This post will elaborate on why organizations worldwide choose to migrate databases from Oracle to Snowflake and how to do so. We will also go into some details of the two databases and the benefits that such migration brings to the table.
Let us start with the attributes of the two databases.
Oracle Database Management System
The Oracle Database Management System from the Oracle Corporation is a multi-model management system. The main purpose of the database is to process transactions in databases online. The Oracle system is fully automated and can be run both on third-party servers as well as Oracle’s hardware.
Oracle has been among the pioneers in databases to support LINUX/GNU. The Oracle DBMS can be run on most hardware and software configurations, offering users the resources for quick data retrieval and storage across platforms. Most importantly, Oracle is ACID-compliant, thereby providing superior levels of data integrity and reliability.
Snowflake
Snowflake is a cloud-based data warehousing solution with many scalable features and a flexible architecture. Offered as a Software-as-a-Service, it offers several cutting-edge capabilities that make migrating databases from Oracle to Snowflake a very attractive proposition for businesses.
Let us check the highlights of Snowflake.
- With Snowflake, users can work with data in its original form, regardless of whether it is in an unstructured, semi-structured, or structured format. This very important user-friendly component is not available in Oracle databases.
- Snowflake offers unlimited storage capabilities. However, users can use precisely what they need and pay for it proportionately. Any sudden additional storage requirements can be downloaded in minutes by paying for the incremental portion only. This is unlike the flat fees charged by Oracle where you have to pay for a fixed quantum of data storage even if it is not required. Hence, Snowflake is more cost-effective than Oracle.
- Snowflake provides high computing power. Even when multiple users simultaneously execute intricate queries, there is no drop in database output, performance, and speed. The same cannot be said for Oracle with confidence.
It is therefore not surprising that businesses want to move their databases from in-premises Oracle to the cloud-based Snowflake.
Why Should You Migrate Databases from Oracle to Snowflake
If you go through the benefits of migration from Oracle to Snowflake, you will see that it is mainly the cloud factor at work. Snowflake brings together all the technologically advanced features of a cloud-based platform and users can work from any location as in a data lake approach.
Moreover, the recently introduced Database Replication feature of Snowflake has added an extra layer to its already-existing capabilities. With this tool, it is now possible to replicate and sync databases with different accounts that exist with various cloud providers and regions.
So, how does it ensure business continuity? Let us go by an example.
Suppose there is an outage or crash of the primary server in a location. With Snowflake, the secondary servers in other locations that are synced with the primary one are automatically triggered and there is no break in work. Once the outage or any other issue is resolved, the Database Replication feature works in the reverse direction. The secondary servers now update the primary server with all transactions that happened in the break period.
Further, as Snowflake operates in the cloud, users are assured of seamless data portability and can seamlessly move databases from one cloud or region to another in a safe and secure environment. An example in this regard is smooth Oracle to Snowflake database migration.
How To Migrate Databases From Oracle To Snowflake
There are four steps to follow to migrate databases from Oracle to Snowflake.
# Extract data from the source Oracle database
The Oracle to Snowflake database migration starts with extracting the data from the Oracle source database. This is done with the SQL Plus Query in-built tool of the Oracle Database Server. The tool is used in conjunction with the “Spool” command which continuously extracts data from the Oracle database till it is switched off. The extracted data is placed in a CSV file.
# Format the data extracted
The extracted data cannot be directly loaded into Snowflake and has to be processed and formatted. This is because the structure of the data must match one that is supported by Snowflake. Currently, the data structures that are supported by Snowflake are EUC-KR, UTF-8, ISO-8859-1 to 9, Big5, and UTF-16. If there is a mismatch between the structure of the data extracted and one of these types, use the “File Format Option” to create a customized format that has the time and date marked on it.
# Keep the extracted data in a temporary location
The mined date that has now been processed and formatted cannot still be directly moved from Oracle to Snowflake. Instead, it must be kept in a temporary location, either internal or external, that is commonly referred to as the staging area.
An internal staging area in the cloud must be created by users. A name and date are automatically applied to these tables. External stage areas are fixed with Snowflake currently supporting Amazon S3 (Simple Storage Service) or Microsoft Azure.
# Load data from the staging area to Snowflake
The data that has been kept in a staging area can now be moved to Snowflake. This completes the migration of databases from Oracle to Snowflake. The data file from the temporary staging area must now be copied to Snowflake. You have to use the Data Loading Overview tool to copy small databases to Snowflake. For large databases, the COPY INTO command should be used.
This rounds up this post on why and how you should migrate databases from Oracle to Snowflake.
