ACFS-9459: ADVM/ACFS is not supported on this OS version: ‘unknown’

Oracle Grid Infrastructure is supported on Operation System, but ACFS isn’t. Why?

The Grid Infrastructure is a Software that use OS Library, so Grid Infrastructure isn’t Kernel dependent but OS Package dependent.

ACFS is a module of Grid Infrastructure that have drivers installed/configured  into OS Kernel, then ACFS is Kernel Dependent.

An Oracle ACFS file system is installed as a dynamically loadable vendor operating system (OS) file system driver and tool set that is developed for each supported operating system platform. The driver is implemented as a Virtual File System (VFS) and processes all file and directory operations directed to a specific file system.

The ACFS  is composed by three components:

The Oracle ACFS, Oracle Kernel Services (OKS) and Oracle ADVM drivers, they are dynamically loaded when the Oracle ASM instance is started.

• Oracle ACFS
  This driver processes all Oracle ACFS file and directory operations.
• Oracle ADVM
  This driver provides block device services for Oracle ASM volume files that are used by file systems for creating file systems.
• Oracle Kernel Services Driver (OKS)
  This driver provides portable driver services for memory allocation, synchronization primitives, and distributed locking services to Oracle ACFS and Oracle ADVM.

Before upgrade your OS Kernel you must place into your check list the ACFS Drivers, as you do with others OS Drives.

How to Oracle support the ACFS into future Kernels?

By releasing Patch Set Updates (PSUs), they are proactive cumulative patches containing recommended bug fixes that are released on a regular and predictable schedule.

How it’s works?

Check this EXAMPLE below:

Note: This table is only a example where these kernel and dates are fictitious.

On image above we can see.

In jan/2016 the  GI 11.2.0.4 and 12.0.1.2 don’t need apply PSU because already have supported drives into base release, but 11.2.0.3 need PSU 11.2.0.3.2 to get supported drivers to kernel 2.6.32-100.

In Feb/2016 was released the kernel 2.6.65-30, so ACFS Deployment take some time until developers build new ACFS Drives. So, in FeB/2016 none release is supported for the kernel 2.6.65-30.

In Mar/2016 Oracle release the PSU where all ACFS versions was supported under that PSU.

With example above we can conclude: Does not matter what Grid Infrastructure base version  (such as 11.2.0.4 or 12.0.1.2 ) you are using,  what matter is, the Grid Infrastructure must have supported  ACFS Drivers for that Kernel.

Where to find Certification Matrix for ACFS ?

Oracle Support have a detailed MOS Note : ACFS Support On OS Platforms (Certification Matrix). (Doc ID 1369107.1)

You need ALWAYS check above mos note before any kernel updates for environments that have ACFS Configured.

 

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