The Database Layer

Let's start by taking a moment to discuss the format of this picture. You'll see that the timeline runs across the top of the page, by quarter, from 2007 through 2011. On the left side, you'll see two sections: the upper section lists the various versions of the technology component (in this case, the Oracle database) that we'll likely deploy over a 5-year period. The lower section lists the technology initiatives that we'll need to execute in order to implement those technology components. The color code is translated in the Legend found in the lowest portion of the picture: Blue is time spent investigating and implementing, Green represents the deployment period, Yellow is the time transitioning into decommission, and Red represents out of service. I'll follow this format throughout this series of articles for all layers of the roadmap.

In this first layer of the roadmap, we're talking about the transactional database that supports the enterprise applications - the layer dealing with the master data repository will come later. In developing a roadmap for this layer of the future-state logical architecture, I considered the following points:

• The timing of various Oracle product releases. I don't have an inside track on the timinng and Oracle's not talking much about future release dates these days, so I took my best guess.
  

• The timing of certifying various Oracle database releases for the E-Business Suite. Again, my best guess.
  

• JPL's NBS currently runs, for the most part, on big iron. We'll need to migrate to at least a RAC configuration, if not a full-up grid.
  

• I assumed going that our future operating system will be either Solaris or Linux. We're currently on Solaris, but we're looking at Linux.
  

• We'll need to deal with sunsetting technology. The demise of mod plsql and Oracle Workflow are significant for JPL. I planned around the elimination of mod plsql in E-Business R12 and the termination of Oracle Workflow in the apps environment after R12 (yes, I know that the 11g database does not support the Workflow engine. However, there is an exception for E-Business customers).

So, after all that, the picture above is a pretty good representation of our plan regarding the transactional database in our move to Fusion Applications.

NEXT UP: The Applications Server Layer