Is Oracle Enterprise Linux 5.x supported as OS for Oracle when it comes to SAP?? It is RedHat Enterprise Linux 5.x with a 6 month delay over Oracle for Major release changes...
Starting with Oracle Database 10g release 2 (10.2.0.4), the following operating systems are supported in addition to the list documented in Oracle Database Installation Guide for Linux x86-64:
Asianux 2.0
Asianux 3.0
Oracle Enterprise Linux 5/Oracle VM
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5/Oracle VM
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10
It's just that SAP is referring to some old document from 2006 and also just keep hanging on to the 10.2.0.2 release. (which also runs just fine and stable on OEL 5.x and RHEL 5.x)
We have our systems up-and-running on RHEL 5.1 and it works just fine, it's just a pain that we now need to keep 2 support channels open for Linux.
I think the 2006 document that Mats referred to is OSS Note 997990 - Oracle Unbreakable Linux Support for Red Hat.
It states that Oracle Unbreakable Linux is not supported because it would need its own certification separate to the RHEL releases.
Oracle claims that "Unbreakable Linux" is not a Linux distribution (its a support option) and that SAP will not certify their customers on Oracle Unbreakable Linux as a political decision.
We are new to SAP and are trying to decide on our OS/RDBMS package between Linux/Oracle or Windows Server/SQL Server.
I'm planning on submitting a Customer Message to ask why SAP is not supporting Oracle Linux if it is the same code and not a different distribution.
That's correct Astrid, how stupid it may see. Of course it's a political thing and also a typical inflexibility issue of a "too" big company.
Then again if you want to get the support one have to bite the grass. In any case, Going the RedHat route is the way even if you now need two support channels for DB and OS it sure is a much better way to go. With the selection you would end up with 2 support channels anyway and with Linux you'll at least get a much more stable system.
using Red Hat as distribution and Oracle as database does not mean two separate support channels, because the Oracle support is handled by SAP. Therefore you still have only one additional support channel for Red Hat.
Well, sorry to say. SAP is not the only Application in the world, even if I guess SAP would hope it to be...
In our situation we're only using SAP as a small part in a much bigger environment. Also we're not dedicating our Linux Cluster for just these 4 Instances. There are other Oracle Instances running on the same box and these I sure wont's get any support from SAP since they are 10.2.0.3 which SAP don't support anyway. So, yes I do have 2 support channels but this is now history. We have RHEL 5.1 installed. The SAP runs just fine. The issue is more about that SAP refuses to agree on the fact that Oracle Linux IS RedHat Linux. It is pure political and nothing else. Big boys playing but you are not allowed to play in my sandbox.
For the application server I wouldn't argue that intensive since the the Application Server is something that SAP developed and could come up with any stupid issue on why an Oracle Linux wouldn't work with the Application Server. Still IT IS REDHAT!!! Here I can accept it, the Application Server is SAP's ball game... but on the Database Server... well the issue is closed since we're forced on RedHat now. It runs and it runs just fine.
despite the fact, that on page 1 of the Unbreakable Linux FAQ it is stated, that "Oracle Unbreakable Linux is a support program. It is not a distribution. ..." there are several changes to the original distribution.
1) page 1 says: "Fixes are delivered via a subscriber network, the Unbreakable Linux Network (ULN)"
-> Red Hat and SAP work close together to get jointly developed fixes needed by SAP delivered very quickly through the RHN. The ULN is not the RHN, thus urgently needed fixes wouldn't be available for customers using Unbreakable Linux
2) page 3 says: "Oracle makes all Linux patches and updates available under GPL and anyone including Red Hat can take those fixes. Oracle plans to synchronize with every major RHEL software release including updates. If Red Hat does not include Oracle fixes in their update releases, Oracle will include the additional fixes at the time of each major synchronization with the current RHEL software release."
-> This means, that Oracle will provide fixes for Unbreakable Linux which may not be part of the corresponding RHEL distribution. This will tear apart the compatibility.
And yes, to some extend there may be political reasons why Unbreakable Linux is not certified for SAP, but that's reality and out of the scope of the users, and this cannot be changed...
Oracle is making changes to the Oracle Linux for the reason on getting Oracle to run better on Linux. They're not making changes just for the fun of it and to be able to just push things out under GPL. It's very good that they do this but it's not the main focus.
As you mentioning it is the reality and unfortunately out of the scope of us users, and that it cannot be changed... We won't be able to see the elephant dance.
The Question is just that... Oracle Enterprise Linux 5.x is RedHat Enterprise Linux 5.x but supported from Oracle and not RedHat. So, would we get into trouble using this RedHat release instead of RedHat's own when it would come to a support issue. I know way too well how vendors would blame on a remote issues which has nothing todo with the actual problem to avoid giving support...
Just wanted to clearify if Oracle's Linux release would put us in such a situation or not. If so we simply have to choose RedHat's release but I rather not do that if it's possible.
Oracle Enterprise Linux 5.x is not a supported platform for productive SAP environments. Certified and supported platforms are Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) or Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL).
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