Oracle Exadata Database Service represents the pinnacle of enterprise database technology in the cloud, combining the raw power of purpose-built Exadata hardware with the flexibility and scalability of cloud infrastructure. This service enables organizations to leverage Oracle Database's full capabilities while benefiting from cloud economics and operational simplicity.

What is Exadata Database Service?

Oracle Exadata Database Service delivers proven Oracle Database capabilities on purpose-built, optimized Oracle Exadata infrastructure. Built-in cloud automation, elastic scaling, security, and fast performance for all Oracle Database workloads helps you simplify management and reduce costs.

This isn't just another database-as-a-service offering – it's an Oracle database offering with all features and options running on genuine Exadata Database machines in Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI). The service provides the most complete database service availability in the cloud, offering unmatched flexibility with full administrative control.

Key Benefits and Features

Pay-Per-Use Economics

One of the most compelling aspects of Exadata Database Service is its flexible pricing model. You pay only for allocated compute resources, making it cost-effective for organizations of all sizes. The Exadata Exascale service with 300 GB of database storage and 560 GB of file system storage and 16 ECPUs of compute costs $357 per month.

Easy Migration Path

The service provides an easy lift and shift from on-premises databases, maintaining 100% compatibility with existing Oracle Database deployments. This compatibility extends across deployment models:

On-premises
Public cloud
Hybrid cloud
Multi-cloud environments

Latest Innovations

Oracle announced the general availability of Exadata Exascale, an intelligent data architecture for the cloud that provides extreme performance for all Oracle Database workloads—including AI vector processing, analytics, and transactions—at any scale. Advanced cloud automation, dynamic resource scaling, and flexible subscription pricing let you run database workloads faster and at a lower cost.

Exadata Database Service on Dedicated Infrastructure

For organizations requiring maximum control and isolation, Exadata Database Service on Dedicated Infrastructure delivers all the power and functionality of Oracle Database and Exadata in the public cloud. This enterprise-grade Oracle Database-as-a-Service provides:

Public cloud simplicity and elasticity behind your firewall
Complete isolation from other tenants
Full administrative access and control
Predictable, dedicated performance

Cloud Management Model

The service follows a simple and clear cloud management responsibility model:

Oracle's Responsibilities

Infrastructure ownership and management
Hardware maintenance and updates
Hypervisor management
Operating system patches and updates
Network infrastructure

Customer Responsibilities

Database service subscription and configuration
Complete data ownership including:
- All data and schemas
- Encryption keys management
- Database-level configurations
- Application deployment and management

This shared responsibility model ensures customers maintain full control over their critical data and business logic while Oracle handles the complex infrastructure management tasks.

Core Components of Exadata Database Service

The architecture comprises several interconnected components that work together to deliver exceptional performance:

Database and Storage Servers

Database servers: High-performance compute nodes optimized for Oracle Database workloads
Storage servers: Intelligent storage cells with built-in processing capabilities
Connected by secure, high-speed fabric for optimal data transfer

Scalability Features

Horizontally scalable: Add more servers as workload demands increase
Vertically scalable storage: Expand storage capacity without service interruption
Flexible X8M and X9M systems that allow you to add database compute servers and storage servers to your system as your needs grow. X8M and X9M systems offer RDMA over Converged Ethernet (RoCE) networking for high bandwidth and low latency, persistent memory (PMEM) modules

Enterprise-Grade Security

Secure isolation between workloads and tenants
Network connectivity with advanced security controls
Built-in encryption and security features

Monitoring and Management Tools

Comprehensive control panel for cloud management
Real-time performance monitoring
Automated maintenance and patching capabilities
Integration with OCI monitoring and alerting services

Deployment Options and Configurations

Oracle Database@Azure currently runs on Oracle Exadata X9M hardware and provides a configuration of a minimum of 2 database servers and 3 storage servers. This configuration is called quarter-rack. This configuration can be increased to a limit of 32 database servers and 64 storage servers.

Exadata Exascale

The newest offering provides:

48-hour minimum commitment and 8 ECPU minimum per virtual machine
Elastic Resources: Only pay for the resources you use. There are no extra charges for Input/Output Operations Per Second (IOPS)
Significant cost reduction compared to traditional dedicated infrastructure

Traditional Dedicated Infrastructure

For larger workloads requiring dedicated resources:

A quarter rack X9M – i.e. two database servers for three storage servers – dedicated Exadata Cloud Infrastructure costs €10,000 a month approximately compared with about €330 per month with Exadata Exascale infrastructure

Recent Enhancements and AI Integration

Bring AI to your data with Oracle Database 23ai on Exadata Database Service with Exadata System Software 24ai. The platform now supports advanced AI and machine learning workloads, including:

AI vector processing for modern AI applications
Advanced analytics capabilities
Mission-critical transaction processing
Integration with Oracle's AI services and tools

Why Choose Exadata Database Service?

Proven Performance: Built on the same technology that powers the world's most demanding database workloads
Complete Feature Set: Access to all Oracle Database features and options
Flexible Deployment: Choose from multiple cloud deployment models
Enterprise Security: Built-in security and compliance capabilities
Cost Optimization: Pay-per-use pricing with no upfront infrastructure investment
Future-Ready: AI-ready platform with support for modern workloads

Conclusion

Oracle Exadata Database Service represents the convergence of enterprise-grade database technology with cloud flexibility and economics. Whether you're running traditional OLTP workloads, complex analytics, or cutting-edge AI applications, this service provides the performance, reliability, and scalability needed for mission-critical applications.

The combination of Oracle's database expertise, purpose-built Exadata hardware, and cloud-native operations makes this service an ideal choice for organizations seeking to modernize their database infrastructure while maintaining the performance and reliability their business depends on.

Ready to explore Exadata Database Service for your organization? Visit the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure console to learn more about deployment options and pricing that fit your specific requirements.

Oracle Exadata Database Service: The Ultimate Cloud Database Solution

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