Oracle Upgrades & Oracle Support

When you already have your Oracle Database configured and maintained just how you like it, it can be tempting to ignore upgrades and just leave them how they are. But as Oracle releases new upgrades, you may be wondering – when is the right time to upgrade, and how should I go about it?

It can be difficult to decide whether to upgrade or not. Whether it’s your dying smartphone or your laptop operating system, the decision is not an easy one.

On one hand, you know that upgrading comes with a number of benefits: newer technology, resolved long-standing issues, additional features, etc. But on the other hand, upgrading takes time. It’s additional work that you have to do, and at the end of it, you may find that you prefer what you had before anyway.

That’s why Oracle Database Administrators will often recommend that you don’t upgrade, even when Oracle continues to release them every year. These database administrators don’t want to “rock the boat”. If they’ve got everything configured and running smoothly, why bother with an upgrade, right?

You can see their logic. But without these upgrades, you’ll miss out on a number of key benefits:

Upgrading is especially critical in two key scenarios:

  1. Third-Party Relations: If your Oracle Database is connected to third-parties via their applications, you’ll likely need to stay as up to date as they are. You don’t want to be the weak link in the chain that’s putting off upgrades, allowing security gaps to continue to exist, and dragging your network of connected organizations down.
  2. Support Costs: As mentioned above, upgrades allow to you stay a part of the more recent support cycles. In fact, this year’s Oracle Database 19c upgrade gives you Premier and Extended support until March 2023 and March 2026 (respectively). Failing to take advantage of this will mean that you won’t have that support; in the event that something goes wrong, you’ll have to pay a premium fee for support from Oracle.

The 3 Steps To Managing Your Oracle Database Upgrade

Now that you know how much there is to gain from upgrading, it’s important to note that you shouldn’t do so recklessly. An effective upgrade takes time and planning, so be sure to follow these three steps:

  1. Plan Carefully: Your first step is to slow down and think about the potential upgrade you may undertake. As you go, make sure to document your plans, and break them down into the most granular steps possible.  It’s vitally important that you compare your current platform with the capabilities of the considered upgrade. Make sure you understand the feature sets offered, and whether it’s compatible with what you do, and the third-parties you’re connected with.  Once you have checked off every item on your list, and have considered every potential opportunity for improvement or complication in the event upgrade, you can make a better-informed decision and begin your upgrade process.
  2. Budget For Downtime: This point is two-fold.  You first have to be aware of the downtime you’ll incur while upgrading. The process can take some time, during which, obviously, you and your staff won’t be able to access the database.  Plan strategically to have this downtime occur after hours, or on weekends, if your business hours allow it. If not, relegate it to the most convenient window of time available. In any case, be sure to notify all affected parties of the downtime long before it’s scheduled to occur.  Secondly, make sure you understand the downtime that may occur on the new database system after you upgrade. Not all databases offered by Oracle are equal, and some do not run 24/7. While you should do your best to minimize downtime, it may not be necessary depending on your hours of operation. If downtime can be relegated to when your users do not need to access the database, that would be the ideal arrangement.
  3. Test, Test, Test: After you’ve developed your plan and scheduled for your downtime, you need to begin testing. No matter how perfect your plan is, you shouldn’t proceed to the upgrade process before double-checking each step in a test environment.  A test environment can show you where your plan may be incomplete, or how truly compatible your old version and the new version of the database really are. Once you can get through the testing process without any critical issues, then you should feel confident in proceeding to the actual upgrade.

One last final note: although the benefits of upgrading are clear, and associated risks can be mitigated with the right plan and testing process, it’s important to understand that you should never undergo an upgrade immediately when it’s released.

Give it some time to be tested by other users, who can spot bugs and other issues before you go to the trouble of changing your database. In a perfect world, you’re always one patch behind the latest offered by Oracle, providing a safe buffer between your system and potential issues.

