Overview

Background

The current Oracle database infrastructure has reached an age where it is no longer satisfying the demands made of it. This is constraining Applications Division’s ability to offer the best services to the University and in some cases performance has been badly impacted. Support for the current infrastructure will become an issue after the end of service life is reached in April 2014

This project will use the solution, technical design and other formative documents produced for ITS059 to procure the physical infrastructure in order to satisfy the business requirements. The project will provision this physical infrastructure. In addition it will prepare the Oracle database software, the supporting infrastructure (such as backup and recovery) and install high availability software (Oracle Active Data Guard). A selected demonstrator database will be migrated to this infrastructure for acceptance.

The project will deliver everything required in order to operate an Oracle database with high performance in a high availability mode. The project will create the foundation level scripts that would be required to handle automatic failover of a database to a secondary site in the event of a system failure. The project will not migrate all applications or databases to the new infrastructure but will provide estimations and a  process for input to the 13/14 annual planning round (or for projects that will be doing significant database work that could utilise the new infrastructure between Jan 2013 - jul 2013

Success will be measured by demonstrating that existing performance and practice is still maintained while adding in the new Oracle Active Data Guard technology to the service.   

The project will deliver a number of benefits; high performance, sustainability, high resilience, complete use of both computer facilities at Kings Buildings and Appleton Tower. Reduced costs for running comparably sized infrastructure, and reduced maintenance costs

Benefits will be realised as soon as the first database is made live in the new infrastructure. Performance benefits will immediately be apparent. Cost savings will also be apparent but become more clear once the existing Sun Solaris infrastructure is decommissioned. Other benefits will be seen beyond this project as services are migrated to the new infrastructure and pressure is taken from the existing legacy equipment.

Scope, Objectives and Deliverables

The scope of this project includes the following:

1. A decision on whether virtualisation (or not) is the best approach for the new database tier
2. Procurement of the necessary hardware and any required software & licences.  The procurement process will utilise existing framework agreement, not a full blown procurement exercise. This has been agreed with the Procurement  Office
3. Training of appropriate staff in Development Technology and Technology Management
4. The establishment of the new database infrastructure at both KB and AT
5. Agreed procedures on migration and support (including patching) of the new database tier
6. One exemplar migration of a current Oracle database supported by IS Apps

The scope does not include the migration of other databases. It is anticipated that plans for these will be made through a separate project or projects.

The objectives are as follows:

1. To implement a fully supported new database infrastructure
2. To increase transactional performance for appropriate applications
3. To put in place a scalable solution that offers horizontal scaling, thus reducing future costs when growth is deemed necessary
4. To ensure we fully utilise both data centres at King's Buildings and Appleton Tower

The deliverables for the project are:

1. A new database infrastructure based on x86 and Linux
2. New operating procedures and processes to integrate Active Data Guard
3. Improved recovery times with clearer recovery models for services
4. An exemplar migration demonstrating the new benefits of the new infrastructure and automatic failover

Benefits

1. An up-to-date and scalable database environment that meets our business needs
2. Improved performance for business systems and users
3. Greater recovery times and enhanced availability

Success Criteria

1. The procurement and implementation of a new database tier
2. The deployment and usage of Oracle Active Data Guard
3. The production of relevant procedures and supporting documentation
4. The acquisition of training for appropriate staff
5. The exemplar migration of one Oracle database to the new infrastructure
6. The production of Information to feed into Annual Plannng / projects for effort and process to migrate systems