Which is better to install Oracle 11g database based on ASM or Filesystem

Question

We will install 2 sets of Oracle 11.2.0.3 on Redhat Linix 5.6 and configure Data Guard for them further -- one will be a primary DB server, the other will be a physical standby DB server. The Oracle DB stoage is based on SAN Array Disk with 6TB size. Now there are two options to manage the DB datafiles:
1. Install Oracle ASM
2. Create the tranditional OS filesystem
Which is better? in the past, our 10g data guard environment is not based on Oracle ASM.
Someone think if we adopt the oracle ASM, the shortcomings are :
1. as there is one more instance that will consume more memory and resource.
2. as the ASM file system cannot be shown out on the OS level directly such as "df" command, the disk utilization monitor job will be more difficult. at least it cannot be supervised at OS level.
3. as the DB bshoule be done the daily incremental backup (Mon-Sat) to Local Backup Drive. the bakup job must be done by RMAN rather than user-managed script.
Who can provide some advices? Thanks very much in advance.

Answer 1

user5969983 wrote:
We will install 2 sets of Oracle 11.2.0.3 on Redhat Linix 5.6 and configure Data Guard for them further -- one will be a primary DB server, the other will be a physical standby DB server. The Oracle DB stoage is based on SAN Array Disk with 6TB size. Now there are two options to manage the DB datafiles:
1. Install Oracle ASM
2. Create the tranditional OS filesystem
Which is better? in the past, our 10g data guard environment is not based on Oracle ASM. ASM provides a host of new features ito data management, and performance - to the extent that you can rip out the entire existing storage system, replace it with a brand new storage system, without a single second of database downtime.
Someone think if we adopt the oracle ASM, the shortcomings are :
1. as there is one more instance that will consume more memory and resource.Not really relevant on 64bit h/w architecture that removes limitations such a 4GB of addressable memory. On the CPU side... heck, my game PC at home has a 8 core 64bit CPU. Single die and dual core CPUs belong to the distant past.
Arguing that an ASM instance has overheads would be silly. And totally ignores the wide range of real and tangible benefits that ASM provides.
2. as the ASM file system cannot be shown out on the OS level directly such as "df" command, the disk utilization monitor job will be more difficult. at least it cannot be supervised at OS level.That is a A Very Good Thing (tm). Managing database storage from o/s level is flawed in many ways.
3. as the DB bshoule be done the daily incremental backup (Mon-Sat) to Local Backup Drive. the bakup job must be done by RMAN rather than user-managed script.
rman supports ASM fully.
I have stopped using cooked file systems for Oracle - I prefer ASM first and foremost. The only exceptions are tiny servers with a single root disk that needs to be used for kernel, database s/w, and database datafiles. (currently these are mostly Oracle XE systems in my case, and configured that way as XE does not support ASM and is used as a pure cost decision).