What is Oracle GoldenGate

Creating and Managing Databases is one of the most common and critical trends. But when it grows to huge volumes, data management becomes challenging. Due to this Organizations are always in search of tools, services, and solutions that help them in data management and integrations. To overcome this data challenge, Oracle developed the Oracle GoldenGate which enables us to maintain data across various systems. 

In this article, we will study in detail the Oracle GoldenGate and its contribution to enhancing the data-driven culture. So, let us start without any delay. 

Table of Contents 

• What is Oracle GoldenGate?
• Purpose of Oracle GoldenGate
• Oracle GoldenGate Processes and Key Terms
• Architecture
• Features
• Pricing
• Frequently Asked Questions

What is Oracle GoldenGate? 

GoldenGate is Oracle’s data integration and replication software that helps in real-time data movement and synchronization between heterogeneous systems. This utility helps us to maintain consistent data across multiple databases and environments. It first extracts the data updates or changes from the transaction logs of the source system using the log-based change data capture (CDC) process. 

After this, it transforms these data updates into a format that is platform-independent and delivers it to the target system in real-time. Moreover, it allows us to maintain the replica of data across heterogeneous environments. It means that you can replicate data across various databases such as Oracle Database, Microsoft SQL Server, IBM Db2, etc.

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Purpose of Oracle GoldenGate 

The Enterprise Data is always distributed across multiple systems ( heterogeneous distribution). So, organizations need tools to get data between multiple database systems. Oracle GoldenGate helps enable them to load, distribute, and filter transactions within their enterprise data across multiple systems. It helps organizations to maintain consistent and up-to-date data across various databases and platforms.

When it comes to the purpose, Oracle GoldenGate is mainly used to:

• Extract the static records from one database and load them into another database.
• Continuously Extract and manipulate transactional data using Data Definition Language (DDL) and Data Manipulation Language (DML).
• Extract data from the database and replicate it to a file located outside the database. 

Let us now discuss the architecture of the Oracle GoldenGate to understand its working.

Oracle GoldenGate Processes and Key Terms 

• Extract: 
  The Extract is the process of extracting data changes from the source database. It can be configured to run directly on the source database. It captures data changes in real-time transactions occurring in the source database. In simple words, the Extract process is an important part of the replication process that captures and transmits data changes with efficiency. 
• Trail:
  A trail is a series of files stored on disk that serve as the storage mechanism for the captured data changes. These files store the data changes gathered by the Extract process. Thus, they provide an efficient means of storing captured data changes in distributed environments. They ensure that data changes are preserved and available for processing by the Replicat process during the replication from the source to the target database.
• Replicat:
  This is the process that delivers the data to the target database. It reads the trail files generated by the Extract process on the source system, and reconstructs the Data Manipulation Language (DML) or Data Definition Language (DDL) operations contained within the trail files. Then, it applies them to the target database. 
• Checkpoints:
  Checkpoints in Oracle GoldenGate are markers or points within the trail files that indicate the progress of data replication. They are like the reference points for the Extract and Replicat processes. They track the progress of data replication so that only new and unprocessed data changes are captured and applied during replication. It also ensures that no data changes are missed or duplicated during the replication process.
  Due to this, we can maintain the consistency and integrity of data replication. 

Architecture 

GoldenGate Supports two Architecture namely Classic Architecture and Microservice Architecture. Selecting the architecture depends on the requirements specified by the organization to manage the enterprise data. Let us know this architecture in a more detailed way.

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Classic Architecture

Classic Architecture allows enterprise experts to move data across various topologies using various files and processes. This architecture has some interconnected components that help us to capture, transform, and deliver data changes which are illustrated below 

In the Classic Architecture, Oracle GoldenGate consists of the following components:

• Manager: It is the control process that manages the entire Oracle GoldenGate configuration. It runs on each system before the Extract or Replicat processes are initiated. This process enables the users to manage and monitor functionalities. For example, you can start, stop, and monitor Extract and Replicat processes. Additionally, it is responsible for communication between different Oracle GoldenGate components and the configuration of parameters and files associated with data replication. 
• Data Pump: Data Pump is the secondary Extract group within the source configuration. It routes the data captured by the primary Extract process to one or more Replicat processes for further processing and replication. The Data Pump operates independently from the primary Extract process and enhances performance by offloading data transfer tasks.  
• Collector: This component acts as a background process initiated by the Manager process on the target system. Mainly, it reassembles transactional data gathered by the extraction process into a target system. So, it helps us in the accurate delivery of data changes to the target database. It processes data from multiple Extract processes and organizes it into interconnected groups called Transaction groups. This enables the users to deliver data to the target system.  
• GGSCI:  The Oracle GoldenGate Software Command Interface (GGSCI) is a command-line interface. Administrators use it as the primary means of interaction between the Oracle GoldenGate functional components. It provides the commands to configure, manage, and monitor Oracle GoldenGate deployments. We can manage various processes such as starting and stopping processes, managing trails and checkpoints, viewing status information, and troubleshooting issues.  

Microservices Architecture 

In the Microservices Architecture, Oracle GoldenGate is designed as a set of loosely coupled microservices. This architecture is based on the REST-enabled service in the environment. And, it allows us to configure and manage the data replication using an HTML Interface. The following image shows the Microservice Architecture of GoldenGate. 

