Real Application Testing – Database Replay (1)

Hi Friends,

Oracle Real Application Testing, an option that comes with Oracle Enterprise Editition. Oracle Real Application Testing helps you to test the real-life workload after changes on the database such as database upgrades, OS upgrades, parameter changes, hardware replacement, etc. There are two features “SQL Perfomance Analyzer” and “Database Replay” will help us fine-tuning on the database before passing production.

Now let’s learn RAT – “Database Replay” feature closely.

When can you use RAT – “Database Replay” feature?

System Changes

– Hardware replacement such as CPU, RAM, etc.

– Database and OS upgrades

– Storage changes (OCFS2 – ASM)

– OS changes (Windows – Linux)
Configuration Changes

– Single Instance – RAC
– Patch installation
– Database parameter change

Which database versions are supported?

The workload capture process is supported on the Oracle Database 10g R2 (10.2.0.4) and above versions. The worload replay process is supported on the Oracle Database 11g R1 and above versions.

Which workloads are supported?

 

– All DDL, DML and PL/SQL statements
– Login and Logoff
– Lob columns

– SQL*Loader – Direct Path Load operations
– Distributed transactions

 

In this article, We will learn how to capture the workload using the Oracle Enterprise Manager .

 

Let the following the preparations for the capture process.

 

1- Take full backup of production database. You can use methods such as RMAN Duplicate, Snaphost Standby, Data Pump

2- Allocate physical disk space. Cretae a directory on OS.

# mkdir /data1/dbreplay

3- Create Oracle directory object.

SQL> CREATE DIRECTORY capturedir AS ‘ /data1/dbreplay ‘;

Now you can proceed to capture the workload on OEM.

1- Login to OEM

2- Click “Database” link.

3- Click “Software and Support” page. Click “Database Replay” link under “Real Application Testing”

4- Click “Go to task” button

5- Check the boxes under “Acknowledge”. Before proceeding to capture the workload you should be met prerequisites.

6- It is recommended to restart our database. But we can continue to live in our system without having to restart. If we want to implement a filter to capture the process so we can select a service or a user.

7- Select capture directory.

8- Write OS username and password.

9- Click “Submit” button to start capture.

10- Run applications which you want to capture.

11-To stop capture process, click the “Stop Capture” button. You will see .wmd files in capture directory on OS.

12- Click Yes button.

13- It will ask for exporting AWR data. Click yes to export AWR data.

14- A job will take export of AWR data.

Move all files in capture directory to the test system. In the next article I will write the Pre-Processing phase.

To meet in the next article …

Talip Hakan Öztürk

How to Capture the Workload using the Oracle Enterprise Manager? Database Replay-1

How to Preprocess the Workload for Replay using the Oracle Enterprise Manager? Database Replay-2

How to Replay the Workload using the Oracle Enterprise Manager? Database Replay-3

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