Oracle Makes Oracle(R) Cluster File System Release 2 Available to Open Source Community

LINUXWORLD, SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Oracle (Nasdaq: ORCL) today announced general availability of Oracle(R) Cluster File System Release 2 (OCFS 2), an enterprise-class open-source cluster file system that provides customers with a free alternative to expensive proprietary systems. The new release will be included as a standard component in Novell's SUSE Linux Enterprise Server distributions, making it easier for customers to hit the ground running with a pre-installed cluster file management solution.

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"Oracle Cluster File System Release 2 delivers significant cluster file management improvements that help our customers reduce IT costs without compromising quality or performance," said David Patrick, vice president and general manager, Linux, Open Source Platforms and Services at Novell. "Linux adoption in the enterprise continues to increase, thanks to the commitment and technology advancements made by companies like Oracle."

Since introducing the first database to run on Linux in 1998, Oracle has been committed to meeting end-user demand for low-cost computing options that simplify business-critical deployments on Linux. To date, tens of thousands of copies of OCFS have been downloaded from the Oracle Technology Network (OTN). By distributing OCFS Release 2 through the Linux community and major Linux distributors such as Novell, Oracle affirms its commitment to sharing technology advances that benefit Linux users.

"Oracle continues to demonstrate its commitment to Linux and to the open source community," said Andrew Morton, Linux 2.6 kernel maintainer. "I expect that Release 2 of the Oracle Cluster File System will be distributed with version 2.6.14 of the public kernel. It will be the first clustering component to be added to the public kernel and we hope that it will provide a foundation for further improvements to enterprise Linux deployments." New Version Enhances and Simplifies System Management

OCFS 2 includes enhanced functionality that can significantly ease system management while improving performance. It allows all nodes in a cluster to access a file system concurrently, which dramatically simplifies the management of databases shared across a cluster. For Oracle Real Application Clusters customers, Release 2 eliminates the need to manage and set up raw disk devices, making cluster database administration markedly easier. The update also includes expanded capabilities to run non-database, standard file system operations, giving the new release additional value as a general-purpose file management system.

Prior to OCFS Release 2, for example, database administrators had to go through the timely process of installing software (i.e., storage software) for a 16-node cluster on each node. Now, software only needs to be installed on one instance of the cluster, and all nodes share.

As the clear leader in the Linux database market, Oracle has been working to further Linux adoption across the enterprise. Support has been a hallmark of the Oracle-Linux organization since June 2002, when Oracle began providing integrated support for the entire software platform, including the Linux operating system. Currently, customers from around the globe tap into Oracle for 24/7 technical support for Oracle on Linux. Oracle's Linux Kernel Group is dedicated to working with Linux vendors and the open source community to provide fixes and develop new functionality to benefit the Linux users.

"Oracle is very focused on providing the best tools and support for our customers. Since we open sourced our cluster file system code three years ago, we have been diligently working with the Linux community to develop solutions that simplify cluster file management," said Wim Coekaerts, director of Linux engineering, Oracle. "This release encompasses all the hard work driven by Oracle's commitment to its growing base of Oracle-on-Linux customers." Oracle Cluster File System Release 2 Availability

Members of OTN may immediately download a developer's release of the OCFS Release 2 from http://otn.oracle.com . Additionally, OCFS Release 2 will be included in the Linux 2.6 kernel, and will be available for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 and Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise 9. OCFS 2 will also be included with Novell's SUSE Linux Enterprise 9 Service Pack 2. About Oracle

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