Dataflix
The Dataflix application is a specialized data management app that allows you to browse available database services and create clones from your point-in-time recovery (PITR) regions, snapshots, or sanitized snapshots. It also lets you download your database backups.
The Availability Machine focused on producing data backup components, Dataflix focuses on consuming those components to create lower environments.
Prerequisites
Ensure that you have created your database service in the Provisioning application under the DB Services app family.
For more information on provisioning, see Provisioning an Oracle DB service.
Ensure that you have scheduled snapshots in the Availability Machines application under the DB Service app family.
For more information on Availability Machines, see Availability Machines.
Introduction
Dataflix allows you to browse through the data catalog based on regions, time, and data format (as-is, sanitized, or backups). You can also clone or download data in any format across multiple cloud regions depending on availability settings in the AM app. You can use any of the available data points on-demand by cloning them into a new database service.
If you are the owner of the database service, then the entire catalog is available to you. If you are not the owner of the database service, then you can access the data points that the database service owner has shared with you, specifically within the region they have selected.
Dataflix dashboard
The Dataflix dashboard displays all the available database services across various database engines and cloud providers. You can filter the list as per the database engine, clouds, and owner.
Dashboard filters have the following fields:
Search - Use the search bar, specifying database service name to find and display details of a specific database service.
Engine - You can choose a database engine from the dropdown list. By default, all the database engine services are listed. The available options are All, Oracle, MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, and MongoDB.
Cloud - You can choose a cloud provider from the dropdown list. By default, all the cloud providers are listed. The available options are All, AWS, Azure, GCP and OCI.
Owner - You can choose a specific username from the dropdown list to view the details of the database services specific to the user. By default, all the owners are listed.
Clear - Click this to clear the selected filters and revert back to default settings.
Figure 1 - Dataflix dashboard
Dataflix home page
Selecting any of the database services from the Dataflix dashboard takes you to the home page.
On the home page, below the database service name, you see four tabs as follows:
PITR Region - Allows you to create a clone from the available PITR region.
Snapshots - Allows you to create a clone from the available snapshots.
Backups - Allows you to download available database backups.
Sanitized Snapshots - Allows you to create a clone from the available sanitized snapshots.
Note: If any of the above options are not scheduled or taken in the availability machine, then they are not available in Dataflix.
Figure 2 - Dataflix home page
PITR Region
On the PITR region tab, you can select a date and time from the available continuous data region to create a point-in-time clone.
To create a clone,
Select a date and time from the Select Recovery Time box.
This changes the blue line positioning on the continuous data region in the Regions and Availability Zones panel.
Regions and Availability Zones panel displays the following:
Cloud regions where your database service is deployed.
Daily data flow within the region, presented in a 24-hour format.
A blue line on the data region indicating the selected time.
A red line on the data region indicating the last point-in-time restore available.
Data point corresponding to the selected date and time in the region is displayed.
View details like the number of databases, cloud details, and the number of users data is shared.
Click Clone at the bottom right corner of the window.
This takes you to the Clone creation flow to create a cloned service.
You can change following options:
Service name, description, and the tags
Cloud provider settings
Cross-account and cross-region cloning is configured in the Data access policy section of the Availability Machines app. See Availability Machines.
Compute shape
In compute shape, parent database server configuration is displayed. You cannot change the storage in compute shape for cloned service.
Configuring database instance
Additional settings like refresh schedule, maintenance window, performance insights, and availability machine
In the Refresh schedule, select from the options, No schedule or Automatic refresh.
For an automatic refresh, select the day you want to refresh the clone and refresh time.
Select the refresh mode, whether Snapshot or PITR.
Note:
In case of snapshot mode, the database is refreshed to the snapshot available at the selected time on the selected day(s) (computed based on the snapshot available at the source). If a snapshot is not available, the refresh is skipped.
In case of PITR, the database is refreshed to the latest available data at the selected time on the selected days. If no data is available, the refresh is skipped.
In the Custom Scripts for Refresh schedule panel you can select pre and post scripts from the respective dropdown list.
To use a custom script, ensure that you have uploaded scripts in the Script Library application under DB Services app family.
You can also change the SID of the Oracle instance
Click + Clone Service at the bottom of the form next to the left-hand menu bar.
As an alternative method, use the code to create a clone.
Use the Code button from the top right corner of the window to view the code in different languages like Shell, Python, Go, Java, Javascript, and PowerShell.
You can copy or download the code using the respective buttons in the top-right corner.
Use the Close button at the bottom right corner to return back to the main window.
The following steps are performed automatically:
Request is submitted to clone the database service
Creates compute instance(s)
Configures the database
Availability Machine is setup
Triggers first snapshot
Snapshots
On the Snapshots tab, you can select from the available snapshots to create a clone. Use the Search bar to search for a specific snapshot name. You can also make use of the filters to filter snapshots by their region.
To create a clone,
Select from the available snapshots to view details like creation timestamp, size, number of databases, cloud details, and the number of users data is shared.
