Differences between Packages, Scenarios, and Load Plans

1.    A Load Plan is the largest executable object in Oracle Data Integrator. It uses Scenarios in its steps. When an executable object is used in a Load Plan, it is automatically converted into a scenario. For example, a package is used in the form of a scenario in Load Plans. Note that Load Plans cannot be added to a Load Plan. However, it is possible to add a scenario in form of a Run Scenario step that starts another Load Plan using the OdiStartLoadPlan tool.

2.    Load plans are not substitutes for packages or scenarios, but are used to organize at a higher level the execution of packages and scenarios.

3.    Unlike packages, Load Plans provide native support for parallelism, restartability and exception handling. Load plans are moved to production as is, whereas packages are moved in the form of scenarios. Load Plans can be created in Production environments.

4.    The Load Plan instances and Load Plan runs are similar to Sessions. The difference is that when a session is restarted, the existing session is overwritten by the new execution. The new Load Plan Run does not overwrite the existing Load Plan Run, it is added after the previous Load Plan Runs for this Load Plan Instance. Note that the Load Plan Instance cannot be modified at run-time.