Deploy a Fast and Secure Database Architecture: Oracle Optimized Solution for Secure Oracle Database ORACLE WHITE PAPER | MARCH 2016 Table of Contents Introduction 1 Oracle Optimized Solution for Secure Oracle Database 2 Oracle Infrastructure Choices for Oracle Database 3 Benefits of Deploying Oracle Optimized Solution for Secure Oracle Database 4 Pretested Solutions for Faster Deployment, Greater Security, Less Risk 4 Virtualized Architecture for Efficient and Secure Database Consolidation 4 Validated and Flexible Configurations 6 Oracle-Only Optimizations: An Overview 7 Oracle Optimized Solution Choices and Flexibility 8 A New Generation of SPARC Processors and Servers 9 Optimizing Oracle Database Deployments 10 Optimizing for Performance and Throughput 11 Oracle Database In-Memory Option 12 Accelerating Analytics in Mixed Workloads: An Example 14 Optimizing for Security 19 Optimizing for Availability 23 Oracle Best Practices for Highly Available Databases 25 Conclusion 27 Appendix A: Key Solution Components and Technologies 28 Oracle’s SPARC M7 Processor–Based Servers 28 Oracle Solaris 30 Virtualization Technologies 31 Oracle NAS and SAN Storage Options 33 DEPLOY A FAST AND SECURE DATABASE ARCHITECTURE: ORACLE OPTIMIZED SOLUTION FOR SECURE ORACLE DATABASE I/O Connectivity and Networking 36 System and Database Management 38 References 40 DEPLOY A FAST AND SECURE DATABASE ARCHITECTURE: ORACLE OPTIMIZED SOLUTION FOR SECURE ORACLE DATABASE Introduction Increasingly companies are turning to their database investments to analyze complex business problems and inform strategic business decisions. Initiatives such as cloud delivery and big data are fueling efforts to consolidate and leverage existing database assets. Analytics are becoming progressively entwined with Oracle Database applications that require traditional transaction processing, blurring the lines between online transaction processing (OLTP) systems and data warehousing solutions. At the same time, organizations face ongoing threats—malicious attacks and malware that make infrastructure security a paramount concern. Oracle is exceptionally positioned to help customers deliver superior database and decision-support solutions, because it merges engineering efforts for its flagship Oracle Database software with the development of state-of-the-art products and technologies at each tier of the solution stack, with an intense focus on how each layer protects data assets and applications. Oracle Optimized Solution for Secure Oracle Database unites the first converged infrastructure in silicon, the fastest microprocessor, and advanced security innovations with proven best practices for deployment. Configurations extend integration across the solution stack in a design that protects Oracle Database applications and data—including data in motion, in process, and at rest—while optimizing performance, security, and availability for both OLTP and analytical workloads. In addition to optimizing deployment architectures, Oracle Optimized Solutions are designed to shorten time-to-deployment as well as save money and reduce integration risk. Each solution acts as a blueprint to implement a secure and effective infrastructure solution, applying validated configurations and proven best practices to address critical business challenges. Oracle Optimized Solution for Secure Oracle Database can host multiple Oracle Database releases and many instances within a single system using less hardware, fewer licenses, and a smaller footprint. It is designed to lower cost and complexity, decreasing the total cost of ownership for Oracle Database while protecting applications, systems, and data. The solution creates a secure and flexible infrastructure to support rapid data analysis, high transaction throughput, and strategic decision-making. It takes advantage of Oracle investments in microprocessors, systems, software, and solution engineering to accelerate and secure Oracle Database analytical queries and transactional workloads. Recent Oracle-only innovations—such as Software in Silicon technology—bring significant benefits to database performance and security, helping businesses achieve faster intelligence and optimal compliance. 