Converting to Oracle Real Application Clusters from Single-Instance Oracle Databases

This chapter describes the procedures for converting from Oracle Database 11g release 2 (11.2) single-instance databases to Oracle Real Application Clusters (Oracle RAC) databases.

if you are upgrading from
Oracle Parallel Server to Oracle RAC, or from an earlier version of
Oracle RAC, then use Oracle Database Upgrade Assistant (DBUA).

Note:

The procedures in this chapter assume that your original single-instance
database and the target Oracle RAC database are using the same release,
and running on the same platform.

This appendix contains the following topics:

• Administrative Issues for Converting Databases to Oracle RAC
• Converting to Oracle RAC with DBCA
• Preparing to Convert with rconfig and Oracle Enterprise Manager
• Converting Databases to Oracle RAC Using rconfig
• Example of rconfig XML Input Files for ConvertToRAC
• Post-Conversion Steps

Note:

You must use clustered Oracle ASM instances for Oracle RAC databases.

See Also:

Oracle Database Licensing Information for compliance requirements that apply to the license you have purchased

C.1 Administrative Issues for Converting Databases to Oracle RAC

Note the following administrative considerations before converting single-instance databases to Oracle RAC:

• A backup of your existing
  database should available before converting from a single-instance
  Oracle Database to Oracle RAC and you should be ready to take a backup
  of your Oracle RAC database immediately following the conversion.
• For archiving with Oracle RAC environments, the archive file format requires a thread number.
• The archived logs from all instances of an Oracle RAC database are
  required for media recovery. Because of this, if you archive to a file
  and you do not use a cluster file system, or some other means to provide
  shared file systems, then you require a method of accessing the archive
  logs from all nodes on which the cluster database has instances.
• By default, all database files are migrated to Oracle-Managed Files
  (OMF). This feature simplifies tablespace creation, ensures datafile
  location consistency and compliance with OFA rules, and reduces human
  error with data file management.

C.2 Converting to Oracle RAC with DBCA

You can use Database Configuration Assistant to convert from
single-instance Oracle databases to Oracle RAC. DBCA automates the
configuration of the control file attributes, creates the undo
tablespaces and the redo logs, and makes the initialization parameter
file entries for cluster-enabled environments. It also configures Oracle
Net Services, Oracle Clusterware resources, and the configuration for
Oracle RAC database management for use by Oracle Enterprise Manager or
the SRVCTL utility.

Before you use DBCA to convert a single-instance database to an
Oracle RAC database, ensure that your system meets the following
conditions:

• It is a supported hardware and operating system software configuration.
• It has shared storage: either Oracle Cluster File System or Oracle ASM is available and accessible from all nodes.
• Your applications have no design characteristics that preclude their use with cluster database processing.

If your platform supports a
cluster file system, then you can use it for Oracle RAC. You can also
convert to Oracle RAC and use a non-shared file system. In either case,
Oracle strongly recommends that you use Oracle Universal Installer (OUI)
to perform an Oracle Database 11g release 2
(11.2) installation that sets up the Oracle home and inventory in an
identical location on each of the selected nodes in your cluster.

This section describes the following scenarios:

• Converting Oracle Database 11g Installations to Oracle RAC Using DBCA
• Converting Single Instance on a Cluster to Oracle RAC using DBCA

C.2.1 Converting Oracle Database 11g Installations to Oracle RAC Using DBCA

To convert from a single-instance Oracle Database that is on a non-cluster computer to Oracle RAC, perform the procedures described in the following sections, and in the order shown:

• Back Up the Original Single-Instance Database
• Complete Oracle Clusterware Installation
• Validate the Cluster
• Copy the Preconfigured Database Image
• Install Oracle Database 11g Software with Oracle RAC

C.2.1.1 Back Up the Original Single-Instance Database

Use DBCA to create a preconfigured image of your single-instance database by using the following procedure:

1. Navigate to the bin directory in Oracle_home, and start DBCA.
2. At the Welcome page, click Next.
3. On the Operations page, select Manage Templates, and click Next.
4. On the Template Management page, select Create a database template and From an existing database (structure as well as data), and click Next.
5. On the Source Database page, select the database name in the Database instance list, and click Next.
6. On the Template Properties page, enter a name for your template in the Name field. Oracle recommends that you use the database name.

