Oracle GoldenGate 26ai: AI Integration and Unified Management Transform Data Replication

Oracle has released GoldenGate 26ai, marking a significant evolution in real-time data replication technology. This release introduces artificial intelligence capabilities, expands database support, and fundamentally improves operational management. For organizations currently running GoldenGate 23ai, this update delivers capabilities that address modern data architecture challenges while simplifying day-to-day administration.

What Makes GoldenGate 26ai Different

The "ai" designation in this release reflects Oracle's commitment to embedding intelligent capabilities directly into data replication infrastructure. This isn't simply a version increment—it represents a strategic shift toward AI-enabled data operations.

Embedded AI Service Provider Integration

GoldenGate 26ai now supports direct integration with multiple AI service providers through its web interface. Organizations can connect to Gemini, OpenAI, OCI Generative AI, and Voyager AI models directly within their replication environment. This capability enables intelligent data transformation, automated anomaly detection, and AI-assisted troubleshooting without requiring separate integration projects.

For IT leaders, this means data replication pipelines can now participate in AI-driven workflows. Consider scenarios where replicated data feeds machine learning models in near real-time, or where AI services analyze replication patterns to predict potential issues before they impact operations.

Yugabyte Database Support

The addition of Yugabyte database support expands GoldenGate's reach into the distributed SQL database market. Yugabyte has gained significant traction among organizations building globally distributed applications that require PostgreSQL compatibility with horizontal scalability.

This support enables several architectural patterns:

• Replication from traditional Oracle databases to Yugabyte for cloud-native application modernization
• Bidirectional synchronization between Yugabyte clusters and existing data infrastructure
• Hybrid deployment strategies where transactional and analytical workloads operate on purpose-built platforms

Enhanced Data Type Handling

GoldenGate 26ai now properly handles special numeric values including positive infinity, negative infinity, and NaN (Not a Number) for non-Oracle databases. While this may seem technical, it eliminates a category of data quality issues that previously required custom handling or workarounds in scientific computing, financial modeling, and IoT data pipelines.

Operational Improvements That Reduce Administrative Burden

Unified Microservices Console

Perhaps the most impactful change for operations teams is the consolidation of all GoldenGate processes and Microservices into a single management console. Previously, administrators needed to authenticate separately to each Microservice—Extract, Replicat, Distribution Service, Receiver Service, and others.

The 26ai release eliminates this friction. From one console, teams can now:

• Monitor all Extract and Replicat processes across the deployment
• Manage Distribution Service and Receiver Service paths
• Configure Data Streams for event-driven architectures
• Review performance metrics holistically

This consolidation reduces context-switching, accelerates troubleshooting, and provides a unified view of replication health across the enterprise.

Security Enhancement for Db2 z/OS

Organizations running Db2 on z/OS mainframes benefit from expanded password support—credentials can now reach 100 characters, up from the previous 15-character limit. This enhancement aligns with modern security policies that require complex, lengthy passwords and supports integration with enterprise password management systems.

EDB PostgreSQL Advanced Server Support

For organizations using EnterpriseDB's PostgreSQL Advanced Server (EPAS), GoldenGate 26ai now properly extracts version details into report files. This improvement aids troubleshooting, compliance documentation, and capacity planning by providing clear visibility into source database versions within replication logs.

Critical Bug Fixes Included

The 26ai release addresses numerous issues discovered in production environments. Several fixes deserve attention from teams planning their upgrade:

Performance and Stability

• Resolved Administration Service degradation when managing large numbers of Extract and Replicat processes
• Fixed memory leak in Service Manager when XAG (Oracle Grid Infrastructure Agent) is enabled
• Corrected Parallel Replicat duplicate record processing when using DEFERAPPLYINTERVAL

Data Integrity

• Addressed Parallel Replicat error OGG-10178 related to missing columns in trail records
• Fixed @GETENV function creating duplicate values under heavy load
• Corrected char/wchar column data corruption in Yugabyte environments

Connectivity and Distribution

• Resolved Distribution Path failures with SSL connections
• Fixed target-initiated path issues when source runs GoldenGate 21 and target runs database version 23

Understanding the Upgrade Path

Organizations running GoldenGate 23ai have two paths to reach 26ai:

Patch Installation Oracle provides cumulative patch sets (Patch 38850058 for complete install, Patch 38850057 for Oracle-specific components) available through My Oracle Support. These patches work for both Classic and Microservices architectures. The patch approach minimizes downtime and preserves existing configurations.

Important consideration: If previous patches were applied to GoldenGate version 23.10, OPatch may report conflicts. Teams should evaluate whether conflicting bug fixes are required in their environment before proceeding.

Full Installation Organizations preferring clean deployments or those implementing GoldenGate for the first time can download complete installation packages. This approach suits greenfield deployments or environments where configuration refresh is desirable.

Both paths require verification of database and operating system certification through My Oracle Support's Product Certification Matrix before proceeding.

Planning Your Upgrade Strategy

Before upgrading to GoldenGate 26ai, consider these factors:

Test Environment Validation The unified console represents a significant interface change. Allow operations teams time to familiarize themselves with the new navigation and workflow patterns in a non-production environment.

AI Integration Roadmap If AI service provider integration is a priority, ensure network connectivity and authentication requirements are understood before deployment. This may involve firewall rules, API key management, and governance policies for AI service usage.

Known Issues Awareness Two known issues affect specific platforms:

• SQL Server environments may encounter Heartbeat alteration failures through the web interface (Admin Client provides workaround)
• Teradata users should note DB Connection port auto-population issues (manual correction resolves this)

The Strategic Value Proposition

GoldenGate 26ai positions data replication as an intelligent, manageable component of enterprise architecture rather than simply a background synchronization utility. The AI integration capabilities open possibilities for augmented data operations, while the unified console acknowledges that operational simplicity drives adoption and reliability.

For organizations evaluating their data replication strategy, GoldenGate 26ai delivers capabilities that support both immediate operational needs and longer-term digital transformation initiatives. The upgrade path from 23ai is straightforward, and the cumulative nature of patches ensures that all intermediate fixes are included.

For detailed installation instructions, consult the Oracle GoldenGate 23ai (23.5.0) Installing Oracle GoldenGate documentation, Part IV: Installing Patches for Oracle GoldenGate. Certification verification should be completed through My Oracle Support before any upgrade activity.

Ready to Modernize Your Data Replication Infrastructure?

Upgrading from Oracle GoldenGate Classic to GoldenGate 26ai represents more than a version change—it's a transformation to a modern, API-driven, microservices architecture with powerful new capabilities. The migration requires careful planning, configuration translation, and validation to ensure zero data loss and minimal downtime.

RheoData specializes in Oracle GoldenGate implementations and upgrades. Our team of certified data replication experts has guided organizations of all sizes through successful migrations from Classic architecture to the latest Microservices platform.

We can help you:

• Assess your current GoldenGate Classic environment and design an optimal 26ai architecture
• Plan and execute migrations with minimal business disruption
• Configure AI service integrations to unlock intelligent data operations
• Implement the unified console and train your operations team
• Optimize Extract and Replicat configurations for peak performance
• Establish monitoring, alerting, and operational best practices

Don't let your data replication infrastructure fall behind. The capabilities in GoldenGate 26ai—AI integration, expanded database support, and unified management—position your organization for the demands of modern data architectures.

Contact RheoData today to schedule a complimentary assessment of your GoldenGate environment and discover how we can expedite your upgrade to Oracle GoldenGate 26ai.