Like this article? Check out the following blogs to learn more:

Your Fool-Proof Guide for Finding an Oracle Consulting Company

Top 5 Reasons Your Organization Should Migrate to Oracle Cloud

SoftArt Launches A New Brand Look And Feel

 

 

 

Choose Expert Oracle Consultants for Your Oracle ERP Cloud Migration

At SoftArt Solutions, an experienced team of Oracle consultants is ready to help you take your data and Oracle ERP applications to the cloud.


Working with an Oracle consulting firm, such as SoftArt Solutions, provides a ready resource for all your Oracle cloud implementation questions and concerns. Oracle is a great Enterprise Resource Planning tool that can help your company integrate all your departments in a single system that meets your corporate needs. However, it can be daunting without subject matter experts to help you navigate the diverse interfaces.

How Can SoftArt Solutions Help Your Oracle ERP Migration Go Smoothly?

Just like many ERP implementations, Oracle Cloud ERP migrations to the cloud can be complex and intense. The cloud services are still relatively new and the Oracle ERP cloud offering is still in its infancy. While it’s a great product, there’s a lack of existing customer references. In order to avoid pitfalls, therefore, you need the guidance of a team who’s overseen many other migrations. Oracle implementation success requires adherence to simple best practices, and an experienced talent tool, such as that available via SoftArt, can easily achieve that.

What Are the Top Tips for a Successful Implementation?

Oracle Cloud ERP is extremely flexible. You have a lot of choices in how you set up your system. This can become overwhelming. Oracle’s Fusion middleware facilitates the integration of other Oracle technology and other systems. Its flex fields streamline business intelligence.

This flexibility is a beautiful thing once your business grows and you are able to scale with it. But it’s a liability if you wish to standardize your operations. It’s a good idea to use caution before modifying your business processes. Customization and integration should be left for legacy systems, as required.

How Can SoftArt Solutions Help?

At SoftArt Solutions, an experienced team of Oracle consultants is ready to help you take your data and Oracle ERP applications to the cloud. Don’t leave the success of your implementation to internal resources just learning cloud technology. We can help you map out your migration, prepare your workforce and make a smooth transition to the savings and flexibility waiting for you in the cloud.

Ensuring a Successful Oracle ERP Launch

You don’t always need a huge solution for your Oracle implementation. Sometimes, Working with SoftArt helps you avoid the major pitfalls of ERP rollouts.  

Many of the system failures stem from hoaxes and beliefs propagated by big vendors. The truth is you don’t always need a huge solution when it comes to implementing Oracle at your company. Sometimes, working with an IT consulting firm, such as SoftArt Solutions, can help you avoid the major pitfalls of ERP rollouts.

Let’s look at the connection between ERP failures and hoaxes in the industry.

What Are the Main Factors Feeding ERP Failures?

A number of factors can contribute to the success or failure of an ERP implementation. Here are some of the main ones:

These symptoms are the actual root causes of ERP implementation failures.

How Can This Be Fixed?

Solid information and true understanding can help you overcome these obstacles to implement a successful ERP that helps your company make a true digital transformation. Communication is important among the decisionmakers at your company, and it’s just as important to make sure your Oracle IT consultants are on the same page as you.

SoftArt experts evaluate your current system and give you the information you need for transparency and accountability. Avoid consultants who can’t explain technical information to you plainly, because they tend to take over your implementation.

What Are Additional Ways to Ensure Clear Understanding?

The following tips ensure that you go into your implementation with your eyes open:

How Should You Manage Change?

There will be times when things aren’t going well. This requires the flexibility to pivot focus where it’s needed the most. You may find that your internal resources are no longer a good fit or don’t accept your vision of the future. This may mean shifting people around or bringing in new resources. The same goes for your internal or external systems integrator. The last thing you need is someone who wants to argue with you. Anyone who isn’t on board with making the changes works needs to stay out of the way or go.

This may seem harsh, but if you’re the one responsible for getting the ERP system online, the success or failure of the project falls on your shoulders.

Why Should You Choose SoftArt Solutions?

As independent ERP consultants, the technologists at SoftArt are committed to finding the right technology for your firm. For many companies, the Oracle ERP fills that need. However, our vested interest lies in finding the right ERP for your business operations. Our Oracle consultants have broad experience with many ERPs and tools. Let us help you determine the one that fits in best with your goals.

