Oracle AI Database 26ai

AI World 2026: Upgrade, Migration and Patching Sessions

Now it is your task. Mark your sessions for AI World 2026. Currently, the session schedule has been published. But the rooms aren’t finalised yet. Why? Because we are counting favorite markers to be able to move sessions with high demand to larger rooms. Below, you find our list of AI World 2026: Upgrade, Migration and Patching Sessions. And it’s time to mark your preferences. We clearly look forward to meet you soon in person. It’s the best time of the year when we all get together and see our customers in person!

AI World 2026: Upgrade, Migration and Patching Sessions

Oracle AI World 2026:

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Oracle AI Database 26ai isn’t planned for SPARC Solaris and Linux ARM

Some of you have read this already. And others may not be happy about the news. You can read it in MOS Note PNEWS1360: Oracle AI Database 26ai isn’t planned for SPARC Solaris and Linux ARM. Other platforms such as IBM AIX, zLinux and MS Windows are expected to be released in calendar year 2027 (CY2027) according to an update to the note.

Oracle AI Database 26ai isn't planned for SPARC Solaris and Linux ARM

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PNEWS1360 got updated

You need to scroll down to the “Oracle Database Release Schedule“. Then look at the sub-table “On-premises server releases” in (PNEWS1360) Release …

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Oracle Database 19c is supported on OL/RHEL 10

Many of you did wait for this – and since (I think) two weeks it is official. Oracle Database 19c is supported on OL/RHEL 10. Furthermore, I am going to show you how to find the certifications for Oracle AI Database 26ai since your search attempts may lead to different results depending on the filters you use.

 

How can you look up certification information?

You need to go to support.oracle.com, and then choose Resources and Product Certification Matrix as the picture below demonstrates.

Oracle Database 19c is supported on OL/RHEL 10

Resources page on support.oracle.com

You must hit the Visit button. Clicking on the larger …

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How to rollback an MRP

You know, I am not a fan of in-place patching. Actually, I think everyone should always patch out-of-place. But I know that for instance EBS with a 19c database requires in-place patching, and out-of-place will be supported only with 26ai for EBS. Therefore, in relation to an exercise I did over the weekend, let me share how to rollback an MRP.

How to rollback an MRP

Photo by Darío Bonzi on Unsplash

What is an MRP?

Very briefly, it stands for Monthly Recommended Patch – thus MRP. And it co-exists with CSPUs. I described the difference here. Read more if you are interested.

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New AutoUpgrade version 26.5 is available (plus 26.4)

I totally forgot to announce the 26.4 version of AutoUpgrade. And now, the new AutoUpgrade version 26.5 is available (plus 26.4) already. The AutoUpgrade Development team did an amazing job in shortening the release cycle. This way, we can deliver quick fixes faster to you. When you study the list of enhancements and fixes carefully, some of you will say: Great, this is what I was waiting for.

New AutoUpgrade version 26.5 is available (plus 26.4)

Photo by julien Tromeur on Unsplash

Download AutoUpgrade

As I described already in AutoUpgrade Patching – From Zero to Hero – Part 1: Download AutoUpgrade, you have several ways to fetch …

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Upgrade to 26ai may hang due to block checking events

This issue is caused by an internal change, and we hit this now with two very large customer upgrades recently. Therefore, I would like to point to a fix, a workaround and the following RU in case you see your Upgrade to 26ai may hang due to block checking events.

Upgrade to 26ai may hang due to block checking events

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What would you see?

This issue can happen with cloning, PDB refreshable clones or just a copy or restore of your database for the subsequent upgrade to Oracle AI Database 26ai. It is not dependent on AutoUpgrade but since AutoUpgrade is the only …

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CDB upgrades – explaining catctl_options

When you upgrade your entire CDB with AutoUpgrade, there is a parameter which allows you some tuning or tweaking. And I often see some misunderstanding here. Therefore, for CDB upgrades – explaining catctl_options is my focus today.

