Oracle RMAN Is the 'Tax Man'

Bob Ganley, Senior Solutions Consultant | 3/23/2012 | 12 comments

Bob Ganley
A few blogs back, I asserted that many organizations are paying “taxes” that they shouldn’t have to pay. These taxes are in the form of extra costs from overprovisioning servers just so that performance doesn’t become unacceptable during data protection operations. Databases underpin most business-critical systems out there, so they are a great place to show this. I discussed some specific SQL Server examples. This is not just a Microsoft problem; let’s take a look at Oracle.

The standard utility for performing database backup, restore, and recovery of Oracle databases is RMAN. Here are some results quantifying the impact of RMAN in an Oracle database environment. This is for a 2-Node Oracle 11g R2 RAC cluster running a TPC-C style transactional workload.

There are a couple of key points to note:

  • Even though this was a lightly loaded system, CPU Utilization increased 30 percent to 40 percent for the entire duration of the backup.
  • Response time and transactional performance see a negative spike for the first couple of minutes of the backup window.

Conclusion: You have to pay the “tax man” for Oracle when you use RMAN on your Oracle host.

For more info on this testing, see: http://dell.to/xAsNCa.

Now it is time to hear from you. What is your experience with SLA taxes?
View Comments: Newest First | Oldest First | Threaded View
Page 1 / 2   >   >>
batye   Oracle RMAN Is the 'Tax Man'   9/5/2012 11:58:07 AM
RE: Oracle RMAN Is the 'Tax Man'
yes, thanks Bob good solution... in this life we have two sure things death and taxes...
singlemud   Oracle RMAN Is the 'Tax Man'   4/24/2012 4:25:02 PM
RE: Oracle RMAN Is the 'Tax Man'
@Bob, thanks a lot for pointing out the solutions.
Bob Ganley   Oracle RMAN Is the 'Tax Man'   4/24/2012 4:13:22 PM
RE: Oracle RMAN Is the 'Tax Man'
Thanks for the comment @singlemud . It is funny... I used to work for JavaSoft selling commercial licenses for the use of Java technology. And yes Java has been blamed for bogging down many-a-system.

In this case everything is performing as expected. The problem arises when the CPU cycles demanded by the Backup process are added to the CPU cycles needed by the production Database process. In order to have a single system that can run both jobs with acceptable latency, that system must be sized to be able to run both jobs simultaneously. That means seriously over-sizing the system when compared to the size of a system that would be needed to only run the production Database workload.

The solution is to offload backup processing to a dedicated backup server.
User Ranking: Blogger
singlemud   Oracle RMAN Is the 'Tax Man'   4/24/2012 1:17:46 PM
RE: Oracle RMAN Is the 'Tax Man'
very interesting, my guess: it is due to the poor java performance?
Bob Ganley   Oracle RMAN Is the 'Tax Man'   3/28/2012 8:04:13 AM
Re: Quite Accurate,Bob!
Thanks for the comment @Tekedge . It is good to hear other data points. Interesting how that 40% range keeps showing up!
User Ranking: Blogger
tekedge   Oracle RMAN Is the 'Tax Man'   3/27/2012 10:17:48 PM
Re: Quite Accurate,Bob!
I work on IBM DB2 on distributed systems(Unix/iseries/Windows) and I can tell you that the 'taxman' always shows up. Eventhough my backups are done in a quiesce mode and offline with no users connected,the cpu is almost certainly at 35-40% during the entire length of the backup.
Bob Ganley   Oracle RMAN Is the 'Tax Man'   3/26/2012 11:49:53 AM
Re: Quite Accurate,Bob!
But do you see this problem restricted only to Oracle and SQL server? What about the smaller players like MySQL ,PostGreSQL and of course IBM's DB2???

@eethtworkz I don't have data for the other databases mentioned in your question. However I can say this with certainty - The data protection process takes resources. The question becomes where do you allocate those resources - in your production servers or your storage.
User Ranking: Blogger
Bob Ganley   Oracle RMAN Is the 'Tax Man'   3/26/2012 11:43:20 AM
Re: A Question from your Chat session
"But what happens if De-Duping and De-Compressing are part of the enterprise Policy???[Have to be done whether we like it or not].

Is there any way to avoid such a massive hit on Performance then?"

@eethworkz - The benefits of block-based auto-tiering will accrue to any data stored. I don't know the type of deduplication and compression technologies or the impact on performance in your case, but I'm going to hazard a guess that auto-tiering could mitigate some of that impact.

Data reduction techniques are more often used for archive files and backups. File-based storage (even primary) is another place that this is becoming more common.

