3 Transferring Data with OCI GoldenGate

Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) GoldenGate is a data replication technology that can copy data from a source database into a target database in OCI. For Opower data transfer, GoldenGate is used to move required CIS data from the utility environment to an Oracle-controlled target, where Opower can validate the data and transform it into the data model required by Opower products.

Recommended Use

GoldenGate is the preferred data ingress option for utilities that have an Oracle Utilities CIS, particularly Customer Cloud Service (CCS), Customer Care and Billing (CC&B), or Customer to Meter (C2M). It is especially useful when Oracle Utilities can help manage the replication path because then the utility does not need to design and maintain custom flat-file data extracts to send to Oracle Utilities for each required data feed.

High-Level Process

Oracle Utilities and the utility work together to confirm the source environment, configure secure data transfer, and validate that the replicated data supports Opower product requirements.

  1. Confirm the source CIS, required data, and expected data refresh cadence.
  2. Identify the source tables, views, or other database objects required for the initial data load and ongoing updates.
  3. Complete the required security, network, and access configuration between the utility environment and the Oracle Utilities target environment.
  4. Run the initial replication and validate record counts, required fields, and expected update behavior.
  5. Establish production monitoring, support contacts, and change-management expectations before moving the replication flow into ongoing use.

Utility Requirements

The utility must have a compatible source database or GoldenGate-supported replication path, provide access to the agreed source objects, and support the required security and connectivity approvals. The utility should also be able to identify subject matter experts for the source CIS, provide documentation about customizations that affect required data, and help validate initial and incremental data loads.

Note:

GoldenGate transfers source data. It does not remove the need to confirm how source data maps to Oracle Utilities Opower requirements. Oracle Utilities and the utility should still review source-system meaning, update behavior, data quality issues, and any utility-specific configuration that affects the data that is transferred.