Oh, I think it took us years to get rid of recommendations in MOS notes saying before this or that change you must take an offline backup. These recommendations dated back to times where not almost everybody was using RMAN for online backups. But the times have changed. Still, there are situations where the “Offline Backup” word can be mentioned.… [ Read More ]
Data Pump 12.1.0.2 – Wrong Dump File Version – ORA-39142
Again I’ll have to thank my colleague Roland Gräff from the German ACS Support team in Stuttgart for bringing this into our radar. Roland alerted me a week ago about an issue with exports in Oracle 12.1.0.2 only when you are on a certain patch level. I summarize the issue here under Data Pump 12.1.0.2 – Wrong Dump File Version – ORA-39142.… [ Read More ]
Special characters show junk in CLOB columns after upgrade to Oracle 12.2.0.1 with JDBC
Thanks to my support colleague Roland Graeff who told me about this issue at a customer today. And I consider this a pretty serious issue. It can happen that Special characters show junk in CLOB columns after upgrade to Oracle 12.2.0.1. with JDBC.
This is as bad as it sounds. Roland told me about a case where the application showed weird characters instead of German umlauts (ä, ö, ü, Ä, Ö, Ü) after an upgrade from Oracle Database 12.1.0.2 to 12.2.0.1.… [ Read More ]
Video: The New Database Release and Patching Model
The last Office Hours I’ve run about the New Release and Patching Model didn’t go very well technically. I’ve had screen/display issues. And Steven Feuerstein tried to save the best parts – but despite Steven’s awesome work neither him nor I did really like the result. So I decided that it may be better to record a Video: The New Database Release and Patching Model again (which I actually planned for quite a while already anyway.… [ Read More ]
Export with Data Pump and Long Identifiers
I blogged a few days ago about Long Identifiers in Oracle Database 12.2 and accessing the objects via database links from lower database version. As this raised a few questions, I realized there may be a bit more clarification necessary. One question was about what happens during export with Data Pump and Long Identifiers.… [ Read More ]
Oracle Fail Safe 4.2.1 is available for Oracle 12.2
It took a while – we know. But finally Oracle Fail Safe 4.2.1 is available for Oracle 12.2. You may not see the MOS notes being updated with certification information. Still you can download the software from oracle.com.
This version is certified with Oracle 12.2.0.1. You should be able to use it with Oracle 18c as well but we’ll add another certification notice soon.… [ Read More ]
Long Identifiers in Oracle 12.2 may cause trouble
LONG identifiers are one of the key features in Oracle Database 12.2.0.1. But as I learned the other day, you should be a bit careful when you exchange data between different databases. In certain situations, Long Identifiers in Oracle 12.2 may cause trouble.
What are Long Identifiers?
Long identifiers get introduced with Oracle Database 12.2.0.1.… [ Read More ]
_optimizer_ignore_hints is now optimizer_ignore_hints
I’m refreshing our Hands-On Lab for Oracle Database 18c. And as part of a performance evaluation I wanted to set an underscore parameter to ignore all hints my load test tool sets. But then I learned: This does not work anymore as _optimizer_ignore_hints is now optimizer_ignore_hints. We made the underscore obsolete in Oracle Database 18c.… [ Read More ]
Patching Oracle Database 18.1.0 to 18.2.0 on premises
In this part of my blog post series about upgrading from Oracle 12.2.0.1 to Oracle 18c I’d like to demonstrate patching Oracle Database 18.1.0 to 18.2.0 on premises.
A while ago I showed also how to patch from Oracle 18.1.0 to 18.2.0 in the Oracle Cloud.
Find the related blog posts here:
- Deinstalling Oracle Database 12.2.0.1
- Installing Oracle Database 18.1.0
- Patching Oracle 18.1.0 to 18.2.0
- Upgrade Oracle 12.2.0.1 to Oracle Database 18c on-premises
Patching Oracle Database 18.1.0 to 18.2.0 on premises
Before I can start patching to the Release Update Oracle 18.2.0 I need to download the patch and a new version of Opatch as well.… [ Read More ]
Installing Oracle Database 18c
This blog post about Installing Oracle Database 18c applies to all Oracle 18c releases. I wrote a while ago about one very important change:
and explained that the installation is now image based. You’ll find other posts as part of my series on how to install and upgrade to Oracle Database 18c here:
- Deinstalling Oracle Database 12.2.0.1
- Installing Oracle Database 18.1.0
- Patching Oracle 18.1.0 to 18.2.0
- Upgrade Oracle 12.2.0.1 to Oracle Database 18c on-premises
Installing Oracle Database 18c
Oracle Database 18c on-premises is supposed to be generally available with the July 2018 Update.… [ Read More ]
Deinstalling Oracle Database 12.2.0.1
This is part of a blog post serious where I install Oracle 18c on-premises in our Hands-On Lab and upgrade the Multitenant 12.2.0.1 database as well. But in order to safe space, deinstalling Oracle Database 12.2.0.1 is my next task. You find all the blog posts connected to each other here:
- Deinstalling Oracle Database 12.2.0.1
- Installing Oracle Database 18.1.0
- Patching Oracle 18.1.0 to 18.2.0
- Upgrade Oracle 12.2.0.1 to Oracle Database 18c on-premises
Deinstalling Oracle Database 12.2.0.1
In the Oracle Installation documentation you’ll find this part:
The documentation lists two removal options:
But in fact (see below) there’s actually no difference.… [ Read More ]
Upgrade Oracle 12.2.0.1 to Oracle Database 18c on-premises
I’m currently refreshing our Hands-On Lab and will exchange Oracle 12.2.0.1 with Oracle 18.2.0. This blog post series is about how to Upgrade to Oracle 12.2.0.1 to Oracle Database 18c on-premises. There are other blog posts available you may use by yourself if you plan to refresh the lab by yourself until we uploaded a newer version.… [ Read More ]
Upgrade Hands-On Lab – Oracle Database 12.2.0.1 – May 2018
Roy just uploaded a newer version of our Upgrade Hands-On Lab – Oracle Database 12.2.0.1 – May 2018.
