Ganesh Bekkinkeri, Author at Techyaz.com

How to Install SSMA for Oracle to Migrate Oracle Database to SQL Server

Ganesh Bekkinkeri — Sat, 12 May 2018 11:28:58 +0000

Today, I am going to discuss about Oracle to SQL Server Database Migration. This article will give you step by step method to install Microsoft SQL Server Migration Assistant for Oracle. We also call it SSMA for Oracle. Microsoft has designed this tool to automate data migration from Oracle to SQL Server or Azure SQL DB. SSMA for Oracle is very advanced tool that converts Oracle database schemas to SQL Server Schemas and then migrate the data from Oracle to SQL Server database.

The very first step to start the data migration is to setup and install Microsoft SQL Server Migration Assistant for Oracle on the system where you want to host your migrated database. Here, I will give you step by step process to proceed with the installation. First, we should check all the prerequisites for SSMA for Oracle.

Prerequisites

Make sure to validate all steps mentioned below before going to install Microsoft SQL Server Migration Assistant for Oracle.

Make sure you have already installed SQL Server instance that will host the migrated database. Also keep in mind that you are not installing SQL Server Express edition to host the migrated database.
You must have sysadmin account to install SQL Server Migration Assistant for Oracle.
Make sure to install SSMA for Oracle on the server that will host newly migrated database on SQL Server.
It is recommended to install Oracle client software on your target system where SQL Server Instance is running.
Make sure your windows server has Microsoft Windows Installer 3.1 or a later version.
Port 1434 should be open.

Step by Step Process to Install SQL Server Migration Assistant for Oracle

There are three steps you should go through if you want to install Oracle to SQL Server Migration Tool SSMA for Oracle.

Oracle to SQL Server Migration Tool Download
Install SSMA for Oracle
Install SSMA for Oracle Extension Pack

Let’s go one by one and complete the installation of Microsoft SQL Server Migration Assistant for Oracle tool.

Oracle to SQL Server Migration Tool Download

First step is Oracle to SQL Server migration tool download. We will first download its installation package from Microsoft website attached in the link. As of now latest version of Microsoft SQL Server Migration Assistant for Oracle is v7.8. Download the required packages from attached link. Microsoft SQL Server Migration Assistant for Oracle contains three packages as shown in below screenshot.

First two packages are same; one for 64 bit system and another one for 32 bit system. Third one is SSMA for Oracle extension pack. We need to download two packages (any one from first two based on your system architecture and one extension pack) for Oracle to SQL migration. The name of packages that i have downloaded are given below.

SSMAforOracle_7.8.0.msi
SSMAforOracleExtensionPack_7.8.0.msi

You can see both packages have been downloaded on my machine in below screenshot.

First package SSMAforOracle is mandatory to install for oracle to SQL migration. We will be installing both packages in sequence one after another. You cannot install extension pack if you have not installed SSMA for Oracle base package. Here, I will show you how to install Microsoft SQL Server Migration Assistant for Oracle and SSMA for Oracle Extension Pack.

Install Microsoft SQL Server Migration Assistant for Oracle

As we have downloaded both required packages for SSMA for Oracle in above section. Now we will start the installation. Right click on first package “SSMAforOracle_7.8.0” and click at “Run as Administrator” to launch the installation window. Installation of this package is very easy and smooth whereas installation of second package requires some configurational parameters that I will describe in next section of this article.

You will get below welcome page window to start the SSMA for Oracle installation. Click on Next button to go to next window.

Next window will ask you to validate whether you have installed Oracle client software or not as I have described in prerequisite section. You can also install it later post this installation. I would suggest you to first install Oracle client before going with this installation. You can also download the Oracle client package from this window by clicking at Download button. Click Next to go to next window.

Here, accept the License agreement and click on Next button to proceed.

Here, we need to choose what type of setup we should install for SSMA for Oracle. I have chosen first option that is “Typical”.

When you click at Typical option to select it, the setup will move you to final window of this setup. Here, click at “Install” button to finish the SSMA for oracle installation.

Once Microsoft SQL Server Migration Assistant for Oracle will be installed, you will get below image. Click on Finish button to close this window.

Now SSMA for Oracle is installed, next we will configure Microsoft SQL Server Migration Assistant for Oracle Extension Pack to support server to server migration from Oracle to SQL Server migration.

