Lesson 1Existing configuration parameters: spfile/pfile differences, memory, CPU, parallel settingsCheck current setup parameters in spfile and pfile, note memory and CPU allocations, and review parallel and optimizer settings to spot risky custom changes and gaps against Oracle 19c best practices.
Locating and backing up spfile and pfileComparing spfile and pfile parameter valuesSGA, PGA, and memory_target configuration reviewCPU_COUNT, parallelism, and resource manager useOptimizer, statistics, and cursor-related parametersLesson 2Workload characterisation: OLTP vs reporting, peak windows, transaction rates, long-running jobsStudy the workload on Oracle 12c by separating OLTP and reporting patterns, finding peak times, transaction volumes, and long-running jobs, to guide sizing, indexing, and performance plans for 19c.
Classifying OLTP, batch, and reporting workloadsCapturing AWR and ASH workload baselinesIdentifying peak usage windows and patternsAnalyzing transaction rates and SQL hotspotsReviewing long-running jobs and resource usageLesson 3Backup methods and retention: RMAN catalogues, scripts, third-party tools, backup validationReview backup plans protecting Oracle 12c, including RMAN catalogues, scripts, and third-party tools, and confirm retention, recovery windows, and restore tests for solid recovery during and after 19c migration.
RMAN catalog configuration and maintenanceBackup schedules, levels, and compression useIntegration with third-party backup solutionsRetention policies and recovery window reviewRegular restore and validation test proceduresLesson 4Storage architecture: ASM, SAN, NFS, filesystem details and I/O characteristicsAssess current storage design for Oracle 12c, including ASM, SAN, NFS, and local filesystems, and measure I/O patterns and latency to see if the platform can handle Oracle 19c performance and availability needs.
ASM disk groups, redundancy, and templatesSAN LUN layout, RAID levels, and cachingNFS configuration, mount options, and lockingLocal filesystem choices and block size alignmentI/O throughput, latency, and queue depth metricsLesson 5High availability and DR topology: Data Guard, RAC, RMAN duplication, standby rolesDocument the current high availability and disaster recovery setup, including RAC, Data Guard, and RMAN duplication, and check failover procedures, protection modes, and standby roles for Oracle 19c compatibility.
Current RAC topology and node configurationPrimary and standby Data Guard relationshipsProtection modes, lag, and redo transport checksRMAN duplication and clone creation workflowsFailover, switchover, and DR test proceduresLesson 6Operating system and kernel settings relevant to Oracle (Linux/Unix/Windows specifics)Review OS platforms running Oracle 12c, validate kernel parameters, packages, and filesystem options, and compare Linux, Unix, and Windows specifics affecting performance, stability, and support for Oracle 19c upgrade.
Supported OS versions and certification checksLinux kernel parameters and hugepages tuningUnix resource limits, semaphores, and IPC settingsWindows services, registry, and memory settingsFilesystem mount options and I/O scheduler choicesLesson 7Security baseline: users, roles, profiles, network access, encryption, audit policiesCheck the current security setup of Oracle 12c by reviewing users, roles, profiles, network access controls, encryption, and auditing, to find gaps against company and regulatory needs before moving to Oracle 19c.
User, role, and privilege model assessmentPassword policies, profiles, and lockout rulesNetwork access controls and SQL*Net hardeningTDE, data-at-rest, and data-in-transit encryptionUnified auditing configuration and log reviewLesson 8Inventory of database instances, Oracle versions, and patch levelsCompile full list of Oracle 12c databases, including instance names, roles, versions, patch levels, and options used, to prioritise migration targets and ensure licensing and support compliance for Oracle 19c.
Discovering all Oracle homes and instancesRecording database roles and environmentsDocumenting exact versions and PSU/BP levelsCataloging installed options and feature usagePrioritizing databases for migration wavesLesson 9Dependency mapping: applications, middleware, JDBC/ODBC clients, scheduled jobs and ETL processesIdentify all upstream and downstream dependencies on Oracle 12c, including applications, middleware, client drivers, and scheduled jobs, to prevent breakage during migration and plan joint testing and cutover.
Cataloging application schemas and ownersJDBC, ODBC, and Oracle client version reviewMiddleware connection pools and JNDI settingsBatch jobs, ETL tools, and data movement flowsDependency documentation and impact analysisLesson 10Test environment parity: cloning methods, dataset subset, masking, representative workload captureCheck how well the test environment matches production by reviewing cloning methods, data subsets, masking strategies, and workload capture, ensuring realistic performance, functional checks, and safe regression testing.
Physical and logical cloning options for 12cSubset strategies for large production datasetsData masking and anonymization requirementsCapturing and replaying representative workloadsValidating configuration parity across tiers