Using the HPE Volume Plug-in for Docker to Containerize Oracle Database

[ToddPrice]

There is a growing need for databases to be portable. With the enablement of containers connected to persistent storage, databases can be containerized and moved into test, development or QA environments. They can also be integrated into new and popular DevOps workflows. This includes popular Orchestration tools. The intent of this first article on containerizing Oracle on 3PAR is simply to share the basic foundations and how to actually implement it using Docker containers.

This article will share with you a quick video demo on how easy it is to deploy  a container running an Oracle database on the 3PAR using the Volume Plug-in for Docker. Also there is a whitepaper written by Storage Solutions Engineering that goes into further details.

Basic components for a containerized Oracle Database on 3PAR.

• Linux Server (Ubuntu, CentOS, Redhat) running the Docker engine.
• HPE 3PAR Volume Plug-in for Docker Find here - Docker Store
• Oracle Database Enterprise Edition – Find Here - Docker Store
• HPE 3PAR Storage Array – Fiber Channel or iSCSI connectivity

Note: Read the HPE 3PAR Volume Plug-in for Docker requirement for details on operating system versions.

The concept of running an Oracle database in a docker container is fairly simple. The container will provide a virtualized environment to run the Oracle home, the database instance(s), all environment variables and libraries and the networking needed to run the database. Once the Docker Engine and the HPE 3PAR Volume Plug-in for Docker are properly installed on the Linux server to run the database, then docker commands can be used to provision the persistent volumes needed for the database, pull the Oracle Database Docker image down to the server and execute the container instance to setup the database and use it in the container.

The video below will take you through the experience of installing and running a Docker containerized Oracle Database using persistent volume from the 3PAR array.

Whitepaper - Oracle Database Docker Containers on HPE 3PAR Storage

This whitepaper gives an example configuration for deploying an Oracle Database in containers along with some insight on creating a customized deployment. All of these deployments are based on the Oracle storage being filesystem based. The likely application for this would be in test and development but does not eliminate production.  Using ASM in containers is not addressed or supported by Oracle at the time of this blog.

The configuration used in the whitepaper was a Gen10 Server and 20800 3PAR array. Further details are in the paper. Some subjects covered are:

• Installing Docker on Linux
• Deploying the 3PAR Volume Plug-in for Docker with Fiber Channel connectivity
• Creating 3PAR volumes with Docker
• Pulling the Oracle image to the Docker server
• Creating and running containers.

Link for the paper:  Oracle Database Docker Containers on HPE 3PAR Storage Whitepaper

Also go to the HPE Storage for Oracle Databases to see other Solutions, Case Studies and Resources.

Please blog any questions you may need addressing or just any general discussion is ALWAYS welcome!

Best Regards

Todd – HPE Technical Marketing Engineering – Oracle Solutions