Install SSMA for Oracle Extension Pack

Microsoft SQL Server Migration Assistant for Oracle Extension Pack creates two databases sysdb and ssmatesterdb on the target SQL Server Instance. The database sysdb contains the tables and stored procedures that are required to migrate data, and the user-defined functions that emulate Oracle system functions. The ssmatesterdb database contains the tables and procedures that are required by the Tester component.

Also, when you migrate data to SQL Server, SSMA creates SQL Server Agent jobs when server side data migration engine is used for migrating the data. Now let’s go ahead and start the installation of SSMA extension pack.

Installation of SSMA extension pack has two steps. First step is very much like the installation of first package that we did in above section so I am not going to attach the screenshots for this step because all are similar to the installation of first package. Second step of this installation is to configuration part where installation will install few SQL scripts that will support this migration. I will show the screenshots for this configuration part post installation of extension pack. Both Steps will come during running extension pack installation package.

Right click on second package SSMAforOracleExtensionPack_7.8.0 and click at “Run as Administration”. Again, you will get welcome page of installation.

Click Next button to proceed. If you have not installed Oracle client yet then you will get to notify oracle client is missing and you should install it before getting license agreement window. If you have already installed Oracle client then you will get next window to accept the license agreement. Accept the License agreement and click on Next button to proceed.

Now you will get next window to choose setup type. I have chosen Typical as I did in above section.

Once you click at typical option it will ask you to install the extension pack. Click on Install button to start the installation.

Once installation will be done you will get below window to configure the SSMA for Oracle tool. Now click on Next button to configure and install required SQL scripts.

Here, you need to enter the SQL Server Instance name on which you want to host your migrated database. Remember, SSMA system databases sysdb and ssmatesterdb both databases will be created on this instance only.

Click Next button to enter connection parameters post entering the SQL Server instance name.

Enter Connection details that you are using to connect to database instance in above screenshot. Click Next button now.

Enter password to protect the passwords stored in databases sysdb and ssmatesterdb. Again, click next now.

Here, setup will ask you to create the system databases sysdb and ssmatesterdb on your given database instance. Choose options accordingly on below page and click on next button.

A processing will happen just like below image once you click at next button.

Once processing will be completed, SSMA for oracle extension pack will be installed. And a icon will be created on your server desktop.

You can also validate it by connecting to database instance that you have given during configuration of extension pack. You will see both system databases sysdb and ssmatesterdb will be created there for this migration.

Once both packages will be installed, make sure to run below command to enable clr.

sp_configure 'clr enabled', 1 
GO 
RECONFIGURE 
GO

If CLR is not enabled, you will receive the following error when SSMA connects to SQL Server:

SSMA could not retrieve the extension pack assembly version information. Reinstall the extension pack on the database server.

You will see many database objects created on system db sysdb. Such objects are ssma_oracle.bcp_migration_packages, ssma_oracle.db_storage, and ssma_oracle.db_error_list table along with many stored procedures and user-defined functions in the ssma_oracle schema.

Every time that you migrate data to SQL Server, SSMA creates a SQL Server Agent job. These jobs are named ssma_oracle data migration package {GUID}, and are visible in the SQL Server Agent node of SQL Server Management Studio in the Jobs folder.

Here we have installed Microsoft SQL Server Migration Assistant for Oracle and its Extension pack to migrate a database from Oracle to SQL Server. I hope you like this article. Please follow our Facebook page and Twitter handle to get latest updates.

How to Add a New Database to Always On Availability Group?

Ganesh Bekkinkeri — Mon, 22 Jan 2018 11:33:16 +0000

Adding or Removing databases from availability group is not day to day task but we need to perform such activities whenever it required. You can read attached article to learn how to remove database from availability group. Here, I will explain how to add database to an existing Always On availability group by using SSMS (SQL Server Management Studio) and Transact-SQL.

Before starting this exercise, make sure that primary and secondary replicas are accessible to each other and existing AOAG configuration is working fine and in healthy state. You must be connected to the server instance that hosts the primary replica to add a database to availability group.

Add Database to Availability Group using GUI in SSMS

First, we need to configure the corresponding secondary database on each server instance that hosts a secondary replica to save add database wizard processing time. You just need to run the full backup and immediate transaction log backup of the database on primary replica that has been identified to add to the availability group and then restore it to corresponding secondary replica.

Although it is not mandatory step to do it before adding the database to availability group as this can be done during adding database to availability group as well. But it is recommended to prepare your secondary databases on secondary replica before adding it to availability group. Let’s start with configuring secondary replicas followed by adding them to AOAG configuration.

