Delphix Products

o   After we create the virtual copy using Delphix, can we insert data into that virtual copy? There is a requirement for generating synthetic data. So if we create synthetic data using some custom tools, can we insert that into the virtual copy?

o   Is there a restriction on how much additional volume of data can be inserted into the virtual copy?

o   Also, how much space will it occupy for the additional data?

o   Does It support Data Sub setting? In that case, is it mandatory that referential integrity should be well defined within the DB or we can configure that in tool?

#DemoEnvironment

Yes you can insert data into a VDB - you can treat the VDB just like any 'normal' database. However if you refresh the VDB than that data will be lost and will need to be reloaded.

The space used depends on how much data you install. It will be no more than if this was a traditional database and could be less due to the way Delphix stores data.

Hi,

Definitely YES, you can deal with VDB like you do with NONvirtual DB. VDB for database engine, and users should be used like normal DB. 

- there is no limitation HOW MUCH data you can insert into VDB. If you insert new set of data, update, or delete, there are just new blocks together with metadata. The only one limitation is your Delphix Storage, but you can add additional set of LUN's.
 
- Additional data will be represented by new blocks, but the compression ratio will take advantage and optimize storage on, and your VDB will normally grow in Delphix Engine storage. Good example for growing VDB is to use Masking Engine with many masked data.

Regards
Marcin

This is a great question that gets to the heart of what Delphix Data Virtualisation can offer, particularly in the Test Data Management space.

The Delphix Virtual Database (VDB) can be treated as a normal database.  I like to say that it looks, smells, feels and tastes like a regular Oracle database.  There is no difference; you can back it up with RMAN, your applications can connect to it and you can use all of your regular database tools.  In fact you can even use it as a source database to another Delphix Engine!

So, yes you can insert as much data and as many new database structures as you like.  There is no practical limit to the data you can insert, other than the storage limitations of the attached storage.  In terms of the size that new data will take up - that will be based on the compression ratio you are getting on the initial ingestion.  We usually expect for an Oracle database 2.5 to 3 times compression, so the new data is likely to take up a third of the space normally consumed by a physical database.

You can subset and generate data using any tool that you use today and the referential constraints will be the same those that you have in your physical database and any application running upon it.  The beauty with using a VDB for this purpose is that you can bookmark your modified, generated and subset data.  By that I mean you can "snapshot" a version of your data so that at any moment you can restore to the version of your choice and more importantly you can effectively "share" that version with your colleagues.  It really does change the way in which you view the data management issues and accelerates environment preparation by orders of magnitude.