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Hi 

I am trying to propose to my client regarding delphix implementation please let me know if my understanding is correct.

I have read many blogs and site and have come up with the below understanding of delphix


Problem definition

We have a production database on exadata m/c. For development and testing we are using 11g enteprise edition. When we ask for an environment it take a week or more to get the environment. Also we donot get the replica of production database. So when i came across delphix i though this needs to be proposed to the client to reduce the storage cost as well as getting time it takes to get the new environement. Also I have taken most of the text from various blogs,sites and white papers.

Below is what my understandig of delpix is

Possible Delphix Implementation for Client’x

 

The Delphix Engine on the delphix server links to source physical databases of the exadata server via standard APIs and asks the source databases to send copies of their entire file and log blocks to it. The Delphix Engine uses intelligent filtering and compression to reduce the copy of the source database down to as little as 25% of the original size. The copy of the source database is stored in the Delphix engine, along with the incremental updates. This copy is refered to as dSource in delphix terminology.

Using the dSource multiple VDB (Virtual database) can be provisioned from the delphix engine. Since the DB blocks are shared across the multiple VDB’s it does not incur any additional storage requirement.

So we can create multiple VDB for DEV,CIT,ST,SIT and UAT. This will reduce the storage and environment availability time drastically.

When a VDB is provisioned, the user selects a point along the timeflow of the parent database and a target environment in which to create the database instance. Delphix will:

·         Create a writeable copy of the physical storage in a time and space efficient manner

·         Export the physical storage to the target server over the appropriate protocol (e.g. NFS)

·         Configure a database instance in the target environment according to the settings provided by the administrator

·         Use the instance to take the database through recovery and replay (if necessary)

·         Take a consistent snapshot of the resulting storage

·         Make the database available to end users

Once provisioned, a VDB is an independent, read-write database, and changes made to the VDB by users or applications are written to new, compressed blocks in Delphix storage or to Target Server. VDBs can be provisioned from other VDBs, and the data within VDBs refreshed from its parent VDB or dSource.

Delphix Hardware Stack       

 

Delphix Server software installs on

·         standard x86 servers     

·         Supported databases: Oracle 9, 10g ,11g  , RAC,  Exadata, Standard, Enterprise on Linux, Solaris, HP-UX, and AIX.

·         Storage support: SAN or DAS storage

Great synopsis and mostly spot-on. Clarification at the end, Delphix is a virtual machine, and runs on VMware vSphere, Amazon EC2, KVM, etc. More info on that can be found here: http://docs.delphix.com/display/DOCS42/Installation+and+Initial+Configuration+Requirements

If you want to reach out to sales@delphix.com, we can help you position with your client. 

Thanks Adam

Few more queries

1. If we keep the delphix software on the seperate m/c as depicted in the above diagram than my understanding is that the VDB will be created on the target server and not on the delphix server.

2. Also can the delphix software be installed and deployed on to the target server itself so as to reduce the network traffic. So in this case the VDB's will be created on the target server am i correct.

Regards

JB

Thanks Adam

Few more queries

1. If we keep the delphix software on the seperate m/c as depicted in the above diagram than my understanding is that the VDB will be created on the target server and not on the delphix server.

2. Also can the delphix software be installed and deployed on to the target server itself so as to reduce the network traffic. So in this case the VDB's will be created on the target server am i correct.

Regards

JB

1) The VDB is always created on the Delphix Engine, never on the Target.
2) Delphix is a virtual appliance, a complete virtual machine. Architecturally, we advise our customers to place Delphix where the target systems live. Ideally, this would be on the same set of network equipment or hypervisor backplane (i.e Cisco UCS). This isn't a hard requirement and we have many customers running on 1GiE and 10GiE. We'll work with you and/or your client to ensure they have the best and most optimal deployment possible. The same superior level of service we give to our F100 customers, we give to all of our customers.

Regarding the 2nd point in your reply to understand thing better, a seperate m/c will be required on which the delphix server will be installed and this m/c should be placed in the same network as that of the target non-exadata m/c i.e one m/c for delphix and another non-exadata target m/c on which oracle instances will be deployed.

or

is it that delphix server and the oracle instances will be deployed on the same target non-exadata m/c.


Surely we will involve you going forward as no one from our organization has done delphix implementation. But since pro actively we are trying to propose our existing client regarding delphix. Client wants a write up from us regarding the same. Hence thought to interact with the delphix community for clarification and the documentation we produce has no ambiguity.

Regards

JB

What does m/c stand for?

m/c = machine

The Delphix Engine is a virtual machine that will reside on a hypervisor of some sort, such as KVM, VMWare, or Amazon EC2. Your target systems, which run your applications and rdbms, will be completely separate machines, virtual or physical, just as they are today.

Please feel free to reach out to me directly, adam.bowen@delphix.com. Email might be a better forum for me to help you.

Sure.

Regards

JB