Connections

Database connections store the credentials and parameters required to access databases that serve as sources or targets in GoldenGate Studio. This configuration enables secure and efficient communication for designing and deploying data replication pipelines.

Database connections in GoldenGate Studio represent the configuration information required to communicate with your source and target databases. These connections are the foundation for designing, deploying, and managing data integration and replication solutions within the GoldenGate Studio. They enable you to visually map the data flow across diverse environments.

For details, see the Database Connection, System and Parameter Settings for Oracle database in Oracle GoldenGate Microservices Documentation.

Note:

Some features, such as Validate and Run Analysis, have been moved from Database Connection to Create Pipeline workflow.

About Connections

Learn about the connection types you can use with GoldenGate Studio and how to create them.

A database connection refers to the configuration information and credentials GoldenGate Studio needs to connect to a database. This connection allows GoldenGate Studio to access and interact with the source and target databases as part of designing, deploying, and managing data replication solutions.

GoldenGate Studio currently supports Oracle Database connections.

Supported Connection Types

Check the following list for specific Oracle Database versions you can use as sources and targets in GoldenGate Studio. Oracle Autonomous Database and Oracle Exadata are also supported.

The following Oracle Database versions are supported:

Oracle Database 19c
Oracle Database 21c, 21c XE
Oracle Database 23ai, 23ai Free

Best Practices for Connections

Discover best practices for Connections in Oracle GoldenGate Studio.

Plan Before Creating the Connection

Identify Connection Requirements: Gather details such as database type, hostname, port, service name/SID, user credentials, and SSL requirements before starting.
Verify Access Privileges: Ensure the user account has the required permissions for GoldenGate operations (e.g., replication privileges, read/write access to specific schemas).

Use Secure Credentials Management

Avoid Hardcoding Credentials: Store usernames and passwords securely in the GoldenGate credential store instead of saving them in plain text. Do not store passwords in scripts or plain text.
Oracle Wallet or Oracle Cloud Wallet services: Use Oracle Wallet or Oracle Cloud Wallet services to store Oracle Autonomous Database credentials and encryption keys securely.
Use Role-Based Accounts: Create separate database accounts for replication activities, with only the necessary privileges.
Change Default Passwords: Immediately update default or shared account passwords to meet your organization’s security policies. Regularly rotate passwords according to your organization’s security policy.

Ensure Compatibility

Verify Database Version: Check that your source and target databases are compatible with the GoldenGate version you are using.
Install Required Drivers: Ensure JDBC drivers for the database type are installed and configured in GoldenGate Studio.

Optimize Connection Settings

Enable SSL/TLS if Available: Use encrypted connections to protect data in transit.
Set Connection Timeout: Configure timeouts to prevent long waits in case of connectivity issues.
Use Connection Pooling Where Possible: This improves performance for multiple GoldenGate processes using the same connection.

Validate the Connection

Test the Connection in Studio: Use the Test Connection feature in GoldenGate Studio to confirm connectivity and authentication.
Verify Schema Access: Ensure the connected user can access the specific schemas, tables, and views needed for replication.
Check Performance: Run small test queries to assess response time before deploying the connection in production.

Maintain and Monitor

Document the Connection Details: Maintain an internal record of connection parameters, privileges, and owner for auditing.
Regularly Rotate Credentials: Update stored passwords periodically to comply with security policies.
Monitor Connection Health: Use GoldenGate monitoring tools to check for connection drops, slow queries, or authentication failures.

Create Oracle Database and Oracle Exadata Connections

Learn how to create Oracle Database and Oracle Exadata connections.

From the GoldenGate Studio Home page, click Create connection.
You can also create a connection from the Connections page.
The Create Connection panel consists of three pages. On the General Information page, complete the following fields, and then click Next:
1. Enter a Connection Name.
2. (Optional) Enter a Description.
3. Select a Technology Type from the dropdown menu.
On the Connection Details page, complete the following fields, and then click Next:
1. Enter the database Username and Password.
2. Enter the database Hostname and Port
3. For Database Type:
  - If your Oracle database version is 21c or above, select Pluggable database (PDB) in Oracle Database 21c or above.
  - If your Oracle database version is 19c or below, select Pluggable database (PDB) in Oracle Database 19c or below and provide both the Pluggable database service name and the Container database service name
  - If your Oracle database version is Non-container database, select Non-container database and then enter the Database service name.
On the Confirmation page, click Create.