Choose the Right Oracle Consulting Firm for Your Implementation

If you want to maximize your Oracle implementation, choose a technology partner — such as SoftArt Solutions — with ample experience with Oracle deployments across many industries, including your own. 

Hiring a dedicated Oracle consulting firm, such as SoftArt Solutions, helps you make the most of your Oracle implementation. Smart technology leaders know that it takes both business acumen and IT savvy to effectively run a world-class organization. If you want to maximize your Oracle implementation, choose a technology partner with ample experience with Oracle deployments across many industries, including your own.

The original assessment must be a rigorous review of your current system, followed by documented recommendations for improvements. After all, what’s the point of implementing Oracle if your existing systems continue to bog you down. By streamlining your current operations, you can fully achieve the kind of cost and performance optimization you expect from the Oracle portfolio.

How Does SoftArt Deliver Best Practice Oracle Implementations?

SoftArt, a leading Oracle strategy and support firm, helps its customers get the most from their Oracle implementation or upgrade. The company has access to talented professionals with a deep subject matter expertise in Oracle as well as a fundamental understanding of best practices across finance, supply chain management, HR and customer relationship management. This gives them tremendous leverage when it comes time to facilitating decisions on individual implementations. The company provides best practice insights to key decisionmakers during the Oracle implementation to ensure the software configuration meets the unique needs of your business. That’s what you should expect of any consultants you trust with your business. Choose Oracle experts who know the right questions to ask upfront to avoid reworks and to prevent lost time to ensure an efficient implementation.

What Are the Major Qualities to Look For in an Oracle Consultant?

When you vet Oracle consulting firms, such as SoftArt Solutions, here are essential qualities to look for:

What Is SoftArt Solutions?

SoftArt Solutions supports your Oracle implementations and upgrades. The team offers comprehensive Oracle IT services to ensure a smooth transition to new applications and modules. If you help with a specific task or smaller projects, we can help.

4 Essential Requirements for Oracle Consultants

Experienced Oracle consulting firms, such as SoftArt, have conducted hundreds or thousands of Oracle implementations. You can trust them to stay on target, on budget and anticipate industry needs.  

Experience is the most important factor when it comes to finding an Oracle consultant. Your business is too important to hand over to a company without a proven track record. Experienced Oracle consulting firms, such as SoftArt, have conducted hundreds or thousands of Oracle implementations. You can trust them to stay on target, on budget and anticipate industry needs.

Look for firms that can provide:

Settling for a company or consultant with less experience may lead to delays and cost overruns.

How Does the Right Oracle Consultant Add Value?

It takes a highly sophisticated approach from an experienced Oracle consultant to create a simple, easily maintained solutions. When the Oracle consultant explains their plan for your implementation, you should be able to understand what they’re talking about. If not, that’s a big red flag. Transparency is also a key quality that makes the right Oracle consultant even more valuable. Look for an Oracle consulting firm that comes back with a clear plan that includes:

How Can You Build a Roadmap to Stay of the Same Page?

Experienced consulting firms provide a clear roadmap that can be tweaked and that helps keep the project on track. Companies such as SoftArt know how important it is to meet deadlines, reduces downtimes and stick to the agreed-upon budget. It’s important to set clear goals to avoid delays or reworks late in the project, and the right consultant can keep you true to the path.

What Role Does Support Play in the Decision Making Process?

Oracle is one of the key systems that your business relies on to be up and running nearly 100% of the time. During the vetting process, ask prospective Oracle consultants whether they offer support 24/7 throughout the implementation and beyond.

Choosing a company that offers end-to-end support gives you a single point of contact through planning, implementation and production support. The last thing you want to do in an emergency is sift through a spreadsheet of support numbers for various vendors. This is a strong motivation to hire consultants that can support every stage of your implementation.

