Oracle Database and SQL Cloud Migration: 7 Things to Know

In case you are planning to migrate your Oracle EBS to the cloud, there are certain factors you must consider before making your decision. This is because of multiple reasons, one of which is the rapid implementation of cloud technology, especially in the last two decades.

However, some databases seem easier to adapt to the cloud than other databases and applications - others don’t need to. Oracle EBS, in particular, is an extremely robust suite containing 200+ apps that come with several custom opportunities. Here, we will mention the most important Oracle database and SQL areas to go through before you begin migrating it to the cloud.

7 Key Factors to Consider for Cloud Migration of Oracle Database and SQL

If you want to improve the functionality of your database further by adding cloud availability and scalability to it, take a look at the things you must take into account before you do.

1. Data Interface

This is the first most important aspect to take care of during your cloud migration preparation. You must keep an eye on your interface jobs as they will help you decide multiple things later and make sure the process isn’t too complicated.

Go over each interface job along with the transaction volume statistics and make sure the job executes as per expectations while maintaining connectivity. Doing this will help you during Oracle database performance tuning later.

 

2. Data Migration Approach

Go through your data migration plan to check the length of cutover time (it should be as low as possible). Your choice of cloud platform will decide how much potential downtime you will have to face in the future.

This is important to know because everyone knows downtime can have a significant impact on user performance and satisfaction. Find out the permitted downtime for cutover as you will know the time you have to work with and switch your approach accordingly.

 

3. Existing Storage Option

Review the present storage situation and IOPS requirements for your Oracle database and SQL. This will limit your search and help you find cloud platforms that will help you meet your business specifications.

 

4. Testing Approach

Save yourself from getting unwelcome surprises after the migration is complete by assessing your testing strategy. Experts suggest doing it from a UAT (User Acceptance Testing) perspective during the POC (Proof Of Concept) phase.

Make sure your testing strategy considers depletion and load testing situations and utilize a production-like runtime environment. Monitor the jobs that are running and completing smoothly - check their runtimes as well as the volume details.

 

Although you get varying options with each cloud platform, the ones they have in common - which you have to review - are the following:

 

●     The size of the virtual machine

●     Types and specifications of disks

●     Areas

●     Network performance

 

5. Storage Consumption

Assess the storage footprint of the database and all the areas you can decrease expenses on the cloud. In case your present solution has compression and duplicate-removal mechanisms, your data is likely to grow faster once it transfers to the cloud. This may complicate things for Oracle database performance tuning in the future.

Additionally, you’ll have to consider the storage use and expense for both production and mon-production purposes on premises. Consider the general effects and changes your chosen cloud settings and the possible restrictions related to storage will bring on your existing database operations.

 

6. Application Variants & Certification Classification

Aside from the certifications for Oracle EBS and its version, it is important to verify the version and certifications of the other applications you will use including the database, Java, browser, operating system, and others to make sure everything will work smoothly in the cloud. Set some time aside for upgrades before migration.

 

7. Arrangements for Data Backup and Analysis in the Long Term

Assess and understand all the backup options available for your chosen cloud platform and evaluate all the clone processes and SLAs with everyone involved so everyone is aware of the operational requirements. You will also have to analyze your monitoring tools and merging with the ITSM to figure out the changes your day-to-day database and monitoring functions will undergo after the shift to the cloud platform. 

Improve Performance of SQL Query by Avoiding Swapping

Every so often, you may have MySQL or another application take up excessive amounts of memory on the operating system or the box. As a result, the OS may behave abnormally - such anomalous behavior is often visible in the form of increased memory utilization for cache and forcing swapping among applications. 

In other words, such unrestrained usage of memory inevitably leads to swapping and performance-related issues. The intensity of those issues is another cause for concern, as swapping is likely to affect your performance harder than the average IO, leading you to search for ways to improve performance of SQL query, even MySQL altogether.

Handle Swapping Before You Improve MySQL Performance of SQL Query

In this post, we’re going to find three reasons why swapping creates much more significant problems for performance than a normal IO.

Reason 1 - Multiplication of IO Due to Cache

In comparison to the presence of reduced cache, IO will be multiplied once cache in the swap file increases. If the page inside the cache gets swapped, the user will need to locate space in order to swap in the page, meaning other pages will have to be swapped out.

Such a task needs to be carried out, even if it is completed in the background. On the other hand, flushing or getting rid of the page will lead to additional IO, thereby worsening the situation by slowing performance tuning in SQL Oracle.

Reason 2 - Getting the Algorithms all Mixed Up

There are certain algorithms running internally that are designed for data inside the memory. If they begin handling data stored on disk, their productivity gets impacted.  That’s why a different combination of algorithms is used to deal with disk data, and these are optimized to restrict the quantity of IOs or turn them into something more sequential.

Reason 3 - Increased Latches or Locks

Interruptions within the internal operations of a database are bad enough without swapping wreaking havoc upon concurrent processing like multi-client or CPU. Bear in mind that a database latch or lock is generally created to work for extremely short time frames. How short? Well, as short as you can possibly keep them.

That’s because the system will surely scale better when fewer exclusive locks are occupying the execution time thread. So, you must absolutely avoid any critical locks during disk IO because they take a considerable amount of time as is.

In Conclusion

Users are advised to configure the system in a manner that keeps any form of swapping activity away while normal operations are being carried out, to ultimately help improve MySQL database performance.

Additionally, make sure you are able to justify every instance that uses a swap file. Instances, where it is acceptable, include unanticipated spikes in memory utilization, where slower performance may be preferable over none.