1.1 Oracle Data Redaction

This new database security feature is part of Oracle Advanced Security and
prevents data columns (such as credit card numbers, U.S. Social Security
numbers, and other sensitive or regulated data) from being displayed by
applications. It is driven by declarative policies that can take into account
database session factors and information passed by applications. Sensitive
display data can be redacted at runtime on live production systems with minimal
disruption to running applications and without altering the actual stored data.
Different types of redaction are supported including full, partial, random, and
regular expression redaction. You can conceal entire data values or redact only
part of the value. The functionality is implemented inside of the database,
therefore separate installation is not required.

1.2 Trace File Analyzer and
Collector

The Trace File Analyzer (TFA) and Collector, also known as TFA Collector, is
a diagnostic collection utility to simplify diagnostic data collection on Oracle
Clusterware, Oracle Grid Infrastructure and Oracle RAC systems.

Unlike similar solutions, the TFA Collector optimizes data gathering by
providing a single source of management as well as various focus levels. Data
for a whole cluster can be gathered from one node using one command and can be
stored on a central server for further analysis and processing. The TFA
Collector also allows for trimming data collection by focusing on certain
components or relevant time frames only.

1.3 RACcheck - The Oracle RAC
Configuration Audit Tool

RACcheck is designed to audit vital configuration settings for the Oracle
Database, single instance databases, as well as Oracle Real Application Clusters
(Oracle RAC) databases. It also includes checks for Oracle Clusterware, Oracle
Automatic Storage Management (Oracle ASM) and Oracle Grid Infrastructure.

RACcheck provides best practices recommedations considering the whole stack,
including Maximum Availability Architecture (MAA) configurations and is
therefore the ideal tool for regular health checks as well as pre- and
post-upgrade best practices assessments.

1.4 Database Replay Support for
Database Consolidation

Database Replay now supports simultaneous execution of multiple database
captures on a single consolidated database. Consolidated database replay
supports scheduling of the individual replays enabling investigations of various
scenarios (for example, what if all my individual workloads hit their peak
utilizations at the same time).

Consolidated replay provides the ability to test database performance for
database consolidation projects, whether consolidating onto an Oracle database
machine or other consolidated infrastructure.

1.5 Optimization for Flashback Data
Archive History Tables

When using flashback data archive to track changes on tables, you can now
enable optimization of the corresponding history tables using the OPTIMIZE
DATA clause when creating or altering a flashback data archive.

Optimization of flashback data archive history tables provides better storage
efficiency and better performance for flashback queries on the change history
without additional intervention needed by the DBA.

1.6 Desupported Features

The following features are desupported in Oracle Database 11g Release 2
(11.2):

• 
  

  The -cleanupOBase flag of the deinstallation tool is
  desupported. There is no replacement for this flag.



• 
  

  The DES and RC4 algorithms are desupported.

1.7 New sqlnet.ora Parameter
SSL_EXTENDED_KEY_USAGE

Starting with this release, you can use the
SQLNET.SSL_EXTENDED_KEY_USAGE parameter in the sqlnet.ora file to
select a Secure Sockets Layer certificate to be used automatically to
authenticate clients. For example, suppose you have multiple certificates for a
smart card but only one of the certificates has an extended key usage field of
client authentication. In the application, a certificate chooser dialog box
would appear, prompting the user to select the type of authentication. Because
the type of authentication would always be for clients, the
SQLNET.SSL_EXTENDED_KEY_USAGE parameter can enable the application
to bypass this dialog box and automatically choose client authentication. As a
result, the user has fewer steps to perform in a task, thereby making the user's
job easier and more efficient.

1.8 New PrimaryLostWriteAction
Property

The new PrimaryLostWriteAction Data Guard broker configuration
property determines what action is taken if a standby database detects that a
lost write has occurred at the primary database.

1.9 ENABLE_GOLDENGATE_REPLICATION for
Oracle GoldenGate

The ENABLE_GOLDENGATE_REPLICATION initialization parameter
controls services provided by the RDBMS for Oracle GoldenGate (both capture and
apply services). Set this to true to enable RDBMS services used by Oracle
GoldenGate.