Use SharePlex to replace Oracle Streams

Streams is Gone

If you're a current Oracle Streams user looking to upgrade to Oracle 19c, you already know that as of this release, Oracle has removed Streams.   So, there are choices to be made.  You can

• Change your processes and applications so that you no longer require replication
• Replace Streams with "home grown" processes, such as database links and triggers
• Use Oracle GoldenGate
• Find a solution from another vendor

In this blog, I'll how you how SharePlex can be used to replace Oracle Streams for replication

The Golden Alternative

Unlike STREAMS, SharePlex uses reads the Oracle redo logs to capture database change information.   Through a series of processes, the change data is transferred from the source database to one (or more!) target database(s) and applied as SQL.   Our customers tell us SharePlex is significantly easier to manage than some of the other alternatives; among other things, there's no PL/SQL to code.

Here's a diagram of SharePlex architecture.

SharePlex is managed using a configuration file on the source system.  There's no need to remember to keep source and target configurations synchronized, and SharePlex will even replicate DDL changes for you.

Here's a simple configuration file that will replicate the entire AP schema from one database to another
datasource:o.myoltp
#source schema      target schema        routing
expand AP%            AP%                       mydwhost.example.com@o.mydw

That's all there is to it!   

Some customers who are converting Streams may have complex PL/SQL to control selective replication, perhaps replicating only certain columns in a table, or only certain tables. SharePlex supports selective replication, all configured from the configuration  file.   Here are a few examples:

This will replicate all AP tables EXCEPT tables with names ending inn "DETAIL"
datasource:o.myoltp
#source schema                               target schema        routing
expand AP%  NOT(%DETAIL)         AP%                       mydwhost.example.com@o.mydw

This will replicate the CUSTOMER table, but only the CITY and POSTAL_CODE columns
datasource:o.myoltp
#source schema                                                target schema                          routing
AP.CUSTOMER(CITY, POSTAL_CODE)          AP.CUSTOMER                       mydwhost.example.com@o.mydw

Click here for a video from one of our customers who explains just how easy it is to configure and maintain SharePlex.

To learn more about how SharePlex can help you modernize your replication environment, click here.