CDB upgrades - explaining catctl_options

Photo by Arthur Mazi on Unsplash

 

catctl_options – what it is meant for

This AutoUpgrade config file parameter allows you to set specific settings, mostly for tuning, but also to override some defaults. In the documentation you will find the whole list of options. You can set it in your AutoUpgrade config file, e.g.:

upg1.catctl_options=-T

 

catctl_options in CDB upgrades

Here, …

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AutoUpgrade Patching – From Zero to Hero – Part 4: Download Examples

Let me take off into the 4th part of this blog post series: AutoUpgrade Patching – From Zero to Hero – Part 4: Download Examples. I’d like to show you some of the most common examples and use cases we came across. And of course, I will add some additional (and hopefully useful) information on top.

AutoUpgrade Patching – From Zero to Hero – Part 4: Download Examples

The patch parameter

At first, in my previous blog post I used patch1.patch=RECOMMENDED (by the way, upper/lowercase does not matter). But I didn’t explain the whole extent and possibilities of the patch parameter to you.

Here’s a list of the most important parameter …

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AutoUpgrade Patching – From Zero to Hero – Part 3: Download Patches

You completed Part 1 and Part 2 of this blog post series already? Then you are ready for AutoUpgrade Patching – From Zero to Hero – Part 3: Download Patches. Let us start simple, and then increase the scope to fetch the patches for various operating system platforms in your local patching folder.

AutoUpgrade Patching - From Zero to Hero - Part 3: Download Patches

 

Which download?

Strange headline – but you’ll see what I mean. At first, we need to clarify the various download options for patches.

  1. Download patches directly from MOS/ARU by yourself
    This usually means that you go to the various MOS notes, such as KB106822 /
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How to deal with statistics when you migrate?

Have you done migration projects in the past, or do you have some upcoming projects, and you wonder how you should treat all sorts of statistics in your database? What is the better option? Keep and migrate the existing ones? Regather them right away? A partial-move approach? How to deal with statistics when you migrate? Then this is for you. Sign up to our next Virtual Classroom Seminar on Thursday, June 18 at 14:00h CEST: Statistics and Migrations – Well-Kept Secrets Revealed

How to deal with statistics when you migrate?

Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash

What’s the topic?

Statistics and Migrations – Well-kept Secrets Revealed…

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CPU, CSPU, MRP, RU – some clarifications

I just returned from a 2 week vacation in Asia this weekend. And I was following from a distance. On May 28, the first CSPUs got released, some MOS notes got published. There are a lot of patching options now. CPU, CSPU, MRP, RU – some clarifications may be needed.

CPU, CSPU, MRP, RU - some clarifications

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The Prelude

On May 4, 2026, I published this blog post Patch your database against AI cybersecurity threads following these two announcements:

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DBMS_OPTIM_BUNDLE – what it shows, and what oradiff lists

I blogged multiple times about DBMS_OPTIM_BUNDLE, the package to work with the Fix Control Persistence (FCP) framework in the database. And we also gave recommendations over the years that you need to test carefully when you are going to enable the fixes while patching. But it is a good practice do enable them when you do upgrade testing, and also when you start creating new databases in a new environment. Just make sure you keep the settings equal across your environments. The other day I received a question from Dennis asking about DBMS_OPTIM_BUNDLE – what it shows, and what oradiff …

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Grid Infrastructure: Bye Tomcat – welcome Micronaut

Anil Nair wrote it in his MAA Blog Post on April 28: “Oracle is simplifying the software stack by replacing Apache Tomcat application server with Micronaut framework.”. And since some of you asked already, let me give you a bit more information about this change in 19.30 and 19.31 with Grid Infrastructure: Bye Tomcat – welcome Micronaut.

Grid Infrastructure: Bye Tomcat - welcome Micronaut

Photo by Hayrullah Gozcu on Unsplash – and I know, the jet in the picture isn’t an F-14 Tomcat 🙂 

It happens automatically

At first, no action is needed from your side. This behavior change happens automatically.

It is the …

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Patch your databases against AI-enabled cybersecurity threats

I guess you all read the announcements and predictions over the past weeks. New AI models and improvements to existing models may allow to find security issues in existing software much quicker. While this sounds alarming on one side (yes, it does), it also enables software vendors to secure their software. But in order to benefit from it, you must patch your databases against AI-enabled cybersecurity threats.

