Oracle AI Database 26ai

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 …

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

Posted on January 27, 2026 by Mike.Dietrich Oracle AI Database 26ai 33

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.

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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 …

Upgrade Workshops in Copenhagen, Munich and Berlin

Posted on January 26, 2026 by Mike.Dietrich Oracle AI Database 26ai Workshop 4

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!!

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When?

Copenhagen: Tuesday, Jan 27, 2026
- 9:00h – 16:30h
- Scandic Sydhavnen – Sydhavns Plads 15 – 2450 Copenhagen
  .
Berlin: Monday, Feb 2, 2026
- 9:00 – 16:30h
- Oracle Office – Invalidenstrasse 65 –

Your chance: Full-day Upgrade to 26ai Workshop in Sydney on Jan 20, 2026

Posted on January 15, 2026 by Mike.Dietrich Workshop 4

Happy New Year to all of you at first. And just at very short notice a quick announcement for next week in case you are in the Sydney area in Australia. This is Your chance: Full-day Upgrade to 26ai Workshop in Sydney on Jan 20, 2026 has still a few open seats, and you could join, I’d be happy to see and meet you there.

And of course, it will be 2026, and not 2025 … OMG … 🙂

Your chance: Full-day Upgrade to 26ai Workshop in Sydney on Jan 20, 2026

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When, how and why?

Well, this is potentially the day (or a few hours …

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

Posted on December 3, 2025 by Mike.Dietrich Oracle AI Database 26ai 65

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 …

A kill-switch terminates blocking sessions during patching

Posted on November 12, 2025 by Mike.Dietrich Behavior Change Oracle AI Database 26ai Patch Recommendation 4

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

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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:

You invoke