The following diagram is a high-level view of key tables and fields of BRM Database. For complete list of fields please refer BRM documentation:




Queries for reference which are useful in all BRM projects: View

In Oracle BRM (Billing and Revenue Management), a base opcode is a fundamental operation or API used to perform actions such as creating, retrieving, updating, or deleting (CRUD) data in the system. These opcodes are predefined and serve as the building blocks for implementing business logic and processes within the BRM framework.

Base opcodes examples:

Opcode Name	Details
PCM_OP_CREATE_OBJ	Used to create new objects or entities in the BRM database.
PCM_OP_DELETE_OBJ	Used to delete existing objects or entities from the BRM database.
PCM_OP_READ_OBJ	Used to retrieve information or data from existing objects in the BRM database.
PCM_OP_WRITE_FLDS	Used to update existing objects or entities in the BRM database.
PCM_OP_SEARCH	Widely used opcode to search for objects or entities based on specified criteria. Data can be retrieved from two or more entities by specifying link between the objects.

 Note: PCM_OP_BULK_WRITE_FLDS opcode is also used to update fields like PCM_OP_WRITE_FLDS opcode. This opcode is useful when we need to update the same set of fields across a large number of objects efficiently in a single operation.

In Oracle BRM (Billing and Revenue Management), standard opcodes are predefined APIs used to handle tasks such as subscription management, balance adjustments, and service provisioning etc. They ensure consistency and reliability in processing business rules and transactions.

Standard opcodes are BRM APIs which are part of BRM Function Modules (FM). Standard and Custom opcodes can be exposed as REST APIs to integrate with different applications. Below are some examples of Standard opcodes provided by Oracle Out-of-the-box from different modules:

Standard Opcode Name	Details
PCM_OP_CUST_COMMIT_CUSTOMER	Used to create or modify customer accounts, purchase products & discounts.
PCM_OP_ACT_USAGE	This opcode rates and records an event.
PCM_OP_BILL_MAKE_BILL	This is a main opcode which provides billing for the specified billinfo object.
PCM_OP_PYMT_COLLECT	Performs payment collections and refunds.
PCM_OP_COLLECTIONS_PROCESS_BILLINFO	Determines whether bill units enters or exit collections and performs collections actions.

OBRM Opcode Interface Diagram:

      

Policy Opcodes are hooks provided in standard opcodes to implement customizations. They facilitate a wide range of functions, allowing for achieving custom requirements of billing and revenue processes. BRM provide a ".c" file for every policy opcode where developers can implement changes as per the business needs. Below are some examples of policy opcodes from different modules:

Policy Modules	Example with Details
Subscription FM Policies	PCM_OP_SUBSCRIPTION_POL_SPEC_CYCLE_FEE_INTERVAL: Specify a different start, end, scale for cycle fee events
Rate FM Policies	PCM_OP_RATE_POL_PRE_RATING: Modify the input flist being sent for rating, PCM_OP_RATE_POL_POST_RATING: To perform any update after rating the event
Bill FM Policies	PCM_OP_BILL_POL_SPEC_BILLNO: To customize the bill no generated by billing, PCM_OP_BILL_POL_POST_BILLING: To perform any operation immediately after billing
Invoice FM Policies	PCM_OP_INV_POL_PREP_INVOICE: To enrich the invoice with additional information
Collections FM Policies	PCM_OP_COLLECTIONS_POL_EXEC_POLICY_ACTION: Perform specific tasks on collection actions, PCM_OP_COLLECTIONS_POL_EXIT_SCENARIO: Execute actions like resume service when billinfo leaves collections scenario

In order to invoke BRM API/opcode, Input payload needs to be prepared as per opcode specifications. Input Flists for Opcodes for Reference in all BRM Projects: View

BRM also provides support for custom opcodes in order to fulfill business specific requirements in the project. Custom opcodes are designed with the input/output specifications and new library to meet such requirements.

Below are some important functions which are frequently used in BRM code to implement different functionalities.