   By default, the template files are generated in the directory Oracle_home\assistants\dbca\templates. You can enter a description of the file in the Description field and change the template file location in the Template data file field.

   When you have completed entries, click Next.

7. On the Location of Database Related Files page, select Maintain the file locations, so that you can restore the database to the current directory structure, and click Finish.

DBCA generates two files: a database structure file (template_name.dbc), and a database preconfigured image file (template_name.dfb).

C.2.1.2 Complete Oracle Clusterware Installation

Complete Oracle Clusterware installation, as described in Oracle Grid Infrastructure Installation Guide for your platform.

C.2.1.3 Validate the Cluster

Validate the cluster configuration using the Cluster Verification Utility.

C.2.1.4 Copy the Preconfigured Database Image

Copy the preconfigured database image. This includes copying the database structure *.dbc file and the database preconfigured image *.dfb file that DBCA created in the previous procedure "Back Up the Original Single-Instance Database" to a temporary location on the node in the cluster from which you plan to run DBCA.

C.2.1.5 Install Oracle Database 11g Software with Oracle RAC

1. Run OUI to perform an Oracle Database installation with Oracle RAC.
2. Select Cluster Installation Mode on the Specify Hardware Cluster Installation page of OUI, and select the nodes to include in your Oracle RAC database.
3. On the OUI Database Configuration Types page, select the Advanced install type.

   After installing the Oracle Database software, OUI runs
   postinstallation configuration tools, such as Network Configuration
   Assistant (NETCA), DBCA, and so on.

4. On the DBCA Template Selection page, use the template that you copied to a temporary location in the "Copy the Preconfigured Database Image" procedure. Use the browse option to select the template location.
5. If you selected raw storage on the OUI Storage Options page, then on
   the DBCA File Locations Tab on the Initialization Parameters page,
   replace the data files, control files, and log files, and so on, with
   the corresponding raw device files if you have not set up the DBCA_RAW_CONFIG environment variable. You must also replace default database files with raw devices on the Storage page.

   See Also:

   Chapter 3, "Creating Oracle Real Application Clusters Databases with Database Configuration Assistant" for more details about DBCA

6. After creating the Oracle RAC database, DBCA displays the Password
   Management page on which you must change the passwords for database
   privileged users who have SYSDBA and SYSOPER roles. When DBCA exits, the conversion process is complete.

   See Also:

   Oracle Database Platform Guide for Microsoft Windows for more information about configuring user roles

C.2.2 Converting Single Instance on a Cluster to Oracle RAC using DBCA

There are three scenarios in which a single-instance database can exist on a cluster computer:

• Scenario 1: The Oracle home from which the single-instance database
  is running is cluster-installed. The steps to perform a conversion to
  Oracle RAC in this scenario are described in "Single Instance Database on a Cluster Running from a Cluster-Enabled Oracle Home".
• Scenario 2: The Oracle home from which the single-instance database
  is running is cluster-installed, but the Oracle RAC feature is disabled.
• Scenario 3: The Oracle home from which the single-instance database
  is running is not cluster-installed. The procedure to convert the
  single-instance database to Oracle RAC in this scenario is described in "Single Instance Database on a Cluster Running from a Single-Instance Installed Oracle Home".

C.2.2.1 Single Instance Database on a Cluster Running from a Cluster-Enabled Oracle Home

Perform the following procedures to convert a single-instance
database on a cluster running from a cluster-installed (Oracle Database
11g with Oracle RAC) Oracle home.

1. Use DBCA to create a preconfigured image of your single-instance database as described in the section "Back Up the Original Single-Instance Database". To perform the conversion manually, shut down the single-instance database.
2. To add nodes to your cluster, add and connect these nodes to the cluster as described in Oracle Grid Infrastructure Installation Guide
   for your platform. Ensure that all of these nodes can access the shared
   storage. Also, extend the Oracle Clusterware home to the new nodes
   using the procedures for "Adding and Deleting Cluster Nodes on Windows
   Systems" as described in Oracle Clusterware Administration and Deployment Guide.
3. From one of the newly added nodes, configure the listeners on the
   additional nodes using NETCA. Choose the same port number and protocol
   that you used on the existing node. If NETCA displays the existing node
   in the node list page, then do not select this node, because the
   listener is already configured on it.
4. Convert the database using one of the following procedures:

