Oracle Exadata Migration for 24×7 Availability and Improved Performance
A leading energy provider faced significant challenges with its database infrastructure, critical for supporting continuous electricity generation. As a company that operates round the clock, any downtime or system inefficiency directly impacts their ability to deliver reliable electricity to their customers. This case study explores how Blue Crystal Solutions (BCS) helped the company overcome key infrastructure limitations during a complex Oracle Exadata migration.
The Problem
The client’s database environment had reached its limits regarding storage capacity and performance, posing significant risks to their operations. Key issues included:
- Critical 24×7 Availability Requirements: As a critical infrastructure provider, any downtime during the migration process was unacceptable. The client required uninterrupted service to ensure the electricity generation process continued without disruptions.
- Storage Limitations: The client’s existing SAN (Storage Area Network) was full, and there was no capacity for further expansion. Without additional storage, the client’s database systems could not handle the growing demands of their operations, leading to potential performance bottlenecks.
- Outdated Database Versions: The client used out-of-date versions of Oracle databases, creating compatibility and performance challenges. These outdated systems were slower and lacked the latest features and security updates.
- Long Backup Times: The existing backup process took excessive time—sometimes tens of hours to complete. This created inefficiencies and potential vulnerabilities in data security and disaster recovery capabilities.
How Blue Crystal Solutions Helped
Blue Crystal Solutions was brought in to perform a comprehensive Oracle Exadata migration and resolve these critical issues. The BCS team, with over 20 years of experience in database management, employed several strategies to ensure a smooth and successful migration with minimal downtime.
- Database and Virtual Machine Consolidation: BCS streamlined the client’s infrastructure by consolidating the database environment from 7 Solaris virtual machines to 4 Linux virtual machines. This consolidation reduced the environment’s complexity, freeing up resources and simplifying management. The client gained better compatibility with modern Oracle systems by switching from Solaris to Linux, resulting in increased operational efficiency.
- Migration Using Oracle GoldenGate: One key requirement for the client was maintaining 24×7 availability during the migration. BCS used Oracle GoldenGate, a real-time data integration and replication solution, to facilitate a migration with minimal downtime. This ensured that critical services continued uninterrupted while the migration took place.
- Operational Efficiencies: After the migration, the client could quickly scale their environment up or down without experiencing downtime, thanks to the flexibility offered by Oracle Exadata. The storage limitation issue was also addressed, allowing the client to expand storage effortlessly in response to growing data needs.
- Performance Gains: Post-migration, the client experienced a 25-30% improvement in performance on the Oracle Cloud@Customer platform compared to their previous on-premise infrastructure. This performance boost enhanced overall business operations, allowing the client to process data more quickly and effectively.
Business Impact
The Oracle Exadata migration completed by Blue Crystal Solutions significantly transformed the client’s database infrastructure. Key outcomes included:
- Uninterrupted service during migration: Thanks to Oracle GoldenGate, the client maintained 24×7 availability, ensuring that their critical electricity generation processes continued without any downtime.
- Increased operational efficiency: By consolidating virtual machines, modernising the database environment, and streamlining storage, the client achieved better system management and faster processing times.
- Substantial performance gains: The 25-30% performance improvement in the cloud environment allowed the client to handle more transactions, respond to business needs faster, and improve the overall efficiency of their operations.
- No additional licensing costs: BCS’s migration solution enabled the client to bypass high I/O requirements and avoid costly Oracle licensing upgrades, saving the company significant capital expenses.
Blue Crystal Solutions successfully delivered a complex Oracle Exadata migration for a critical client in the energy sector. By consolidating their infrastructure, ensuring continuous availability, and improving operational performance, BCS enabled the client to future-proof their database environment. Learn more about what we can do with Oracle and Oracle Exadata.
