Last Friday, we had a new patch cycle scheduled to upgrade the Oracle Private Cloud Appliance X9-2 from Patch level M3.9 to M3.10 (3.0.2-b1325160). For the first time, we encountered zero issues! All patching steps, including ZFSSA, compute nodes, platform, and OCI images, ran smoothly. For this patch, 37635338: PCA Release 3.0.2-b1325160 Patch (also known as M3.10), the following components were affected according to the ISO and patch readme: Release Notes Oracle provides release notes that highlight new features for each version, but they lack detailed information. Here is an overview of the latest features from the documentation: Latest Features Improved Upgrade and Patching Procedures Both the Upgrade Guide and Patching Guide have been restructured to make it easier and…
Read MoreGetting started with Oracle Autonomous Database@Azure – Pay-As-You-Go | Part 3: Connect via Bastion
If an Autonomous Database (ADB) is deployed in a private subnet and requires access for analysis or troubleshooting, Azure Bastion provides a secure solution. This guide demonstrates how to connect to an Oracle Autonomous Database@Azure via Bastion while using a locally running VS Code as a SQL editor. In this setup, Azure Bastion is already configured, and both the provisioned Autonomous Database and the vNet jump host do not have public IP addresses. All commands are executed on a Windows machine using PowerShell, with the Azure CLI set up according to the official documentation: How to install the Azure CLI | Microsoft Learn. This is part three of the Oracle Autonomous Database@Azure blog post series: Part 1: Subscription: https://www.martinberger.com/2024/10/getting-started-with-oracle-databaseazure-pay-as-you-go-part-1-subscription/ Part…
Read MoreMaking the Most of an Oracle Database Appliance X7-2S Without a CSI
A few months ago I came into possession of two Oracle Database Appliance X7-2S. How did that happen? A migration project that I was assisting with was completely cancelled due to the takeover of the company and the new organization had no interest in Oracle hardware and software. They kindly gave me the two machines free of charge. Here they are: Both ODAs have no valid Customer Support Identifier (CSI), there is no current contract. We all know that without a CSI there is no support and therefore no Oracle software. As far as I know, there is no license clause that allows the operation of Oracle hardware and software without a license, even if only for training purposes (if…
Read MoreUKOUG 2024: A Great Conference in Birmingham
From December 1st to 3rd, 2024, I had the pleasure of attending the UK Oracle User Group Conference (UKOUG) in Birmingham. My workmate Stefan and I traveled from Zürich Airport on Saturday afternoon, flying to London Heathrow and continuing our journey by Metro and Train. We arrived later in the day, ready for an exciting few days. UKOUG isn’t just about tech topics; it’s also a fantastic chance to meet people, make connections, and enjoy interesting presentations about Oracle technology. This year, I met some colleagues from Accenture, including Rhianna from the US and Sai from the UK. It’s always nice to meet people in person and share ideas. Sunday evening was special as we attended the traditional Oracle ACE…
Read MoreDOAG Konferenz 2024: Ein Rückblick auf vier intensive Tage in Nürnberg
Vom 19. bis zum 22. November 2024 war Nürnberg einmal mehr der Treffpunkt für Oracle-Experten, Anwender und Partner. Aber nicht nur Oracle war Thema, auch PostgreSQL, Soft Skills und vieles mehr stand auf der Agenda. Die DOAG Konferenz bot auch in diesem Jahr eine Plattform, um Wissen auszutauschen, neue Entwicklungen zu präsentieren und Kontakte zu knüpfen. Ich hatte die Ehre, selbst mit vier Vorträgen vertreten zu sein und meine Erfahrungen rund um Themen wie Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Security, Automation mit Oracle Linux Automation Manager, sowie Red Hat Ansible Automation zu teilen. Meine Vorträge und Highlights Es ist immer ein besonderes Erlebnis, vor einem grossen Publikum zu sprechen, und die Sessions in den gut gefüllten Räumen haben gezeigt, dass das Interesse…
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