Thanks a lot to all of you who participated this week in the 3 live Seminars about Database Upgrade, Performance Stability and Multitenant. We were just overwhelmed but so many tuning in. And I hope you’ve enjoyed it. As promised here you’ll get more. So find here for all 3 Live Seminars: Slides Download and Questions Seminar 1 answered. Once the recordings are published, I will tell you via the blog of course as well.

Photo by Simon Abrams on Unsplash
Slides Download
Thanks again also to Laura Garcia Villareal from Oracle University. If you have more questions regarding in-depth follow-up trainings offered by Oracle University, please feel free to get in touch with Laura. Her eMail address is mentioned in the last part of all the slide decks. And Laura will happily assist you.
You will find all three decks on the Slides Download Page on this blog. And of course, here:
And just in case you wonder, the title pictures are all taken by myself at Lake Starnberg near Munich, near Kassianspitze in Sarntal in Südtirol (South Tyrol), and at Schnalstaler Gletscher, in Südtirol (South Tyrol) as well.
Your Questions, our Answers
Of course I can’t answer questions while I’m presenting live. But luckily my colleagues have preserved the questions, and I’ll try to answer all of them, grouped by seminar. If you don’t find your question below, it may have been not sent to me. For those question addressed directly to Laura, she told me that she answered you directly already.
Below, I’m answering the questions for seminar 1 – the answer for the seminars 2 and 3 will follow soon.
Seminar 1 – Release Strategy, Patching and Cool Features
1 | What is the latest version certified with EBS 12.1.3? A: Please see the certification tab at support.oracle.com. It’s 12.1.0.2 as far as I can see. |
2 | Why the support for the newer versions is so shorter if compared with the oldest versions? A: Don’t mix the entire release time frame with patch sets in the older days. 19c as long-term support release (or in the old dictation, as terminal patch set) has a support as other terminal patch sets before. |
3 | What is the name of the release family starting with 20c ? A: Can’t say as it hasn’t been released. Please watch out for MOS 742060.1 |
4 | If an application is certified with oracle database 12c does it mean is supported with oracle database 19c? A: That depends on your app vendor – and you may have to differ between 12.1 and 12.2. |
5 | Upgrade on Exadata will require a downtime too? A: The database upgrade, yes. Patching can happen rolling. And some other steps don’t require downtime AFAIK |
6 | What would be a good use case to use RUR? A: Only if Support or Exadata Support ask you to use it |
7 | Still missing 19.7 for windows x64, do you know when it would be available A: It was announced for this week – and being honest, the communication about this is not very smart 🙁 |
8 | Can you ran the datapatch against a (RAC) DB while there is actual APPlication workload actively using the DB? A: Yes, you can. |
9 | During Datapatch. is the database to be open in normal mode or restricted mode A: See the readme. It is open UNRESTRICTED. Datapatch does not require downtime. |
10 | Do we have to install the OJVM patches, always coordinated with the main (RDBMS) patch version? A: No, you don’t. |
11 | Is exadata latest patch info is also available on same MOS note? A: Exadata has a special note: 888828.1 |
12 | I still see 19.0.0.0.0 … Mike said it will be 19.0.0 ( only 3) A: Yes, correct – it was just not possible to change the entire code base and remove the last two numbers. So SQL*Plus greets you with 5 numbers still. |
13 | Hi Mike, if and when possible, what are your views on gold images. Can you demo an example ? A: See https://mikedietrichde.com/2020/01/28/do-we-offer-patched-gold-images-already/ |
14 | How about one off patches which gets applied between RU’s A: Not sure what you mean – but a one-off has to fit to an RU – otherwise you’ll have to request it again for the next RU. |
15 | Is 6880880 always the most recent OPatch or just the most recent right now? Thank you. A: Always the most recent – and some more: https://mikedietrichde.com/2018/05/14/why-should-you-use-the-most-recent-version-of-opatch/ |
16 | Online Move works with ASM too ? A: Yes |
17 | Can I move to different diskgroups ? A: Yes, you can |
18 | After installing the base release 19.0.0.0 then apply directly the Combo Patch(Database + JAVA ) from April 2020 to bring it up to 19.7.0.0 fro Linux – without the need for previous release update of 19.6.0.0, 19.5.0.0, 19.4.0.0 etc.. because patch is cummulative of all these patches in 19.7? A: Yes, they are. You take 19.3.0 (base release) and apply 19.7.0 (which includes 19.4.0, 19.5.0 and 19.6.0). The same applies to the newest OJVM RU. |