The previous version had – I believe – and early drop of Oracle 12.2.0.1 installed. And recently somebody complained that certain Multitenant operations such as Hot Cloning with Oracle Database 12.2.0.1 don’t work but result in errors.… [ Read More ]
Upgrade Office Hours: June 20, 2018 – 14:00 CET – The New Release Model
Well, time really flies. And I just realized this morning: It’s time to promote our next session for the Upgrade Office Hours: June 20, 2018 – 14:00 CET – The New Release Model. Yes, Wednesday next week. Time to let us know your questions upfront. BE AWARE: WE HAD TO CHANGE THE BEGIN TIME FROM 11:00 CET to 14:00 CET
Upgrade Office Hours: June 20, 2018 – 14:00 CET – The New Release Model
Roy, Bill and I have taken a decision to alter the begin dates for the upcoming Office hours.… [ Read More ]
ORAWORLD Mag: Oracle Database Patching – Tips & Tricks
Thanks to DOAG and the ORAWORLD Magazine, my article is released in the current September 2018 ORAWORLD Mag: Oracle Database Patching – Tips & Tricks
ORAWORLD Mag: Oracle Database Patching – Tips & Tricks
You’ll find my article about Database Patching – Tips & Tricks on page 28ff in the September 2018 issue if the ORAWORLD magazine.… [ Read More ]
Vienna Calling – Austrian Oracle User Group Conference 2018
Next week the 30th AOUG Conference will happen. Vienna Calling – Austrian Oracle User Group Conference 2018. I’m looking forward to it.
Travel is all set – I’ll head out on Monday. And I hope to meet you there.
Vienna Calling – Austrian Oracle User Group Conference 2018
Vienna is one of my favorite cities in the world.… [ Read More ]
Drop a tablespace in a PDB with a Guaranteed Restore Point being active
This was an interesting question I received from Alain Fuhrer a couple of weeks ago: “Why can’t I drop a tablespace in a PDB whit a Guaranteed Restore Point being active?”. It’s important to note that the GRP is not active in the same but in another PDB.
An SR resolved the issue.… [ Read More ]
RMAN backup generates traces in Oracle 12.2.0.1
Oracle 12.2.0.1 seems to be the “tracing” release without further patch or parameter treatments. After posting about MMON unconditional traces in Oracle 12.2.0.1 a day ago, I received a couple of comments either on the blog, via LinkedIn or Twitter regarding other trace facilities in Oracle Database 12.2.0.1.… [ Read More ]
MMON unconditional traces in Oracle 12.2.0.1
I love visiting customers onsite. Last week I visited die Mobiliar in Bern, Switzerland. I received a list of open issues to discuss – which is very good to prepare a visit. And when we all were sitting together there was this “Ah, one final thing”. They have an issue with traces the databases writes every few seconds.… [ Read More ]
Remove Underscore Parameters not only before you upgrade
Underscore parameters are a wonderful thing in Oracle. They are treated like a secret. But you can view them of course. Everybody can. Make a guess how many underscore parameters exist in Oracle 12.2.0.1.0. You’ll find the answer at the end of this blog post. But why should you remove underscore parameters not only before you upgrade?… [ Read More ]
Be aware of database options selections for PDBs in DBCA
I did blog about several things-to-know with DBCA (Database Configuration Assistant) in the past. And one issue came up in our internal mailing list the other day. Be aware of database options selections for PDBs in DBCA. Missing one or the other “click” may bring you in trouble later on. I blogged about this already a while ago but this was only part of a larger post: Create Multitenant Databases with DBCA – Things to Know.… [ Read More ]
Why should you use the most recent version of OPatch?
Opatch. A tool nobody really loves but everybody has to use (at least those of you who patch or aren’t in our cloud deployment). Opatch gets distributed via MOS. And you often can apply patches with an older version of OPatch. So why should you use the most recent version of OPatch?… [ Read More ]
When you patch, please use UPDATES – and not REVISIONS
I can just repeat what I’m saying not for almost a year: When you patch, please use UPDATES – and not REVISIONS. Updates (or Release Updates – short: RU) and Revisions (or Release Update Revisions – short: RUR) are patch bundles for the Oracle Database since Oracle 12.2.0.1. There are no PSUs (Patch Set Updates) anymore.… [ Read More ]
Transient Logical Standby – Rolling Upgrades – Overview
More than 10 years ago I was invited to work several weeks in Redwood Shores at the Oracle HQ for Lawrence To‘s MAA team together with Ray Dutcher, one of the greatest persons I have ever met and worked with in my over 20 years at Oracle. We had to work out a doable process for smooth rolling upgrades utilizing a physical standby database.… [ Read More ]
Different block sizes when you plugin?
Interesting case Roy came across a week ago with a customer in the US. The customer received a plugin violation because of different DB_BLOCK_SIZE between the source and the destination database. This happened regardless of unplug/plug or plugging in a non-CDB into a CDB. Hence the question came up: Can you have different block sizes when you plugin?… [ Read More ]