod1"|tr "[A-Z]" "[a-z]"`
if [ $host != $currentHost ] && [ $physicalHost != $currentHost ]
then
echo "ERROR: This env should be sourced from $host !”
exit_status=1

31. R12.2 – what is changed in CM startup?
• One-off Patch 17075726
• Delivers changes to cpadmin.sh, reviver.sh, startmgr.sh and FNDLIBR code.
• Changes in CM initialization
• "uname -n” use is gone.
• Startup is using the configured host value and passes it to the runtime as a parameter.
• Examples:
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$ ps -fu applmgr
...
FNDCRM apps/# long hash # FND FNDCRM N 10 c LOCK Y EBSAPP1 2728881
...
/u01/vision/fs1/EBSapps/comn/util/jdk64/bin/java ...
-DEBS_HOSTNAME=ebsapp1 ... oracle.apps.fnd.cp.gsf.GSMServiceController

32. What to do with a release below R12.2 TXK delta 9?
• Challenge
• Starting Concurrent Managers is the main problem. These validate their target node name with
server hostname.
• R12.2 has a FMW_Home 11g stack that depends on hostname references.
• Any alternatives?
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33. Alternatives
• How about to fake the hostname on your Linux server just for Oracle EBS.
• fakehostname.c is created to replace gethostname() default OS call to return you the desired
hostname value from environment variable.
• fakehostname.c is compiled as 32-bit library. With R12.2 you need both 32 and 64 bit libraries
to be created.
• LD_PRELOAD is set pointing to your compiled library code.
• This tweak can be added to your environment source (.bash_profile) before your EBS
environment is set.
© 2017 Pythian 33

34. Fake hostname
• Example:
• Reference:
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[applmgr@prod1 ~]$ ls -l /lib/libfakehostname.so.1
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 7240 Jan 6 19:40 /lib/libfakehostname.so.1
[applmgr@prod1 ~]$ ls -l /lib64/libfakehostname.so.1
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 8464 Jan 6 19:40 /lib64/libfakehostname.so.1
[applmgr@prod1 ~]$
[applmgr@prod1 ~]$ export MYHOSTNAME=ebsapp01
[applmgr@prod1 ~]$
[applmgr@prod1 ~]$ hostname
prod1.domain.com
[applmgr@prod1 ~]$
[applmgr@prod1 ~]$ export LD_PRELOAD="libfakehostname.so.1”
[applmgr@prod1 ~]$ hostname
ebsapp01
[applmgr@prod1 ~]$
https://blog.pythian.com/oracle-e-business-suite-virtual-host-names-solution-r12-2/

35. Advanced configurations
Linux Containers
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36. Linux Containers
• LXC virtualization
• Multiple Linux instances on a single host.
• Shared kernel
• Not a classic virtual machine we used to.
• Hardware is not emulated.
• Isolated process tree view of the OS, security, networking, storage.
• Available since RHEL / OEL 6 (2.6.24 kernel).
• Deprecated in RHEL 7, replaced with LXD improved technology.
• But still can be installed from EPEL repository.
• Supports different Linux OS deployments, no lock to physical host.
• RHEL 6 or 7, Debian, etc.
• OEL5 guest support is also there, but only with Oracle’s UEK. Good for 11i users. © 2017 Pythian 36

37. Architecture with classic virtualization
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Oracle E-Business Suite
KERNEL
HOST OS
HyperVisor
Binaries and Libraries Network Storage Security
Guest Operating System with emulated hardware

38. Architecture with LXC
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Oracle E-Business Suite
KERNEL
HOST OS
Container engine
Binaries and Libraries
of emulated guest OS
Network Storage Security

39. Configuration
• Default LXC_PATH: /container
• Default log path: /var/log/lxc
• Examples:
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[root@ebsapp1 ~]# lxc-create -n app -t oracle -- --release=6.latest --privileged
[root@ebsapp1 ~]# lxc-start -n app -d -o /var/log/lxc/app.log
[root@ebsapp1 ~]# lxc-console -n app
root@app:~# hostname
app.domain.com
root@app:~#

40. Resource control
• CPU, IO, Memory resources can be limited and controlled.
• Examples:
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[root@ebsapp1 ~]# lxc-cgroup -n app cpuset.cpus 0,1
[root@ebsapp1 ~]# lxc-cgroup -n app memory.limit_in_bytes 53687091

41. E-Business Suite use case
• Create a container for Apps tier.
• Configure logical hostname for the container realm.
• Configure EBS to be based on this logical hostname.
• DR
• Rsync between containers.
• Snapshot or keep in sync the container repository.
• Cloning and instance provisioning
• Create and transfer container templates.
• Clone containers on the same host.
• Officially certified only for R12.2
• UEK R3 Quarterly Update 6 (3.8.13-98) or higher or UEK R4 (Doc ID 1330701.1)
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42. E-Business Suite use case
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ebsapp3.domain.comebsapp1.domain.com
ContainersContainers
app.domain.com
APPS_BASE
DR
app.domain.com
APPS_BASE
Production
CM log/out CM log/outRSYNC

43. Summary
• Official logical hostname support is long awaited and finally available, but only for
R12.2.
• It can streamline the instance lifecycle management, rapid process of cloning.
• Easier instance provisioning from images (cloud deployment and automation).
• DR failover window is minimum.
• There are still unofficial options available for pre-R12.2 releases.
• Linux Containers is a good OS level alternative approach.
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44. THANK YOU
Q & A
© 2017 Pythian 44