Zero Downtime Migration In Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI)

Oracle recently launched a cloud migration utility named Zero Downtime Migration (ZDM), that will help you in migrating your on-prem Oracle Database to Oracle Cloud Database (VM DB, ExaCS, Bare Metal, Exadata Cloud at Customer) with the aim of keeping the migration the process as simple as possible and minimal downtime on production workloads.

This post covers thing you must know to leverage the ZDM utility while migrating your on-prem database to Oracle Cloud (OCI)

To more about other migration methodology for your Databases in Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), check here.
To more about different databases options available in Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, check here

Overview Zero Downtime Migration Utility (ZDM)

Oracle Zero Downtime Migration (ZDM) is Oracle Maximum Availability Architecture (MAA)-recommended utility to migrate Oracle Databases to the Oracle Cloud.
It helps to keep migration of the process as simple as possible and aims to have minimal downtime on production workloads.
The source databases can be on-premises or on Oracle Public Cloud Gen 1 (OCI-C). To know the difference between OCI & OCI-C check here,
The target databases can be deployed as Database Cloud Service on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Bare Metal, Virtual Machine, Exadata Cloud Service, or Exadata Cloud at Customer. To know more check here
It automates the complete process of migration & reduces human errors.

ZDM Oracle Cloud

Supported Configurations

1).Supported Platforms for the Zero Downtime Migration Service Source Host

Oracle Linux 7 or later releases.

2).Supported Database Versions for Migration:

11.2.0.4
12.1.0.2
12.2.0.1
18c
19c

Note: the source & target Database version should be the same

3).Supported Database Architectures for Migration

Oracle Database Single-Instance to a single-instance or Oracle RAC database target
Oracle RAC One Node, which can be migrated to an Oracle RAC database target
Oracle RAC to an Oracle RAC database target

4). Supported Backup Locations

Object Storage Service (OSS)
Zero Data Loss Recovery Appliance (ZDLRA)
External Backup Location (NFS)

Migration Paths

ZDM supports on-premises databases to be migrated to:

Oracle Database Cloud Service Bare Metal
Oracle Database Cloud Service Virtual Machine
Exadata Cloud Service
Exadata Cloud at Customer

To know more about each of these databases, check here.

High-Level Database Migration Workflow Using ZDM

Download & Install ZDM On Source Host (Check here)
ZDM Starts performing DB Migration (./zdmcli migrate database)
ZDM Connects the Source Database To Oracle Cloud (OCI) Object storage
ZDM orchestrates transfer of all database backup files from the source/primary database to the Object Storage.
ZDM starts creating a Data Guard Standby Database using the backup files that were transferred to the object storage
ZDM sets up Oracle Net Services connectivity between the source and target and completes setting up the
Data Guard configuration
ZDM performs a Data Guard switchover which results in a source database to become the standby database & the target database in the Oracle Cloud to assume the role of the primary database.
ZDM completes the migration process & terminates Data Guard connectivity between the source & the target,
and performs necessary cleanup.

I hope you find this blog useful in understanding ZDM and its migration flow. All these things have been in a more detailed way in our DBA To Cloud DBA Training,

Related/References

MAA Practices for Cloud Migration Using ZDM (Doc ID 2562063.1)
Download ZDM
Installing Zero Downtime Migration Software
Migrating Your Database with Zero Downtime Migration
Zero Data Loss Recovery Appliance (ZDLRA)
Oracle Database Migration To Cloud (Lift & Shift): Overview & Methodology

How Can I Learn More

We cover ZDM in detail in our DBA to Oracle Cloud DBA Training program. To Know, what to expect in our training, Register for our FREE Masterclass on “Upgrade From DBA To Oracle Cloud DBA Including Certification & Earn More In 2020″