• Automated Conversion Procedure Using DBCA
• Manual Conversion Procedure

C.2.2.1.1 Automated Conversion Procedure Using DBCA

1. If you created the preconfigured image of the single instance database as described in the section "Back Up the Original Single-Instance Database", then use DBCA to complete the conversion to an Oracle RAC database.
2. Start DBCA from the initial node. Select the names of the nodes that
   you want to include as part of your cluster database. On the Template
   Selection page, select the preconfigured template that you created in
   Step 1. Enter the database name and respond to the remaining DBCA prompts.
3. To use raw devices for the cluster database files:
   1. When the Initialization Parameters page appears, enter the raw device name for the SPFILE on the File Locations tab.
   2. On the Storage page, replace the default database file names with the
      raw devices for the control files, redo logs, and data files to create
      the cluster database.
   3. Click Finish, and create the database.

After creating the Oracle RAC database, DBCA displays the Password
Management page on which you must change the passwords for the database
privileged users who have SYSDBA and SYSOPER roles. When DBCA exits, the conversion process is complete.

C.2.2.1.2 Manual Conversion Procedure

Because you did not use DBCA to create a preconfigured image of your single-instance database in step 1, perform the following steps to complete the conversion:

1. Create the Optimal Flexible Architecture (OFA) directory structure on each of the nodes that you have added.

   See Also:

   "Directory Structures for Oracle RAC" for more information about OFA

2. If you are converting single-instance database files on a file system
   to raw devices, then copy the database data files, control files, redo
   logs, and server parameter file to their corresponding raw devices using
   the OCOPY command. Otherwise, continue to the next step.
3. Re-create the control files by running the CREATE CONTROLFILE SQL statement with the REUSE keyword and specify MAXINSTANCES and MAXLOGFILES, and so on, as needed for your Oracle RAC configuration. The MAXINSTANCES recommended default is 32.
4. Shut down the database instance.
5. If your single-instance database was using an SPFILE, then create a
   temporary PFILE from the SPFILE using the following SQL statement:

   CREATE PFILE=‘pfile_name‘ from spfile=‘spfile_name‘

6. Set the CLUSTER_DATABASE parameter to TRUE, set the INSTANCE_NUMBER parameter to a unique value for each instance, using a sid.parameter=value syntax.

   If you optimized memory usage on your single-instance database, then
   adjust the size of the system global area (SGA) to avoid swapping and
   paging when you convert to Oracle RAC. You should make this adjustment
   because Oracle RAC requires about 350 bytes for each buffer to
   accommodate the Global Cache Service (GCS). For example, if you have
   10,000 buffers, then Oracle RAC requires about 350 multiplied by 10,000
   bytes more memory. Therefore, adjust the size of the SGA by changing the DB_CACHE_SIZE and DB_nK_CACHE_SIZE parameters accordingly.

7. Start up the database instance using the PFILE created in step 5.
8. If your single-instance database was using automatic undo management,
   then create an undo tablespace for each additional instance using the CREATE UNDO TABLESPACE SQL statement. If you are using raw devices, then ensure that the data file for the undo tablespace is on the raw device.
9. Create redo threads that have at least two redo logs for each
   additional instance. If you are using raw devices, then ensure that the
   redo log files are on raw devices. Enable the new redo threads by using
   an ALTER DATABASE SQL statement. Then, shut down the database instance.
10. Copy the Oracle password file from the initial node, or from the node
    on which you are working, to the corresponding location on the
    additional nodes on which the cluster database will have an instance.
    Replace the ORACLE_SID name in each password file appropriately for each additional instance.
11. Set the REMOTE_LISTENER parameter to the single client access name (SCAN) port and SCAN.
12. Create the SPFILE from the PFILE using the procedures in the section "Migrating to the SPFILE in Oracle RAC Environments".
    If you are not using Oracle Automatic Storage Management (Oracle ASM)
    or a cluster file system, then ensure that the SPFILE is on a raw device
    that is accessible from every node in the cluster.
13. Create the Oracle_home\dbs\initsid.ora file that contains the following entry:

    spfile=‘spfile_path_name‘

    In this example, spfile_path_name is the complete path name of the SPFILE.

