Setting up SharePlex is straightforward. A user has to provide probably fewer than 10 questions or input values, and the configuration is similar.

Generally, we need to do at least one round of testing the product in a non-production environment. We provide feedback to management, and the executives will ultimately approve the implementation. Finally, we deploy it on Open Linux systems with Oracle. 

Since we had multiple scenarios to test out, it took us a few months to test out all our use cases. It was a long process. However, with the help of Quest support, we completed our PoC. It was a long process because we wanted to test all the scenarios.

Our main goal was to have seamless replication that could help us with smooth turnover. 

It is a very simple installation, right from setting up new databases between two data centers and setting up replication, to configuring it. We have database releases happening all the time, every few weeks. The initial configuration, such as adding new tables to replication, is very simple and straightforward. 

Deployment takes a few minutes, because I've been working with it for a while. For someone who has not worked with replication products, it might take a bit of time. But I did a proof of concept of GoldenGate and, when we did the compare and contrast, SharePlex was still very simple to install and configure and upgrade.

In terms of implementation, having the right file system helps. We use NFS. And we are a NetApp shop so we use NetApp for SharePlex. Having the right kinds of permissions for the NetApp file systems is also important, and they are well documented in the SharePlex Knowledge Base.

Installing it is very simple. Anybody who understands English and databases would be able to follow a few prompts and install the software. Adding tables for replication is also very simple. You have the source database name, you know the target database name, and you know the Oracle tables to be replicated. That's about it.

Deploying just requires a DBA, and we have terabytes of data being managed and replicated within Oracle databases using SharePlex. One of the biggest databases is 80 to 100 terabytes. For maintenance of SharePlex, in the business unit I'm part of, we have 100 or so databases, and each database has five to seven SharePlex bots that are replicating data to the other side. We have three people in the U.S. who manage and maintain it. We also have four or five people in India, but we do most of the installation, configuration, and upgrades in the U.S. We find it very smooth, without any hiccups. All the people managing are Oracle, SQL, and NoSQL DBAs. It's the DBAs who manage the production, development, and QA environments.

The initial setup is very easy. If you follow the guide, in five minutes you will have the full solution that can replicate databases of any size.

Initial setup is actually quite easy. When dealing with partitioning of data, (advanced filtering), it starts to become a bit complicated, but not a big hassle.