I just finished reading the main section of the Oracle 12c New Features Guide. I read pages 17-107 of the version I have – Section 1 titled “Oracle Database 12c Release 1 (12.1) New Features”. I underlined and asterisked the things that stuck out as interesting in this pass and thought I would include them in this post:
1.1.4.7 New PL/SQL DBMS_UTILITY.EXPAND_SQL_TEXT Procedure Expands views into SQL automatically. 1.1.6.1 Default Values for Columns Based on Oracle Sequences Use sequence in column definition for default values. 1.1.6.4 Increased Size Limit for VARCHAR2, NVARCHAR2, and RAW Data Types 32K varchar2 columns 1.1.8.6 JDBC Support for Database Resident Connection Pool Possible alternative to shared servers 1.2.3.1 Asynchronous Global Index Maintenance for DROP and TRUNCATE Partition Global index not made unusable by partition maintenance 1.2.4.1 Adaptive Query Optimization Plans change when DB sees that its cardinality estimates were wrong. 1.2.4.15 Session-Private Statistics for Global Temporary Tables Gather stats on global temp tables for your session only - cool. 1.3.4.3 SecureFiles is the Default for LOB Storage Not sure what the means, but good to know that the default changed. 1.4.1 Database Consolidation Subsections 2-6 give some clues to the way the multitenant architecture works. 1.4.3.1 Cloning a Database Sounds similar to Delphix 1.4.4.3 Oracle Data Pump Change Table Compression at Import Time Imported data can be compressed using HCC on target. 1.5.5.7 Multiple Indexes on Same Set of Columns Can have different kinds of indexes on same set of columns (same order I assume) 1.5.9.1 Active Database Duplication Enhancements Faster clone of an open database using RMAN 1.6.1.1 Enterprise Manager Database Express Sounds like a better EM tool - would like to check it out and review the 2-Day dba manuals which show uses of it. 1.6.3.1 Queryable Patch Inventory Don't have to do lsniventory to see your patches? 1.8.3.1 Multi-Process Multi-Threaded Oracle Wondering what platforms this is on and what it really means. 1.9.7.1 Unified Context-Based Database Audit Architecture Sounds like this may replace some third party tools. Improved auditing. 1.12.1.2 Parallel Upgrade May speed up upgrade by parallelising
I read all 91 pages but there were sections that didn’t really interest me since they are about features we don’t use such as Spatial. If you are interested in 12c I encourage you to read this as I did. I printed out about 10 pages at a time. It’s only 91 pages so it doesn’t take forever to read it.
– Bobby