First run the full backup and immediate transaction log backup of the database that has been identified to add to the availability group on primary replica.
Once backups are completed on primary replica for to-be added database, copy these backups to your secondary replica and restore it with same name in no recovery mode if you want to keep your secondary database inaccessible.
Once database will be restored/ synced on secondary replicas, we will start adding this database to existing AOAG configuration using Add Database to Availability Group Wizard on primary replica.
Launch SQL Server Management Studio. Connect to the server instance that hosts the primary replica, and expand the server tree.
Expand the Always On High Availability folder followed by Availability Groups.
Right-click the availability group name, and select one of the following commands:
- To launch the Add Database to Availability Group Wizard, select the Add Database.
- To add one or more databases by specifying them in the Availability Group Properties dialog box, select the Properties.
Once you click on Add Database… option to add database to existing AOAG configuration, an Introduction wizard will appear that will very similar to the one you might have seen during creating AOAG on your SQL Server Instance.
Next screen will come to select databases to proceed with adding them in to AOAG configuration.
Third window will come to select initial data synchronization option. Here you should be careful as if you have already configured secondary databases as we did in step 1 and step 2 then you need to select second option that is “Join Only”. If you haven’t configured your secondary database you can go with either first option that will backup the primary database and restore it to secondary replica during this processing only or third option in which you can configure secondary database later. If your database is big in size it will take lot much time to complete the processing.
Follow rest of all windows by clicking at next button and once you will click at finish button on last window, your database will be added to existing availability group. You can see the status of this newly added database in to dashboard report or in SSMS.

Add a Database to Availability Group using T-SQL

As I have described n above section, first thing is to configure secondary database so we need to configure the corresponding secondary database on each server instance that hosts a secondary replica to save add database processing time. You just need to run the full backup and immediate transaction log backup of the database on primary replica that has been identified to add to the availability group and then restore it to corresponding secondary replica. Once restore will be completed then follow below steps to add this database to availability group.

1. Connect to the server instance that hosts the server instance that hosts the primary replica.
2. Use the ALTER AVAILABILITY GROUP statement, as follows:

--AG_name is the name of the availability group.
--database_name is the name of a database to be added to the group.
ALTER AVAILABILITY GROUP AG_name ADD DATABASE database_name

The following example adds the Techyaz database to the AG_Techyaz availability group.

-- Connect to the server instance that hosts the primary replica.
-- Add an existing database to the availability group.
ALTER AVAILABILITY GROUP AG_Techyaz ADD DATABASE Techyaz;
GO

If you haven’t configured your secondary database then you need to configure it on each server instance that hosts a secondary replica after adding database to an availability group. If you already added it then you are done with adding your database to existing AOAG configuration. Validate it by launching dashboard report or looking in to SSMS.

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How to Remove Database from Always On Availability Group?

Ganesh Bekkinkeri — Fri, 19 Jan 2018 11:45:20 +0000

This article describes how to remove availability database(s) from an Always on Availability Group by using SQL Server Management Studio and Transact-SQL. Here, we will be removing primary database from availability group that will remove corresponding secondary database from AOAG configuration as well.

You must be connected to primary replica of AOAG configuration to perform this activity. If you connect to secondary replica to remove availability databases from AOAG configuration then only secondary database from AOAG configuration will be removed. If you remove availability database or say primary database from AOAG configuration on primary replica then it will remove availability databases from always on availability group from both replicas.

Remove Availability Database from AOAG using SSMS

Launch SQL Server Management Studio. Connect to the SQL Server instance that hosts the primary replica of the database or databases to be removed, and expand the server tree.
Expand the Always On High Availability folder followed by Availability Groups folder showing in SSMS.
You can see your Availability Group Name post expanding Availability Group folder. Now expand this folder as well.
Now you can see Availability Databases folder. Expand this folder to see your availability databases.
Right-click the selected database or databases, and select Remove Database from Availability Group option as shown in below screenshot.
You will be getting below window to proceed with the database removal from AOAG configuration. In the Remove Databases from Availability Group dialog box, to remove all the listed databases, click OK.
If you want to remove multiple databases from AOAG configuration, use the Object Explorer Details pane to view and select all the databases that you want to remove. You can also remove a single database either from the Object Explorer pane or the Object Explorer Details pane.

This way you will remove primary database or say availability database from AOAG configuration. Data synchronization will be stopped for this database between both replicas the moment you remove it from availability group.