14. On the local node, run catclust.sql. This command creates the dictionary views needed for Oracle RAC databases. For example:

    SQL> start Oracle_home\RDBMS\ADMIN\catclust.sql

15. Add the configuration for the Oracle RAC database and its instance-to-node mapping using SRVCTL.

    srvctl add database -d db_name -o Oracle_home -p spfile_path_namesrvctl add instance -d db_name -i inst1_name -n node1_namesrvctl add instance -d db_name -i inst2_name -n node2_name

16. Start the Oracle RAC database using SRVCTL.

    srvctl start database -d db_name

After starting the database with SRVCTL, your conversion process is
complete and, for example, you can run the following SQL statement to
see the status of all the instances in your Oracle RAC database:

SQL> select * from v$active_instances

C.2.2.2 Single Instance Database on a Cluster Running from a Single-Instance Installed Oracle Home

You can only install a single instance on a cluster running from a
single-instance installed Oracle home if you selected the local
installation option on the OUI Specify Hardware Cluster Installation
page during the single-instance Oracle Database 11g release 2 (11.2) installation.

To convert this type of database to an Oracle RAC database, perform the procedures described in the following sections:

1. "Back Up the Original Single-Instance Database".
2. "Complete Oracle Clusterware Installation".
3. "Validate the Cluster".
4. "Install Oracle Database 11g Software with Oracle RAC".
   In this step, make sure that you select a new Oracle home other than
   the one from which the single-instance database was running.

C.3 Preparing to Convert with rconfig and Oracle Enterprise Manager

You can use rconfig, or Oracle Enterprise Manager to
assist you with the task of converting a single-instance database
installation to an Oracle RAC database. The first of these, rconfig,
is a command line utility. Oracle Enterprise Manager Grid Control
database administration option, Convert to Cluster Database, provides a
GUI conversion tool. The following sections describe how to use these
conversion tools:

• Prerequisites for Converting to Oracle RAC Databases
• Configuration Changes during Oracle RAC Conversion Using rconfig
• Converting Databases to Oracle RAC Using rconfig or Oracle Enterprise Manager
• Converting Databases to Oracle RAC Using Oracle Enterprise Manager

Note:

Before you start the conversion, back up your existing database, as you
should do before starting any major change to your database.

C.3.1 Prerequisites for Converting to Oracle RAC Databases

Before you convert a single-instance database to an Oracle RAC
database, ensure that the following conditions are met for each cluster
node that you intend to make an Oracle RAC database node:

• Oracle Clusterware 11g release 2 (11.2) is installed, configured, and running.
• Oracle RAC 11g release 2 (11.2) software is installed.
• The Oracle binary is enabled for Oracle RAC.
• Shared storage, either Oracle Cluster File System or Oracle ASM, is available and accessible from all nodes.
• User equivalence exists for the oracle account, or the user account used to install the Oracle software.
• If you intend to use Oracle Enterprise Manager, then all Oracle
  Enterprise Manager agents are configured and running, and are configured
  with cluster and host information.
• You have backed up your existing database.

Note:

You must use clustered Oracle ASM instances for Oracle RAC databases.
Oracle ASM is installed with the Oracle Grid infrastructure software.

C.3.2 Configuration Changes during Oracle RAC Conversion Using rconfig

Note the following changes that occur when you convert a single-instance database to Oracle RAC using rconfig:

• During the conversion, rconfig places the target Oracle
  RAC database into archive log mode, and enables archiving for the
  database. If you do not plan to use archivelog space, then you can
  disable archive logging after the conversion has completed.
• For the Shared Storage Type value, if you enter CFS, and you use a cluster file system for your single-instance database storage, then rconfig
  converts the environment to use Oracle Managed Files (OMF) for database
  storage, and places the datafiles in a subdirectory located under the
  shared storage location.
• During the conversion, rconfig moves database files to a specified shared location, and configures them using OMF.

  If you want to avoid using OMF with your converted database, then the
  single-instance database files must already be located in a shared file
  system, and you must indicate that rconfig should not move the files.

