Introduction to IZ_Migration | ||||||||
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What is IZ_Migration? | ||||||||
IZ_Migration is a PL/SQL package to help you migrating your database(s) to UTF8. Not everything can be done automatically (otherwise we'ld lose our jobs ;) - but Oracle gives us possibilities to script certain things. Provided the necessary information, the procedures stored within the package will ease the conversion process a lot. While the usual migration process as recommended by Oracle uses the EXP and IMP (export and import) utilities to transfer the data, the IZ_Migration package runs a different path: We use Oracle Database Links to transfer the data and adjust the settings, while EXP and IMP are used for the structures (and stored procedures etc.) only. Why shall we do so, why step aside the "recommended path"? The main reason to find an alternative, was the large downtime required for a consistent export/import of all data. Using the traditional way, for one production database (and thereby the connected application) this would have resulted in a full workday lost (2+ hours for the export, 8+ hours for the import - all together summing up in a downtime of at least 10 hours). Using our "alternative route", we have been able to limit the downtime to about 2.5 hours - a cutback to 25%, or speedup factor of 4. Since we still stay as "conservative" as possible (safety first!), having the whole thing done 4 times faster is an argument you can't neglect for an environment you usually depend on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week... | ||||||||
What scripts are available with IZ_Migration? | ||||||||
As already explained in the distributed README file (did you read it?), the scripts shipped in the archive are for the installation only. At the end of the installation process, you will have all the required tools installed as a package into your database. Please refer to the Installation resp. Usage sections of this documentation for closer details. Basically, you find the following scripts in this archive:
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Where to find the latest information/version? | ||||||||
From time to time this package may be updated. This will mostly happen, when I found some bugs to fix or features to add. When time permits, the documentation will be updated, too... Then, whenever I find it's worth it, I will release a new package. For the always latest information on IZ_Migration, as well as on my other products, just visit the IzzySoft website. In case of questions/suggestions, you also may use the contact form available there. |