Autonomous Database Newsletter - September 03, 2020

Autonomous Database provides cloning where you can choose to create a full clone of the active instance, create a metadata clone, or create a refreshable clone.

With a refreshable clone the system creates a clone that can be easily updated with changes from the source database.

A refreshable clone allows the following:

• Maintain one or more copies of the source database for use as read-only databases. A clone database is available when needed, and when the data needs to be updated, simply refresh the clone from its source database.
• Share copies of a production database with multiple business units. For example, one business unit might use the source database for ongoing transactions and another business unit could at the same time use the refreshable clone database for read-only operations.

Refreshable clones allow customers to spread the cost of database usage across multiple business units. They can bill the different units separately, based on their usage of one or more refreshable clones.

Illustration shows a click-through demo for creating a new refreshable clone.

If an Autonomous Database is the source for a refreshable clone or clones then you can view the list of refreshable clones via the Resources area, select "Refreshable Clones" as shown below.

Illustration shows the OCI console view of refreshable clones associated with a specific ADB instance.

Visit the LiveLabs home page for a list of all available Autonomous Database labs - click here.

Autonomous Database comes with a built-in SQL Developer Web. The UI for this web console has just been updated.

Autonomous Database uses pre-set consumer groups/resource plans (high, medium, low, tp and tpurgent) which determine memory, CPU, and the degree of parallelism for queries and scripts.

In the past SQL Developer Web connections were defaulted to the LOW consumer group. With this latest update it is now possible to select any of the available consumer groups when using the worksheet.

Illustration shows SQL Developer Web UI for selecting a consumer group.

The latest UI also provides a simpler experience for managing users: create, edit, grant roles & privileges, REST Enable accounts, view accounts where the password is about to expire and unlock an account.

Illustration shows SQL Developer Web UI for managing ADB users.

What is a SQL Macro? It is a new and unique way for SQL developers to encapsulate complex processing which can then be reused within SQL statements. Unlike bespoke PL/SQL functions, SQL Macro code is transparent to SQL Optimizer – which brings big benefits since there is no overhead for context switching!

There are two types of SQL Macros:

• TABLE expressions used in a FROM-clause
• SCALAR expressions used in SELECT list, WHERE/HAVING, GROUP BY/ORDER BY clauses

Initially only TABLE macros will be available within Autonomous Database. Support for SCALAR macros is coming soon!