RAC Attack - Oracle Cluster Database at Home/Events

RAC Attack is on the road!! Come visit us in person and we'll help you setup RAC on your laptop, using this wikibook.

This wiki page is used for both visitor information and for organizer and volunteer coordination. If you have experience with RAC then please feel welcome to volunteer. And no matter who you are, please help us keep the information on this page up-to-date!

Volunteers
If you have some experience with RAC then please hang out for one or two hours and help a few of our peers get a two-node cluster going on their laptop!

Event Format
Key questions for determining event format:
 * 1) Who will help participants with problems as they work through the labs?
 * 2) * Organizer(s) only
 * 3) * Organizer(s) plus volunteer mentors
 * 4) What computers will participants use?
 * 5) * BYO laptop - participants run cluster on their own machine (OOW11)
 * 6) * Rental laptops - costs more, more reliable (Collaborate)
 * 7) * Both (UKOUG11)
 * 8) What USB hard drive is the Oracle software destination?
 * 9) * Participant BYO hard drive
 * 10) ** participant takes cluster home
 * 11) ** cannot legally allow jumpstarts or give database software; to stay legal, participant must start at beginning and download oracle software
 * 12) * Event hard drives
 * 13) ** more expensive for organizer (or sponsor), participant cannot take cluster home
 * 14) ** can pre-download software and legally allow jumpstarts
 * 15) * Both
 * 16) ** Must take responsibility for participant and volunteer behavior
 * 17) What options (if any) will be provided to help participants get started faster?
 * 18) * Pre-Downloaded Software (OEL, Database, GI)
 * 19) * Jumpstart - scripts to instantly decompress and setup virtual machine images at later points in the lab
 * 20) * Rental Laptops with First Lab Already Complete - i.e. virtualization software is already setup, participant can immediately jumpstart

In Jeremy's experience, most participant recruitment happens at the event. Many (but not all) people have a laptop they can use. Very few have an external hard drive which they can use.

Material Requirements
This is a master list. Specific requirements depend on the event format; see questions above.
 * 1) Equipment
 * 2) * Printed Books (See )
 * 3) * Rental Laptops
 * 4) * Feedback Forms, Stickers for Hard Drives
 * 5) * Cameras for taking photos during event (cell phones are usually used)
 * 6) * Event-specific twitter hashtag (can also use generic #racattack hashtag if desired)
 * 7) * optional: USB-Powered Hard Drives (used to recommend at least 1 per anticipated concurrent participant, recently many people run off local hard drive only)
 * 8) Venue
 * 9) * Internet Connection - always required until we finalize a printable version of the handbook
 * 10) * Power strips
 * 11) * Tabletop workspace
 * 12) * Signs, Banners - vector graphics are available
 * 13) * Whiteboard is optional
 * 14) * Projector & Screen is optional

To Do Pre-Event

 * 1) Event
 * 2) * Coordination with Event Schedule
 * 3) * Inclusion in Program
 * 4) * Approval for Signage
 * 5) Publicity
 * 6) * Volunteer Recruitment
 * 7) * Event Advertising (blogs, twitter, mailing lists, personal emails, linkedin, etc)
 * 8) Run-through labs to test online tutorials, test ext hd and create jumpstart images
 * 9) * Make sure that flag is set to prompt for destination drives
 * 10) Print feedback forms and any needed labels for jumpstart hard drives
 * 11) Prepare a getting-started slide if a projecter & screen will be used
 * 12) Complete the first lab on rental laptops so that they are ready for jumpstarts
 * 13) Send reminder emails to first-day volunteers just before the event
 * 14) Prepare a very brief "getting-started" explanation which you can give to participants as they start

To Do At-Event

 * 1) Write getting-started instructions on the white-board or put a getting-started slide on the projecter
 * 2) If multi-day event, send reminder emails each day for volunteers on following day
 * 3) Be friendly and invite passers-by to try the lab
 * 4) Have fun!
 * 5) Refer participants to the website and mailing list as they leave
 * 6) Keep records
 * 7) * Number of participants each day
 * 8) * Which labs were completed, roughly how long it took
 * 9) * Compliments and criticisms (anonymous)

To Do Post-Event

 * 1) Return rental equipment
 * 2) Email your records to the racattack list

Notes for Organizing Classes
Few thoughts about best practices for settings up labs
 * the "introduction" or kickoff is crucial. having "options" for which track or where to start is nice, but might be overwhelming for many participants. perhaps it would be much better to give specific instructions for shorter events.
 * has worked well to start with patching lab, then jumpstart and do GI install next
 * another good option for beginners is the services & failover lab
 * startup cluster DB before class so that it's running and window is already open when people arrive, helps carry momentum from introduction speech
 * could also be good to have web browser already open to home page (../Overview) when participants arrive.

