If you are still on Oracle Database versions 12.1.0.1 and 12.2.0.2, extended support for these versions ended on July 31, 2022.
This means now you can only download existing patches and documentation but cannot request new patches or certifications. For improved productivity, manageability and security benefits of a converged database and the longest term of support up to 2027, it is advised that you upgrade to version 19c as soon as possible.
With the Oracle database 12.x end of life, clients need to take concrete steps to upgrade to Oracle Database 19c, Oracle’s designated Long Term Release, as soon as possible.
Oracle Database 19c was released back in 2019, as database releases follow a 2 digit release numbering scheme based on the release year. For example, 18c was released in 2018, 19c was released in 2019, and 21c was released in, you guessed it, 2021.
Databases receive release updates and revisions on a quarterly basis, including optimizer, performance, security, and other critical fixes, as well as targeted fixes for regressions or security fixes. Traditionally, Oracle provides five years of Premier Support for a release family and three years of extended support.
About Deprecated and De-supported Status
In addition to new features, Oracle Database releases can modify, deprecate or desupport features, and introduce upgrade behavior changes for your database
Be aware of the implications of deprecated and desupported:
- Deprecated features are features that are no longer being enhanced, but are still supported for the full life of this release of Oracle Database.
- Desupported features are features that are no longer supported by fixing bugs related to that feature. Often, Oracle can choose to remove the code required to use the feature. A deprecated feature can be desupported in the next Oracle Database release.
Oracle Database Latest Release Schedule
Here’s a release schedule for Oracle Databases that illustrates when specific databases are supported. For example, extended support for Oracle Database 19c is targeted to end in 2027.
| Deprecated Features in Oracle Database 12c Release 2 (12.2) | Desupported Features in Oracle Database 12c Release 2 (12.2) |
| Deprecation of ALTER TYPE REPLACE Starting with Oracle Database 12c release 2 (12.2.0.1), the REPLACE clause of ALTER TYPE is deprecated. |
Desupport of Advanced Replication Starting in Oracle Database 12c release 2 (12.2), the Advanced Replication feature of Oracle Database is desupported. |
| Deprecation of configToolAllCommands Script The postinstallation check script configToolAllCommands is deprecated in Oracle Database 12c release 1 (12.1). |
Desupport of Direct File System Placement for OCR and Voting Files Placing OCR and Voting Disk files on shared file systems is desupported in favor of placing the files on Oracle ASM. |
| Deprecation of DBMS_DEBUG Package The DBMS_DEBUG package is deprecated in Oracle Database 12c release 2 (12.2). Oracle recommends that you use DBMS_DEBUG_JDWP. |
Desupport of Jpublisher All Oracle JPublisher features are desupported and unavailable in Oracle Database 12c Release 2 (12.2.0.1). |
| Deprecation of Intelligent Data Placement (IDC) Intelligent Data Placement is deprecated in Oracle Database 12c release 2 (12.2). |
Desupport of preupgrd.sql and utluppkg.sql The preupgrd.sql and utluppkg.sql scripts are replaced by the Preupgrade Information Tool (preupgrade.jar). |
| Deprecation of CONTINUOUS_MINE Option Starting with Oracle Database 12c Release 2 (12.2.0.1), the LogMiner CONTINUOUS_MINE option is deprecated. |
Desupported Oracle Data Provider for .NET APIs for Transaction Guard Application programming interfaces (APIs) for Transaction Guard listed here are desupported in Oracle Database 12c release 2 (12.2). |
| Deprecation of Non-CDB Architecture The non-CDB architecture was deprecated in Oracle Database 12c. It can be desupported and unavailable in a release after Oracle Database 19c . |
Desupported Views in Oracle Database 12c Release 2 (12.2) The views listed in this topic are desupported in Oracle Database 12c release 2 (12.2). |
| Deprecation of Oracle Administration Assistant for Windows Oracle Administration Assistant for Windows is deprecated in Oracle Database 12c release 2 (12.2). |
SQLJ Support Inside Oracle Database Starting with Oracle Database 12c release 2 (12.2), Oracle does not support running server-side SQLJ code. |
| Deprecation of Oracle Data Provider for .NET PromotableTransaction Setting The Oracle Data Provider for .NET PromotableTransaction setting is deprecated, because it is no longer necessary. |
Desupport of Some XML DB Features Starting in Oracle Database 12c release 2 (12.2), the XML DB features listed here are desupported. |
| Deprecation of oracle.jdbc.OracleConnection.unwrap() Starting in Oracle Database 12c release 2 (12.2), the Java package oracle.jdbc.OracleConnection.unwrap() is deprecated. |
|
| Deprecation of oracle.jdbc.rowset Package Starting in Oracle Database 12c release 2 (12.2), the Java oracle.jdbc.rowset package is deprecated |
|
| Deprecation of oracle.sql.DatumWithConnection Classes oracle.sql classes that extend oracle.sql.DatumWithConnection are deprecated in Oracle Database 12c release 2 (12.2), in favor of oracle.jdbc extension types. |
|
| Deprecation of Oracle Multimedia Java APIs The Oracle Multimedia Java APIs are deprecated in Oracle Database 12c release 2. |
|
| Deprecation of Oracle Multimedia Support for DICOM Starting in Oracle Database 12c release 2 (12.2), the Oracle Multimedia DICOM feature is deprecated. |
|
| Deprecation of Multimedia SQL/MM Still Image Standard Support Starting in Oracle Database 12c release 2 (12.2), Oracle Multimedia SQL/MM Still Image standard support is deprecated. |
|
| Deprecation of Unicode Collation Algorithm (UCA) 6.1 Collations Starting in Oracle Database 12c release 2, the Unicode Collation Algorithm (UCA) 6.1 collations are deprecated. |
|
| Deprecation of UNIFIED_AUDIT_SGA_QUEUE_SIZE Starting in Oracle Database 12c release 2, the initialization parameter UNIFIED_AUDIT_SGA_QUEUE_SIZE is deprecated. |
|
| Deprecation of VERIFY_FUNCTION and VERIFY_FUNCTION_11G The VERIFY_FUNCTION and VERIFY_FUNCTION_11G password verify functions are deprecated in this release, because they enforce the weaker password restrictions from earlier releases. |
|
| Deprecation of V$MANAGED_STANDBY The V$MANAGED_STANDBY view is deprecated in Oracle Database 12c release 2 (12.2.0.1). Oracle recommends that you use the new view V$DATAGUARD_PROCESS. |
|
| Deprecation of Some XML DB Functions Starting with Oracle Database 12c release 2 (12.2) the options listed in this topic are deprecated. |
|
| Deprecated Features for Oracle XML Database These features are deprecated in Oracle Database 12c Release 1, and can be desupported in a future release. |
Oracle Database Upgrade in Seven Major Steps
ITC can help you take your database upgrade efforts from zero to hero. Through our resource-sharing models, we can split portions of the upgrade with your internal teams or take on the project fully so you don’t worry about anything. Depending on your unique needs, we can tailor a specific delivery solution that takes costs, risks, and knowledge transfer into account.