Oracle Streams Archived-Log Downstream Capture

The parameter DOWNSTREAM_REAL_TIME_MINE controls whether a downstream capture process performs real-time downstream capture or archived-log downstream capture.


If the parameter is set to Y , when setting the capture process using the below procedure then the capture process is real time as described here.

BEGIN
  DBMS_CAPTURE_ADM.SET_PARAMETER(
    capture_name => 'real_time_capture',
    parameter    => 'downstream_real_time_mine',
    value        => 'Y');
END;

If the parameter is set to N , then instead of the redo-log , archived logs are transported and mined at the downstream site.

In the archived-log downstream capture process , the archived redo log has to be transported to the downstream database using redo transport services,the DBMS_FILE_TRANSFERa package, file transfer protocol (FTP), or some other mechanism. Once the archived redo logs are available at the downstream site then they are mined and applied as per the requirement setup.

Schema Replication by Oracle Streams Real-Time Downstream

Recently had a requirement to configure a replication environment which can sync a schema.
The requirement was not to over load the production system at any point.
Thought about Oracle Active Data Guard but the target database also will be used for updates and so had to rule this option out.

The best option which came to be after doing a complete research on the replication what Oracle offers was the Downstream Setup.
Very simple and very promising to me.

A picture is better than a detailed explanation

Here is a simple over view of what and how it can be done.
- Create a streams administrator user on both the databases.
- Create a database link between both the databases.
- Setting parameter for Downstream archeving.
- Creating standby redo-logs on the Downstream site to receive redo data from Source
- Get Source and Downstream database to archive-log mode
- Setting up the source schema
- Creating the streams queue on the downstream site
- Creating the apply process at the downstream site
- Creating the capture process at the downstream site
- Set capture for real-time captuing of changes
- Add rules to instruct the capture process, what to capture
- Instantiating the to be replicated objects.
- Start the capture process
- Start the apply process
(Detailed implementation can be found at Oracle Note 753158.1)

Oracle Documentation Reference 

Installing - OBIEE 11g

After completing the Installation of RCU , the following has to be started. So RCU is a pre-requisite for the OBIEE Installation.

A bright flash screen !!!

welcome screen from the installer

I opted the Simple Install so that it configures with default settings.

Pre Check , here I am warned about the missing RPM and kernel settings. I installed the RPM and tuned the kernel settings.

The username of the administrator and the password. we can also create any name for the administrator username other than the default weblogic.

Oracle Home for the installation has to be selected. Before selecting make sure that you have sufficient space also you can refer to the installation document to know the minimum space required.

The list of components that will be installed as a part of this installation.

Here specify the details of the database where the repository has been created. 

Here specify the mysupport email address and password to get notified on the security updates.

Pre-Install Summary for review

After clicking the install button , the installation process starts

The final screen of a successful installation with the details of the Oracle Home and the URLs of the application.

With this we have completed a health installation of OBIEE 11g.

Repository Creation Utility - OBIEE 11g

RCU is the short name and is basically used to create the database schema for Fusion Middleware 11g.

The first screen welcomes you !!!

This screen provides an option to create or drop the FMW schema. Here I have selected Create option so that I can create the schema for OBIEE.

This screen helps to specify the database and its details where the repository will be created. It also provides an option to install the repository on a RAC database.

Next the RCU validates the database. Here I got a warning message that the database is not AL32UTF8 character set. I have opted to ignore but it is recommended to create the database with the AL32UTF8 character set.

The below screen lists a successful pre-check.

Next I have given a Prefix and also selected "Business Intelligence Platform" , automatically the dependencies are selected.

Prerequisites relevant to BI are checked and verified in the below screen.

Here we have to input the password for the schemas , I have opted a common password.

Review screen for the tablespaces.

The below screen show that the tablespaces are created and validated.

With all the inputs provided summary page is displayed. After verifying it by clicking the create button the necessary schema will be created in the target database.

Information of the successful creation of repository for OBIEE.

Looks good , RCU was simple and good to me.

The next tasks would be to Install OBIEE.

OBIEE 11g Getting Started

After a long gap I am looking into OBIEE 11g. After completing Datacenter Migration Project and Database 11g Upgrade Project, I am now set to go for Fusion Middleware 11g Upgrade early next year.

But this December it is OBIEE 11g.
Early this year I created a OBIEE 10g Environment with BI Publisher 10g. But I see that there has been a lot(a lot) of enhancement done with OBIEE 11g.

As a preparation I created the Database that is required for the Repository. In OBIEE 11g we have to build a repository. I am building it on a 11g R1 database. I made a Oracle Home Cloning and created a database on it.

Oracle Home cloning is pretty simple.

1. Copy a healthy Oracle Home

2. Source the environment variables

3. Run the clone scripts

perl $ORACLE_HOME/clone/bin/clone.pl ORACLE_BASE=$ORACLE_BASE ORACLE_HOME=$ORACLE_HOME ORACLE_HOME_NAME=test11_1

In three simple steps the Oracle Home is Ready and now it is the time for DBCA to take care of the rest in creating the database.

Between I have downloaded the following

- Repository Creation Utility.

- Softwares necessary for OBIEE 11g.

You can find more details here (this link might change in the future )

Will keep posting on the developments.