The MAX_CONNECTIONS attribute of the LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_n parameter for Data Guard redo transport is deprecated in Oracle Database 18c.

Oracle Database 11g Release 1 (11.1) introduced the new streaming asynchronous model for redo transport. Using the MAX_CONNECTIONS attribute setting no longer provides any benefit when Oracle Data Guard is resolving gaps in the archive log files.

Extended Datatype Support (EDS) is deprecated in Oracle Database 18c .

The Extended Datatype Support (EDS) feature provides a mechanism for logical standbys to support certain Oracle data types that lack native redo-based support. For example, EDS was used to replicate tables with SDO_GEOMETRY column. However, starting with Oracle Database 12c release 2 (12.2), there are no EDS-supported Oracle data types that are not supported natively by Logical data or GoldenGate. This feature is now obsolete.

Starting in Oracle Database 18c, Oracle Multimedia is deprecated. This is the terminal release for Oracle Multimedia.

Oracle Multimedia is unavailable with Oracle Database 19c. Oracle recommends that you store multimedia content in SecureFiles LOBs, and use open source or third-party products for image processing and conversion.

Starting in Oracle Database 18c, the GET_* functions in DBMS_DATA_MINING are deprecated. Use the Oracle Data Mining (ODM) Model Details views instead.

In Oracle Database 12c release 1, and earlier releases, the DBMS_DATA_MINING package supports a separate GET_MODEL_DETAILS function for each data mining algorithm. Global details are also available for Generalized Linear Models, Expectation Maximization, Singular Value Decomposition, and Association Rules. There are many DBMS_DATA_MINING Get_* functions. For example:

• GET_MODEL_DETAILS

• DBMS_DATA_MINING.GET_MODEL_TRANSFORMATIONS

For example, the Model detail view for Decision Tree describes the split information view, node statistics view, node description view, and the cost matrix view.

Starting with Oracle Database 18c, Oracle recommends that you replace the GET_MODEL_DETAILS_XML functions with the Oracle Data Mining Model Details views. The split information view DM$VPmodel_name describes the decision tree hierarchy, in which you append the name of the Oracle Data Mining model to the view prefix.

The PL/SQL package DBMS_XMLQUERY is deprecated in Oracle Database 18c. Use DBMS_XMLGEN instead.

DBMS_XMLQUERY provides database-to-XMLType functionality. Oracle recommends that you replace calls to DBMS_XMLQUERY with DBMS_XMLGEN. DBMS_XMLGEN is written in C and compiled into the kernel, so it provides higher performance.

The PL/SQL package DBMS_XMLSAVE is deprecated in Oracle Database 18c. Use DBMS_XMLSTORE instead.

The DBMS_XMLSAVE package is part of the Oracle XML SQL Utility. It is used to insert, update, and delete data from XML documents in object-relational tables. Oracle recommends that you replace DBMS_XMLSAVE calls with DBMS_XMLSTORE. DBMS_XMLSTORE is written in C and compiled into the kernel, so it provides higher performance.

For example: to replace DBMS_XMLSAVE, you can create a wrapper function or procedure that you used to call DBMS_XMLSAVE on an earlier release Oracle Database, and change the call to DBMS_XMLSTORE. Or you can create a synonym:

CREATE OR REPLACE PUBLIC SYNONYM DBMS_XMLSAVE FOR DBMS_XMLSTORE;
GRANT EXECUTE ON DBMS_XMLSAVE TO PUBLIC;

Starting in Oracle Database 18c, The LABELS column is deprecated in the ALL_SA_USER_LABELS and DBA_SA_USER_LABELS views.

The information in the LABELS and USER_LABELS columns is redundant. This information is displayed in other columns in these data dictionary views.

Starting with Oracle Database 18c , the option to specify a SQL NUMBER value (1 or 0) as the return value of a JSON value of true or false is deprecated.

Oracle Database 12c release 1 (12.1) provided support for JSON data, including the function of specifying NUMBER as the type of a column that is returned. The option to specify NUMBER is deprecated. Instead of specifying NUMBER as the output for JSON data for true/false queries, you can use the default SQL value returned for a JSON Boolean value, and specify the string as  'true' or 'false'. If you have an application that requires a numeric value, then you can return the Boolean JSON value as a SQL VARCHAR2 value, and then test that value and return a SQL NUMBER value as the result of that test.

Starting with Oracle Database 18c, the use of MAIL_FILTER in Oracle Text is deprecated. Before adding email to the database, filter emails to indexable plain text, or to HTML.

MAIL_FILTER is based on an obsolete email protocol, RFC-822. Modern email systems do not support RFC-822. There is no replacement.

Starting with Oracle Database 18c, the command options for asmcmd showversion are replaced with new asmcmd options.

In place of the command asmcmd showversion --softwarepatch, use the new option asmcmd showpatches -l. In place of the command asmcmd showversion --releasepatch, use the new option asmcmd showversion --active.

Starting with Oracle Database 18c, use of NEWS_SECTION_GROUP is deprecated in Oracle Text. Use external processing instead.

If you want to index USENET posts, then preprocess the posts to use BASIC_SECTION_GROUP or HTML_SECTION_GROUP within Oracle Text. USENET is rarely used commercially.

USENET currently is rarely used for serious purpose. Performing index processing using this section group type is obsolete.

Starting with Oracle Database 18c, the Oracle Net Services support for Sockets Direct Protocol (SDP) is deprecated.

Oracle recommends that you use TCP as an alternative.