Frequently Asked Questions Sharing the Application Tier File System in Oracle Applications 11i April 2005 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------Questions What is a "shared APPL_TOP"? What is a "shared application tier file system"? What operating systems are certified? I want to migrate my existing Oracle Applications system to a shared application tier file system. What 11i releases are supported? Can I share the application tier file system across nodes with different platforms? If the platforms of my nodes are binary-compatible, can I share application tier file systems? For example, can I share a node using Solaris 2.6 with one using Solaris 8? Are there any restrictions on the type of shared disk resources that can be used for sharing an application tier file system? Can I merge APPL_TOPs? How can I implement a shared application tier file system during an Oracle Applications installation? How can I migrate my existing Oracle Applications system to a shared application tier file system? When migrating my existing Oracle Applications system to a shared application tier file sytsem, I had to rename the Oracle Applications Context file. Will I still need the original file and its associated context directories/files? Questions and Answers What is a "Shared APPL_TOP"? Answer: A traditional multi-node installation requires the Applications file system on each node in the system. In a Shared APPL_TOP installation, the APPL_TOP and the COMMON_TOP file systems are installed on a shared disk resource mounted to each node in the system.
These nodes can be used to provide standard application tier services, such as Forms, Web, and Concurrent processing. Any changes made in the shared APPL_TOP file system are immediately visible on all nodes. Note that each node continues to have a separate Applications techstack installation (see also question 2). [top]
What is a "shared application tier file system"? Answer: In a shared application tier file system installation, the APPL_TOP, the COMMON_TOP, and the Applications technology stack (ORACLE_HOMEs) are installed on a shared disk resource mounted to each node in the system. These nodes can be used to provide standard application tier services, such as Forms, Web, and Concurrent processing. Any changes made in the shared application tier file system are immediately visible on all nodes.
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What operating systems are certified? Answer: All Rapid Install platforms except Windows support a shared application tier infrastructure. There is no time estimate for a Windows solution. [top]
I want to migrate my existing Oracle Applications system to a shared application tier file system. What 11i releases are supported? Answer: You can migrate any existing Oracle Applications 11i release to a shared application tier file system. [top]
Can I share the application tier file system across nodes with different platforms? Answer: No. The nodes sharing the application tier file system need to be binary-compatible. [top]
If the platforms of my nodes are binary-compatible, can I share the application tier file systems? For example, can I share a node using Solaris 2.6 with one using Solaris 8? Answer: No, all machines sharing the file system must be configured to run the same Operating System with the same OS patch level. [top]
Are there any restrictions on the type of shared disk resources that can be used for sharing an application tier file system? Answer: No, your shared application tier file system can reside on any type of shared disk resource. Examples of shared disk resources include an NFS mounted disk or a disk array. The shared disk resource does not have to be local to the machine, and it can also be a standalone disk array. Usual tuning considerations apply. [top]
Can I merge APPL_TOPs? Answer: Yes, you can merge APPL_TOPs that are spread across multiple nodes. Follow the instructions described in the OracleMetaLink document 233428.1.
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How can I implement a shared application tier file system during an Oracle Applications installation? Answer: You must use the Rapid Install 11.5.10 or higher. Refer to Installing Oracle Applications for more information. [top]
How can I migrate my existing Oracle Applications system to a shared application tier file system? Answer: Follow the instructions described in the OracleMetaLink document 233428.1. [top]
When migrating my existing Oracle Applications system to a shared application tier file system, I had to rename the Oracle Applications Context file. Will I still need the original file and its associated context directories/files? Answer: The following files/directories can be removed after you back them up: The original Context File /admin/.xml The file /APPSORA.env> The directory /admin/scripts/ The directory /admin/install/