Oracle’s newest release, 18c, is out, and I know what you’re thinking: what happened to 12.2.0.2? Is it really time for a whole new version? Well rest assured, this is not really a whole new version. It’s an entirely new method of naming that more accurately reflects what has been going on for years. The old model of multiple release versions and patch sets wasn’t doing justice to the database. The multiple release model led many to shy away from adopting any first release database for go-live workloads. But honestly, for years the patch sets have been full releases in all but name.
So now Oracle has decided to change its release schedule, and each annual release will be named after the last two digits of the year. The plan is to speed the release of smaller changes while avoiding the massive overhauls that used to come with first releases. What would have been database 12.2.0.2 is now 18c, and 12.2.0.3 will instead be 19.
They have also gotten rid of the Patch Set Updates and Proactive Bundle Patches. Instead we will now get Release Updates (RU) and Release Update Revisions (RUR). So now that we understand the new release structure, let’s discuss a little bit about database 18c.
What’s New
Oracle Database 18c isn’t redesigning the wheel, it’s primary focus is enhancing the foundation created in Oracle 12c. Many of the enhancements focus on bringing the database more seamlessly into the cloud, supporting cloud-only or hybrid data management and big data operations, and we wanted to focus on this foremost. For the purpose of brevity, we will discuss security, performance and more specific enhancements to existing features in a second post.
18c Embraces the Cloud
More and more businesses are adopting cloud and hybrid environments for their workloads. To help support this, Oracle has looked at each element of the database and found ways to optimize and streamline integration with Oracle Cloud. Here are just a few examples:
- Simplified SSL connections enhance security in the cloud.
- Added JSON support increases the range of usable geometries, so that special data and operators can be used.
- Container Database Architecture, including CDB Fleet Management, enables cloud-scale applications.
Autonomous Data Warehouse Cloud
There has been a lot of talk about the Autonomous Data Warehouse Cloud. Most importantly, database 18c is not autonomous by itself, but it is the first database specifically designed to run in Oracle’s new autonomous cloud. With this additional service you can get real-time analytics on your data with minimal oversight. There is no need to configure hardware or software, and upgrades, backups, patches and tuning are taken care of autonomously. It is incredibly scalable and fast, and a powerful addition for anybody interested in using cloud services for their workloads.
Data Processing and Analytics
Big data is, well, big, and it requires a lot of processing power to manage efficiently. The 18c database has some neat features to increase analytics and improve big data utilization. Oracle’s Big Data Platform enables processing and analytics across multi-platform architecture (including relational, non-relational and Hadoop). This enables security protocol to be shared across platforms. It is available for on-premises and cloud environments. Some other enhancements include:
- Smoother integration of new algorithms
- Wider range of calculation functions
- Several new functions and algorithms increase Data Mining (Exponential Smoothing, Random Forest, Neural Network)
- Optimized query processing
If you want to read more about Oracle’s Database 18c, keep an eye out for part 2 of What’s the Deal with Oracle 18c, and check out Oracle’s Database New Features Guide for more specifics.
To learn more about the Oracle databases and how Dobler Consulting can help with your database management visit www.doblerconsulting.com or call us at +1 (813) 322-3240 (US) /+1 (416) 646-0651 (Canada).