Oracle/DB migration at the Québec Government

1. Oracle/DB migration at the Québec Government Presented by: Karen Ann Plourde David Kreuter Enterprise Connections Webcast

2. The beginning of the project • Identifying the potential for the client : • Databases • WebSphere Application Server (WAS) • WAS/Portal + LWWCM • Firewalls • TAM & LDAP • EDGE servers • Identifying the most cost efficient project – Oracle/DB • Reduction of the number of licences • Success stories • Easy conversion (data transfer; unload/reload)

3. Intangibles • Backup/restore : mainframe strategy • Disaster Recovery : mainframe stability with an external provider • Virtualization • Cloning • Performance (I/O) for Oracle • Security • Resource sharing • IPL pack • Linux Kernel • Oracle executables • Golden images • Partitioning (EAL 5 security level) • On demand

4. Intangibles • Flexibility of the solution • Cloning and deployment engine • Creating/Installation a new server • Linux : 30 min • SUN, AIX, Windows : between 1 week and 3 months (if RFP needed) • Cloning/Installation an Oracle/DB instance • Under z/VM-Linux : 30-45 min • Under SUN : 10 -14h • Adjustments to the cloning engine for a new service (ex. WAS) : • Within 2 weeks

5. Business case • The business case is a comparison between the server environment (Intel, SUN, …) and the System z environment • The business case is based on • The cost of the software and hardware • The effort of installation and deployment • Training needed • Expertise needed (consultants) • All efforts needed for migration were transferred to future projects. All projects must be approved by the board of directors. (NOT included in the business case) • The DGTIC’s theory is (a migration is mandatory) : • Migrating fromSUN to pSeries » Migrating from Sun to System z • Overall, the cost of the software and hardware is reduced by 30%. Every extra instance will help to reduce the cost.

6. Business case • The Oracle/DB migration project will break even within two years. • Within the first two phases of the project (Oracle/DB and WAS), the mainframe will be repaid within three years. It was very important to build the business case around a worst case scenario. It can only be better, not worse. • The business case doesn’t consider the following : • Electricity • Floor space • Air conditioning • UPS ... All of which are favourable with System z ...

7. Project status • Installation of z9-EC (5 IFLs) • 5 LPARs • Oracle/DB • WAS • TAM & LDAP • Service zone • Lab zone • 40 internal networks (vswitch) • z/VM v5r2.0 • Novell SUSE Linux SLES 8 & 9 • Oracle/DB 9i & 10g • RACF, Dirmaint, RSCS, … • Velocity Software tools (performance) • Cloning & deployment engine development

8. Project status • Oracle/DB (9i & 10g) migration • Golden images for • SuSE 8 & Oracle/DB 9i • SuSE 9 & Oracle/DB 10g • 165 instances prepared (or created directly on the z9-EC) on the z/VM-Linux environment: • One or two instances per server. • 60 databases fully migrated • 100+ with database, waiting for activation • »190 instances by the end of this year • Over 200 new instances planned per year for the next few years • 12 instances in production as part of the government portal. • Early 2007 another 5 instances will be in production • For the first migrations (» 60), on average • 1 migration per day (20-25 databases per month)

9. How we guaranteed client isolation: winning hearts and minds … • Challenges: • Groups supporting physical servers wary of large box virtualization. • Introduced (- or reintroduced -) S/370 through to zSeries concepts emphasizing guaranteed isolation: • Privacy on the box while still sharing resources • Virtual storage since 1970 • Virtualization of CPU, I/O, storage and networks • Securing resources through the operating system and RACF • Password and rules based authorizations • Separation of systems and security tasks by staff in different departments • z/VM: over 35 years of virtualizing!

10. And Winning those hearts and minds through training … • Over 200 person days of training to staff: • Mainframe Systems programmers • Unix administrators • Security officers • Network administrators • Architects • Analysts • Training sessions with lectures and labs: • Architecture seminar • z/VM Systems Workshop • Linux on the Mainframe Workshop • z/VM Networking and Security Workshop • Briefings for team leaders and management • Summary presentations to executives

11. z/VM: Excellence in Virtualization • Combined with LPARs z/VM (CP) provides great virtualization. • CMS may be old (mature) but: • Powerful scripting languages with REXX and PIPELINES • Cloning • File and data management • Excellent products and services based on CMS: • Configuration and directory management • Scheduling jobs • Strong rules based security with VM RACF. • Many tools and products provided for automation tasks. • Brilliant physical and virtual networking with: • Hipersocket • OSA devices • Guest Lan • Vswitch

12. Linux: Excellence in systems and applications • Highly reliable and stable code. • Vendor distributions provide known service stream. • Excellent administration tools. • Robust and wide range of networking services built in: • TCPIP • File and data management • Great platform for launching internet enabled applications: • ORACLE • Websphere • TAM/LDAP

13. z/VM and linux on the mainframe: a powerful combination at the DGTIC • Open source software on the mainframe provides the stability of z/VM with the ability to run modern applications. • Service being offered to many government ministries and agencies. • The word is out that z/VM and linux on the mainframe is a good place to host your applications: • Internal government emails and announcments from the project office promoting z/VM and linux on the mainframe solution. • Rapid growth is forecasted: • and the DGTIC is ready to keep up with the demand.

14. Lessons learned: Volume 1 • Acceptance of virtual servers quicker than expected. • Grew to 100+ Oracle servers ahead of plan. • Fully tasked personnel (big shoulders): • Confirmed our expectation that 2 linux administrators can support all virtual linux servers. • 100:1 ratio of linux virtual machines to administrator • 2 z/VM systems programmers supporting 5 LPARs: • New to z/VM • Mentored by consultant • z/VM support will be integrated into MVS group by year end 2007 • Less than fully tasked personnel (arms and legs): • Security administrator • Network programming

15. Lessons learned: Volume 2 • Big win early win with successful disaster recovery • Adminstration and reporting on centralized servers is excellent. • Full knowledge of where and what the servers are up to. • Lots of new documentation and procedures integral part of project. • Lots of training required • Require a lot of z/VM paging space. • Core memory of 32 gigabytes, 2 gigabytes of expanded storage, and 50 gigabytes of DASD paging space.

16. Oracle Lessons Learned • Mostly business as usual for the DBAs: • Use SSH client or “X” windows (no 3270 usage) • DBAs comment on rapid performance of I/O • DB loading faster than in other platforms. • Benign ignorance of the virtual machine • Linux adminstration performed by linux sysadmin. • z/VM administration performed by VM sysprogs. • Rapid creation of new databases in virtual machines for testing, acceptance, and production. • Initial install was difficult but once incorporated into cloning methods subsequent installs quick and easy. • Almost all client needs satisfied with ORACLE cloned image. • ~ 2% require some degree of customizing.

17. Software Technologies and Processes • Capitalizing on z/VM virtual network technology • Linux replication mantra: « install once clone often » • Creating the z/VM « valise » • Responding to the Challenge: Guaranteeing Client Isolation • Transcending Technical Cultures

18. www.gouv.qc.ca