• Service Manager:
  The Service Manager manages the other services within the architecture. It monitors their status, detects failures, and takes corrective actions for the proper functioning of the various services. It plays an important role in maintaining the reliability and stability of the entire Oracle GoldenGate deployment.
• Administration Server:
  It supervises and monitors the processes operating within an Oracle GoldenGate deployment. It can manage both the active and inactive processes. This allows the administrators to configure replication settings, monitor performance metrics, and troubleshoot issues with efficiency.  
• Distribution Server:
  The Distribution Server works as a networked data distribution agent. This means that it distributes data and commands across the distributed deployments within the environment. It is capable of handling multiple data streams and commands in parallel. Thus, it ensures timely and reliable data distribution across the GoldenGate Environment.
• Receiver Server:
  This component Server manages the incoming data files in Oracle GoldenGate deployments. It collaborates with the Distribution Server to process and distribute data changes gathered by the Extract processes. Along with this, it is compatible with the classic architecture through which organizations can extend their replication infrastructure. 
• Performance Metrics Server:
  It collects and stores the performance metrics data through a dedicated metrics service. For this, it maintains a separate repository from the administration layer information collection and records the performance of instance deployment. Thus, the administrators can track and analyze performance metrics, identify bottlenecks, and optimize deployments in the GoldenGate Environment.
• Admin Client:
  It is a primary command-line interface for GoldenGate Administrators. It helps us to configure, control, and monitor Oracle GoldenGate deployments. We can relate it to the classic GGSCI utility as it provides a wide range of commands for managing replication settings, starting and stopping processes, monitoring status information, and troubleshooting issues. So, the Administrators can easily interact with the GoldenGate deployments.
• Directories and Variables:
  Microservice Architecture includes a directory structure to simplify the installation and deployment process. The Directory structure, here is based on the Linux Foundation Filesystem Hierarchy Standard in which the directory stores the data changes. These directories and variables define the directory structure and environment variables used by the Microservices Architecture. 

The predefined directory structures and variables allow the administrators to maintain uniformity across the deployment environment. The various directories in Microservice Architecture are as shown below:

Description	Variable	Location
Oracle Database home	ORACLE_HOME	/database_install_location
Oracle GoldenGate home	OGG_HOME	/ogg_install_location
Deployment configuration home	OGG_CONF_HOME	/ogg_deployment_location/etc/conf
Deployment security home	OGG_SSL_HOME	/ogg_deployment_location/etc/ssl
Deployment data home	OGG_DATA_HOME	/ogg_deployment_location/var/lib/data
Deployment variable home	OGG_VAR_HOME	/ogg_deployment_location/var
Deployment etc home	OGG_ETC_HOME	/ogg_deployment_location/etc

Features 

• It supports streaming of data pipelines:
  GoldenGate allows us to ingest the streaming data from database events and Kafka by building the pipelines for continuous data transformation. They support various data operations such as enrichment, filtering, alerting, API Calls, and publishing data.
• It allows us to Replicate data across multiple systems:
  We can replicate data between different types of databases, platforms, and environments. For example, Oracle GoldenGate can replicate data from an Oracle Database to a Microsoft SQL Server database or from an on-premises database to a cloud-based platform.
• We can Synchronize real-time data with minimal downtime:
  It captures and replicates the data change to the target database as soon as a data change occurs in the source database. Hence, the target database remains consistently updated with the latest data from the source database. This is useful in scenarios where timely access to accurate data is critical, such as in financial transactions, customer interactions, and operational analytics.
• It supports advanced Filtering and Transformation Capabilities: 
  We can use advanced filters and customize the replication processes as per the specific business requirements. The Administrators can define filtering criteria to selectively replicate only the data that meets certain conditions. For example, they can select specific columns, rows, or ranges of values for replication.
• It can Detect conflict and resolve Mechanisms:
  In multi-master or bidirectional replication scenarios, conflicts may arise when conflicting parallel data changes occur in the source and target databases. To prevent this, GoldenGate implements various conflict detection algorithms to identify and flag such conflicts in real time. It also allows administrators to define rules and policies for resolving conflicts based on predefined criteria, such as timestamp, priority, or user-defined rules. 

Pricing

The GoldenGate is a part of the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) which supports the cloudcloud-based pricing. This means that you have to pay only for the resources you use. The pricing of the GoldenGate starts from $1.3441 for an OCPU per hour. Here, OCPU is the Oracle CPU that represents the physical CPU core. For example, if you buy 1 instance (OCPU) for 1 Month (approx 744 hrs), your monthly estimate would be $1000.01.  

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Oracle Golden Gate Studio?
GoldenGate Studio is a graphical interface to design, configure, and monitor the data replication using GoldenGate. It provides both custom as well as automatic mappings of tables and columns. Hence, we can easily define the data flow and deploy it to numerous locations.

2. What is GoldenGate for Distributed Applications and Analytics?
GoldenGate for Distributed Applications and Analytics is an extension of the GoldenGate that supports the analytics platforms. It allows organizations to implement streaming and event-driven architectures for real-time data analytics and business intelligence.

3. Is Oracle GoldenGate available for free? 
Oracle GoldenGate provides a free version that offers the same features for data integration and replication. You can easily deploy from the Docker Container onto laptops, on-premises platforms, or any cloud.  You can easily download the Oracle GoldenGate Free version from the official website at https://www.oracle.com/in/integration/goldengate/free/download/.

4. When should I choose Microservice Architecture in GoldenGate?
You can easily select the type of architecture that you want to deploy. However, if you want large-scale deployments with fully secure HTTPS interfaces Or the Secure WebSockets for streaming data, Microservice Architecture is an appropriate choice for you.

Conclusion 

In a nutshell, the OCI GoldenGate is an efficient tool for replication and integration of your enterprise data. Its main feature is the ability to replicate data across multiple databases which is called heterogeneous data replication. It simplifies the entire workflow for managing the diverse data. Also, you can choose the type of architecture according to the business requirements. You have gained sufficient insights on Oracle GoldenGate. With this basic knowledge, you can easily get started with it.