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Oracle Ecosystem

Monday, July 06, 2026 · 2 stories, curated & summarized — click any story for the source.

AWS Database Blog awsdatabase ↺ since 07-03

AWS RDS for Oracle now supports Data Masking and Subsetting Pack via OEM

Amazon RDS for Oracle now integrates with the Oracle Data Masking and Subsetting Pack, enabling secure data handling for non-production environments. The update allows users to configure masking policies directly through Oracle Enterprise Manager (OEM) and provides automation capabilities for routine data sanitization tasks. This feature helps organizations reduce compliance risks by ensuring sensitive information is obscured in lower-tier instances.

  • Masking is managed via Oracle Enterprise Manager (OEM) interface for RDS instances.
  • Supports both masking and subsetting to optimize storage and performance.
  • Automation options available for scheduling regular data sanitization jobs.
  • Helps meet regulatory requirements for PII and sensitive data protection.
  • Simplifies setup compared to legacy manual masking scripts.
TRADE-OFFLegacy vs New Data HandlingLegacy ApproachManual scripting requiredHigh error riskTime consuming setupNew OEM IntegrationAutomated masking jobsCentralized managementReduced compliance riskvs
InfoQ generaldevops ↺ since 07-03

Oracle Cuts Always Free Ampere A1 Limits to 2 OCPUs, 12GB RAM

Oracle has silently reduced the Always Free Ampere A1 compute quota from 4 OCPUs and 24 GB RAM to 2 OCPUs and 12 GB RAM. The change was implemented without public announcement, leaving many users unaware of the downgrade. Documentation claims the new limits apply to all tenancies, while support staff have provided conflicting information regarding PAYG accounts.

  • Always Free Ampere A1 instances are now capped at 2 OCPUs and 12 GB RAM.
  • Oracle made this significant reduction without prior notice or public communication.
  • Documentation conflicts with support guidance on whether PAYG accounts are affected.
  • Review current free-tier workloads for immediate capacity constraints.