Oracle Cloud continues to be a driving force behind enterprises’ digital transformation efforts globally, enabling organizations to streamline operations, reduce costs, and innovate faster. With the anticipated release of Oracle Cloud 24D, new features and enhancements will provide even more robust capabilities for managing your cloud environment. However, deploying such updates requires careful planning and preparation, especially for non-production environments.
This blog explores the key features of Oracle Cloud 24D and provides a comprehensive guide on preparing your non-production environments for this latest release.
Key Features of Oracle Cloud 24D
Oracle Cloud 24D brings new features designed to enhance performance, security, usability, and scalability across the enterprise cloud landscape.
1. Enhanced Autonomous Capabilities
With Oracle Cloud 24D, the emphasis on autonomous operations is stronger than ever. The release includes enhanced AI and machine learning capabilities that improve automation across cloud resources. These autonomous features help in optimizing workloads, managing updates, and automating routine maintenance tasks with minimal human intervention.
- Autonomous Database Improvements: Oracle has introduced performance tuning and optimization features that automatically adjust parameters based on workload requirements. This reduces downtime and increases efficiency in database operations.
- Autonomous Patching and Updates: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) now includes autonomous patching capabilities, further reducing manual intervention in system maintenance and improving security.
2. Expanded Integration with AI and Machine Learning
Oracle 24D enhances the existing AI and ML integration with new APIs and tools that enable enterprises to build and deploy custom AI models more effectively. The release also includes AI-driven insights for business applications, allowing users to take proactive actions based on predictive analytics.
- AI-Driven Insights for Financials and Supply Chain: Oracle Fusion Applications receive enhanced AI capabilities that enable real-time analytics for financial performance and supply chain management. This gives businesses more agility and foresight in their operations.
3. Enhanced User Experience (UX)
Oracle 24D includes a redesigned user interface with new personalization options, making it easier for users to customize their workspace according to their preferences. This includes:
- UX One Enhancements: The introduction of new personalization tools within UX One empowers users to create intuitive dashboards, offering better visibility and control over critical tasks.
- Low-Code/No-Code Tools: Low-code and no-code tools are enhanced in this release, allowing business users to develop applications with minimal coding effort, further accelerating innovation.
4. Performance Improvements for Hybrid Cloud and Multi-Cloud Deployments
Recognizing the growing trend of multi-cloud strategies, Oracle Cloud 24D enhances performance for hybrid and multi-cloud environments by improving integration with AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud.
- Enhanced OCI Multi-Cloud Connectivity: Oracle Cloud 24D offers improved connectivity options between Oracle Cloud and third-party cloud providers, simplifying data integration and allowing for smoother workload distribution across environments.
5. Expanded Security Features
Security is a top priority in the 24D release. Oracle has implemented several new features designed to protect sensitive data and ensure compliance with international regulations:
- Advanced Encryption Mechanisms: Oracle Cloud 24D introduces more granular encryption options for data at rest and in transit. Enhanced encryption tools also support compliance with GDPR, HIPAA, and SOC 2.
- Zero-Trust Security Model: This model is enhanced with deeper integration into OCI’s security architecture, improving user authentication and role-based access controls.
6. Enhanced Data Analytics
Oracle Cloud 24D brings advanced data analytics capabilities that help businesses derive more meaningful insights from their data. With better integration of machine learning into analytics, the release improves decision-making processes across various business units.
- Data Warehouse and Big Data Enhancements: Oracle 24D enhances its support for large-scale data processing with better performance optimization tools for big data environments, particularly in Oracle Autonomous Data Warehouse.
How to Prepare Your Non-Production Environments for Oracle Cloud 24D
With any major cloud release, preparation is key to ensuring a smooth transition. Non-production environments (development, testing, and staging) are critical for safely testing new updates and features before deploying them in live production environments.
1. Assess the Impact on Current Systems
Before deploying Oracle 24D into your non-production environments, conduct a thorough impact assessment. This involves:
- Identifying Dependent Applications: Review all dependent applications and integrations within your current system landscape. Determine which Oracle services and modules will be affected by the 24D update and map out potential areas of risk.
- Reviewing Customizations: Many enterprises have customized Oracle Cloud environments. Review all custom scripts, workflows, and configurations to ensure compatibility with Oracle 24D’s new features and updates.
2. Backup Your Environments
Backups are essential to ensure data integrity and prevent any loss of critical information during the upgrade process. Oracle Cloud offers built-in backup options for its services:
- Data Backup: Ensure that all non-production environments, including databases and configurations, are fully backed up. Oracle’s Autonomous Database and Object Storage provide options for creating automatic backups that can be scheduled or performed manually.
- VM Snapshots: Take VM snapshots for quick rollback options in case the deployment faces any challenges.
3. Set Up a Dedicated Testing Environment
Oracle 24D introduces significant new features, and it’s crucial to test them in a controlled environment before pushing them to production. Prepare a dedicated non-production environment for testing:
- Create a Clone of Production: Cloning your production environment in Oracle Cloud can provide a realistic testing environment where you can simulate the impact of 24D’s new features. Ensure that your testing environment mirrors your live environment as closely as possible.
- Run Test Automation: Leverage Oracle’s testing tools like OATS (Oracle Application Testing Suite) and third-party tools like Tricentis Tosca to run automated regression tests, ensuring that new updates do not break existing functionalities.
4. Plan for Downtime and Maintenance of Windows
- Even in non-production environments, it’s essential to minimize disruptions during the deployment process. Oracle Cloud 24D’s update cycle may require a certain level of downtime:
- Schedule Maintenance Windows: Coordinate with your team to set appropriate maintenance windows for the update. Make sure that the update does not interfere with key testing or development activities.
- Test Business Continuity Plans: Ensure that backup environments are available if needed, and that rollback strategies are in place in case unexpected issues arise during testing.
5. Communicate with Stakeholders
Collaboration and communication with stakeholders, including developers, testers, and business users, are critical to ensure smooth deployment:
- Update Stakeholders on the New Features: Provide documentation and training materials to stakeholders, highlighting how the Oracle Cloud 24D features will affect their work. Early knowledge transfer can minimize disruptions and ease the transition.
- Conduct Training Sessions: Schedule training sessions for IT teams and key users to understand the features and functionality of the Oracle 24D release. Ensure they are equipped with the knowledge needed to navigate the updates.
6. Test for Security Vulnerabilities
Security should always be a priority when preparing for any new release. Oracle Cloud 24D’s enhanced security features must be thoroughly tested in your non-production environment:
- Penetration Testing: Run penetration tests and other security assessments on your non-production environments to identify any vulnerabilities that the update may expose.
- Validate Compliance: Ensure that the release meets your organization’s compliance requirements, especially in highly regulated industries such as finance and healthcare.
7. Final Validation and Go-Live Preparation
Once all testing, security checks, and stakeholder approvals are in place, the final step is to validate your environment’s readiness for production deployment:
- Conduct Final Regression Testing: Run a final round of regression testing to ensure no issues were missed.
- Monitor Performance Metrics: Use Oracle Cloud’s built-in performance monitoring tools to track system performance and ensure everything is functioning optimally.
Rundown!
The Oracle Cloud 24D release introduces exciting new features across autonomous capabilities, AI, machine learning, enhanced security, and better multi-cloud integration. By preparing your non-production environments thoroughly, you can take full advantage of these updates without compromising system stability. Careful planning, comprehensive testing, and robust stakeholder communication will ensure that your organization reaps the benefits of Oracle 24D while minimizing disruption to your business operations.