FM Function Name	Details
fm_utils_trans_open()	Opens a transaction and locks the given object in read/write mode to maintain data integrity
fm_utils_trans_commit(),  fm_utils_trans_abort()	Commit or Abort a transaction which was opened using fm_utils_trans_open() function if the whole transaction is success or failure respectively
fm_utils_is_subtype()	Determines if the type passed is the subtype of the poid_type passed. Returns 1 if the type passed is the subtype, 0 otherwise
fm_utils_add_n_days()	Add specific number of days to the given time variable
fm_utils_op_is_ancestor()	Determines whether the given opcode is an ancestor of the current opcode using the given op stack. Returns 1 is opcode is an ancestor, 0 otherwise
fm_utils_time_round_to_midnight()	Rounds the given time variable to midnight
CM_FM_SET_NAMED_TRANS_FLIST(),  CM_FM_GET_NAMED_TRANS_FLIST(),  CM_FM_DROP_NAMED_TRANS_FLIST	After opening a transaction, CM_FM_SET_NAMED_TRANS_FLIST sets an flist in one opcode and this flist can be retrieved using CM_FM_GET_NAMED_TRANS_FLIST in another opcode. The drop macro is executed to remove flist from memory.

Flist Management Macro	Details
PIN_FLIST_CREATE()	Allocates memory and creates new flist
PIN_FLIST_FLD_GET(),  PIN_FLIST_FLD_TAKE()	Retrieve a field value from an flist. GET is a readonly get whereas TAKE is taking removing field from flist and taking ownership
PIN_FLIST_FLD_SET(),  PIN_FLIST_FLD_PUT()	Sets a field value to an flist. PUT is giving ownership of the field to the flist
PCM_OP()	Invokes an flist with the given input flist,flags and sets the response in the output flist
PIN_FLIST_DESTROY_EX()	Removes allocated memory to flist, should be invoked once flist is no longer in use
PIN_FLIST_ELEM_GET()	Retrieve an array field from flist
PIN_FLIST_ELEM_GET_NEXT()	Loop through an array field in the flist
PIN_FLIST_SUBSTR_GET()	Retrieve a substruct field from flist
PIN_FLIST_ELEM_ADD()	Sets a new array in flist

Other Macros-

Macro	Details
PIN_POID_CREATE()	Allocates memory and creates new poid
PIN_POID_COMPARE()	Compares two poids if they are identical
PIN_POID_IS_NULL()	Determines if the given poid is null
PIN_POID_DESTROY()	Removes allocated memory to poid
PIN_BEID_IS_CURRENCY()	Returns 1 if the passed integer is a currency resource, 0 for non currency resource
PIN_ERR_LOG_FLIST()	Logs flist value to the cm.pinlog for troubleshooting
PIN_ERR_LOG_MSG()	Logs a string value to the cm.pinlog for debugging. Other data types can be converted to string and then logged
pbo_decimal_from_str()	Create a new decimal variable from a string value
pbo_decimal_is_zero()	Returns 1 if the passed decimal has a value of zero, else 0
pbo_decimal_add(),  pbo_decimal_subtract()	Performs add/subtraction of two given decimal values
pbo_decimal_compare()	Compares two given decimal values if they are less,equal,greater than each other. Returns -1,0,1 if first parameter is less,equal or greater correspondingly.
pbo_decimal_destroy()	Removes allocated memory to decimal, should be invoked once it is no longer in use

Deployment and monitoring of applications running as pods in Kubernetes(k8s) environment is done using helm & kubectl respectively.


Some useful helm commands:

Helm Command	Details
helm install <brm-release-name> oc-cn-helm-chart --namespace <brm-namespace> --values oc-cn-helm-chart/override-values.yaml	To perform initial install to deploy new pods/services e.g. BRM pods
helm upgrade <brm-release-name> oc-cn-helm-chart --values oc-cn-helm-chart/override_values.yaml -n <brm-namespace>	To deploy changes done in config YAML file "override_values.yaml"
helm status <brm-release-name> -n <brm-namespace>	To check the helm status after install
helm history <brm-release-name> -n <brm-namespace>	To check the history of helm commands executed

Important kubectl commands:

Kubectl Command	Details
kubectl get nodes -o wide	To view the k8s nodes running in cluster with details
kubectl -n <brm-namespace> get pods -o wide	To check all the running pods status
kubectl -n <brm-namespace> exec -it <pod-name> bash	To login to the BRM pod instance
kubectl -n <brm-namespace> describe pod <pod-name>	To check details about a particular pod
kubectl -n <brm-namespace> get svc	To check the services type and status
kubectl -n <brm-namespace> logs -–since=1h -f <pod-name>	To view time bound logs of a specific pod
kubectl -n <brm-namespace> get hpa	To check horizontal pod autoscaler (HPA)
kubectl describe pvc --namespace <brm-namespace>	To retrieve details of persistent volume claim

Below diagram shows Oracle Elastic Charging Engine (ECE) and supported integrations with different systems like PDC, BRM, Mediation System etc.: