The most basic Oracle GoldenGate configuration is a one-to-one configuration that replicates in one direction: from a source database to a target database that is used only for data retrieval purposes such as reporting and analysis. Oracle GoldenGate supports transfer of data to Oracle or Non-Oracle databases, with capabilities for filtering and conversion on either system in the configuration (support varies by database platform).

Oracle GoldenGate is ideal for creating a reporting environment because the target can be optimized for reporting, while allowing the source to be optimized for OLTP workloads. This includes adding additional indexes or materialized views on the target database to allow faster execution of queries. Oracle GoldenGate can also pull metadata from the source database to help track how the records changed, when the record changed, who changed it, and even track the history of how column values changed.

Oracle GoldenGate supports different reporting topologies that enable you to custom-configure the processes based on your requirements for scalability, availability, and performance. This section contains things to take into consideration when choosing a reporting configuration.