Patch your databases against AI-enabled cybersecurity threats

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Read the official announcements

At first, please read the official announcements released here:

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Don’t use AI to build your AutoUpgrade config file, please!

Let me do a quick Friday rant. Many of you can easily ignore this. But regardless of whether you are a colleague, a friend, a customer, a partner or just exploring AutoUpgrade because it is the coolest small tiny little tool Oracle has to offer, don’t use AI to build your AutoUpgrade config file, please!

AI models are great … somehow …

No worries, I use AI tools as well, especially when I need to create some complex PL/SQL scripts. There is nothing wrong with it – unless you stay in control. I …

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It’s there – Oracle AI Database 26ai is available for download

This was a long wait – and finally, it’s there – Oracle AI Database 26ai is available for download on-prem. And as you may remember our announcement from Oracle AI World, Oracle AI Database 26ai replaced Oracle Database 23ai.

What is available?

You can download now the Linux version of Oracle AI Database 26ai Enterprise Edition, 23.26.1.0.0, from the usual sources as a Gold Image include the RU or as a separate RU.

Besides the 23.26.1 database release, you …

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Upgrade Workshops in Copenhagen, Munich and Berlin

Your chance to sign up NOW! We are going to run Full Day Oracle AI Database 26ai Upgrade Workshops in Copenhagen, Munich and Berlin. And this is NOT a repeat – it is the 2nd edition of the workshop you may have attended last year in spring with brand-new content, new features.

As usual, zero marketing – just tech!!

When?

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Finally … Oracle AI Database 26ai is going to be available on non-Oracle hardware

Many of you have read my blog post from October during Oracle AI World in Las Vegas about Oracle AI Database 26ai replacing Oracle Database 23ai. But the main question remained: When is it available on-prem on non-Oracle hardware? It’s December now, and Christmas is coming soon, it is time for presents. Yes, finally … Oracle AI Database 26ai is going to be available on non-Oracle hardware.

Finally ... Oracle AI Database 26ai is going to be available on non-Oracle hardware

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When is it going to be released?

You still need to wait a few weeks, potentially until the 2nd half of January 2026. The CPU …

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A kill-switch terminates blocking sessions during patching

You will find a good number of datapatch posts on my blog. And with Oracle AI Database 26ai from RU 23.26.0.0.0 onward (the October 2025 RU), we introduce a new functionality when you run datapatch: A kill-switch terminates blocking sessions during patching.

A kill-switch terminates blocking sessions during patching

Photo by Yuko Tanaka on Unsplash

What is changing?

From Oracle AI Database 26ai onwards by default the invocation of datapatch will terminate any session currently holding a requested KGL X lock (Kernel Generic Library cache), an exclusive lock on an SQL or an PL/SQL procedure.

In reality this means:

  1. You invoke
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Oracle AI World 25: Upgrade to Oracle AI Database 26ai – let’s do it again

We’ll do it another time. This is your chance in case you missed our session on Tuesday:

Marco Polo 806, Level 1
Upgrade to Oracle AI Database 26ai: Best Practices and Customer Experience [LRN4241]

We collided with the delayed keynote of Larry Ellison, and obviously attending the keynote was way more important than our talk. Therefore, if you couldn’t show up but still want to learn about the replacement of Oracle Database 23ai with Oracle AI Database 26ai, then THIS is your final chance.

Oracle AI World 25: Upgrade to Oracle AI Database 26ai - let's do it again

We will show you the new release numbering schema, clarify whether you need to …

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Oracle AI Database 26ai replaces Oracle Database 23ai

Larry Ellison announced Oracle AI Database 26ai  today in his keynote at Oracle AI World conference in Las Vegas. And I am pretty certain you may want some clarification on what this means exactly. Therefore, let me clarify the details, and why Oracle AI Database 26ai replaces Oracle Database 23ai.

Oracle AI Database 26ai replaces Oracle Database 23ai

What did Larry Ellison announce?

Larry gave a spoiler already in the Q1 earnings call where he referred to Oracle AI Database instead of Oracle Database. He was clearly emphasizing the AI capabilities of our flagship product. From now on, it will be known as Oracle AI Database…

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