Configure and Download SSL Wallet for Non-Autonomous Database

Learn about the different Wallet Configuration options.

Wallet configuration is required in non-Autonomous Databases to enable secure connectivity. This setup facilitates verified communication with endpoints such as parUrl using SSL verification or other Autonomous Databases hosted in secure regions over HTTPS, especially needed to upload and download files from secured parUrl / bucketUri in initial load using Object Storage.

Why Is Wallet Configuration Important?

Without a properly configured wallet, attempts to connect securely to Object Storage or other endpoints using HTTPS will fail, leading to errors or inability to upload/download files. Configuring a wallet reduces these risks by ensuring that your database trusts the cloud endpoints you’re connecting to.

Important Terms

Term	Definition
parUrl	Pre-authenticated Request URL for secure, temporary access to objects in Oracle Cloud Object Storage.
bucketUri	A Uniform Resource Identifier pointing to a specific bucket in Oracle Cloud Object Storage. A bucket is a storage container for objects (such as files or data dumps).
Oracle Cloud Endpoint	URL for connecting to Oracle Cloud services.
ACL (Network Access Control List)	Security rules that define which network traffic is allowed or denied to network resources.

Standard Oracle Wallet

Learn about Standard Oracle Wallet.

An Oracle Wallet is a secure, encrypted container that stores authentication and encryption credentials like private keys, certificates, and trusted certificates. It ensures that sensitive data is not kept in clear-text configuration files. You create these wallets using tools like the Oracle Wallet Manager or mkstore, and they require a password to open and access contents. To enable secure connectivity from a non-autonomous database, wallet setup is required.

Follow these steps to download/configure Standard Oracle Wallet:

Download the master wallet containing pre configured Oracle certificates. Contact the database administration team for this.
Extract the certificate files to a directory on the database host file system.
Specify this directory path in the SSL Wallet Path fields under the Advanced Options.

Note:

This wallet should serve the purpose for establishing secure connection with parUrl or bucketUri (typically used in case of Initial load via Object Storage).

Any required Network ACL configurations are automatically managed by the Studio application at runtime when access is initiated.

Using the Oracle-supplied wallet automatically enables secure connectivity for standard Oracle Cloud endpoints (like parUrl and bucketUri).

Manual Wallet Configuration

Learn how to configure Manual Wallets:

The Manual Wallet approach allows users to create and configure a wallet by manually adding specific security certificates that are not included in the Standard Oracle Wallet. This method is necessary when connecting to custom endpoints, using third-party certificate authorities, or addressing unique security requirements.

Follow the below steps todownload/configure Manual Wallet:

Download the required certificates for the parUrl- typically a root certificate and an intermediate certificate.
Log in to the database host and create a wallet directory.
Initialize a wallet using orapki utility available in Oracle base.
Add certs downloaded from parUrl to wallet using orapki utility.
Commands to be used are :
- bash-4.2$ mkdir -p <wallet-path-accessible-to-db-user>
- bash-4.2$ orapki wallet create -wallet <wallet-path-accessible-to-db-user> -pwd <pwd> -auto_login
- bash-4.2$ orapki wallet add -wallet <wallet-path-accessible-to-db-user> -trusted_cert -cert <path-to-root-certificate> -pwd <pwd>
- bash-4.2$ orapki wallet add -wallet <wallet-path-accessible-to-db-user> -trusted_cert -cert <path-to-intermediate-certificate> -pwd <pwd>
- bash-4.2$ orapki wallet display -wallet <wallet-path-accessible-to-db-user>

Create an Autonomous Database Connection

Learn to create a connection to Oracle Autonomous Database to use as a GoldenGate Studio source or target.

Before you begin

Before you create a connection, ensure that you:

Turn on Archive Log Mode and restart your database.
Download the Autonomous Database instance's wallet from the Oracle Cloud console. If you don't have access, contact your administrator.

To create an Autonomous Database connection:

From the GoldenGate Studio home page, click Create connection.
The Create Connection panel consists of three pages.
1. On the General Information page, complete the fields as follows, then click Next:
  1. Enter a Connection Name.
  2. (Optional) Enter a Description.
  3. Select Oracle Autonomous Database, from the Technology Type dropdown.
2. On the Connection Details page, complete the fields as follows, and then click Next:
  1. Enter a Username and Password for the GoldenGate admin user.
  2. Click Add Wallet File and upload the Autonomous Database instance's wallet.
  3. Click Test Connection.
3. On the Confirmation page, verify the connection details.
Click Create.