Considerations for an Active-Active Configuration

1. TRUNCATES

Bi-directional replication of TRUNCATES is not supported.
To replicate TRUNCATES (if supported by Oracle GoldenGate for the database) in an active-active configuration, the TRUNCATES must originate only from one database, and only from the same database each time.
On the system where TRUNCATE will be permitted,Configure the Extract and Replicat parameter files to contain the GETTRUNCATES parameter.
On the other system, configure the Extract and Replicat parameter files to contain the IGNORETRUNCATES parameter. No TRUNCATES should be performed on this system by applications that are part of the Oracle GoldenGate configuration.
By default, truncate operations are not captured from the source or replicated to the target.

2.  TimeZone

When using Active-Active replication, the time zones must be the same on both systems so that timestamp-based conflict resolution and detection can operate.

3.  Keys

For accurate detection of conflicts, all records must have a unique, not-null identifier. If possible, create a primary key. If that is not possible, use a unique key or create a substitute key with a KEYCOLS option of the MAP and TABLE parameters. In the absence of a unique identifier, Oracle GoldenGate uses all of the columns that are valid in a WHERE clause, but this will degrade performance if the table contains numerous columns.

To maintain data integrity and prevent errors, the following must be true of the key that you use for any given table:

contain the same columns in all of the databases where that table resides.

contain the same values in each set of corresponding rows across the databases.

4.  Database-Generated Values

Do not replicate database-generated sequential values, such as Oracle sequences, in a bi-directional configuration. The range of values must be different on each system, with no chance of overlap.

5.  Preventing Data Looping

In a bidirectional configuration, SQL changes that are replicated from one system to another must be prevented from being replicated back to the first system. Otherwise, it moves back and forth in an endless loop.

To prevent data loopback, you may need to provide instructions that:

prevent the capture of SQL operations that are generated by Replicat, but enable the capture of SQL operations that are generated by business applications if they contain objects that are specified in the Extract parameter file.

identify local Replicat transactions, in order for the Extract process to ignore them.

When Extract is in classic capture mode, use the Extract TRANLOGOPTIONS parameter with the EXCLUDEUSER or EXCLUDEUSERID option to exclude the user name or ID that is used by Replicat to apply transactions. Multiple EXCLUDEUSER statements can be used. The specified user is subject to the rules of the GETREPLICATES or IGNOREREPLICATES parameter.

6.  Conflict Management

Conflicts occur when the timing of simultaneous changes results in one of these out-of-sync conditions:

=> A uniqueness conflict occurs when Replicat applies an insert or update operation that violates a uniqueness integrity constraint, such as a PRIMARY KEY or UNIQUE constraint. An example of this conflict type is when two transactions originate from two different databases, and each one inserts a row into a table with the same primary key value.

=>  An update conflict occurs when Replicat applies an update that conflicts with another update to the same row. Update conflicts happen when two transactions that originate from different databases update the same row at nearly the same time. Replicat detects an update conflict when there is a difference between the old values (the before values) that are stored in the trail record and the current values of the same row in the target database.

=>  A delete conflict occurs when two transactions originate at different databases, and one deletes a row while the other updates or deletes the same row. In this case, the row does not exist to be either updated or deleted. Replicat cannot find the row because the primary key does not exist.