Later, you can decide whether you want to remove your secondary database or you want to use it by bringing it online. Make sure to change database name of secondary database to avoid any confusion because a copy of this database is already online with same name on primary replica.

Remove Availability Database from AOAG using T-SQL

Connect to SQL Server instance that are acting as primary replica of AOAG configuration. Open New Query window to execute T-SQL query. Run below ALTER AVAILABILITY GROUP statement. Make sure to change the availability group name and availability database name that needs to be removed from AOAG configuration.

--Availability_group_name is the name of the availability group
--Availability_db_name is the name of the database to be removed
ALTER AVAILABILITY GROUP Availibility_group_name REMOVE DATABASE Availability_db_name

I have executed below command to remove my availability database Techyaz from availability group name AG_Techyaz on primary replica.

ALTER AVAILABILITY GROUP AG_Techyaz REMOVE DATABASE Techyaz;

You can see i have successfully execute this command in below screenshot.

Now, database will be removed from always on availability group and data synchronization will be stopped for this database between both replicas. Primary database will come online for read write and secondary database on secondary replica will be in restoring state. I hope you like this article. Please follow our Facebook page and Twitter handle to get latest updates.

Manage Transaction Log File during Data Load

Ganesh Bekkinkeri — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 12:58:25 +0000

Have you even face that your transaction log file is growing exceptionally and you have to manage log file to make it in his size limit? Managing transaction log file is not an easy job if you have to run huge data import. I was working on a migration project where we had to import huge set of data into SQL Server database. We had changed multiple configurational parameters to speed up data migration and set appropriate data and log file size before starting the migration. We observed that the log file was growing extensively during data load. Log file was almost 80% full and data load was still in progress. This was a potential risk that could have caused this import to fail. We had to manage transaction log file during data load to avoid this risk and make this import successful without any issue. We had options to add log file to the database or extend the log drive. I used DBCC SQLPERF command to get the log space usage statistics. Please have a look at the log space size of database TY1 in last row.

We had few options to overcome this issue. As we were running this database in simple recovery mode, so we didn’t have an option to run the Transaction Log backup. We tried to shrink the log file to manage transaction log file but it was not allowing us to do so. This might be due to the data load execution was in process and active transaction.

Finally, we left out with two options; either extend the log drive or add a log file to the database on a drive that has enough space to accumulate the logs. Extending the existing drive was not possible because data load was in progress and we need to fix this issue without stopping the import/data load. So, we decided to go with another option that was to add a database log file to a drive that has enough space. I have given you step by step method to add a log file to a database in below section.

Add Log File to a Database

I will show you how to add log file to a database using T-SQL statements and using GUI in SQL Server Management Studio to manage transaction log file during data load. This way you can manage if your transaction log file is growing faster.

Using T-SQL Statement

Open new query window and run below T-SQL statement to add a log file TY1_Log3.ldf to database TY1 on F drive. Have a look at below T-SQL code to get other details like sizing and growth details.

--Replace your Database Name and file details in below T-SQL Code.
ALTER DATABASE [TY1]
ADD LOG FILE (NAME = 'TY1_Log3', FILENAME = 'F:\TY1_Log3.ldf', SIZE = 20080 MB, FILEGROWTH = 5024 MB)
GO

Once you execute above T-SQL statement, your log file TY1_Log3.ldf will be added on F drive to the database TY1.

Remember, add the log file in a drive where you have enough space. If you will add log file to data file drive then you might face IO pressure because both data and log files will be on same drive so avoid to keep data and log file on same drive.

Using GUI in SSMS

Launch SQL Server Management Studio and connect to the instance of the SQL Server Database Engine. Expand Databases folder, right-click the database in which you have to add the log file, and then click Properties.
In the Database Properties dialog box, select the Files page from left side pane.
To add a transaction log file, click Add button from lower right side pane.
In the Database files grid, enter a logical name for the file. The file name must be unique within the database. Select the file type as log. Specify the initial size of the file. Set Autogrowth column as per your requirement.
Specify the path for the file location along with physical log file name. The specified path must exist before adding the file. Make sure that your drive has enough space to host this log file.
Click on OK button to create this add this log file to the database.

Once you performed step 6, log file will be added to your database on your identified drive name. These exercises (adding log file to database) doesn’t require any downtime or it will not interrupt any existing transactions. This way you can manage transaction log file during data load if your transaction log file is growing faster.

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