For setting up lab workstations
 * complete ../Hardware and Windows Preparation on all workstations
 * set browser homepage to ../Overview
 * clean desktop: delete all unneeded icons
 * keep: my computer, recycle bin, vmware server home page, putty, vncviewer, winscp, procexp
 * icons for jumpstarting - but note that this whole jumpstarting thing should be re-worked when we switch to virtualbox, just need to retain some simple and automated way to reset environment to any point during the labs
 * if there's a second virtualization software installed (like virtualbox) which is not being used for this class, make sure to delete its icon from the desktop so participants don't get confused and run the wrong one!!

OpenWorld 2011 Publicity
This year at Oracle OpenWorld, get hands-on experience with RAC! (A key part of Exadata.) Hang out at the OTN Lounge with experts from the IOUG RAC SIG and get an 11gR2 RAC cluster database running inside virtual machines on your own windows-based laptop. Experiment boldly - if you make a mistake then you won't have to start over; we can "reset" your virtual machines to any point in the labs. To get the most out of this experience, we recommend that you bring a USB-powered external hard drive with 100G of free space - you can buy one online for about $40. More info at http://racattack.org/e

Tweet: #RAC ATTACK in OTN Lounge at #OOW11. VMs on your windows laptop. Bring an external HD for best results. http://racattack.org/e

Event logo is available as a vector graphic at https://github.com/ardentperf/racattack/blob/master/graphics/racattack-event-logo.svg

UKOUG 2011 Publicity
This year at UKOUG, get hands-on experience with RAC! (A key part of Exadata.) On Tuesday, hang out in the overhang gallery above the exhibition hall with experts from the IOUG RAC SIG and get an 11gR2 RAC cluster database running inside virtual machines on your own windows-based laptop. Experiment boldly - if you make a mistake then you won't have to start over; we can "reset" your virtual machines to any point in the labs. To get the most out of this experience, we recommend that you bring a USB-powered external hard drive with 100G of free space - you can buy one online for about $40. More info at http://racattack.org/e

Tweet: #RAC ATTACK tue in ex hall at #UKOUG. VMs on your windows laptop. Bring an external HD for best results. http://racattack.org/e

UKOUG 2011 Volunteers
Note: did not end up recruiting volunteers. But FYI, these were the timeslots coordinated with Tuesday session timings:

09:00 - 10:10 // 10:10 - 11:15 // 11:15 - 12:25 // 12:25 - 13:25 // 13:25 - 14:40 // 14:40 - 15:35 // 15:35 - 16:40 // 16:40 - 17:50 // 17:50 - 18:35

OUGN Spring Seminar 2012 Publicity
As part of Oracle User Group Norway's Spring Seminar 2012 (http://www.ougn.no/spring-seminar-2012) you will have opportunity to get hands-on experience building an Oracle RAC database using virtual machines on your own laptop with help from experts including Martin Bach (co-author of "Pro Oracle Database 11g RAC on Linux"). You will be welcome to spend as much time as you would like, or as little as you can spare. We'll help you get started, explain step-by-step or troubleshoot what's gone wrong.

To get the most out of this experience, we recommend that you bring a USB-powered external hard drive with 100G of free space or have an SSD with appropriate space on your laptop. You do need your laptop to set it up - not just hard-drive to copy. The labs are designed for Windows-based laptops but we will assist Mac OS X and Linux users as well. H/w requirements are on racattack.org and you can also start going via laptop preparation steps at home to save time at the conference.

RMOUG 2012 Publicity
This year at RMOUG, get hands-on experience with Oracle RAC. Hang out in the exhibition hall with the experts from the RAC SIG and Pythian and get an 11gR2 RAC cluster database running inside virtual machines on your own laptop. You can drop in for few hours during the conference between the sessions or spend there the whole day setting up the environment and running through the labs.

To get the most out of this experience, we recommend that you bring a USB-powered external hard drive with 100G of free space or have an SSD with appropriate space on your laptop. You do need your laptop to set it up - not just hard-drive to copy. The labs are designed for Windows-based laptops but we will assist Mac OS X and Linux users as well. H/w requirements are on racattack.org and you can also start going via laptop preparation steps at home to save time at the conference.

Event logo is available as a vector graphic at https://github.com/ardentperf/racattack/blob/master/graphics/racattack-event-logo.svg

OpenWorld 2012 Publicity
This year at Oracle OpenWorld, you will have the opportunity to get hands-on experience building an Oracle RAC database using virtual machines on your own laptop with help from the experts in the IOUG RAC SIG and Pythian. Find us in the OTN Lounge - you will be welcome to spend as much time as you would like, or as little as you can spare. We'll help you get started, explain step-by-step or troubleshoot what's gone wrong.

To get the most out of this experience, we recommend that you bring a USB-powered external hard drive with 100G of free space or have an SSD with appropriate space on your laptop. You do need your laptop to set it up - not just hard-drive to copy. The labs are designed for Windows-based laptops but we will assist Mac OS X and Linux users as well. H/W requirements are on racattack.org and you can also start going via laptop preparation steps at home to save time at the conference.

