Overview
Background
This project will set up new servers, in DEV and TEST, that will host Oracle 12c and allow us to fully research and analyse the new features that this new version can offer us. This investigative work will be measured against our business requirements for such a service and should allow us to develop new database environments that are fit for our purposes. What is delivered via this project will be the foundations for future work that will build our installation of the Oracle upgrade in Live.
By upgrading we will ensure:
- We are in a fully supported position moving forward for our main database delivery platform
- We will be able to ensure security issues are in a position to be addressed with the vendor
- We are able to utilise new features that enable us to deliver a more reliable, scalable and performant service.
Scope
The scope of this project will encompass the build of four new servers (already acquired) that will be used to form the Development and Test environments for our installation of the Oracle 12c upgrade. These will comprise two servers per environment. The project will also include training in the use of Oracle 12c, for appropriate project staff, and an analysis of the new features offered by Oracle 12c in order to determine which of these might be implemented into our configuration of the upgrade. This analysis is expected to produce a discussion of the recommended features and a final decision on which of these should be adopted into our build of the upgraded service. The project scope will then also consider a representative sample of of relevant databases that can be copied to the upgraded service to allow any required development and testing tasks, particularly of any new features that are adopted. The purchase of servers for the Live environment has been added to the scope. The project will conclude once the upgraded service has been deployed in DEV and TEST.
The scope of this project does not, at this stage, include the build of the Live servers, unless the scope, milestones and effort are subsequently modified to supplement a second phase of this project that will allow this to be done. At this point, however, a separate project to establish the Live service is mooted.
Objectives and Deliverables
| ID | Description | Classification |
| Objective 1 | Build new DEV and TEST environments to host Oracle 12c & RMAN | Must Have |
D1.1 | Development and Test servers (two per environment) that are fit for purpose and have Oracle 12c & RMAN installed | |
| Objective 2 | Develop a migration process that can be used across our Oracle environments | Must Have |
| D2.1 | A fully tested and documented migration process that allows us to upgrade example databases from Oracle 11g to Oracle 12c | |
| Objective 3 | To train appropriate staff in the use and management of Oracle 12c | Must Have |
| D3.1 | An appropriate training course in Oracle 12c for IS Apps staff | |
| Objective 4 | Purchase new servers for the Live environment | Must Have |
| D4.1 | Live servers that are fit for purpose and have Oracle 12c installed | |
| Objective 5 | Establish which of the new features available in Oracle 12c are suitable for our operational and business requirements | Should Have |
D5.1 | Analysis of the new features that Oracle 12c can offer us | |
| D5.2 | Recommendations of which of the new features we should include in our implementation of Oracle 12c | |
| Objective 6 | Implement the new features that are considered pertinent to our needs on the new Dev & Test servers | Should Have |
| D6.1 | Dev and Test servers (two per environment) that have the appropriate new features installed and tested | |
| Objective 7 | Prepare recommendations for any follow-on project to build a Live environment that hosts Oracle 12c | Should Have |
| D7.1 | A set of procedures for building the Live instance of Oracle 12c |
Benefits
By upgrading to version 12c we will ensure:
- We are in a fully supported position moving forward for our main database delivery platform
- We will be able to ensure security issues are in a position to be addressed with the vendor
- We are able to utilise new features that enable us to deliver a more reliable, scalable and performant service.
Success Criteria
The success, or otherwise, of this project will be determined by measuring what is achieved and delivered against the objectives and deliverables set out above. This will, of course, take any modifications of issues around scope, budget or timings into consideration so that these are included in any final analysis of the project.