This one took time. More than I’d like to admit.

I was trying to run GoldenGate 21c Integrated Extract from a remote extraction server, sourcing redo from an Oracle 11g (11.2.0.4.201020 (October 2020 PSU)) database. Everything worked fine, I was able to create the extract, login to the database, but got a weird issue when tried to register the extract with 11g source database from remote extraction.

GGSCI (fatdbatestlab1) 7> dblogin useridalias ogg11g
Successfully logged into database.

GGSCI (fatdbatestlab1) GGREPAZUR@boom1) 8> REGISTER EXTRACT ext11g DATABASE

xxxx:xxx:xxxx   ERROR   OGG-08221  Cannot register or unregister Extract group EXT11G because of the following SQL error: OCI Error ORA 
(status = 6502-ORA-06502: PL/SQL: numeric or value error: character string buffer too small
ORA-06512: at "SYS.DBMS_XSTREAM_GG_ADM", line 145
ORA-06512: at "SYS.DBMS_XSTREAM_GG_ADM", line 186
ORA-06512: at line 1).

So Integrated Extract was the plan from day one. Even with that clarity, things didn’t go smoothly. Integrated Extract should work with 11g, specially with remote-extraction option due to security concerns and performance issues. The docs say so (if you are on compatible 11.2.0.4), compatibility matrices agree.

Now, just to be clear upfront .. I already knew that if I tried classic (non-integrated) extract remotely, I would hit “OGG-02022 Logmining server does not exist on this Oracle database.” .. That part wasn’t a surprise. Classic extract + remote server + 11g… yeah, that’s expected.

Yet I kept running into weird behavior that just didn’t add up. That’s when the doubt started creeping in … “Am I missing something?” “Is Integrated Extract actually usable with 11g in real life… not just on paper?”

Before touching the source server, I paused and went deeper into Oracle notes and bugs. That’s when I landed on the real issue. This wasn’t a GoldenGate 21c problem. And it wasn’t a remote extraction limitation either. It was an Oracle 11g RDBMS bug.

The Actual Root Cause was the database Bug 28367006.. Once I applied Patch 21683400 & the datapatch things finally started behaving like a sane system again.

GGSCI (fatdbatestlab1) GGREPAZUR@boom1) 8> REGISTER EXTRACT ext11g DATABASE
xxxx:xxx:xxx INFO    OGG-02003  Extract group EXT11G successfully registered with database at SCN 189381938103811.
 

It’s worth calling out that while Oracle 11g is technically supported for Integrated Extract, it is still a very old database release, and expectations need to be set accordingly. Running the latest available PSU is not optional in this kind of setup, and being aware of known bugs, defects, and architectural limitations is part of the job when working with legacy versions. In practice, if you stumble into a new or undocumented issue on 11g, Oracle Support is unlikely to engage development for a fresh bug fix, which means the only real options are workarounds, existing patches, or architectural adjustments. That reality alone makes proactive patching and careful design choices even more critical when pairing modern GoldenGate versions with older database platforms.

Hope It Helped!
Prashant Dixit