Click Clone at the bottom right corner of the window.
This takes you to the Clone creation flow to create a cloned service.
You can change following options:
Service name, description, and the tags
Cloud provider settings
Cross-account and cross-region cloning is configured in the Data access policy section of the Availability Machines app. See Availability Machines.
Compute shape
In compute shape, parent database server configuration is displayed. You cannot change the storage in compute shape for cloned service.
Configuring database instance
Additional settings like refresh schedule, maintenance window, performance insights, and availability machine
In the Refresh schedule, select from the options, No schedule or Automatic refresh.
For an automatic refresh, select the day you want to refresh the clone and refresh time.
Select the refresh mode, whether Snapshot or PITR.
Note:
In case of snapshot mode, the database is refreshed to the snapshot available at the selected time on the selected day(s) (computed based on the snapshot available at the source). If a snapshot is not available, the refresh is skipped.
In case of PITR, the database is refreshed to the latest available data at the selected time on the selected days. If no data is available, the refresh is skipped.
In the Custom Scripts for Refresh schedule panel you can select pre and post scripts from the respective dropdown list.
To use a custom script, ensure that you have uploaded scripts in the Script Library application under DB Services app family.
You can also change the SID of the Oracle instance
Click + Clone Service at the bottom of the form next to the left-hand menu bar.
As an alternative method, use the code to create a clone.
Use the Code button from the top right corner of the window to view the code in different languages like Shell, Python, Go, Java, Javascript, and PowerShell.
You can copy or download the code using the respective buttons in the top-right corner.
Use the Close button at the bottom right corner to return back to the main window.
The following steps are performed automatically:
Request is submitted to clone the database service
Creates compute instance(s)
Configures the database
Availability Machine is setup
Triggers first snapshot
Backups
This functionality supports the no locking with Tessell principle, you can download the ‘Native Backup’ (RMAN in this case) and use it to recreate databases anywhere (on prem/public cloud) as required.
On the Backups tab, you can select from the available backups to download. Use the Search bar to search for a specific backup name.
To download a backup,
Select from the available backups to view details like creation timestamp, size, number of databases, cloud details, and the number of users data is shared.
Click Download at the bottom right corner of the window.
The ‘Download Backup for <backup name>’ dialog box opens.
Select a date and time for automatic expiry of the backup URL, and then click Submit.
After the backup URL is created, ‘Backup Available’ status is displayed below the backup name.
Click Download again to view the backup URL. This download button is active only during the expiry period.
The ‘Download Backup’ dialog box opens. On the left-side of the dialog box, you can see the backup size and created date.
Shareable URL is displayed below, you can copy the URL using the copy icon.
URL expiry date and the days remaining for expiry is also displayed.
On the right-side of the ‘Download Backup’ dialog box, you see a code in shell script for the URL.
You can copy or download the code using the respective icons on the top right corner.
Sanitized Snapshots
On the Sanitized Snapshots tab, you can select from the available sanitized snapshots to create a clone. Use the Search bar to search for a specific sanitized snapshot name. You can also make use of the filters to filter sanitized snapshots by their region.
To create a clone,
Select from the available sanitized snapshots to view details like creation timestamp, size, number of databases, cloud details, and the number of users data is shared.
Click Clone at the bottom right corner of the window.
This takes you to the Clone creation flow to create a cloned service.
You can change following options:
Service name, description, and the tags
Cloud provider settings
Cross-account and cross-region cloning is configured in the Data access policy section of the Availability Machines app. See Availability Machines.
Compute shape
In compute shape, parent database server configuration is displayed. You cannot change the storage in compute shape for cloned service.
Configuring database instance
Additional settings like refresh schedule, maintenance window, performance insights, and availability machine
In the Refresh schedule, select from the options, No schedule or Automatic refresh.
For an automatic refresh, select the day you want to refresh the clone and refresh time.
Select the refresh mode, whether Snapshot or PITR.
Note:
In case of snapshot mode, the database is refreshed to the snapshot available at the selected time on the selected day(s) (computed based on the snapshot available at the source). If a snapshot is not available, the refresh is skipped.
In case of PITR, the database is refreshed to the latest available data at the selected time on the selected days. If no data is available, the refresh is skipped.
In the Custom Scripts for Refresh schedule panel you can select pre and post scripts from the respective dropdown list.
To use a custom script, ensure that you have uploaded scripts in the Script Library application under DB Services app family.
You can also change the SID of the Oracle instance
Click + Clone Service at the bottom of the form next to the left-hand menu bar.
As an alternative method, use the code to create a clone.
Use the Code button from the top right corner of the window to view the code in different languages like Shell, Python, Go, Java, Javascript, and PowerShell.
You can copy or download the code using the respective buttons in the top-right corner.
Use the Close button at the bottom right corner to return back to the main window.
The following steps are performed automatically:
Request is submitted to clone the database service
Creates compute instance(s)
Configures the database
Availability Machine is setup
Triggers first snapshot
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