Oracle Database edition 19c was released in April 2019. For those organisations yet to make the move from earlier versions of the database, now is the time to start planning your upgrade to 19c as a number of key Oracle support dates are looming.
In the graphic below the first red line shows where we are now in November 2021 which intersects 5 database releases that are currently supported. But in a short time when we get to around this time next year, that number drops from 5 to just 2.
The difference here is that 19c is categorised as a ‘Long Term Release’ whereas 21c is an ‘Innovation Release’
21c is effectively a ‘beta’ release and unless there is a killer use-case new feature that would transform your business by adopting 21c straight away, generally speaking, customers still running on prior releases (e.g. 11gR2, 12cR1, 12cR2, 18c) are encouraged to upgrade rather to Oracle Database 19c - the current Long Term release with support through to April 2027.
The next planned Long Term Release will be Oracle Database 23c but as the name suggests this will not be available until 2023.
19c therefore becomes the only viable version to be on come 31st December 2022 to remain in Oracle support.
Read here to find out more about the features of Oracle Database 21c and what's new.
Not necessarily and some of Claremont customers are quite happy to remain on older versions that are stable and do the job for them, although as a best practice, we would tend to recommend being on a supported release.
But if your database supports a business-critical function or you care about security, then you should for sure be on a version that is in Premier, or at least Extended Support.
This table summarises the key differences offered at each level.
The two main ones to note here are:
As with any major software release, Oracle 19c features a whole range of bug fixes, enhancements, and innovations in 19c compared to earlier releases that your business can take advantage of in the areas of performance, availability, and security to name just a few.
Click here to find out about the latest Oracle Database Release 19c New Features
The Multitenant Architecture model was first introduced in 12c, but becomes mandatory from 19c onwards. This is a fundamental restructuring of how Oracle databases work and introduces the concepts of Container Databases (CDB) and Pluggable Database (PDB). Rather than having a number of separate Oracle instances running on a server, these can now be consolidated.
Click here to find out more about Oracle Multitenant.
Up to three Pluggable Databases can consolidated into a single CDB for all Enterprise and Standard Edition databases at no extra cost; beyond 3 then the feature requires the ‘Oracle Multitenant’ Pack.
See Oracle Database Licensing Information User Manual for further information.
If your database is on a version prior to 19c and you have yet to adopt the Multitenant Architecture model, then the upgrade can be daunting. The upgrade itself will be longer and more complex compared to previous ones you may have experienced.
It will moreover impact all areas of managing the database after it is upgraded – backups, disaster recovery, monitoring, and cloning all need to be reviewed and adjusted to work in the new model.
The Claremont DBA team has performed this upgrade many times now, coming from different source database versions and on a variety of operating systems and hardware so we have the expertise and experience to help guide you to your journey to 19c and beyond!
If you don’t update your Oracle EBS system to R12.2 by 31st December 2021, you’ll lose Oracle Premier Support. Did you also know that Claremont offers a support service that helps companies bridge the gap beyond the end of 2021? Overcome the gap in Oracle E-Business 12.1 Support With Claremont's Extended Managed Services
Claremont is the UK’s leading independent provider of Oracle Database Managed Services, If you are looking for an Oracle partner who can help you with your Oracle 19c goes about it the right way, and can back up the talk, then contact us. You can email us at info@claremont.co.uk or phone us on +44 (0) 1483 549004.