Conversion Support

Conversion Support is a customer-requested service available during the implementation phase to support planned data conversion activities, such as data conversion loads and conversion related batch processing.

During an agreed conversion window, the Oracle Cloud Operations team applies pre-approved environment configuration changes intended to reduce known conversion and batch-processing issues and improve operational stability and performance.

Note:

Oracle recommends using the Production environment during the implementation phase for data migration and conversion activities. Accordingly, customers should request that Conversion Support be enabled in the Production environment for planned data migration activities.

Customers or implementation partners may choose to perform conversion activities in another production-equivalent, non-production environment and request Conversion Support for that environment. However, this approach is not supported by Oracle.

When planning data migration and selecting the environment for conversion activities, review the Environment Type Use Cases section for Oracle's recommendations and supported use of each environment type.

When to Request Conversion Support

Customers should consider Conversion Support as part of their data migration and conversion planning when significant conversion activities are scheduled.

To request Conversion Support, customers must submit a Service Request (SR) to the Cloud Operations team in accordance with the process documented in the Oracle Utilities Cloud Services Cloud Operations Guide.

The SR should be submitted sufficiently in advance of the planned conversion window to allow Cloud Operations to review the environment, validate applicable prerequisites, and complete the required preparation before conversion activities begin.

Customers should coordinate the request with their implementation and data migration teams and provide the planned conversion window and relevant environment information as required by the Oracle Utilities Cloud Services Cloud Operations Guide.

Customer Responsibilities

Conversion Support prepares the Cloud environment for conversion activities; it does not replace the customer's responsibility for planning and executing the data migration.

Customers are responsible for incorporating the following activities into their overall conversion plan:

  • Planning and executing the required data migration and conversion activities.
  • Managing indexes required as part of the data migration process, including applicable index rebuild or maintenance activities.
  • Managing required database statistics gathering as part of data migration and subsequent conversion processing.
  • Coordinating index and statistics operations with the conversion sequence and schedule.
  • Identifying whether the target environment is associated with Oracle GoldenGate and communicating this as part of Conversion Support planning.
  • Coordinating the start and completion of the conversion window with Cloud Operations.
  • Addressing all performance related issues for any online and batch processing.
  • Requesting that Conversion Support mode be disabled before the environment returns to normal testing or production use.

Cloud Operations may temporarily adjust product and database maintenance activities while the environment is in Conversion Support mode. Customers should therefore coordinate their own database operations, including index and statistics activities, with the overall conversion plan.

GoldenGate Considerations

Customers using Oracle GoldenGate must identify GoldenGate usage when planning and requesting Conversion Support.

GoldenGate-enabled environments require additional review and coordination because Conversion Support activities may affect database settings or Golden Gate processing. The environment must therefore be evaluated by Cloud Operations before Conversion Support activities proceed.

After Conversion Support is disabled, additional GoldenGate activities may also be required before replication resumes. Depending on the environment and conversion activities performed, this may include reviewing supplemental logging and determining whether an initial extract or other GoldenGate reconfiguration activity is required.

Customers should include GoldenGate coordination as an explicit activity in the conversion plan rather than treating it as a post-conversion activity.

Returning the Environment to Normal Operation

Conversion Support mode is intended specifically for the planned conversion window. It should not remain enabled once the environment is being returned to normal use.

At the completion of data conversion activities, customers must coordinate with Cloud Operations so that temporary Conversion Support configuration can be removed and applicable maintenance activities can be restored. The Conversion Support procedure specifically requires notification when data conversion activities have completed so that Cloud Operations can re-enable maintenance jobs.

Important Customer Action

Once the conversion activities are complete, or before the environment is used for production/go-live or customer testing activities, the customer must submit a new Service Request (SR) to Cloud Operations requesting that Conversion Support mode be disabled and the environment returned to its normal operating configuration.

Do not continue using an environment in Conversion Support mode for normal testing or production activities.

As part of disabling Conversion Support mode, Cloud Operations restores the applicable environment and database maintenance configuration and returns the environment to its normal active state.

Implementation Planning Considerations

Implementation teams should include Conversion Support in the overall data migration and cut-over plan rather than treating it as an operational request immediately before conversion.

As part of conversion planning, confirm:

  • The environment and planned conversion window.
  • The Conversion Support SR has been submitted with sufficient lead time.
  • Data migration activities and sequencing are defined.
  • Index management and statistics gathering activities are included in the migration plan.
  • GoldenGate dependencies, where applicable, have been identified and coordinated.
  • Cloud Operations and the implementation team have aligned on the start and completion of the conversion window.
  • A new SR will be submitted to disable Conversion Support mode before the environment transitions to customer testing, production, or go-live activities.

For details about submitting and managing the Service Request, refer to the applicable Oracle Utilities Cloud Services Cloud Operations Guide.

Summary

  • Review Conversion Support requirements during data migration planning and engage Cloud Operations through an SR before the planned conversion window.
  • Include database index and statistics management, GoldenGate coordination where applicable, and the post-conversion SR to return the environment to normal operation as explicit activities in the implementation plan.