C.3.3 Converting Databases to Oracle RAC Using rconfig or Oracle Enterprise Manager

The following is a list of scenarios for converting a single-instance Oracle database to an Oracle RAC database:

• Converting a single-instance Oracle Database 11g release 2 (11.2) to an Oracle RAC 11g release 2 (11.2) database, running out of the same Oracle home and using the same data files as the single-instance database.

  In this scenario, either use the rconfig utility, or use the Convert to RAC option on the single-instance database target of Oracle Enterprise Manager Grid Control.

• Converting a single-instance Oracle Database version previous to Oracle RAC 11g release 2 (11.2), running out of the same Oracle home and using the same data files as the single-instance database

  In this scenario, use OUI and Database Upgrade Assistant (DBUA) to update the single-instance database to Oracle Database 11g release 2 (11.2). Then use rconfig or the Oracle Enterprise Manager Convert to RAC option, as described in the preceding scenario.

• Converting a single-instance Oracle Database 11g release 2 (11.2) to an Oracle RAC 11g release 2 (11.2) database, running out of a different Oracle home and using the same data files as the single-instance database.

  In this scenario, either use the rconfig utility in the source database home (the database that you are converting), or use the Convert to RAC
  option in the single-instance database target of Oracle Enterprise
  Manager Grid Control. Provide the file storage location when prompted.

• Converting a single-instance Oracle Database 11g release 2 (11.2) to an Oracle RAC 11g release 2 (11.2) database, running out of a different Oracle home, and where the host where the single-instance database is running is not one of the nodes of the Oracle RAC database.

  In this scenario, create a clone image of the single-instance
  database, and move the clone image to a host that is one of the nodes of
  the cluster. Then use rconfig or the Oracle Enterprise Manager Convert to RAC option, as described in the preceding scenario.

C.3.4 Converting Databases to Oracle RAC Using Oracle Enterprise ManagerYou can use Oracle Enterprise Manager Grid Control to convert a
single-instance database to Oracle RAC. To use this feature, complete
the following steps:

See Also:

Oracle Database Upgrade Guide for information about upgrading existing Oracle Database installations

1. Log in to Grid Control. From the Grid Control Home page, click the Targets tab.
2. On the Targets page, click the Databases secondary tab, and click the link in the Names column of the database that you want to convert to Oracle RAC.
3. On the Database Instance Home page, click the Change Database secondary tab.
4. On the Administration page, in the Database Administration Change Database section, click Convert to Cluster Database.
5. Log in as the database user SYS with SYSDBA privileges to the database you want to convert, and click Next.
6. On the Convert to Cluster Database: Cluster Credentials page, provide a user name and password for the oracle
   user and password of the target database that you want to convert. If
   the target database is using Oracle ASM, then also provide the SYSASM user and password, and click Next.
7. On the Hosts screen, select the host nodes in the cluster that you
   want to be cluster members in the installed Oracle RAC database. When
   you have completed your selection, click Next.
8. On the Convert to Database: Options page, select whether you want to
   use the existing listener and port number, or specify a new listener and
   port number for the cluster. Also provide a prefix for cluster database
   instances on the cluster.

   When you have finished entering information, click Next, or click Help if you need assistance in deciding how to enter information.

9. On the Convert to Cluster Database: Shared Storage page, either
   select the option to use your existing shared storage area, or select
   the option to have your database files copied to a new shared storage
   location. Also, decide if you want to use your existing Fast Recovery
   Area, or if you want to copy your Flash Recovery files to a new Fast Recovery Area using files managed by Oracle Database.

   If you use Oracle ASM, then Oracle recommends that you place the
   database area and the recovery area in separate failure groups. If you
   do not use Oracle ASM, then Oracle recommends that the data files and
   the Fast Recovery Area are located on separate locations, as with
   separate Oracle ASM failure groups, so that a hardware failure does not
   affect availability.

   See Also:

   Oracle Database Storage Administrator‘s Guide for more information about failure groups

   When you have finished entering information, click Next, or click Help if you need assistance in deciding how to enter information.

10. On the Convert to Cluster Database: Review page, review the options you have selected. Click Submit Job if you want to proceed with the conversion. If you want to change any of the options you have selected, then click Back. To cancel the conversion, click Cancel.
11. On the Confirmation page, click View Job to check the status of the conversion.