1 | DEPLOY A FAST AND SECURE DATABASE ARCHITECTURE: ORACLE OPTIMIZED SOLUTION FOR SECURE ORACLE DATABASE This paper describes the underlying solution architecture, technology components, optimizations, and security features, highlighting capabilities in the end-to-end Oracle converged infrastructure that add value to the overall solution. Oracle Optimized Solution for Secure Oracle Database Oracle Optimized Solutions follow an “Oracle-on-Oracle” approach that takes advantage of Oracle technologies and engineering expertise and supplies a single touch point for service and support. Oracle Optimized Solution for Secure Oracle Database is not a factory-built configuration. Instead, it is an architectural blueprint that combines Oracle technologies in proven, secure, and thoroughly tested configurations that simplify and speed deployment, allowing organizations to provision optimized database applications more rapidly. As shown in Figure 1, the solution leverages Oracle products and technologies at each tier of the Oracle technology stack—storage, networking, and compute system components; built-in virtualization technologies; the Oracle Solaris 11 operating system; and the Oracle Database software itself. In addition, database software options such as Oracle Real Application Clusters (Oracle RAC) and Oracle Database In-Memory are available. The Oracle Enterprise Manager 12c product family enables comprehensive management of the environment through an intuitive interface. Oracle Enterprise Manager Ops Center 12c, provided with all Oracle servers, supports management and monitoring for Oracle server hardware, firmware, operating systems, and virtual servers. It supplies a console that simplifies the process of applying updates, helping administrators patch and maintain systems. Applying security errata quickly, of course, helps to eliminate possible avenues of attack and reduce incidents of unplanned downtime. Figure 1. Oracle Optimized Solution for Secure Oracle Database integrates Oracle products and technologies at every tier. Oracle Optimized Solution for Secure Oracle Database supports Oracle Database 12c and Oracle Database 11g, making this solution ideal for sites to modernize and consolidate databases using cost-effective virtualized and multitenant database architectures. Oracle Database 12c supports a multitenant architecture that makes it easy to consolidate quickly and manage databases as cloud services, simplifying many traditional DBA pain points including provisioning, patching, and consolidation. The Oracle Multitenant option to Oracle Database 12c constructs a container database (CDB) that allows multiple pluggable databases (PDBs) to take advantage of shared database functionality, including a shared system global area (SGA), as well as Oracle RAC and Oracle Active Data Guard. Oracle Database 12c also offers an option for in-memory data processing—Oracle Database In-Memory—that can deliver breakthrough analytical performance on the newest generation of Oracle’s SPARC systems, the SPARC T7 and M7 servers. 2 | DEPLOY A FAST AND SECURE DATABASE ARCHITECTURE: ORACLE OPTIMIZED SOLUTION FOR SECURE ORACLE DATABASE Because innovations in hardware and software bring advances in performance, security, and availability, deploying databases based on Oracle Database 12c in this Oracle Optimized Solution is strongly recommended. If legacy applications exist that require earlier Oracle Database versions, Oracle consultants can help to migrate or modernize applications; see Migration, Upgrade, and Optimization Services for Oracle Database. Oracle Optimized Solution for Secure Oracle Database offers tremendous flexibility through configuration choices and its ability to adapt to existing environments. Customers that already have a significant investment in enterprise SAN storage, for example, can configure the solution to complement and leverage those resources. However, using Oracle storage can yield additional performance and management advantages, because Oracle Database is specifically optimized for Oracle storage (a later section explains how these optimizations boost performance and ease data management operations). Oracle Infrastructure Choices for Oracle Database In addition to Oracle Optimized Solution for Secure Oracle Database, Oracle has a full complement of database infrastructure offerings. Oracle engineered systems are fully factory-integrated systems, in contrast to the configuration flexibility offered by Oracle Optimized Solution for Secure Oracle Database. The following engineered systems are targeted at database deployments: » Oracle Database Appliance. Oracle Database Appliance is an entry-level engineered system that integrates Oracle software, servers, storage, and networking to deliver highly available database services for a range of OLTP, decision-support (DSS), and data warehousing (DW) applications. It is a 4U rack-mountable appliance that combines Oracle servers and storage to create an off-the-shelf solution for small database requirements. » Oracle Exadata Database Machine. Oracle Exadata Database Machine (also called Oracle Exadata) is an Oracle engineered system that factory-integrates Oracle hardware and software and supplies integral optimizations for Oracle Database workloads. Oracle Exadata is designed for one task and one task