Transforming Oracle Operations at McMaster University with Exadata Cloud@Customer

McMaster University’s Oracle estate required modernization to meet evolving operational and financial objectives. The university faced several strategic and technical challenges:

1. Cost Optimization

The institution sought to reduce escalating Oracle support and infrastructure costs while ensuring continued high performance and availability.

2. Cloud Strategy Alignment

McMaster had a defined cloud roadmap but needed a solution that balanced on-premises control with cloud capabilities. The objective was to realize cloud strategy goals without compromising regulatory, security, or operational requirements typical of the higher education sector.

3. Hardware Modernization

The existing infrastructure required an upgrade to a more scalable, performance-optimized platform capable of supporting growing academic, administrative, and research workloads.

4. Complex Transition to Exadata Cloud@Customer

Migrating to ExaCC required careful planning, change management, and internal enablement. The university needed to:

• Ensure a smooth migration of multiple Oracle databases

• Maximize adoption of ExaCC-native capabilities

• Minimize disruption to university operations

• Upskill internal teams to manage the new environment effectively

The transition demanded both deep technical expertise and structured organizational change support.

DSP-Eclipsys delivered a comprehensive engagement spanning strategic planning, implementation, migration, and knowledge transfer.

1. Strategic Planning Workshops

Eclipsys conducted structured planning workshops to:

• Assess the existing Oracle estate

• Define architectural requirements

• Align ExaCC capabilities with McMaster’s cloud strategy

• Identify opportunities for optimization and feature adoption

These workshops ensured that the migration was not a lift-and-shift exercise but a strategic modernization initiative.

2. ExaCC Implementation

Eclipsys led the design and implementation of the Oracle Exadata Cloud@Customer platform, ensuring:

• Proper configuration aligned with Oracle best practices

• Performance optimization for core workloads

• High availability and security configuration

• Seamless integration with existing university systems

The implementation phase established a resilient and future-ready Oracle platform.

3. Optimized Migration Planning

Rather than simply migrating databases as-is, Eclipsys developed migration plans that maximized the use of advanced ExaCC features, including:

• Database Partitioning to improve performance and manageability

• Advanced Compression to reduce storage footprint and optimize cost

• Database Vault (DB Vault) to strengthen security controls

• Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) to ensure data protection and compliance

This approach enhanced performance, improved security posture, and optimized infrastructure utilization.

4. Knowledge Transfer & Enablement

Recognizing the complexity of ExaCC, Eclipsys delivered structured knowledge transfer sessions designed to:

• Educate internal teams on architecture and operational nuances

• Build confidence in managing the new environment

• Reduce dependency risk

• Support long-term self-sufficiency

This was complemented by ongoing advisory support delivered through the Eclipsys Bank of Hours model, providing flexible access to expert guidance as needed.