What is Oracle Cloud at Customer?
- Hybrid Cloud Solution: Combines Oracle Exadata’s performance with cloud deployment in your data center.
- Enhanced Performance: High database performance and efficiency.
- Robust Security: Strong data protection features.
- Scalable: Easily scalable for growing business needs.
- Integration: Seamless integration with Oracle Cloud services.
Introduction to Oracle Cloud at Customer
Overview of Oracle Exadata Cloud at Customer (ExaC@C) Oracle Exadata Cloud at Customer (ExaC@C) offers a unique hybrid cloud solution that brings Oracle’s high-performance database capabilities to your data center. This approach allows businesses to leverage the power of Oracle Exadata while maintaining control over their data within their premises.
Significance of ExaC@C for Businesses ExaC@C is significant for businesses aiming to combine the performance and security of on-premises solutions with the flexibility and scalability of cloud services. It provides a seamless way to modernize IT infrastructure without compromising data sovereignty.
Oracle Exadata Cloud at Customer: A Detailed Exploration
Hybrid Cloud Solution ExaC@C combines Oracle Exadata’s high-performance features with the flexibility of cloud deployment in your data center. This hybrid approach ensures optimal performance and efficiency while keeping critical data on-premises.
Performance ExaC@C delivers enhanced database performance and efficiency. Its architecture is designed to handle intensive workloads, providing faster processing and improved overall performance.
Security Robust security features are a cornerstone of ExaC@C. It ensures data protection through advanced security measures, complying with stringent regulatory requirements, and safeguarding sensitive information.
Scalability ExaC@C is easily scalable to meet growing business needs. Its architecture allows for seamless expansion, accommodating increased workloads without significant disruptions.
Integration Seamless integration with Oracle Cloud services is another key benefit of ExaC@C. This integration provides a unified cloud experience, allowing businesses to leverage Oracle’s extensive cloud ecosystem.
What’s in the Exadata Cloud at Customer Box?
Integrated System ExaC@C integrates the prowess of Oracle Exadata and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. It brings this powerful combination into your data center, with Oracle managing the Exadata infrastructure.
Performance and Scalability: You get full access to Oracle Database features and the remarkable performance and scalability of Oracle Exadata. This ensures that your applications run efficiently, even under heavy workloads.
Manageability Managing ExaC@C is straightforward, using Oracle Cloud Infrastructure’s console and APIs. This provides a familiar and user-friendly interface for managing your databases, similar to other cloud resources, ensuring you maintain total control over your data.
By leveraging Oracle Exadata Cloud at Customer, businesses can balance performance, security, and scalability, all while maintaining control over their critical data assets within their data centers.
Breaking Down the Exadata Technical Architecture
Components:
- Oracle Exadata Database Servers: These are specialized servers optimized for running Oracle databases.
- Storage Servers: Provide high-performance, scalable storage specifically tuned for Oracle workloads.
- RDMA Fabric Network: A high-speed, low-latency network interconnects the database and storage servers to ensure optimal performance.
Virtual Machine Technology:
- Separation of Customer-Managed and Oracle-Managed Components: Virtual machines (VMs) segregate the components managed by the customer from those managed by Oracle. Customers have root privileges for their VMs, while Oracle manages the physical server hardware.
Oracle ASM:
- Full Admin Access to Disk Groups: Oracle Automatic Storage Management (ASM) disk groups provide efficient storage management, and customers have full administrative control over these disk groups.
Additional Infrastructure Components Managed by Oracle
Managed Components:
- Network Switches: Essential for interconnecting various components of the Exadata system.
- Power Distribution Units (PDUs): Ensure reliable power delivery to all components.
- ILOM Interfaces: Integrated Lights-Out Management (ILOM) interfaces allow Oracle to remotely manage and monitor the hardware, ensuring smooth operation and quick resolution of issues.
What is Oracle Exadata?
Definition:
- An Integrated System Designed for Hosting Oracle Database: Oracle Exadata is a comprehensive solution that combines hardware and software and is engineered to provide a high-performance platform for running Oracle Database.
Key Features:
- Performance: Delivers superior performance for database workloads through optimized hardware and software integration.
- Scalability: Easily scalable to handle growing data and workload demands.
- Reliability: Designed to offer high availability and reliability, making it suitable for mission-critical applications.
Components:
- Servers: High-performance computing servers designed for database operations.
- Storage: High-speed, scalable storage solutions optimized for database workloads.
- Networking: High-bandwidth, low-latency networking components to ensure fast data transfer.
- Software: Integrated software that includes Oracle Database and various management tools for optimal performance and ease of use.
By understanding these components and features, businesses can effectively leverage Oracle Exadata Cloud at Customer for their database needs, ensuring high performance, scalability, and security in their data center environments.
Licensing Options for Oracle Exadata Cloud at Customer
Complete Package:
- Full Subscription: Includes all necessary Oracle Database software licenses.
- Comprehensive Coverage: This package provides all Oracle Database Enterprise Edition features, database enterprise management packs, and options like Oracle RAC.