19 | Does all these cool features work on Oracle SE also? A: Well, I think I pointed this out on the slides 🙂 And “online” means EE usually 🙁 |
20 | Looks like Online Table move affects DML’s ? We tried it on 12.2.0.1, but didn’t work. During MOVE operation, users were NOT able to perform DML and we observed LOCKs until MOVE completed. Please advice. A: Please check with Oracle Support – and check in 19c especially. |
21 | Can i shrink system tablespace without downtime in oracle 19C? A: Please see 1173241.1 (Optimizing Database disk space using Alter table shrink space/move compress) |
22 | Is the tablespace encryption separately licensed ? A: Yes, this is ASO (Advanced Security Option) which is included in cloud always AFAIK |
23 | Can you mention which of the cool Features are available on SE2? A: I pointed out when it is available in EE – and “online” means EE usually. But when you browse quickly through the 19c License Guide, you’ll spot a lot of cool stuff for SE2, too. |
24 | How the new online fetures on 12.2.x are impacting the performance of the system? A: Not that I’m aware of any |
25 | Online tablespace encryption – is it licensable feature – i.e need to purchase advance security? A: Yes, this is ASO (Advanced Security Option) which is included in cloud always AFAIK |
26 | What is the difference between gridSetup.sh -switchGridHome versus opatchauto -prepare-clone / -switch-clone A: Can’t say – please open an SR and check with Oracle Support |
27 | What is the overhead for using privilege capture? A: Almost none – I’m not aware of any measurable |
28 | How long can be the Capture process in term of time? Can I enable it e.g. for a couple of months? A: I think the intention is not “months” but in the area of “days”. If you have various different periods, you can start it anytime again. |
29 | What is your recommendation for the compatible initialization parameter after applying an RU? A: See Seminar 2 – leave it always on the default level of the release, e.g. 19.0.0 – and NEVER adjust it for an RU: https://mikedietrichde.com/2019/04/10/should-you-change-compatible-when-you-apply-an-ru/ |
30 | You mentioned the 12.2.0.1 LIMITED UPDATES (sep 2020 for 16 months). Will these be produced to a regular schedule? What type of things will they contain? Thanks. A: A FAQ will be released soon – and yes, there will be quarterly RUs containing security fixes and Sev.1 bug fixes. It is called Limited Error Correction Support. |
31 | What is limited ? I cant understand exactly A: A FAQ will be released soon – there will be quarterly RUs but only containing security fixes and Sev.1 bug fixes. It is called Limited Error Correction Support for the reason that you can’t request Sev.2 or Sev.3. Please see: https://mikedietrichde.com/2020/04/15/oracle-12-2-0-1-support-extended-with-limited-error-correction-support/ |
32 | I wonder what is the cheapest training option for professional level? A: Laura answered by email directly already |
33 | Are there no corporate learning subscriptions possible? Imagine like a global corporate price to train multiple disciplines, DBAs, OCI DevOPs, … (A bit like an ULA but for education) A: Laura answered by email directly already |
34 | For the certification : for those who 11g certified, can we certify straight to 19c or we must pass through 12c/18c exam steps first? Thanks! A: Laura answered by email directly already |
35 | What’s the pricing on the online training? A: You can check all the pricing on education.oracle.com |
36 | I purchased a learning subscription in January and asked at the time if a discount was available and told no! I would not have purchased in January and would have waited! Can I please get a refund/credit note for the discount? A: Laura answered by email directly already |
37 | ‘@Laura: Can a Learning Subscription be ordered now with 30% discount with starting date later e.g. Dec .2020 ? A: Laura answered by email already directly |
38 | Two questions on upgrades / versions…. did not see any ref to 20c. A: Yes, on purpose. Please watch out for announcements in MOS 742060.1 and see here: https://mikedietrichde.com/2020/02/14/oracle-database-20c-documentation-and-cloud-availability/ |
One Final Thing
Please forgive us if you couldn’t logon. There is a zoom limit for our accounts of a maximum of 1000 simultaneous viewers. We were simply overwhelmed by the response to the invite sent so shortly before. We will make the recording accessible to everybody as soon as they have been processed. We apologize in case you’ve had a logon link but couldn’t get into the seminar.
Thanks again for your participation – and hopefully we’ll see each other in person again soon!
Further Information and Links
- Questions and Answers Seminar 2 – AutoUpgrade and Performance Stability
- Questions and Answers Seminar 3 – Migration to Oracle Multitenant
- Slides Download for all 3 Seminars
–Mike