A single point of contact provides access to consultants familiar with the full stack of Oracle services – SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS, Services under these functions should include:

By choosing a managed services provider that can provide the full range of services, you get you fast, relevant answers for your Oracle technology needs.

What’s Next?

Using these tips should help you compile a shopping list for Oracle consultants you interview. SoftArt Solutions is sure to make the shortlist of Oracle consultants as you get closer to a final decision.

What Makes SoftArt Solutions the Right Choice for Oracle Consulting and Implementation?

Oracle Cloud solutions are changing the game for business professionals in big ways. From remote work capabilities, increased operational performance, and more dynamic security solutions, Oracle Cloud solutions are helping business leaders do better work and increase profits. However, many business leaders who want to take advantage of this innovation don’t know where to start or how to best implement the solutions. That’s where SoftArt Solutions comes in.

Why Choose SoftArt Solutions for Oracle Consulting and Implementation?

SoftArt Solutions has extensive experience helping business teams take advantage of Oracle technologies. No matter the industry, the size of the business, or the nature of Oracle deployment, we’re committed to helping professionals work smarter, not harder, with strategic Oracle consultation and implementation support.

However, we also believe in helping business leaders understand why our team is the best choice for Oracle optimization support. We believe strongly that every business we partner with should have a clear understanding of how our support will help them optimize Oracle solutions to ensure a maximum return-on-investment. Check out the top reasons SoftArt Solutions should be your company’s number one choice for Oracle support.

The benefits of choosing SoftArt Solutions for your Oracle consulting and implementation include:

What Partnership Means to Us: The SoftArt Solutions Approach to Oracle Service & Support

A partnership is important, and we define that term as something much more than just doing business together. To us, a partnership is a commitment to long-lasting relationships, ones that are meaningful and productive—to us, our customers and the Oracle community as a whole.

We invest in our organization so we can be the best Oracle consultants possible, and not just for today, but for years to come. That means making sure we’re certified experts in all things Oracle so we can develop custom strategies that make each solution work perfectly for your business.

Here is a little more information about our Oracle partnership and expertise:

Why Partner with Us: The Cornerstones of SoftArt Solutions Customer Service

It’s all well and good to talk about our Oracle expertise and experience, but when it comes down to it, you’re looking for an Oracle consultant that is going to provide an above-and-beyond customer service experience. We’re committed to the highest standards of customer service and we believe in prioritizing every client as if they’re our only client.

Here’s the customer service cornerstones what we’re committed to:

Is your organization already on the hunt for Oracle consulting and implementation support? Why not start by reaching out to SoftArt Solutions for an initial consultation? We’ll listen to your unique business needs and work quickly to develop a strategic Oracle implementation plan. We won’t stop until your organization is perfectly positioned for maximum Oracle benefits.

If you’re ready to talk about your enterprise’s unique needs and leverage the knowledge and commitment that few other partners worldwide can offer, let’s get started. Reach out to SoftArt Solutions anytime at 1-866-477-4435. We can’t wait to help you get innovative with Oracle.

Top Oracle Consultants & Consulting Services

We’ve created a guide to help you start the search for a strategic and reliable Oracle consulting company. To wrap things up we want to emphasize the point made in the next sections – go with your gut. At the end of the day, you know what kind of consultation and support will be best for your business. Trust your instincts and use these final tips to help you make an informed decision.

Here’s how to know if you’ve found a reliable and strategic Oracle Consulting Provider:

Why Oracle Cloud solutions?

The idea of implementing new technology often leaves business leaders stressed out. Why change what has been working for years? How should you know which new solutions are a good choice for your business? Do these questions sound familiar? We hear them from business leaders all the time when we suggest making the move to cloud technology. That’s why we’re on a mission to take the stress out of Cloud migration for businesses. We even have a suggestion for the perfect Cloud solution, meaning you don’t have to sift through the crowded market place to find the right fit.

We recommend Oracle Cloud solutions to every business we work with. Why? Because Oracle provides the most reliable, dynamic, and business-focused Cloud technology on the market. However, even with our recommendation in hand, you might feel overwhelmed – unsure of how to best deploy and optimize the technology. That’s why we’re committed to helping you understand why partnering with a team of professional Oracle consultants will make all the difference.

