Item: Oracle Autonomous Database
Rating: 9
Author: Lisandro Fernigrini

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

Oracle Autonomous Database was implemented as part of a proof of concept to simplify database creation and administration, enabling a quick way to deploy new instances without the need for highly trained database administrators in our development environments. Provisioning a new environment, having it disabled when it was not in use, and re-enabled as soon as it was required was one of the advantages we wanted to test.

Pros and Cons

Quick and automated provisioning
Automatic scaling
Automatic backup
Automatic upgrade/patching if required
Robust and reliable

Importing data from external sources can be simplified (it has been in the latest releases)
Cost

Return on Investment

Easy to set up and provision environments, allowing our development teams to quickly start working on new projects or specific tasks that require new databases
Ability to quickly scale up and down based on demand.
Most tedious database administration tasks are automated.

Alternatives Considered

Azure SQL Database

Actually, we used both Oracle Autonomous Database for our Oracle-related environments and Azure SQL and Azure VMs hosting SQL Server for our SQL Server-related environments. We have different products, some of them are platform independent (can be deployed on Oracle, SQL Server, or some other DBs engines) but some of them are platform-specific, so we work with different databases and platforms.

Key Insights

Do you think Oracle Autonomous Database delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Oracle Autonomous Database's feature set?

Yes

Did Oracle Autonomous Database live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Oracle Autonomous Database go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Oracle Autonomous Database again?

Yes

Other Software Used

SQL Server Integration Services, Microsoft SQL Server, Visual Studio IDE

Likelihood to Recommend

We found it extremely recommendable for development and testing environments. It is really simple and quick to create and provision new instances as required, stop them while they are not used, and re-start them when required. Specific environments (like stress tests, compliance, performance testing) can be created and eliminated once they are not required without requiring a system administrator or a database administrator.

Users and Roles

100 - Software Developers and Software Testers, in order to develop and test the applications we develop. Senior developers and architects also work on UAT/Stress Test/Performance Test environments for limited and specific periods of time and we are able to provision those environments in a simpler way without requiring the help of a database administrators team.

Support Headcount Required

1 - I was the person responsible for managing the Autonomous Databases. I have a database administrator background (more than 15 years) and I was in charge of the database practice (from architecture to production support).

Business Processes Supported

It can quickly provision development and testing environments.
It provides the ability to restore / recreate environments without a database administrators team involved.

Pros	Cons
Like to use Relatively simple Easy to use Well integrated Consistent Quick to learn Convenient Feel confident using	None

Easy Tasks

Database provision
Backup (no action required!)

Mobile Interface Availability and Impressions

Yes, but I don't use it

Quick to Provision and Easy to Manage Database as a Service from Oracle

Overall Satisfaction with Oracle Autonomous Database