5 Using Other Methods for Oracle Database Upgrades

Oracle recommends using AutoUpgrade to perform upgrades of Oracle Database. However, there are other methods available that are useful in certain scenarios.

Note:

The non-CDB architecture is desupported. You must upgrade a non-CDB Oracle Database to a PDB on a CDB.

Other options to AutoUpgrade to convert non-CDBs include the following:

  • Plug in the non-CDB Oracle Database to an Oracle AI Database 26ai container database (CDB), and open the PDB in read-write, non-restricted mode. When the PDB is opened, the database is upgraded, and the data dictionary is converted from a non-CDB to a PDB. This is the Replay Upgrade method
  • Plug in the non-CDB Oracle Database to a same-release Oracle Database CDB, and convert the data dictionary from a non-CDB to a PDB. Then, proceed with an upgrade of the CDB and all PDBs to Oracle AI Database 26ai. This is the AutoUpgrade method.
  • Convert the non-CDB to a PDB, install the new Oracle Database release, create a Gold Image and then use a fleet image deployment to upgrade the database.

Database Upgrade Assistant (DBUA) is desupported except on Windows as of Oracle AI Database 23.4. Oracle recommends using AutoUpgrade to upgrade your database.

To improve the reliability and support for Oracle AI Database upgrades, Oracle is desupporting Database Upgrade Assistant (DBUA), and manual upgrades using the Parallel Upgrade Utility (catctl.pl) , and the database upgrade scripts dbupgrade and dbupgrade.cmd. Use AutoUpgrade for Oracle AI Database upgrades. Replacing obsolete upgrade methods enables Oracle to focus on improving and extending the features and manageability of the AutoUpgrade utility.

Caution:

If you retain the old Oracle Database software, then never start the upgraded database with the old Oracle Database software. Only start the database with the executables in the new Oracle Database installation.

Moving from Previous Versions of Oracle Database XE or Free to Oracle AI Database Free

This topic explains how to export and import data between Oracle Database 21c Express Edition (XE) and Oracle AI Database 26ai Free.

Note these points before you start the export and import process:

  • You cannot use Oracle Database Upgrade Assistant (Oracle DBUA) to perform an upgrade.
  • You cannot use Oracle Database Configuration Assistant (Oracle DBCA) to plug PDBs of previous versions to Oracle AI Database Free.
  • Oracle Database 18c XE users must first move to 21c XE (See, Moving from Previous Versions of Oracle Database XE to XE 21c), and then export data from 21c XE to import them into Oracle AI Database 26ai Free.

Parent topic: Using Other Methods for Oracle Database Upgrades

Migrating Oracle Database Express Edition to Oracle Database Free

You cannot directly upgrade previous releases of Oracle Database Express Edition (XE), but you can export data from earlier Oracle Database XE releases to Oracle AI Database 26ai Free

Oracle Database Express Edition (XE) has been replaced by Oracle AI Database Free. There is no direct upgrade option. You must use Oracle Data Pump to export data files to Oracle AI Database Free. For more details, refer to the installation guide for your platform.

Related Topics

Parent topic: Moving from Previous Versions of Oracle Database XE or Free to Oracle AI Database Free