C.4 Converting Databases to Oracle RAC Using rconfig

You can use the command line utility rconfig to convert a single-instance database to Oracle RAC. To use this feature, complete the following steps:

See Also:

Oracle Database Upgrade Guide for information about upgrading existing Oracle Database installations

1. As the oracle user, navigate to the directory Oracle_home\assistants\rconfig\sampleXMLs, and open the file ConvertToRAC.xml using a text editor.
2. Review the ConvertToRAC.xml file, and modify the
   parameters as required for your system. The XML sample file contains
   comment lines that provide instructions for how to configure the file.

   Caution:

   Set the convert option Convert verify="ONLY" to perform a test conversion to ensure that a conversion can be completed successfully.

   When you have completed making changes, save the file with the syntax filename.xml. Make a note of the name you select.

3. Navigate to the directory Oracle_home\bin, and use the following syntax to run the command rconfig:

   rconfig input.xml

   where input.xml is the name of the XML input file you configured in Step 2.

   For example, if you create an input XML file called convert.xml, then enter the following command

   C:\...\bin> rconfig.bat convert.xml

Note:

The Convert verify option in the ConvertToRAC.xml file has three options:

• Convert verify="YES": rconfig performs
  checks to ensure that the prerequisites for single-instance to Oracle
  RAC conversion have been met before it starts conversion
• Convert verify="NO": rconfig does not perform prerequisite checks, and starts conversion
• Convert verify="ONLY" rconfig only performs prerequisite checks; it does not start conversion after completing prerequisite checks

If performing the conversion fails, then use the following procedure to recover and reattempt the conversion:

1. Attempt to delete the database using the DBCA delete database option.
2. Restore the source database.
3. Review the conversion log, and fix any problems reported by rconfig that may have caused the conversion failure. The rconfig log files are under the rconfig directory in %ORACLE_BASE%\cfgtoollogs.
4. Reattempt the conversion.

C.5 Example of rconfig XML Input Files for ConvertToRAC

The following are two examples of an XML ConvertToRAC input file for the rconfig utility. Example C-1
is an XML input file to convert a single-instance database with Oracle
ASM to a policy-managed Oracle RAC database (using server pools) on
Oracle ASM storage. Example C-2 is an XML input file to convert a single-instance database with Oracle ASM to an administrator-managed Oracle RAC database.

Example C-1 rconfig ConvertToRAC for Policy-Managed Database

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<n:RConfig xmlns:n="http://www.oracle.com/rconfig"
           xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
           xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.oracle.com/rconfig">
    <n:ConvertToRAC>   
<!-- Verify does a precheck to ensure all pre-requisites are met, before the conversion is attempted. Allowable values are: YES|NO|ONLY -->
        <n:Convert verify="YES">
<!--Specify current OracleHome of non-rac database for SourceDBHome -->
              <n:SourceDBHome>C:\app\oracle\product\11.2.0\db_1</n:SourceDBHome>
<!--Specify OracleHome where the rac database should be configured. It can be same as SourceDBHome -->
              <n:TargetDBHome>C:\app\oracle\product\11.2.0\db_1</n:TargetDBHome>
<!--Specify SID of non-rac database and credential. User with sysdba role is required to perform conversion -->
              <n:SourceDBInfo SID="sales">
                <n:Credentials>
                  <n:User>sys</n:User>
                  <n:Password>oracle</n:Password>
                  <n:Role>sysdba</n:Role>
                </n:Credentials>
              </n:SourceDBInfo>
<!--Specify the list of existing or new server pools which will be used by the Policy Managed Cluster Database. -->
              <n:ServerPoolList>
                <n:ExistingServerPool name="custom"/>
                <n:NewServerPool name="newpool" cardinality="2"/>
              </n:ServerPoolList>
<!--InstancePrefix is not required for Policy Managed database. If specified, it will be ignored. Instance names are generated automatically based on db_unique_name for Policy Managed dababase.-->
<!-- Listener details are no longer needed starting 11.2. Database is registered with default listener and SCAN listener running from Oracle Grid Infrastructure home. -->
<!--Specify the type of storage to be used by rac database. Allowable values are CFS|ASM. The non-rac database should have same storage type. ASM credentials are no needed for conversion. -->
              <n:SharedStorage type="ASM">
<!--Specify Database Area Location to be configured for rac database.If this field is left empty, current storage will be used for rac database. For CFS, this field will have directory path. -->
                <n:TargetDatabaseArea>+ASMDG</n:TargetDatabaseArea>
<!--Specify Flash Recovery Area to be configured for rac database. If this field is left empty, current recovery area of non-rac database will be configured for rac database. If current database is not using recovery Area, the resulting rac database will not have a recovery area. -->
                <n:TargetFlashRecoveryArea>+ASMDG</n:TargetFlashRecoveryArea>
              </n:SharedStorage>
        </n:Convert>
    </n:ConvertToRAC>
</n:RConfig>

