Oracle AI Database 26ai is finally available for Linux x86-64 systems - many of us have been waiting a long time for. Even better, the latest Oracle AutoUpgrade release fully supports 26ai.

In this post, I provide a short step-by-step guide to install and configure Oracle Database 26ai (23.26.1.0.0) on an Oracle Linux 9.5 machine with internet access supported by Oracle AutoUpgrade.

As Oracle PM Daniel Overby-Hansen already mentioned in his blog post how to be ready for 26ai, 26ai for Linux x86-64 is delivered as a Golden Image.

Section 1: Prerequisites

Oracle Linux 9.5 is up and running, and memory, disk, and CPU resources are sufficient.
An existing Java setup is available - either from a previous Oracle installation or through OpenJDK. If Java is not avilable:

sudo dnf install -y java-11-openjdk java-11-openjdk-devel

The Oracle preinstall package has been executed to create required users and set OS parameters.

$ sudo dnf install -y oracle-database-preinstall-23ai

I created the following directories to store the installation software and to prepare the Oracle RDBMS environment. Owner must be oracle.

$ sudo mkdir -p /u01/app/oracle
$ sudo mkdir -p /u01/app/oraInventory
$ sudo mkdir -p /u01/app/oracle/stage/autoupgrade
$ sudo mkdir -p /u01/app/oracle/stage/autoupgrade/logs
$ sudo mkdir -p /u01/app/oracle/stage/autoupgrade/keystore
$ sudo mkdir -p /u01/app/oracle/stage/autoupgrade/patches
$ sudo mkdir -p /u01/app/oracle/product/23.0.0/dbhome_1

$ sudo chown -R oracle:oinstall /u01/app/oracle
$ sudo chown -R oracle:oinstall /u01/app/oraInventory

Create additional these directories if you want to create a new database immediately after binary installation. I use OMF in my example.

$ sudo mkdir /u02/oradata
$ sudo mkdir /u03/fast_recovery_area

$ sudo chown -R oracle:oinstall /u02/oradata
$ sudo chown -R oracle:oinstall /u03/fast_recovery_area

Section 2: Configure Oracle AutoUpgrade for Software Download

The following tasks are executed as OS user oracle.

You can download the latest Oracle AutoUpgrade release directly into your directory. Download AutoUpgrade Oracle direct-link: https://download.oracle.com/otn-pub/otn_software/autoupgrade.jar.

$ cd /u01/app/oracle/stage/autoupgrade

$ wget -O /u01/app/oracle/stage/autoupgrade/autoupgrade.jar \
  https://download.oracle.com/otn-pub/otn_software/autoupgrade.jar

The file should be owned by the oracle user. All installation and setup steps (except running root.sh when user does not have sudo permissions) are executed under this user.

$ cd /u01/app/oracle/stage/autoupgrade
$ ls -la *.jar
-rw-r--r--. 1 oracle oinstall 6729677 Jan 25 14:43 autoupgrade.jar

Verify that AutoUpgrade is working by checking its version:

$ java -jar autoupgrade.jar -version
build.version 25.6.251016
build.date 2025/10/16 00:04:36 +0000
build.hash 54a1e2442
build.hash_date 2025/10/15 21:11:40 +0000
build.supported_target_versions 12.2,18,19,21,23
build.type production
build.label (HEAD, tag: v25.6, origin/stable_devel, stable_devel)
build.MOS_NOTE 2485457.1
build.MOS_LINK https://support.oracle.com/epmos/faces/DocumentDisplay?id=2485457.1

Section 3: Configure Autopgrade for My Oracle Support

Create the minimal configuration file. Note: the version is 23!

# download.cfg
global.global_log_dir=/u01/app/oracle/stage/autoupgrade/log
global.keystore=/u01/app/oracle/stage/autoupgrade/keystore

patch1.folder=/u01/app/oracle/stage/autoupgrade/patch
patch1.patch=RU,DPBP,OPATCH
patch1.target_version=23

Now run the command to configure My Oracle Support credentials. During this step, AutoUpgrade will prompt you to create and confirm a keystore password.

$ java -jar autoupgrade.jar -config download.cfg -patch -load_password

At the MOS> prompt, add your credentials. Save the credentials and enable auto-login (default setting).

