Making the Oracle AI Database Truly Kubernetes-Native

Authors: Kuassi Mensah — Param Saini— Sanjay Singh

The journey to making enterprise databases truly Kubernetes-native just took a significant leap forward. Oracle has released version 2.0.0 of the Oracle AI Database Operator for Kubernetes (a.k.a. OraOperator), bringing enterprise-grade database management into the cloud-native era with enhanced automation, expanded platform support, and powerful new features.

Lifecycle Automation at Scale

OraOperator v2.0.0 automates complex database operations that traditionally required manual intervention:

  • Provisioning and cloning across multiple database types
  • In-place and out-of-place patching for seamless updates
  • Backup and restore operations with long-term backup support
  • Scaling operations for both compute and storage resources
  • Data Guard configuration and switchover operations

What Makes This Release Special?

Version 2.0.0 represents a major milestone in Oracle’s commitment to Kubernetes-native database operations.

Red Hat OpenShift Partner Validation: Enterprise Ready

One of the most significant additions is full validation of Red Hat OpenShift. OraOperator and its controllers have been validated and included in the Red Hat Operators Catalog, making it easier than ever for enterprises running OpenShift to deploy and manage Oracle databases with confidence.

The Oracle Container Images (OCR) are available for deployment on Red Hat OpenShift, including: Oracle AI Database 26ai Free, SIDB 19.28, GDD(GSM) 26ai Free, and Oracle Restart Database 19.28.

Oracle Restart Controller: Enhanced Infrastructure Management

The new Restart Controller enables dynamic infrastructure management, such as provisioning, adding, and deleting ASM disks, bringing advanced storage automation to Kubernetes-managed databases and supporting deployments with GI and ASM. 

When storage is added or removed using Kubernetes Persistent Volume Claims (PVCs), Oracle Restart and ASM automatically handle these changes.

Broader Integration with Private Cloud Appliance (PCA)

The Database Operator for Kubernetes add-on on the OCI Kubernetes Engine (OKE) now supports Oracle Private Cloud Appliance (PCA) with platform release 3.12 and is available through the OKE console with Database Operator V1.2. Additionally, Database Operator V2.0 offers on-demand updates, with planned integration in the next platform release 3.13, enhancing deployment flexibility and supporting a wider range of Oracle environments.

ORDS Services Enhancements

The enhanced Oracle REST Data Services (ORDS) support now includes:

  • Service Account integration with OpenShift support
  • Compatibility with ORDS image 25.1 and above
  • Flexible APEX installation: provide files via download URL or persistent volume, addressing the need for missing installation files

True Cache Support

Preview support for True Cache with Free SIDB databases brings Oracle’s high-performance caching to Kubernetes deployments.

Expanded Database and Platform Support

Version 2.0.0 supports an impressive range of Oracle AI Database configurations:

  • Autonomous AI Database (ADB-S and ADB-D): Includes manual failover and switchover
  • Oracle AI Database 26ai: Full support, including Free and Free-lite editions
  • Globally Distributed AI Database: Manage sharded topologies and Raft replication
  • Multitenant: Improved PDB management via a new LRES-based controller, enhanced config map support, and deletion policy control

Broad Kubernetes Platform Support

This production release has been thoroughly tested across the Kubernetes ecosystem:

  • OCI Kubernetes Engine (OKE)
  • RedHat OpenShift (v4.16+)
  • Oracle Linux Cloud Native Environment (OLCNE)
  • Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE)
  • Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)
  • Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS)
  • Minikube (for development)

Also:

  • Operator Lifecycle Manager (OLM) support
  • Upgraded Kubernetes API (v4) for enhanced compatibility

High Availability, Observability, and Integrations

Data Guard Enhancements

Includes an Observer for FastStartFailover and Snapshot Standby, raising high availability for databases in containers.

Database Observability

Native support for database logs and metrics through the latest exporter container images enables seamless integration with Kubernetes monitoring stacks such as Prometheus and Grafana.

Enterprise Cloud Integrations

Added deployment support for Database Operator on OKE console for Private Cloud Appliance (PCA) and Compute Cloud@Customer (C3) for true hybrid cloud operations.

Getting Started

Ready to make your Oracle databases Kubernetes-native?

The OraOperator v2.0.0 is available via:

The Bottom Line

Oracle AI Database Operator for Kubernetes v2.0.0 represents a mature, production-ready solution for running Oracle databases in Kubernetes. Whether you’re managing a single containerized database or orchestrating a globally distributed database topology, OraOperator brings the power of declarative configuration and Kubernetes automation to Oracle AI Database operations.

For organizations committed to Kubernetes as their application platform, v2.0.0 removes the traditional barriers between stateful database workloads and cloud-native infrastructure. The result is faster deployments, simplified operations, and the ability to manage databases using the same tools and patterns as your applications.