Example C-2 rconfig ConvertToRAC for Administrator-Managed Database

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<n:RConfig xmlns:n="http://www.oracle.com/rconfig"
           xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
           xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.oracle.com/rconfig">
    <n:ConvertToRAC>   
<!-- Verify does a precheck to ensure all pre-requisites are met, before the conversion is attempted. Allowable values are: YES|NO|ONLY -->
        <n:Convert verify="YES">
<!--Specify current OracleHome of non-rac database for SourceDBHome -->
              <n:SourceDBHome>C:\app\oracle\product\11.2.0\db_1</n:SourceDBHome>
<!--Specify OracleHome where the rac database should be configured. It can be same as SourceDBHome -->
              <n:TargetDBHome>C:\app\oracle\product\11.2.0\db_1</n:TargetDBHome>
<!--Specify SID of non-rac database and credential. User with sysdba role is required to perform conversion -->
              <n:SourceDBInfo SID="sales">
                <n:Credentials>
                  <n:User>sys</n:User>
                  <n:Password>oracle</n:Password>
                  <n:Role>sysdba</n:Role>
                </n:Credentials>
              </n:SourceDBInfo>
<!--Specify the list of nodes that should have rac instances running for the Admin Managed Cluster Database. LocalNode should be the first node in this nodelist. -->
              <n:NodeList>        
                <n:Node name="node1"/>
                <n:Node name="node2"/>
              </n:NodeList>
<!--Instance Prefix tag is optional starting with 11.2. If left empty, it is derived from db_unique_name.-->
              <n:InstancePrefix>sales</n:InstancePrefix>
<!-- Listener details are no longer needed starting 11.2. Database is registered with default listener and SCAN listener running from Oracle Grid Infrastructure home. -->
<!--Specify the type of storage to be used by rac database. Allowable values are CFS|ASM. The non-rac database should have same storage type. ASM credentials are no needed for conversion. -->
              <n:SharedStorage type="ASM">
<!--Specify Database Area Location to be configured for rac database.If this field is left empty, current storage will be used for rac database. For CFS, this field will have directory path. -->
                <n:TargetDatabaseArea>+ASMDG</n:TargetDatabaseArea>
<!--Specify Flash Recovery Area to be configured for rac database. If this field is left empty, current recovery area of non-rac database will be configured for rac database. If current database is not using recovery Area, the resulting rac database will not have a recovery area. -->
                <n:TargetFlashRecoveryArea>+ASMDG</n:TargetFlashRecoveryArea>
              </n:SharedStorage>
        </n:Convert>
    </n:ConvertToRAC>
</n:RConfig>

C.6 Post-Conversion Steps

After completing the conversion, note the following recommendations for Oracle RAC environments, as described in the Oracle RAC documentation:

• Follow the recommendations for using load balancing and transparent application failover, as described in Oracle Real Application Clusters Administration and Deployment Guide
• Use locally managed tablespaces instead of dictionary managed
  tablespaces to reduce contention and manage sequences in Oracle RAC as
  described in Oracle Real Application Clusters Administration and Deployment Guide
• Follow the guidelines for using automatic segment space management as described in Oracle Real Application Clusters Administration and Deployment Guide

The buffer cache and shared pool capacity requirements in Oracle RAC
are slightly greater than the requirements for single-instance Oracle
databases. Therefore, you should increase the size of the buffer cache
by about 10%, and the size of the shared pool by about 15%.