MOS> add -user <your-mos-login-username - e.g. homer.simpson@jurasuedfuss.com>
Enter your secret/Password:   
Re-enter your secret/Password:   
MOS> save
Convert the AutoUpgrade Patching keystore to auto-login [YES|NO] ? yes
MOS> exit

AutoUpgrade Patching Password Loader finished - Exiting AutoUpgrade Patching

Your keys are stored in the keystore subdirectory defined in configuration file:

$ $ cd /u01/app/oracle/stage/autoupgrade/keystore

$ ls -la
total 8
drwxr-xr-x. 2 oracle oinstall  90 Jan 25 16:59 .
drwxr-xr-x. 5 oracle oinstall 114 Jan 25 16:56 ..
-rw-------. 1 oracle oinstall 541 Jan 25 16:59 cwallet.sso
-rw-------. 1 oracle oinstall   0 Jan 25 16:59 cwallet.sso.lck
-rw-------. 1 oracle oinstall 429 Jan 25 16:59 ewallet.p12
-rw-------. 1 oracle oinstall   0 Jan 25 16:59 ewallet.p12.lck

Section 4: Download Oracle AI Database 26ai Software

Download the Oracle database software using the configuration file you prepared earlier. AutoUpgrade will read the entries and fetch the required media automatically.

$ java -jar autoupgrade.jar -config download.cfg -patch -mode download

Based on the configuration file, three files are now available in /patch subdirectory.

Patch	Description
p38743961	DATABASE RELEASE UPDATE 23.26.1.0.0 (GOLD IMAGE)
p38842609	DATAPUMP BUNDLE PATCH 23.26.1.0.0
p6880880	OPatch 12.2.0.1.49 for DB 23.0.0.0.0 (Jan 2026)

Example output:

$ java -jar autoupgrade.jar -config download.cfg -patch -mode download
AutoUpgrade Patching 25.6.251016 launched with default internal options
Processing config file ...
Loading AutoUpgrade Patching keystore
AutoUpgrade Patching keystore is loaded

Connected to MOS - Searching for specified patches

------------------------------------------------------------
Downloading files to /u01/app/oracle/stage/autoupgrade/patch
------------------------------------------------------------
DATABASE RELEASE UPDATE 23.26.1.0.0 (GOLD IMAGE)
    File: p38743961_230000_Linux-x86-64.zip - VALIDATED

DATAPUMP BUNDLE PATCH 23.26.1.0.0
    File: p38842609_2326100DBRU_Generic.zip - VALIDATED

OPatch 12.2.0.1.49 for DB 23.0.0.0.0 (Jan 2026)
    File: p6880880_230000_Linux-x86-64.zip - VALIDATED
------------------------------------------------------------

Section 5: Create a new ORACLE_HOME

Next, create a separate AutoUpgrade configuration file for installing the Oracle software in a new ORACLE_HOME. AutoUpgrade will automatically create the directory if it does not already exist. If it already exists, it must be empty. If you have existing ORACLE_HOME installations, adapt the target_home variable.

Note: Target version is 23.

# install.cfg
global.global_log_dir=/u01/app/oracle/stage/autoupgrade/log
install1.patch=RU,DPBP,OPATCH
install1.target_version=23

install1.target_home=/u01/app/oracle/product/23.0.0/dbhome_1
install1.folder=/u01/app/oracle/stage/autoupgrade/patch
install1.home_settings.oracle_base=/u01/app/oracle
install1.home_settings.edition=EE
install1.home_settings.inventory_location=/u01/app/oraInventory
install1.download=no

Start the AutoUpgrade job with the command below. It will use your installation configuration file and create the new ORACLE_HOME as defined.

$ java -jar autoupgrade.jar -config install.cfg -patch -mode create_home

You can follow console actions by append command lsj-a.

patch> lsj -a
patch> +----+-------------+-------+---------+-------+----------+-------+----------------------+
|Job#|      DB_NAME|  STAGE|OPERATION| STATUS|START_TIME|UPDATED|               MESSAGE|
+----+-------------+-------+---------+-------+----------+-------+----------------------+
| 100|create_home_1|INSTALL|EXECUTING|RUNNING|  21:00:00|55s ago|Installing ORACLE_HOME|
+----+-------------+-------+---------+-------+----------+-------+----------------------+
Total jobs 1

The command lsj is running every 7 seconds. PRESS ENTER TO EXIT
<REDACTED>
<REDACTED>
<REDACTED>

AutoUpgrade will run for a few minutes. When prompted, execute root.sh to finalize the binary installation - this step is required only, if your user (in this example, oracle) does not have sudo privileges to run root-level commands.

