Amazon RDS for Oracle now supports July 2026 Release Update

Amazon RDS for Oracle has added support for the Oracle July 2026 Release Update (RU) across versions 19c, 21c, and 26ai, replacing prior quarterly updates. The update includes critical security patches for Oracle Database products, with AWS recommending immediate adoption to maintain system security. The naming convention for Oracle Database 19c RUs has changed to a structured format incorporating the release year and month, such as 19.0.0.0.ru-2026-07.mrp-2026-07.r1. Oracle Database 21c RUs will retain their existing naming format, ensuring consistency for users of that version.

For Oracle Database 19c and 26ai, monthly Critical Security Patch Updates (CSPUs) will be bundled with additional Oracle-recommended fixes and released as Monthly Recommended Patch (MRP) versions. This approach streamlines patch management by consolidating security and recommended updates into a single release. Users can apply these updates through the Amazon RDS Management Console, AWS SDK, or CLI, providing flexibility in deployment methods.

To simplify maintenance, AWS enables automatic minor version upgrades during scheduled maintenance windows. Organizations can further manage updates using the AWS Organizations upgrade rollout policy, which allows staggered deployment across environments. This policy supports testing updates in non-production before applying them to production, reducing the risk of disruptions during critical operations.

The July 2026 RU and subsequent patches are now available for Amazon RDS for Oracle instances. AWS advises reviewing the updated documentation for details on applying these updates and leveraging the new naming conventions. Users are encouraged to enable automatic upgrades or use the rollout policy to ensure timely and controlled patch deployment.