How to Install Oracle 11g Release 2 on OEL 5.4 on VirtualBox: Managing ASM with ASMCA

In the previous post, I have tried to explain how to install Grid Infrastructure on your VirtualBox instance. In this post, before moving to the next post in which I will be explaining RDBMS 11g Release 2 configuration, I wish to look at a new tool shipped with Grid Infrastructure, namely ASMCA(ASM Configuration Assistant).

We will not be going deep with ASMCA in this post but rather it will be just like a first contact with aliens. ASMCA is a very capable and accompanying tool with the new capabilities of ASM like ADVM or ACFS.

Starting with ASMCA

	Starting ASMCA is simple. Go to your GRID_HOME set ORACLE_SID to +ASM and run asmca binary. [oracle@localhost ~]$ export ORACLE_HOME =/u01/app/oracle/product/11.2.0/grid [oracle@localhost ~]$ export ORACLE_SID = +ASM [oracle@localhost ~]$ $ORACLE_HOME/bin/asmca   As you will notice there is already one disk group namely DATA listed under Disk Gruops pane. This is the one created during Grid Infrastructure installation. Now click on Create to create our FRA diskgroup.
	As you click on Create button a new dialog to create your new disk group will appear.  Enter FRA for Disk Group Name textbox. Choose External(None) radio button to choose external ASM redundancy. Notice that not all disks (asm disks) are available for your use (this controlled by two radio buttons in Select Member Disks pane) Select all three disks for FRA. Now click on Show Advanced Options button to see RDBMS and ASM compatibilities.
	Notice that ASM and Database Compatibility fields are both set to 11.2.0.0.0 This means ASM instance will allow you to use all new features introduced in 11.2 for this diskgroup but the minimum RDMS instance can use this diskgroup should be in 11.2 release. Click on Hide Advance Options button and then OK to complete diskgroup creation.
	ASM will do the necessary initializations to create FRA diskgroup and switch back to initial screen after it is done.
	As you see FRA is created and mounted by your ASM instance.
	Now right click on your DATA diskgroup. In the list ASMCA allows you to Add Disks into the diskgroup Edit Attributes of the diskgroup Manage Templates for the diskgroup Mount/Dismount the diskgroup Drop the diskgroup Choose Edit Attributes from the list to see attributes of DATA diskgroup.
	As you see ASMCA enables the attribute fields those are possible to modify and disables the static ones (the ones fixed in creation of diskgroup). Click X to close this window.
	Click on Exit button to leave ASMCA.

ASMCA is the youngest member of Oracle *CA family. It seems that ASM users will be using it actively for management by the new features in 11g Release 2. Such as,

• ASM Volume (ADVM) Management
• ASM File System (ACFS) Management
• Read-only snapshot management

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