Example output for a fresh 26ai installation:

The command lsj is running every 7 seconds. PRESS ENTER TO EXIT
Job 100 completed
------------------- Final Summary --------------------
Number of databases            [ 1 ]

Jobs finished                  [1]
Jobs failed                    [0]
Jobs restored                  [0]
Jobs pending                   [0]

# Run the root.sh script as root for the following jobs:
For create_home_1 -> /u01/app/oracle/product/26.0.0/dbhome_1/root.sh

# Run the orainstRoot.sh script as root for the following jobs:
For create_home_1 -> /u01/app/oraInventory/orainstRoot.sh

Please check the summary report at:
/u01/app/oracle/stage/autoupgrade/log/cfgtoollogs/patch/auto/status/status.html
/u01/app/oracle/stage/autoupgrade/log/cfgtoollogs/patch/auto/status/status.log

The status details are available in both the AutoUpgrade status log and the generated HTML report, which provide a clear summary of the job results.

Section 6: Create a new Database

I run DBCA in silent mode as the oracle user to create a new database. Remember that DBCA does not automatically apply environment‑specific settings such as TNS_ADMIN, backup locations, or networking configuration must be configured separately.

$ cd /u01/app/oracle/product/26.0.0/dbhome_1/bin

$ ./dbca -silent -createDatabase \
-templateName General_Purpose.dbc \
-gdbname NODATA.internal -sid NODATA -responseFile NO_VALUE \
-characterSet AL32UTF8 \
-sysPassword OraWelcome1 \
-systemPassword OraWelcome2 \
-createAsContainerDatabase true \
-numberOfPDBs 3 \
-pdbName pdbnodata0 \
-pdbAdminPassword OraWelcome3 \
-databaseType MULTIPURPOSE \
-automaticMemoryManagement false \
-totalMemory 3072 \
-storageType FS \
-datafileDestination /u02/oradata/ \
-recoveryAreaDestination /u03/fast_recovery_area \
-recoveryAreaSize 1200  \
-redoLogFileSize 200 \
-ignorePreReqs \
-enableArchive TRUE \
-useOMF true

Once DBCA finishes - typically after a few minutes - the new database instance is fully operational. If your system is still using a 19c listener, the 26ai database will automatically register with it, as dynamic registration works across these Oracle Database release levels.

Database creation complete. For details check the logfiles at:
 /u01/app/oracle/cfgtoollogs/dbca/NODATA.
Database Information:
Global Database Name:NODATA.internal
System Identifier(SID):NODATA
Look at the log file "/u01/app/oracle/cfgtoollogs/dbca/NODATA/NODATA.log" for further details.

Section 7: Verification

Version Check

To verify that the 26ai installation is working correctly, switch to the new environment using oraenv and connect to the database with SQL*Plus. The banner confirms the exact Oracle AI Database 26ai release and that the instance is functional:

$ . oraenv
ORACLE_SID = [oracle] ? NODATA 
The Oracle base has been set to /u01/app/oracle
$ sqlplus / as sysdba

SQL*Plus: Release 23.26.1.0.0 - Production on Sun Jan 25 19:52:59 2026
Version 23.26.1.0.0

Copyright (c) 1982, 2025, Oracle.  All rights reserved.


Connected to:
Oracle AI Database 26ai Enterprise Edition Release 23.26.1.0.0 - Production
Version 23.26.1.0.0

SQL>

A new 26ai Feature - The boolean data type:

SQL> CREATE TABLE bool_test (
  2       id       NUMBER,
  3       is_valid BOOLEAN
  4  );

Table created.

SQL> INSERT INTO bool_test VALUES (1, TRUE);

1 row created.

SQL> INSERT INTO bool_test VALUES (2, FALSE);

1 row created.

SQL> INSERT INTO bool_test VALUES (3, UNKNOWN);

1 row created.

SQL> SELECT id, is_valid
  2  FROM bool_test
  3  WHERE is_valid IS TRUE;

        ID IS_VALID
---------- -----------
         1 TRUE

Section 8: Summary

This guide shows how effortlessly Oracle AutoUpgrade can provision new Oracle AI Database 26ai installations on Oracle Linux 9.5. With just a small configuration file, AutoUpgrade downloads the 26ai Golden Image, builds a fresh ORACLE_HOME, and prepares the environment automatically. Creating new 26ai database instances becomes a simple, repeatable, fully automated workflow. A final SQL*Plus check confirms the installation and demonstrates the new BOOLEAN SQL data type.