Deciding Between Oracle ASMLIB and Oracle ASM Filter Driver

Oracle ASM Filter Driver (Oracle ASMFD) is installed with an Oracle Grid Infrastructure installation. If you have an existing Oracle ASM library driver (Oracle ASMLIB) configuration, then depending on whether you want to use Oracle ASMLIB or Oracle ASMFD, consider the following scenarios:

  • If you use Oracle ASMLIB to manage your Oracle ASM devices and you want to continue to use Oracle ASMLIB, then upgrade to Oracle Grid Infrastructure 12c Release 1 (12.1.0.2).

    Although Oracle ASMFD is installed, Oracle ASMLIB continues to be used for device persistence.

  • If you use Oracle ASMLIB to manage your Oracle ASM devices and you want to migrate to Oracle ASMFD, then perform the following steps:

    1. Upgrade to Oracle Grid Infrastructure 12c Release 1 (12.1.0.2).

      This process installs Oracle ASMFD.

    2. Migrate from Oracle ASMLIB to Oracle ASMFD.

      Refer to "Configuring Oracle ASM Filter Driver" to remove Oracle ASMLIB and configure your Oracle ASM devices to use Oracle ASMFD for device persistence.

  • If Oracle ASMLIB is installed, but you do not use Oracle ASM because Oracle Grid Infrastructure is not installed, and want to use Oracle ASMFD, then follow these steps:

    1. Deinstall Oracle ASMLIB.

      See Also:

      Oracle Grid Infrastructure Installation Guide for your operating system for information about installing and deinstalling Oracle ASMLIB

    2. Install Oracle Grid Infrastructure 12c Release 1 (12.1.0.2).

      This process installs Oracle ASMFD.

    3. Configure your Oracle ASM devices to use Oracle ASMFD for device persistence.

      Refer to "Configuring Oracle ASM Filter Driver".

    4. Create disk labels to enable migration of Oracle ASM disk groups to Oracle ASMFD.

      Refer to "About Migrating to Oracle ASM Filter Driver From ASMLIB".

You can also set udev rules, in addition to or instead of Oracle ASMFD and Oracle ASMLIB, for device persistence.