Release Update 19.31
This page describes the behavior changes and new features in Release Update 19.31.
Behavior Changes
Release Update 19.31 introduces the behavior changes described below. Review each item before applying the Release Update (RU), particularly if you use the affected security, auditing, networking, Heterogeneous Services, blockchain/immutable-table, or file-group functionality.
Most changes affect behavior only when the relevant feature is in use. Where applicable, test application, administrative, audit, and connectivity workflows in a non-production environment before rollout.
Blockchain Table Verification
Behavior change: Blockchain-table verification can now be performed in parallel through a new PL/SQL procedure.
Parallel verification can reduce elapsed time but may increase CPU, I/O, and parallel-execution resource use while verification runs.
Review before upgrade:
- Identify scheduled or manual blockchain-table verification jobs.
- Review Resource Manager, parallel-execution limits, and maintenance windows.
- Test verification duration and system impact with representative table sizes.
Default NFS Version Selection with Direct NFS Client
Behavior change: The default NFS version used by Direct NFS client has changed. Previously, when no oranfstab file was present, Direct NFS defaulted to NFSv3. With this change, Direct NFS queries the system mount table (mtab) to determine the NFS version and uses that version instead.
The primary benefit is support for NFS storage servers that do not support NFSv3. This is particularly important in cloud environments, such as Oracle Autonomous AI Database, where customers cannot create an oranfstab file to explicitly configure Direct NFS to use NFSv4.
File-Group Metadata Visibility
Behavior change: READ ANY FILE GROUP is no longer the supported mechanism for determining which file-group metadata a user can see through ALL_FILE_GROUPS.
Previously, this privilege could expose all file-group records through ALL_FILE_GROUPS. In 19.31, visibility should be granted using the appropriate SELECT privilege on the relevant metadata views. MANAGE ANY FILE GROUP continues to govern file-group management operations.
Review before upgrade:
- Identify users, roles, scripts, and tools that rely on
READ ANY FILE GROUP. - Confirm that users requiring file-group metadata have the required
SELECTaccess. - Test queries against
ALL_FILE_GROUPSand related file-group views after patching.
Heterogeneous Services extproc Idle Timeout
Behavior change: The new HS_IDLE_TIMEOUT initialization parameter provides explicit control of idle timeout behavior for Heterogeneous Services external-procedure sessions.
The parameter can retain, override, or disable the timeout inherited from SQLNET.INBOUND_CONNECT_TIMEOUT. This can change when idle extproc sessions terminate.
Review before upgrade:
- Identify external procedures and applications using Heterogeneous Services.
- Check the current SQLNET.INBOUND_CONNECT_TIMEOUT setting and any history of ORA-28576 errors.
- Decide whether to set HS_IDLE_TIMEOUT; test both long-running and idle extproc workloads.
Immutable and Blockchain Table DDL and CTAS Processing
Behavior change: Existing tables can now be converted in place to immutable tables, and CREATE TABLE AS SELECT operations for blockchain tables can run in parallel.
These changes introduce additional supported DDL and can alter the resource profile and elapsed time of blockchain-table CTAS operations.
Review before upgrade:
- Review change-management controls that govern conversion of existing tables to immutable tables.
- Check automation, deployment tools, and DDL auditing for assumptions about immutable-table creation.
- Validate capacity and workload-management settings if parallel CTAS is used for blockchain tables.
Kerberos-Constrained Delegation for Database Links
Behavior change: Database links can operate in Microsoft Active Directory environments that enforce Kerberos constrained delegation, including newer Windows platforms where prior ticket-forwarding behavior may not be allowed.
This changes the supported authentication path for Kerberos-enabled database links and removes reliance on older Microsoft registry workarounds.
Review before upgrade:
- Identify database links that use Kerberos authentication.
- Test database-link authentication from Windows 11 and Windows Server 2025 clients or servers, where applicable.
- Review Active Directory constrained-delegation configuration and retire legacy workarounds only after validation.
ONS TLS Elliptic-Curve Restrictions
Behavior change: Oracle Notification Service can now exclude weak elliptic curves from TLS negotiation when DISABLE_WEAK_CURVES is enabled.
Enabling the setting changes TLS handshake behavior. Clients or peers that depend on excluded curves may no longer connect.
To enable this feature, run the following command on any cluster node from the Grid Infrastructure home:
srvctl setenv nodeapps -onsonly -env DISABLE_WEAK_CURVES='yes'
Review before enabling:
- Inventory ONS clients, peers, and monitoring tools.
- Confirm that all TLS participants support approved strong elliptic curves.
- Test ONS connectivity and failover behavior after enabling the setting.
- Coordinate the change with security and vulnerability-management teams.
Unified Auditing of Equivalent Real Application Security Actions
Behavior change: Audit policies for standard database user and role actions also audit the equivalent Real Application Security (RAS) actions.
For example, auditing CREATE USER also captures the corresponding RAS user-creation operation. This increases audit coverage and can increase audit-record volume.
Review before upgrade:
- Review unified audit policies that cover user or role administration.
- Anticipate additional audit records for equivalent RAS operations.
- Confirm that audit retention, reporting, SIEM ingestion, and storage capacity accommodate the additional volume.
- Update audit-review procedures if they distinguish standard SQL actions from RAS procedure calls.
New Features
There are no new features for Release Update 19.31.