Oracle 19c New Features for Banking DBAs: Real-World
Use Cases & Implementation Guide
Zaheer Abbas Mitaigiri (OCP, OCE, OCS)
Lead Oracle Database Consultant.
Summary:
This guide explores Oracle 19c’s key features with practical banking scenarios, helping
DBAs optimize performance, security, and compliance. It covers:
DBCA Silent Mode – Rapidly clone/relocate PDBs for disaster recovery &
testing
Dry-Run Validation – Safely upgrade core banking RAC clusters without risks
Flashback in Data Guard – Instantly recover from corrupted transactions with
zero data loss
Active Data Guard DML Redirection – Offload regulatory reporting from
production
Automatic Indexing – Boost ATM & payment processing speeds by 30%
AutoUpgrade – Migrate legacy 11g/12c systems with minimal downtime
Banking Scenario - 1: DBCA Silent Mode for Rapid PDB Cloning & Relocation
A bank needs to quickly clone a Payment Processing PDB for Relocating a PDB for Disaster Recovery (DR):
testing fraud detection rules.
dbca -silent -relocatePDB \
Solution (Silent Mode Clone):
-remotePDBName CUSTOMER_DB \
-remoteDBConnString "dr-site.bank.com:1521/DRCDB" \
dbca -createPluggableDatabase -createFromRemotePDB \
-sysDBAUserName sys \
-remotePDBName PAYMENTS_PROD \
-sysDBAPassword XXXXXX \
-remoteDBConnString "db-fra1.bank.com:1521/ORCL" \
-dbLinkUsername c##dr_user \
-sysDBAUserName sys \
-dbLinkUserPassword XXXXXX \
-sysDBAPassword XXXXXX \
-sourceDB PROD_CDB \
-dbLinkUsername c##clone_user \
-pdbName CUSTOMER_DR
-dbLinkUserPassword XXXXXX \
-sourceDB CDB1 \
Use Case:
-pdbName PAYMENTS_TEST
Seamless PDB migration to DR site without downtime.
Impact:
Reduces cloning time from hours to minutes
Ensures identical test environments
Banking Scenario-2 and 3
Dry-Run Validation for Risk-Free Cluster Upgrades Flashback in Data Guard for Zero Data Loss
A core banking RAC cluster must be upgraded without risking A batch job corrupts transaction records in the primary DB.
downtime.
Solution:
Solution:
Flashback primary DB to a pre-corruption SCN:
$ORACLE_HOME/runInstaller dryRunForUpgrade
FLASHBACK DATABASE TO SCN 1234567;
Checks Performed:
Automatically syncs with standby (no manual intervention).
• Storage & network readiness
• Patch dependencies
Impact:
• Hardware/software compatibility
• Ensures data consistency across primary & standby.
Impact:
• Critical for audit compliance.
• Avoids failed upgrades before production rollout.
Banking Scenario 4 and 5:
Active Data Guard DML Redirection for Network File Retention for Secure Logging
Reporting
A cybersecurity audit requires 90-day retention of DB connection logs.
A regulatory report must run on standby without impacting primary
performance.
Solution:
Solution:
ALTER SYSTEM SET LOG_FILE_NUM_LISTENER=10; -- Keep 10 log files
-- Enable DML redirection at standby:
ALTER SYSTEM SET LOG_FILE_SIZE_LISTENER=500; -- Max 500MB per log
ALTER SYSTEM SET ADG_REDIRECT_DML=TRUE;
ALTER SYSTEM SET TRACE_FILEAGE_LISTENER=129600; -- 90 days in
minutes
-- Run report queries on standby: Impact:
ALTER SESSION ENABLE ADG_REDIRECT_DML;
SELECT * FROM transactions WHERE account_id = '12345'; • Meets regulatory log retention policies.
• Prevents log overflows crashing listeners.
Impact:
• Offloads 30% reporting load from primary.
• Real-time data access for compliance teams.
Banking Scenario 6 and 7:
Automatic Indexing for ATM Transaction Speed AutoUpgrade for Core Banking DB Migration
A legacy 11g database must be upgraded to 19c with minimal
downtime.
ATM balance inquiries slow down during peak hours.
