Hands-on Labs Now Available for Oracle AI Vector Search Deep Dive Course

We’re excited to introduce hands-on labs for the AI Vector Search Deep Dive course. These labs provide a practical, immersive learning experience in an actual Oracle Cloud environment, allowing you to apply AI Vector Search concepts in real-world scenarios.
 

What’s New?

The AI Vector Search Deep Dive course covers essential topics, including:

  • AI Vector Search Fundamentals
  • Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)
  • Embedding Models with Oracle AI Vector Search
  • Oracle AI Vector Search & OCI Generative AI Service integration
  • AI-Powered Features in Exadata, GoldenGate, and Data Management

Now, with the addition of hands-on labs, learners can practically implement these concepts in a real Oracle Cloud environment. This ensures hands-on experience in building, optimizing, and managing AI-powered vector search solutions.


Key Hands-on Labs

Lab#1: AI Vector Search Fundamentals Refresher: In this lab, you will revisit the core building blocks of AI Vector Search with practical comparisons between traditional and vector-based search. You will learn how to:

  • Allocate vector memory for optimal performance.
  • Create vector indexes using HNSW and IVF techniques.
  • Analyze and interpret query execution plans to understand performance differences.

This lab sets the foundation for working with vector search in Oracle Database 23ai.
 

Lab#2: Optimizing Vector Search with Indexes: In this lab, you will delve deeper into the mechanics of vector indexing. This lab guides you through:

  • Testing different index types to improve search speed and accuracy.
  • Fine-tuning index parameters for your data and use case.
  • Leveraging new Oracle Database 23ai features that enable high-performance similarity searches.

This lab walks you through how to balance indexing cost with retrieval performance, enabling efficient and optimized vector search tuning.
 

Lab#3: Embedding Models in Oracle Vector Search: In this lab, you will understand how Oracle Database interacts with external embedding models. In this lab, you’ll:

  • Create and manage vectorized tables in Oracle Database.
  • Bind and define custom vector data types.
  • Integrate Sentence Transformers and generate embeddings from your own text sources.

This lab helps bridge data processing with vector storage, enabling seamless AI search.
 

Lab#4: RAG with Oracle AI Vector Search and OCI Gen AI: In this lab, you will build a full Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) pipeline from scratch. Using Python and PL/SQL, you will:

  • Load and chunk unstructured text data (like FAQs).
  • Perform similarity searches using your vector indexes.
  • Call OCI Generative AI services to generate smart, context-aware responses.

This lab helps simulate real-world use cases, enabling the development of intelligent chatbots and document-aware AI assistants.
 

Lab#5: Data Loading and Management: In this lab, you will learn how to work with large datasets and manage them efficiently inside Oracle Database. This lab includes:

  • Loading large vector datasets using tools like SQL*Loader and Data Pump.
  • Best practices for batch vectorization to improve processing efficiency.
  • Handling vector transformations and unload/load scenarios for scalability.

This lab helps administrators and architects manage production-scale vector data, enabling reliable and high-performance AI applications.
 

How to Access the Hands-on Labs

Getting started with hands-on labs is simple:

  1. Buy a Lab Subscription:  Purchase access to Oracle University’s hands-on labs.

  1. Request a Lab: Once you request a lab, the system will automatically create a fully configured lab environment with all necessary tools, databases, and AI services. This allows you to focus on learning and experimentation without worrying about setup.

 

Why This Matters

AI Vector Search is transforming enterprise search, AI applications, and large-scale data retrieval. These hands-on labs give you practical, real-world skills to stay ahead.

Whether you’re a database administrator, AI developer, or data scientist, this immersive experience will help you master AI Vector Search.

 

Start your hands-on learning journey today!