Why Investing in Oracle Consultants Makes Business Sense

No matter how many different IT professionals tell you that Oracle Cloud technology is the best choice for your business, you’re still the one responsible for making it happen. But this doesn’t have to be the case. Countless IT professionals offer strategic consultation services – even ones that focus specifically on Oracle solutions.

By partnering with a team of professional Oracle consultants, you’ll be going a long way in terms of streamlining your Oracle migration process. The right consultant will be with you every step of the way – from helping you select the right Oracle software, to facilitating strategic deployment and providing ongoing optimization of each solution.

They’ll also make sure your Oracle deployment results in little or no disruption to critical business missions. Simply put, with a professional Oracle consultant in your corner, you can take advantage of all the strategic benefits of Oracle technology and deal with none of the stress that migration usually brings.

What You Should Be Looking for in an Oracle Consulting Provider – Questions to Ask

Now that we’ve explained why partnering with an Oracle consultant is a good business idea, you’re probably wondering: how do I go about finding the right provider? The fact of the matter is, finding a reliable and strategic provider is all about going into your search with a keen eye. As you survey different providers you should be trying to develop an idea of their approach to Oracle consultation and support.

How well do they know Oracle technology?

When looking for an Oracle consultant, the first and most obvious requirement is that they know their stuff about Oracle technologies. Do they have specialized training and knowledge when it comes to Oracle solutions? Can they explain these solutions to you with ease? Before you invest in an Oracle consultant be sure they know what they’re talking about and can clearly explain how deploying Oracle technologies will help your organization.

What does their Oracle consultation experience look like?

Once you know they have a handle on Oracle knowledge, it’s time to gauge each provider’s experience when it comes to offering Oracle consultation. Have they provided Oracle consultation to other businesses like yours? Do they have a detailed plan for offering strategic and customized consultation? Check with each consultant you work with and don’t be afraid to ask for testimonials or references from other clients who have received Oracle consultation.

How comprehensive are the services they provide?

Next, be sure to determine the breadth of Oracle services that each provider offers. Do they have specialized services that focus specifically on Oracle consultation, migration, management, and optimization? Can they help you with the entire Oracle transition process or do they only specialize in certain aspects of the migration? By getting to know how each provider’s Oracle services are structured, you’ll be able to determine if a consultant can provide the level of service and support you require.

What kind of the first impression did the initial consultation offer?

Finally, be sure to go with your gut and take account of the first impression given by each provider you consider. Did they listen clearly to your questions and concerns? Did they have constructive and easy-to-understand solutions to meet your needs? Did they help you understand why Oracle is the best choice for your business? Did they seem actively involved and passionate about driving success for your business? At the end of the day, choose a strategic consultant who gives you peace of mind from the very start.

Contact SoftArt

If you’re ready to start the search for a reliable Oracle consulting company, why not start your hunt by reaching out to the team of Oracle experts at SoftArt Solutions? Our team will work alongside you to ensure all your initial questions are answered clearly and honestly. Then, if you’re up for it, we’ll develop a detailed plan to ensure a seamless Oracle migration from start-to-finish.

If your company is looking for a strategic consultant to help with Oracle migration and ongoing optimization, look no further than SoftArt Solutions. We pride ourselves on helping businesses like yours take advantage of Cloud technology without overspending or losing working hours. Reach our team anytime at (866) 477-4435.

As we continue to grow the SoftArt family, expand our areas of focus, and update core product experiences, we want our brand to best reflect why we exist, what we believe in, and where we’re headed. We’ve grown ours over many years through our fantastic products, a unique culture, and an incredible team. Today, we’re taking a bold step forward with a new logo and identity system for SoftArt.

This marks a new chapter in our ongoing mission to unleash the potential of every team. Thank you to all of our customers for supporting us through all these years.

Starting today, you’ll see these exciting changes out in the wild, and gradually over the coming months, in-products and services we offer. Stay tuned!