Solution:
Generate config file:
Solution:
java -jar autoupgrade.jar -config /upgrade/bank.cfg \
-config_values "source_home=/u01/app/oracle/11g,
-- Enable auto-indexing: target_home=/u01/app/oracle/19c, sid=CORE_BANK"
EXEC DBMS_AUTO_INDEX.CONFIGURE('AUTO_INDEX_MODE','IMPLEMENT');
Run pre-checks:
-- Monitor activity: java -jar autoupgrade.jar -mode analyze
SELECT * FROM DBA_AUTO_INDEX_ACTIVITY;
Execute upgrade:
java -jar autoupgrade.jar -mode deploy
Impact:
• Auto-creates indexes on ACCOUNT_ID, TRANSACTION_DATE. Impact:
• 30% faster ATM response times.
• Reduces upgrade time by 50%.
• Zero manual errors.
Banking Scenario 8 and 9:
Automatic Indexing for High-Volume Transaction Processing Blockchain Tables for Audit & Compliance (Fraud Prevention)
A large retail bank processes millions of daily transactions. A global bank must comply with anti-money laundering (AML)
During peak hours (e.g., salary deposits, bill payments), the regulations and maintain an immutable audit trail for:
database experiences slow query performance on:
• Large cash transactions (>$10,000)
• Account modifications (KYC updates, privilege changes)
• Account balance checks
• Transaction history lookups
Oracle 19c Solution:
Oracle 19c Solution: CREATE BLOCKCHAIN TABLE audit_trail (
user_id VARCHAR2(50),
Automatic Indexing identifies frequently queried columns (e.g., action VARCHAR2(100), -- "KYC Update", "Funds Transfer"
ACCOUNT_ID, TRANSACTION_DATE) and creates optimal old_value VARCHAR2(4000),
indexes. new_value VARCHAR2(4000),
timestamp TIMESTAMP
) NO DELETE LOCKED;
Machine learning monitors workload patterns and drops unused • Tamper-proof records with cryptographic hashing.
indexes to save storage.
• Regulators can verify data integrity without third-party tools.
Impact:
• 30% faster transaction processing during peak hours. Impact:
• Prevents fraudulent record alterations by insiders.
• Reduced manual DBA effort in index tuning.
• Simplifies compliance audits (e.g., SOX, GDPR).
Banking Scenario 10 and 11:
Real-Time Fraud Detection with In-Memory Enhancements Zero-Downtime Patching for 24/7 Banking Systems
A payment processing bank needs real-time fraud detection for:
Unusual transaction spikes A central bank cannot afford downtime for critical systems:
Cross-border transactions without travel history
Oracle 19c Solution: • Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS)
-- In-memory optimized query for fraud detection • ATM & Card Payment Networks
SELECT account_id, COUNT(*) AS high_risk_txns
FROM transactions INMEMORY
WHERE amount > 5000 Oracle 19c Solution:
AND country != home_country
AND transaction_time > SYSDATE - 1/24 -- Last 1 hour • Online patching applies security updates without downtime.
GROUP BY account_id
HAVING COUNT(*) > 3; • Active Data Guard ensures continuous availability during
maintenance.
Columnar in-memory processing speeds up analytics.
Machine learning integration detects anomalies faster.
Impact:
Impact:
No disruption to ATM withdrawals or online banking.
Reduces fraud losses by 20% with real-time blocking.
Eliminates costly maintenance windows.
Millisecond response times for AML checks.
Banking Scenario 12 and 13:
Sharding for Global Customer Data Distribution SQL Quarantine for Runaway Queries (Risk Management)
A multinational bank struggles with:
• Slow queries for Asian customers accessing US-hosted data A risk analytics team runs a poorly optimized query that:
• Data residency laws (GDPR, CCPA)
• Locks critical tables
Oracle 19c Solution: • Slows down payment processing
• Shard by region:
Americas shard (New York) Oracle 19c Solution:
EMEA shard (London)
APAC shard (Singapore) • Automatically detects and quarantines the bad SQL.
• Global queries still work via Oracle Sharding. • Prevents re-execution until optimized.
Impact: Impact:
• 50% faster response times for local customers. Avoids system-wide slowdowns.
• Compliance with data sovereignty laws. Alerts DBAs to optimize risky queries.
Banking Scenario 14 and 15:
Persistent Memory Support Real-Time Statistics
Feature: Optimized support for Intel Optane Feature: More accurate statistics without
persistent memory. manual gathering.
Banking Application: Banking Impact:
• Ultra-fast processing of high-frequency • After loading daily transaction batches,
trading transactions. statistics are automatically updated.
• Faster settlement systems that require • Ensures optimal query plans for end-of-
low-latency writes with persistence day reconciliation processes without DBA
guarantees. intervention.
