Upgrading oracle when running SDE

[VaL]

Hi all,we currently are on SDE version 10.4.0. We think upgrading Oracle environment from Oracle 11.2.0.4 to Oracle 12.

I see SDE 10.4.0 supports Oracle 12c R1 (64 bit) 12.1.0.2.

One thing I can think of is that we need to change the oracle client on the client machines.

Are there any considerations I should know about if we go ahead with the upgrade? What is the best practice for upgrading underlying database when we run corporate geodatabase (SDE) on it?

[RexRobichaux2]

Hello Vasil,

  Thanks for your questions regarding ArcGIS 10.4.x and Oracle 12.1.0.2. As you mention- yes ArcGIS 10.4.x is supported with Oracle 12.1.0.2: Oracle database requirements for ArcGIS 10.4.x—System Requirements | ArcGIS Desktop 

  Although not mandatory, we typically advise customers to upgrade database client software in step with their database- so as you mentioned installing the appropriate 32 bit (ArcGIS Desktop) and 64 bit (ArcGIS Pro / ArcGIS Server) Oracle 12.1.0.2 clients on the necessary machines.

 Regarding the upgrade itself- we typically recommend performing an upgrade in a test environment using a backup from the production environment to ensure the workflow goes as intended. Once the test environment upgrade is completed- you can then use the same workflow in production. The typical workflow involves taking a full database backup / dump for safeguarding, and then either doing an Oracle in-step upgrade, or restoring your Oracle backup to the new environment if you are going to a new server environment. 

Oracle backups—Help | ArcGIS Desktop 

Upgrade a geodatabase in Oracle—Help | ArcGIS Desktop 

 I hope this is helpful for you!

[VaL]

We also have some user-schema geodatabases in our oracle DB instance. Will this be a problem, especially from updating to arcgis enterprise 10.6 point of view. Any information about dropping support for these US DBs? 

[George_Thompson]

Here is the info on user-schema upgrades: Upgrade a user-schema geodatabase—Help | ArcGIS Desktop 

Here is the info on deprecation of new user-schema GDB's in Oracle: http://downloads.esri.com/Support/downloads/other_/DEPRECATED%20FEATURES%20PLAN%20FOR%20ARCGIS%2010.... 

[RexRobichaux2]

From the link provided above regarding ArcGIS 10.6 / User-schema geodatabases:

• 10.6.x will be the last ArcGIS release to support the creation of user-schema gdbs in Oracle. 
• Upgrading and connecting to user-schema gdbs will still be supported at 10.6.x although not recommended- primarily for performance reasons. 
• It is suggested to plan to migrate current user-schema geodatabases into a master gdb, or individual geodatabases going forward. 

 I hope this is helpful Vasil!