Blanket application of a "deduplicate and compress" policy to primary storage for performance-sensitive databases may be counter-productive. The amount of $ saved in storage cost may not cover the costs of mitigating performance impacts over time. 
User Ranking: Blogger
eethtworkz   Oracle RMAN Is the 'Tax Man'   3/26/2012 10:56:59 AM
A Question from your Chat session
Bob,

This is a question from the Chat Session we had last week

http://www.enterpriseefficiency.com/radio.asp?doc_id=239633

You mentioned something along these lines,

"

what I meant is that if you've got a performance-sensitive workload to the point where you are auto-tiering hot data to SSD, you aren't going to want to incur additional overhead of de-duping and de-compressing data

"

But what happens if De-Duping and De-Compressing are part of the enterprise Policy???[Have to be done whether we like it or not].

Is there any way to avoid such a massive hit on Performance then?

Thanks again!

Ashish.

eethtworkz   Oracle RMAN Is the 'Tax Man'   3/26/2012 10:53:35 AM
Quite Accurate,Bob!
Bob,

Thanks for putting it in such an easily understood graphical format.

Yes,its true and it is the current way how things work in the Database Space.

But do you see this problem restricted only to Oracle and SQL server? What about the smaller players like MySQL ,PostGreSQL and of course IBM's DB2???

Do they also face this problem to the same degree as the Big Two?

Thanks for sharing your massive experience with us here Bob.

Regards

Ashish.
Page 1 / 2   >   >>


The blogs and comments posted on EnterpriseEfficiency.com do not reflect the views of TechWeb, EnterpriseEfficiency.com, or its sponsors. EnterpriseEfficiency.com, TechWeb, and its sponsors do not assume responsibility for any comments, claims, or opinions made by authors and bloggers. They are no substitute for your own research and should not be relied upon for trading or any other purpose.
More Enterprise Delliberation
Bob Ganley   6/1/2012   0 comments
Yes, RAID is important; it helps protect from data loss in the event of a disk failure. The problem is that RAID configuration in the traditional sense of the concept is very inefficient. ...
Bob Ganley   5/18/2012   3 comments
If you are planning a deployment of Exchange 2010, choosing the right storage architecture can be a confusing task.
Bob Ganley   5/2/2012   4 comments
Now hold on a minute. You have heard about Virtual Desktop Infrastructure, and it is very intriguing. After all, managing lots of desktop PCs is one of the more labor intensive, error ...
Bob Ganley   4/13/2012   22 comments
Data growth is a reality. IDC's Worldwide File-Based Storage 2010-2014 Forecast predicts that the amount of storage used in the next two years will exceed that from the past five years!
Bob Ganley   4/9/2012   8 comments
When it comes to long-term archiving of digital information, there are several media choices, including tape, optical media, NAS, SAN, and object storage.
Latest Archived Broadcast
In this episode, you'll learn how to stretch the limits of your private cloud -- and how to recognize the limits that can't be exceeded.
On-demand Video with Chat
IT has to deploy Server 2012 in a way that fits the architecture of its application delivery system.
E2 IT Migration Zones
IT Migration Zone - UK
Get Modern Apps on the Windows 8 Desktop
Application Audits Simplify Migration
Hardware Refresh Cycles Are Outdated
IT Migration Zone - FR
BrandCache sous Windows Server 2012
Windows Blue attendu en juin
Comment profiter d’une nouvelle expérience User Virtualization
IT Migration Zone - DE
Leap Motion zeigt Gestensteuerung für Windows 8
Microsofts Surface Pro kommt nach Deutschland
Like Us on Facebook
Twitter Feed
Enterprise Efficiency Twitter Feed
Dell Storage
Dell OEM Twitter Feed
E2 Linked-in Group Ad
Site Moderators Wanted
Enterprise Efficiency is looking for engaged readers to moderate the message boards on this site. Engage in high-IQ conversations with IT industry leaders; earn kudos and perks. Interested? E-mail:
moderators@enterpriseefficiency.com
Informed CIO: Dollars & Sense: Virtual Desktop Infrastructure
Cut through the VDI hype and get the full picture -- including ROI and the impact on your Data Center -- to make an informed decision about your virtual desktop infrastructure deployments.
Read the full report
Virtualization Management: Time To Get Serious
Welcome to the backside of the virtualization wave. Discover the state of virtualization management and where analysts are predicting it is heading
Read the full report
SPONSORED BY DELL
PUBLIC SECTOR RESOURCES
WHITE PAPERS
A Video Case Study – Translational Genomics Research Institute
e2 Storage Video
On the Case
TGen IT: Where We're Going Next
7|11|12   |   08:12   |   10 comments

Now that TGen has broken new ground in genomic research by using Dell's storage, cloud, and high-performance computing solutions, the company discusses what will come next for it and for personalized medicine.
On the Case
Better Care Through Better Communications
6|6|12   |   02:24   |   12 comments

The achievements of the TGen/Dell project could improve how all people receive healthcare, because they are creating ways to improve end-to-end communication of medical data.
On the Case
TGen IT: Where We Are Now
5|15|12   |   06:58   |   5 comments

TGen is breaking new ground in genomic research by using Dell's storage, cloud, and high-performance computing solutions.
On the Case
TGen IT: Where We Were
4|27|12   |   06:45   |   10 comments

