CentOS - Jan 2009 - CENTOS 4.7 or 5.2 32 bits O.S. for ORACLE DB server??

we plan to setup our ORACLE database server (32 bits DB) and use dell r900
server.  This server can put up to 128GB RAM.

We are thinking use 32 bits CENTOS 4.7 or 5.2.  My concern about CENTOS 5.2 is
it only support up to 16 GB RAM on 32 bits O.S.

Any suggestion?


     
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mcclnx mcc wrote:
> we plan to setup our ORACLE database server (32 bits DB) and use dell
> r900 server.  This server can put up to 128GB RAM.
> 
> We are thinking use 32 bits CENTOS 4.7 or 5.2.  My concern about
> CENTOS 5.2 is it only support up to 16 GB RAM on 32 bits O.S.
> 
> Any suggestion?
To get beyond 4 GB of RAM with a 32-bit Intel CPU, you have to turn on
PAE mode, which is a very ugly hack, invented several years ago now.  It
dates back to the old Pentium Pro!  It was created before inexpensive
64-bit CPUs were available.  Systems being built today should not use
PAE mode, IMHO.  If you need more than 4 GB of RAM today, use a 64-bit
OS and applications.  That will let you address the full memory
capability of that server.

In PAE mode, the system runs a little slower due to the extra overhead
of the more complicated memory management scheme, and it can't really
address that 16 GB all at once.  It's kind of a like the old DOS days
when we had 32-bit CPUs but could only address 64 KB of memory at a
time, and could only access 640 KB without resorting to PAE-like hacks
called EMS and XMS.  These workarounds are best consigned to the dustbin
of history.

mcclnx mcc wrote:
> we plan to setup our ORACLE database server (32 bits DB) and use dell r900
> server.  This server can put up to 128GB RAM.
>
> We are thinking use 32 bits CENTOS 4.7 or 5.2.  My concern about CENTOS 5.2
> is it only support up to 16 GB RAM on 32 bits O.S.
>
> Any suggestion?
I would not use CentOS at all if for anything else than Oracle
won't support it. Oracle linux is a clone of RHEL and I believe
is pretty cheap, otherwise RHEL 5 Advanced.

Even Oracle SE One seems to be roughly $5800 for a license. It's
crazy to try to save a couple hundred bucks a month for something
as important as an Oracle database.

Also for sure go 64-bit if your going with an R900. I'd be surprised
if Oracle even had a 32-bit version anymore.

Oracle SE(not SE One) is a great value compared to Oracle EE, I used
both at my last company and SE was certainly a better product for
the money. Though I did miss being able to use EM. Oracle EE only
for those who have bottomless pockets.

Unless your using a really old version of Oracle for some reason,
otherwise I assume your using at least 10Gr2 or 11G.

nate