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. 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 Global Lock), an exclusive lock on an SQL or an PL/SQL procedure.

Oracle OpenWorld had been renamed to Oracle CloudWorld, and it got rebranded to Oracle AI World this year. And we PMs, Alex, Daniel, Rodrigo and myself look forward to see you there. It's a perfect opportunity to touch base, discuss your migration challenges, your patching fun - and upgrades certainly, too. You not only can grab a sticker…

Summer season is almost over. And in between Oracle AI World in Las Vegas in October and now, there is one chance to meet us for a Full Day Upgrade / Migration / Patching Workshop in Prague on September 17, 2025. There are still some seats open, so please find the details below. When and why should you attend?

YouTube video by Oracle Database Upgrades and Migrations

Many of you know it and downloaded it already. But just in case you are not aware yet, let me give you a quick summary since the May 2025 version of AutoUpgrade (25.3) is available for download. How to download it? That's very simple. You either download it via the well-known MOS Note: 2485457.1 - AutoUpgrade Tool or you…

Not a big deal - but Samo has brought this to my attention. And the RMAN development and PM team was happy to help and shed some light here. But one after another - what actually is the topic here? Well, RMAN speaks a bit more to you since 19.25 - which isn't bad but may need some additional explanation.

We work right now with a number of customers going live or being live on Oracle Database 23ai already. And tomorrow will be the release date for the quarterly Release Update, in this case for Oracle Database 23.8.0. But you should be aware of one thing: DST Time Zone Patches missing in 23ai Release Updates. Time Zone patches and RUs?

I keep saying this - we have the best and most skilled customers. Christian Klose from my Franconian home region contacted me via LinkedIn and asked for some assistance with an SR. I confess, I replied way too late (information overflow). But the finding Christian had is great to know. There are new interesting underscores for more than 255 _FIX_CONTROL…

I could have sworn that I had blogged about it. Aleksey had a comment on the blog and I could not find the answer. But I knew that I had discussed this topic with several people in email already. Maybe it has fallen off my long list of future blog posts. No worries, here it is: DBMS_OPTIM_BUNDLE and the standby database?