Bring Your Licenses:
- Utilizing Existing Licenses: Customers can use their existing Oracle Database software licenses.
- Flexible Licensing Models: Customers can choose from various licensing models, including Oracle Database Enterprise Edition and other enterprise options.
Oracle Exadata Cloud at Customer: Supported Database Editions and Versions
Fully Supported Versions:
- Oracle Database 19c: The latest long-term support release, offering the most updated features and security enhancements.
Selectively Available Options:
- Oracle Database 12c Release 2: Available for approved customers only, providing specific capabilities tailored to unique needs.
Supported with Specific Conditions:
- Oracle Database 12c Release 1: Requires a valid Market Driven Support (MDS) contract for updates post-July 2022.
- Oracle Database 11g Release 2: Requires an MDS contract for updates post-April 2021.
Key Considerations:
- Future-Proofing: Aim to use the latest supported versions for ongoing enhancements and security.
- Compliance: Ensure adherence to Oracle’s support requirements for older versions.
- Approval Process: Engage with Oracle early to understand and meet eligibility criteria for selectively available options.
Comparison Between Oracle Exadata and Exadata Cloud at Customer
Hardware Configuration:
- Traditional Exadata: Customers purchase or lease hardware for on-premises deployment, maintaining full control.
- Exadata Cloud at Customer (ExaC@C): Oracle deploys and manages Exadata hardware in the customer’s data center, offering a cloud-like experience.
Licensing and Cloud Services:
- Traditional Exadata: Requires separate Oracle Database software licenses.
- ExaC@C Offers integrated licensing, allowing customers to add Oracle Cloud services to their subscription or use existing licenses (BYOL).
Operational and Management Differences:
- Customer-Managed (Traditional Exadata): Full responsibility for managing hardware and software.
- Oracle-Managed (ExaC@C): Oracle handles infrastructure management, reducing the customer’s operational burden and allowing them to focus on strategic initiatives.
Exadata Cloud at Customer: Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Colocation: Meets business requirements for data to remain on-premises, ensuring low-latency connections and regulatory compliance.
- Autonomous Database: Access to Oracle’s autonomous database capabilities, enhancing database performance.
- Reduced Capital Expenditure: Oracle owns and maintains the Exadata infrastructure, allowing customers to pay a subscription fee, potentially lowering costs compared to owning and managing on-site hardware.
- Service Encapsulation: Oracle handles hardware patching and updates, maintaining service availability.
Cons:
- Minimum Contract Commitment: A minimum four-year contract is required, which may not be ideal for all businesses.
- Potential Cost Strategy Issues: The cost structure includes a fixed monthly payment and additional charges for OCPU consumption, which could result in higher expenses than anticipated.
- Availability Challenges: While redundant, on-premises Exadata systems may not match the high availability of Oracle’s public cloud services.
FAQ on Oracle Cloud at Customer
What is Oracle Cloud at Customer?
Oracle Cloud at Customer allows you to run Oracle Cloud services in your data center while Oracle manages the infrastructure.
How does Exadata Cloud at Customer differ from traditional Exadata?
Exadata Cloud at Customer is managed by Oracle in your data center, providing a cloud-like experience, whereas the customer fully manages traditional Exadata.
What are the benefits of Exadata Cloud at Customer?
Benefits include colocation, access to Oracle’s autonomous database, reduced capital expenditure, and Oracle-managed service encapsulation.
What is the minimum contract commitment for Exadata Cloud at Customer?
The minimum contract commitment is four years.
How does licensing work for Exadata Cloud at Customer?
You can opt for a complete package including all necessary licenses or use your existing Oracle Database software licenses.
What database versions are supported by Exadata Cloud at Customer?
Supported versions include Oracle Database 19c, Oracle Database 12c Release 2, and Oracle Database 11g Release 2, with specific conditions for each version.
What are the key security features of Exadata Cloud at Customer?
Security features include virtual machine technology to separate customer-managed and Oracle-managed components and Oracle-administered Exadata hardware.
How does Exadata Cloud at Customer ensure high performance?
The service utilizes Oracle Exadata’s high-performance features, including optimized hardware and software integration.
What is the difference between Exadata and Exadata Cloud at Customer regarding management?
The customer fully manages Exadata, while Exadata Cloud at Customer is managed by Oracle, reducing the operational burden on the customer.
Can I use my existing Oracle licenses with Exadata Cloud at Customer?
Yes, you can bring your existing Oracle Database software licenses.
What are the cost components of Exadata Cloud at Customer?
Costs include a fixed monthly payment for Exadata infrastructure usage and additional charges for OCPU consumption.
How does Exadata Cloud at Customer support scalability?
The service is easily scalable, leveraging Oracle’s cloud infrastructure to meet growing business needs.
What are the main competitors to Exadata Cloud at Customer?
No direct competitors offer the same level of Oracle cloud services integration; however, other cloud providers offer similar database solutions.
What industries benefit most from Exadata Cloud at Customer?
Industries with strict regulatory requirements, such as finance, healthcare, and telecommunications, benefit from the on-premises deployment and low-latency connections.