Lesson 1Existing configuration parameters: spfile/pfile differences, memory, CPU, parallel settingsAnalyze current initialization parameters in spfile and pfile, document memory and CPU allocations, and review parallel and optimizer settings to identify risky customizations and gaps against Oracle 19c recommended 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 characterization: OLTP vs reporting, peak windows, transaction rates, long-running jobsCharacterize the workload running on Oracle 12c by distinguishing OLTP and reporting patterns, identifying peak windows, transaction volumes, and long-running jobs, to inform sizing, indexing, and performance expectations in 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 catalogs, scripts, third-party tools, backup validationReview backup strategies protecting Oracle 12c, including RMAN catalogs, scripts, and third-party tools, and verify retention, recovery windows, and restore tests to ensure reliable recovery during and after the 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 determine whether the platform can sustain Oracle 19c performance and availability requirements.
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 existing high availability and disaster recovery design, including RAC, Data Guard, and RMAN duplication, and evaluate failover procedures, protection modes, and standby roles for compatibility with Oracle 19c.
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 hosting Oracle 12c, validate kernel parameters, packages, and filesystem options, and compare Linux, Unix, and Windows specifics that affect performance, stability, and supportability for an Oracle 19c upgrade path.
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 policiesAssess the current security posture of Oracle 12c by reviewing users, roles, profiles, network access controls, encryption, and auditing, identifying gaps against organizational and regulatory requirements 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 a complete inventory of Oracle 12c databases, including instance names, roles, versions, patch levels, and options in use, to prioritize migration candidates 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 avoid breakage during migration and to plan coordinated testing and cutover activities.
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 captureEvaluate how closely the test environment mirrors production by reviewing cloning methods, data subsets, masking strategies, and workload capture, ensuring realistic performance, functional validation, 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