Supporting Business Growth Across Multiple Systems
Realized Solutions works with clients across many industries, each with unique technology environments. Successful project delivery starts with supporting the systems already in place while planning for future growth. One RSI client recently acquired a company that operated on a different data platform, which created a need for unified analytics without disrupting daily operations.
The primary organization relied on an Oracle database and used Oracle Analytics Cloud as its main business intelligence platform. The acquired company stored Production data in Microsoft SQL Server and depended on Microsoft Access for business user queries. Both teams needed shared access to data for claims analysis, pricing review, internal reporting, and regulatory requirements.
Why the Client Chose Oracle Analytics Cloud
Oracle Analytics Cloud serves as a cloud native analytics platform designed to manage the full lifecycle of business data analytics. The client selected OAC to support both companies with a single analytics solution while maintaining read-only access to live production systems.
OAC Core Capabilities
Oracle Analytics Cloud enables organizations to:
- Consume and transform data across systems
- Clean and reformat data for analysis
- Create reports, dashboards, and visualizations
- Support governed self-service analytics
RSI designed an architecture that allowed both organizations to operate efficiently while minimizing performance risks on production systems.
Case 1: Replacing Microsoft Access Queries with OAC
Business Challenge
Business users at the acquired company relied on Microsoft Access as a pass-through tool to query live SQL Server production data. Large result sets caused slow performance and frequent out-of-memory errors. As data volume grew, these issues increased and limited reliable reporting.
RSI Solution Design
RSI installed Oracle Remote Data Gateway on the server hosting SQL Server. This setup allowed Oracle Analytics Cloud to connect securely to SQL Server using read-only data connections. The team converted existing SQL queries into OAC datasets and reports.
Business Impact
Business users now connect directly to live SQL Server data through OAC to run queries and create reports and visualizations. Performance improved while eliminating memory limitations from desktop-based tools. OAC also introduced consistent reporting and improved user experience across teams.
Case 2: Quarterly Production Data Snapshots for Actuarial Analysis
Business Challenge
The actuarial team required access to historical snapshots of production data on a quarterly basis. Live production databases could not support this need without risk to system stability and performance.
RSI Solution Design
RSI provisioned a new server with a separate SQL Server instance. Oracle Remote Data Gateway was installed to enable secure OAC access. Each quarter, databases from live production systems are restored to this instance and labeled by quarter and year.
A full year of quarterly snapshots remains available at all times. Each snapshot operates independently, allowing actuarial users to run detailed analysis and reporting for specific periods.
Business Impact
Actuarial team members use Oracle Analytics Cloud to query quarterly datasets without impacting production systems. The approach supports pricing review, regulatory reporting, and historical trend analysis with improved confidence and repeatability.
OAC Architecture:
Oracle Remote Data Gateway – facilitates connection between OAC and offsite MS SQLServer databases:
Delivering Results Through Flexible Analytics Design
RSI delivered an analytics architecture that met the needs of both organizations while supporting business growth and system stability. Oracle Analytics Cloud now serves as a single analytics layer across Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server environments.
This project demonstrates how thoughtful platform integration allows organizations to scale analytics capabilities without disrupting existing operations.
Key Takeaways
- RSI supports business growth by integrating different systems, specifically Oracle and Microsoft SQL environments.
- The client chose Oracle Analytics Cloud (OAC) for unified analytics, ensuring read-only access to live production systems.
- RSI replaced Microsoft Access queries with OAC, improving performance and enabling better reporting for business users.
- RSI provisioned a separate SQL Server for quarterly snapshots, allowing the actuarial team to analyze historical data without impacting production.
- OAC now serves as a cohesive analytics layer, facilitating scalability and stability across both organizations.