The Translational Genomics Research Institute wanted to save lives, but its efforts were hobbled by immense computing challenges related to collecting, processing, sharing, and storing enormous amounts of data.
On the Case
1,200% Faster
4|18|12   |   02:27   |   12 comments

Through their partnership, Dell and TGen have increased the speed of TGen’s medical research by 1,200 percent.
On the Case
IT May Improve Children's Chances of Survival
4|17|12   |   02:12   |   8 comments

IT is helping medical researchers reach breakthroughs in a way and pace never seen before.
On the Case
Medical Advances in the Cloud
4|10|12   |   1:25   |   5 comments

TGen and Dell are pushing the boundaries of computing, and harnessing the power of the cloud to improve healthcare.
On the Case
TGen: Living the Mission
4|9|12   |   2:25   |   3 comments

TGen's CIO puts the organizational mission at the heart of everything the IT staff does.
On the Case
TGen Speeding Up Biomedical Research to Save More Lives
4|5|12   |   1:59   |   8 comments

The Translational Genomics Research Institute is revamping its computing to improve speed, storage, and collaboration – and, most importantly, to save lives.
On the Case
Computing Power Helping to Save Children's Lives
3|28|12   |   2:13   |   3 comments

The Translational Genomics Institute’s partnership with Dell is enabling them to treat kids with neuroblastoma more quickly and save more lives.
Tom Nolle
How Deep Is My Storage Hierarchy?
7|3|12   |   2:13   |   5 comments

At the GigaOM Structure conference, a startup announced a cloud and virtualization storage optimizing approach that shows there's still a lot of thinking to be done on the way storage joins the virtual world.
E2 Interview
What Other Industries Can Learn From Financial Services
6|13|12   |   02:08   |   3 comments

We asked CIO Steve Rubinow what CIOs in other industries can learn from the financial services industry about datacenter efficiency, security, and green computing.
E2 Interview
Removing Big-Data Flow Bottlenecks
6|12|12   |   02:55   |   No comments

We ask CIO Steve Rubinow what pieces of financial services infrastructure need to perform better to get traders info faster.
E2 Interview
Getting Traders the Data They Need
6|11|12   |   02:04   |   1 comment

We ask CIO Steve Rubinow: What do stock market traders need to know, how fast do they need it, and how can CIOs get it to them?
E2 Interview
Can IT Help Fix the Global Economy?
6|8|12   |   02:32   |   1 comment

We ask CIO Steve Rubinow whether today's IT can help repair the global economy (and if IT played any role in the economy's collapse).
E2 Interview
More Competitive Business via Datacenter Strategy
5|4|12   |   2:46   |   1 comment

Businesses need to be competitive, yet efficient, and both goals affect datacenter design.
E2 Interview
The Recipe for Greater Efficiency
5|3|12   |   3:14   |   2 comments

Intel supplies the best ingredients to drive greater datacenter efficiency and support new compute, storage, and networking needs.
E2 Interview
Datacenters Enabling Business Transformation
5|1|12   |   06:37   |   1 comment

Dell’s Gaurav Chand says that for the first time ever datacenter technology is truly enabling all kinds of organizations to transform their business and achieve new objectives.
Tom Nolle
Cloud Data: Big AND Persistent!
3|28|12   |   2:11   |   10 comments

We always hear about "Big" data, but a real issue in cloud storage is not just bigness but also persistence. A large data model is less complicated than a big application repository that somehow needs to be accessed. The Hadoop send-program-to-data model may be the answer.
Tom Nolle
Project Lightning Streamlines Storage
2|16|12   |   2:09   |   2 comments

EMC's Project Lightning has matured into a product set, and it's important, less because it has new features or capabilities in storage technology and management, than because it may package the state of the art in a way more businesses can deploy.
Tom Nolle
Big Data Appliance Is Big News
1|12|12   |   2:18   |   No comments

Oracle's release of a Hadoop appliance for Big Data may be a signal that we're shifting to database appliances.
Tom Nolle
Myopia Can Hurt Storage Policy
12|22|11   |   2:08   |   No comments

We're at the beginning of a cloud-driven revolution in storage, but Oracle's quarter shows that enterprises are hunkering down on old concepts because they're afraid of the costs in the near term.
Sara Peters
An Untrained User & a Mobile Medical Device
12|19|11   |   2:43   |   11 comments

Untrained end users, clueless central IT staff, and expensive mobile devices are a worrisome combination for healthcare CIOs.
Tom Nolle
Too Many Labels on 'Big Data'?
12|9|11   |   2:12   |   3 comments

However you label it, structured and unstructured information are different and will likely always require different tools.
Sara Peters
E2 Debuts New Storage Section
12|8|11   |   1:51   |   1 comment

Need strategic guidance on everything from SSDs to 100 percent virtualized datacenters? Look no further.