ASM vs. local disk?
I know there are various posts and articles on ASM but nothing really indicates what would be a disadvantage to using the local disk instead of ASM...
I have a very small implementation of Oracle 11g R2 that I configured using local disk storage due to the complexity involved around getting ASM and grid setup. Specifically, it's quite a hassle to get additional storage volumes allocated to our VM's so it was just easier to use the mount that was previously allocated. It is my understanding to implement ASM you have to have raw volumes to directly reference so I had to put off ASM for the timebeing.
I do see the advantages and benefits of using ASM but they really only become apparent when dealing with very large and growing implementations. For a simple database environment, is settling for local disk going to provide any disadvantages in the longrun? Are there any performance problems with one vs. the other? Am I going to cripple the potential of the environment longterm by setting it up initially with local disk or can it easily be converted to ASM if growth demands it at a later time?
Thanks very much for your feedback. :)