Migrating Oracle 12c version 12.2 on-prem to AWS cloud Oracle 12c version 12.1

[NatNoles]

Hi All,

We currently have ArcGIS Enterprise geodatabase 10.2 versioned. GIS analysts use ArcMap 10.6, ArcMap 10.7, ArcGIS Pro 2.9, and 3.0. There is no portal. There are python scripts in version 2.7 and version 3.10. 

The geodatabase is old, and it’s a good opportunity to upgrade the geodatabase to 10.8 or 10.9. There are analysts that don’t want to migrate to Pro yet.

I will appreciate your recommendations for a workflow/checklist to follow for two possible scenarios.

1. Migrating database to the same Oracle 12c version 12.2
2. Downgrading database from Oracle 12c version 12. 2 to version 12.1

First time migrating to the cloud, any insights and advice are appreciated. Thanks!

[Scott_Tansley]

Question.  What is your level of connectivity to the cloud?  By which I mean are you using something like an Azure Express Route?  If you put your databases into the cloud, but keep your Pro/ArcMap instances on your local machines, then you are going to be impacted by latency and bandwidth issues, and you may see terrible performance as a result.  Databases and clients need to be co-located. 

[NatNoles]

The users will have VMs also in the same region and AZ at AWS. I got the connections for the VMs in the new environment at AWS. I installed the ArcGIS License Manager and I de-authorized some licenses from the current on-prem license server and authorized them at the new AWS. We have concurrent licenses.

Plan:

1. GIS License Manager. Install and configure ArcGIS License Manager.

2. Users’ VMs. Install ArcGIS Desktop ArcMap 10.8.2 and ArcGIS Pro 3.0

    Which versions do you recommend? I was thinking of upgrading the geodatabase to 10.8 due that the     current geodatabase is old (10.2)

3. Upgrade Geodatabase Test.
     a. Get a replica of the current on-prem Oracle 12c 12.2 database to a test environment.
     b. Upgrade geodatabase 10.2 to 10.8 (Which version do you recommend?)

4. Database Migration Test.
     a. I found out that AWS now supports Oracle 12.2. I hope we can get the same version or higher.
          https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2022/06/amazon-rds-custom-oracle-supports-database-12-2-1...

     b. Request a copy of the PROD database with the upgraded geodatabase version in the AWS environment for testing.
     c. What are your recommendations for the configuration of the new AWS Oracle 12.2 database environment?

5. Testing New Environment (AWS). Provide VMs to analysts and developers and ask them to test GIS workflows and python scripts, etc.

6. After testing has been completed. Coordinate the date of the actual database migration with the Sys Ops / Dev team.

7. Database Migration day.
     a. Backup database
     b. Database version & Admin tasks. Reconcile, post, and delete versions. Analyze, rebuild indexes, compress, etc.
     c. Which database migration strategy do you recommend?
          * Export and import using ArcGIS
          * Oracle data dump, RMAN, other. Recommendations?

8. Review and test the new AWS environment.

9. Final cut over.

10.Documentation.

Now, I’m in Step 2. Your advice is appreciated. Thanks.

[ScottTansley3]

Hey.  I can't make recommendations on the Oracle side of things.  I largely work with PostgreSQL and SQL Server, so we'll let someone else step in on that part of the subject.

When it comes to geodatabase versions then my recommendation is to go with the highest level possible, but no higher than your lowest client!  So some of my clients are using 10.9.1 Enterprise and 3.0 ArcGIS Pro, but they have two users with 10.6.1 ArcMap because of third-party integrations.  Most of their geodatabase are 10.9.1, but they have a 10.6.1 geodatabase for layers that relate to that integration.

There is a degree of forward and backwards capability, so using ArcGIS Pro 3.0 means you could use a 10.9.1 geodatabase schema, 10.8.2 will work with it.  But remember that some Pro-based functions are not supported in ArcMap.  

Given that you're using ArcMap 10.8.2, it may make sense on this upgrade to use that as the client to perform the upgrade.  Pro will still use it.  You can upgrade directly from 10.2 to 10.8.x:

https://desktop.arcgis.com/en/arcmap/latest/manage-data/gdbs-in-oracle/upgrade-geodatabase-oracle.ht...

One thing to consider is the age of the geodatabase and it's general health.  Several of my peers have chosen to copy from an old geodatabse to a new geodatabase.  Literally:

• create new geodatabase
• reconcile/post/compress data in the old database and potentially  unregister versioning (if present)
• Copy feature classes to new geodatabase.
• Reestablish geodatabase functions like versioning

This gives a nice clean environment to move into with no database bloat and good clean data.  You can remove unused feature classes etc.  However, it really depends on the complexity of your data so that only works well for simple structures.  It's worth considering though.

Many of the questions you're asking are Oracle specific rather than geodatabase specific, so I'm going to leave it at that for now.  

[NatNoles]

Thank you Scott. I like your idea to start with a clean environment. The current geodatabase was created several years ago when 10.2 was released in 2013. However, I will have to check if it could be feasible to go that option due to time constrain.

We have versioned environment. I'll check the unregister part. Definitely, I have to register the new FCs. 

I hope someone with experience using Oracle and ArcGIS enterprise provide some guidance.