5 Advantages of Upgrading from Oracle Database 12c to 19c

First released in 2013, Oracle Database 12c was once on the cutting edge of enterprise database management systems. In the 8 years since then, however, Oracle has released three new versions of its database software—18c, 19c, and 21c—with a variety of new features and benefits.

Although Oracle still offers legacy support for Oracle Database 12c, that will change in the near future. Premier Support for Oracle Database 12.1.0.2 ended in July 2018, and Extended Support will expire in July 2022.

To remain in compliance and enjoy new security patches, Oracle Database 12c users will need to update to another version still supported by Oracle. But while unpatched security vulnerabilities are a good reason to leave 12c in the dust, what are the positive reasons to migrate to a newer version like 19c?

In this article, we’ll discuss 5 new features and functionality of Oracle Database 19c that will have you not just ready, but excited for your next Oracle database upgrade.

1. Automatic indexing

   One of 19c’s biggest selling points is the ability to perform automatic indexing. Database indexes are used to improve the speed of querying and fetching data (with the trade-off of more write operations and storage space).

   With the DBMS_AUTO_INDEX package in Oracle 19c, the system will automatically generate candidate indexes for database tables that might benefit from having one. Next, Oracle Database will test and verify the index to ensure that it actually improves query performance. If it does, it will be implemented for application use; if not, it will not be visible to end-users and will eventually be removed.

2. Oracle Data Guard improvements

   Oracle Data Guard is a software add-on to Oracle Database that helps users maintain secondary “standby” database replicas for their primary databases in production. Although Data Guard has been a long-standing feature in Oracle’s relational database management system, 19c introduces a variety of enhancements to the software, including:

   • Dynamically changing Data Guard’s target standby database for Fast-Start Failover. In previous Oracle Database versions, the Fast-Start Failover feature had to be disabled before changing the standby database.
   • Easier management of database parameters with Oracle’s SQL*Plus utility.
   • Support for data manipulation language (DML) redirection in Active Data Guard.

3. Ease of use enhancements

   Oracle Database is a powerful database management system—but this power comes at the cost of complexity. 19c comes with a few crucial and welcome improvements to the software’s user-friendliness.

   First, 19c has improved the Oracle Database Create Application Wizard, which is used to build database applications. The wizard now includes more low-code functionality to make it more accessible to non-technical users. In addition, users can now create advanced pages such as dashboards and master-detail forms with the wizard.

   Second, Oracle has introduced a new version of the Easy Connect syntax for connecting to Oracle databases, known as Easy Connect Plus. This version streamlines the connection process by limiting the use of external connection files, making it easier to use features such as TLS connections, wallets, load balancing, and connection timeouts.

4. Formerly paid features now free of charge

   Oracle Database comes in a number of different versions that suit the needs of businesses of any size. Oracle Standard Edition 2 (SE2) is suitable for basic database projects and applications, while Enterprise Edition (EE) offers more improvements to database performance, security, availability, and scalability—at a higher price. Users can also purchase additional add-ons and features according to their needs.

   In 19c, Oracle has made a number of formerly paid features available for no extra charge. This includes:

   • Up to three user-created pluggable databases (PDBs) in a multitenant architecture. This feature is available for SE2 and EE users without having to purchase the Multitenant option.
   • Up to 16 gigabytes of in-memory storage without purchasing the In-Memory option.
   • Full use of Spatial and Graph without needing an extra license.

5. SQL “quarantines”

   If an SQL query consumes too many CPU and I/O resources, the Oracle Database Resource Manager will automatically kill it. This prevents SQL statements from hogging resources and degrading the database’s performance. In previous versions of Oracle Database, however, nothing prevented users from running the same query after it has been killed, causing the same problem again.

   That’s all changed with Oracle Database 19c. Now, Oracle’s Resource Manager will automatically quarantine these resource-heavy “rogue” SQL queries, preventing them from being executed again. You can define the thresholds for quarantining an SQL statement (e.g. the elapsed time for the query, the CPU time, or the number of I/O requests) using the DBMS_SQLQ package.

Conclusion

The 5 benefits above are just a quick sampling of all that lies in store for you when you migrate to Oracle Database 19c. For a complete list of the new functionality in 19c, check out the article “Oracle Database Release 19c New Features” on Oracle’s website.

Thinking about an Oracle Database migration for your own organization? You’re not alone—and with the Extended Support deadline for Oracle Database 12c rapidly approaching, you don’t have a minute to waste. Reaching out to potential Oracle migration partners now will ensure that your Oracle support doesn’t lapse and your preferred partner can fit you into their schedule.

As an Oracle Partner with 17 specializations, Datavail is ready to assist businesses with their Oracle software needs—everything from migration and maintenance to regular health checks and backup recovery.

To learn how we helped one client with their recent Oracle Database 19c migration, check out our case study “Fast Food Chain Gets a Refresh with Oracle Database Upgrade.” You can also see our list of Oracle Database consulting and managed services, or contact our team of Oracle experts for a chat about your business needs and objectives.