Tweet: #racattack in OTN Lounge at #oow every day 9a-1p. expert help building a cluster DB in VMs on your own laptop.

OpenWorld 2012 Volunteers
To add yourself on the volunteer schedule click here on EDIT ->

Rules:
 * two timeslots for each volunteer
 * two volunteers for each timeslot
 * event organizers will setup, teardown and bring materials. one event organizer will always be on-hand at the RAC Attack table.

Please send your contact info to an organizer! They will try to remind you the day before your volunteer slot.

DOAG 2012 Publicity
Bei der diesjährigen DOAG Konferenz in Nürnberg vom 20. bis 22. November haben Teilnehmer die Chance, selbst Erfahrung mit der Installation, Einrichtung und dem Betrieb von Oracle RAC Clustern mit virtuellen Maschinen auf dem eigenen Notebook zu sammeln. Experten der RAC SIG helfen bei der Einrichtung und stehen auch sonst für alle Fragen zu Clusterdatenbanken zur Verfügung. Ob als Pausenfüller zwischen Konferenzsessions oder als Aktivität für einen kompletten Tag: Den Zeitaufwand kann jeder selbst bestimmen und es ist keine vorherige Anmeldung erforderlich.

Um allerdings das Maximum herauszuholen, empfehlen wir, neben einem eigenen Laptop auch eine weitere externe USB-Festplatte mit mindestens 100GB mitzubringen. Der Workshop war ursprünglich gedacht für Windows Computer mit vmWare, wurde aber mittlerweile auch auf VirtualBox portiert und funktioniert damit auch auf MacOS und Linux. Die genauen Hardwareanforderungen finden sich auf racattack.org

Wer keine eigenen Laptop hat oder mitbringen möchte, kann die Demos auch an zwei bis drei von uns gestellten Rechnern durchspielen, verpasst dann aber die Gelegenheit, sein eigenes Lab mit nach Hause zu nehmen.

Tweet: TBD

UKOUG 2012 Publicity
This year at UKOUG, you will have the opportunity to get hands-on experience building an Oracle RAC database using virtual machines on your own laptop with help from the experts from the IOUG RAC SIG and Pythian. Find us on the Exhibition Gallery on Monday 11am - 3pm and Tuesday 9am - 3pm. You will be welcome to spend as much time as you would like, or as little as you can spare. We'll help you get started, explain step-by-step or troubleshoot what's gone wrong.

To get the most out of this experience, we recommend that you bring a USB-powered external hard drive with 100G of free space or have an SSD with appropriate space on your laptop. Please bring your own laptop! (We will have few laptops to borrow if required). The labs are designed for Windows-based laptops but we will assist Mac OS X and Linux users as well. H/W requirements are on www.racattack.org and you can also start doing preparation steps at home on your laptop, to save time at the conference.

It's advised to download Oracle Enterprise Linux and Oracle Database and Grid installation media if you want to take your environment home after the workshop (you must agree with the license online). See http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/RAC_Attack_-_Oracle_Cluster_Database_at_Home/Download_Oracle_Enterprise_Linux and http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/RAC_Attack_-_Oracle_Cluster_Database_at_Home/Create_RAC_Attack_DVD. If you don't have Linux installed to prepare the image in the last list and didn't proceed to Linux install at home, just go to http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/database/enterprise-edition/downloads/112010-linuxsoft-085393.html and download two files for Oracle Database and one for Grid Infrastructure. Remember to download 32 bit versions of Linux and Oracle media!

We are setting up either on the old version of VMware Server 2 or using Virtual Box.

Tweet: RAC Attack at #ukoug with #racsig and #pythian racattack.org

UKOUG 2012 Volunteers
To add yourself on the volunteer schedule click here on EDIT ->

Rules:
 * two timeslots for each volunteer
 * two volunteers for each timeslot
 * event organizers will setup, teardown and bring materials. one event organizer will always be on-hand at the RAC Attack table.

Please send your contact info to an organizer (Alex Gorbachev, Bjoern Rost)! They will try to remind you the day before your volunteer slot.

OpenWorld 2013 Volunteers
To add yourself on the volunteer schedule click here on EDIT ->

Rules:
 * one/two timeslots for each volunteer
 * two volunteers for each timeslot
 * event organizers will setup, teardown and bring materials. one event organizer will always be on-hand at the RAC Attack table. (??)

UKOUG 2013 Volunteers
RAC ATTACK will be available this year at UKOUG_TECH13 Here From 2 Dec to 4 Dec 2013

Volunteer this Year

Rules:
 * two volunteers for each timeslot
 * event organizers will setup, teardown and bring materials. one event organizer will always be on-hand at the RAC Attack table.