You may have heard a lot of buzz around the Oracle AI Database 26ai announcement for Linux x86_64. This release introduces a wide range of new features, including several AI-driven capabilities. So why not give it a try?
In earlier releases, Oracle databases were downloaded as full binary packages from Oracle eDelivery. With Oracle AI Database 26ai, Oracle has introduced an RPM-based installation model, where the required binaries and components are delivered through RPM packages, simplifying the installation process and reducing the need to download large, monolithic media files.
The RPM is available directly from Oracle AI Database 26ai Download for Linux x86-64
Oracle AI Database 26ai available for both Linux 8 and Linux 9.
In my lab setup, I installed Oracle AI Database 26ai on Oracle Linux 8 to try things a bit differently. The installation and configuration steps remain exactly the same, and there is no functional difference in the process.
As a result, this blog post is still applicable and will work for you as well. However, it is important to ensure that you choose the correct RPM package based on your Linux distribution and version.
Once the RPM package is downloaded and uploaded to the server, log in with root privileges to install the Oracle Database software. The installation process is very straightforward and highly simplified, requiring only a single command to complete in silent mode.
This approach clearly demonstrates Oracle’s move toward automation from the very first step of the database lifecycle, with much of the setup handled automatically during installation itself.
Use below command to install the Oracle Software.
[root@ggate1 working]# dnf -y localinstall /home/oracle/working/oracle-ai-database-ee-26ai-1.0-1.el9.x86_64.rpm
MariaDB 10.2 7.1 kB/s | 3.4 kB 00:00
Oracle Linux 8 BaseOS Latest (x86_64) 14 kB/s | 4.3 kB 00:00
Oracle Linux 8 BaseOS Latest (x86_64) 17 MB/s | 129 MB 00:07
Oracle Linux 8 Application Stream (x86_64) 21 kB/s | 4.5 kB 00:00
Oracle Linux 8 Application Stream (x86_64) 16 MB/s | 77 MB 00:04
Oracle Linux 8 Development Packages (x86_64) 9.7 kB/s | 3.8 kB 00:00
Oracle Linux 8 Development Packages (x86_64) 13 MB/s | 261 MB 00:19
Latest Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel Release 6 for Oracle Linux 8 (x86_64) 10 kB/s | 3.5 kB 00:00
Latest Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel Release 6 for Oracle Linux 8 (x86_64) 13 MB/s | 137 MB 00:10
Dependencies resolved.
====================================================================================================================================================================
Package Architecture Version Repository Size
====================================================================================================================================================================
Installing:
oracle-ai-database-ee-26ai x86_64 1.0-1 @commandline 2.0 G
Installing dependencies:
compat-openssl10 x86_64 1:1.0.2o-4.el8_10.1 ol8_appstream 1.1 M
make x86_64 1:4.2.1-11.el8 ol8_baseos_latest 498 k
oracle-ai-database-preinstall-26ai x86_64 1.0-1.el8 ol8_appstream 29 k
Transaction Summary
====================================================================================================================================================================
Install 4 Packages
Total size: 2.0 G
Total download size: 1.6 M
Installed size: 5.7 G
Downloading Packages:
(1/3): oracle-ai-database-preinstall-26ai-1.0-1.el8.x86_64.rpm 70 kB/s | 29 kB 00:00
(2/3): make-4.2.1-11.el8.x86_64.rpm 593 kB/s | 498 kB 00:00
(3/3): compat-openssl10-1.0.2o-4.el8_10.1.x86_64.rpm 1.3 MB/s | 1.1 MB 00:00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total 1.8 MB/s | 1.6 MB 00:00
Running transaction check
Transaction check succeeded.
Running transaction test
Transaction test succeeded.
Running transaction
Preparing : 1/1
Installing : make-1:4.2.1-11.el8.x86_64 1/4
Running scriptlet: make-1:4.2.1-11.el8.x86_64 1/4
Installing : compat-openssl10-1:1.0.2o-4.el8_10.1.x86_64 2/4
Running scriptlet: compat-openssl10-1:1.0.2o-4.el8_10.1.x86_64 2/4
Installing : oracle-ai-database-preinstall-26ai-1.0-1.el8.x86_64 3/4
Running scriptlet: oracle-ai-database-ee-26ai-1.0-1.x86_64 4/4
Installing : oracle-ai-database-ee-26ai-1.0-1.x86_64 4/4
Running scriptlet: oracle-ai-database-ee-26ai-1.0-1.x86_64 4/4
[INFO] Executing post installation scripts...
[INFO] Oracle home installed successfully and ready to be configured.
To configure a sample Oracle AI Database, optionally modify the parameters in '/etc/sysconfig/oracledb_ORCLCDB-26ai.conf' and then run following service configuration script as root: /etc/init.d/oracledb_ORCLCDB-26ai configure
Running scriptlet: oracle-ai-database-preinstall-26ai-1.0-1.el8.x86_64 4/4
Running scriptlet: oracle-ai-database-ee-26ai-1.0-1.x86_64 4/4
Verifying : make-1:4.2.1-11.el8.x86_64 1/4
Verifying : compat-openssl10-1:1.0.2o-4.el8_10.1.x86_64 2/4
Verifying : oracle-ai-database-preinstall-26ai-1.0-1.el8.x86_64 3/4
Verifying : oracle-ai-database-ee-26ai-1.0-1.x86_64 4/4
Installed:
compat-openssl10-1:1.0.2o-4.el8_10.1.x86_64 make-1:4.2.1-11.el8.x86_64 oracle-ai-database-ee-26ai-1.0-1.x86_64
oracle-ai-database-preinstall-26ai-1.0-1.el8.x86_64
Complete!
[root@ggate1 working]# The software installation completes successfully with no requirement to run any additional post-installation scripts. For database creation, Oracle provides a built-in configuration script that can be executed to create a database using default parameters.
Next, we will configure the Oracle Database using the configuration script provided as part of the installation. In this script, you can customize settings such as the datafile location, listener port, character set, and other database parameters.
[root@ggate1 working]# cat /etc/sysconfig/oracledb_ORCLCDB-26ai.conf
#This is a configuration file to setup the Oracle AI Database.
#It is used when running '/etc/init.d/oracledb_ORCLCDB configure'.
#Please use this file to modify the default listener port and the
#Oracle data location.
# LISTENER_PORT: Database listener
LISTENER_PORT=1521
# Character set of the database
CHARSET=AL32UTF8
# ORACLE_DATA_LOCATION: Database oradata location
ORACLE_DATA_LOCATION=/opt/oracle/oradata
# Configure TDE
CONFIGURE_TDE=false
# Encrypt Tablespaces list, Leave empty for user tablespace alone or provide ALL for encrypting all tablespaces
# For specific tablespaces use SYSTEM:true,SYSAUX:false
ENCRYPT_TABLESPACES=
[root@ggate1 working]# Now we will run the script to configure the database.
[root@ggate1 working]# /etc/init.d/oracledb_ORCLCDB-26ai configure
/opt/oracle/product/26ai/dbhome_1/bin/dbca -silent -createDatabase -gdbName ORCLCDB -templateName General_Purpose.dbc -characterSet AL32UTF8 -createAsContainerDatabase true -numberOfPDBs 1 -pdbName ORCLPDB1 -createListener LISTENER:1521 -datafileDestination /opt/oracle/oradata -sid ORCLCDB -autoGeneratePasswords
Configuring Oracle AI Database ORCLCDB.
Prepare for db operation
8% complete
Copying database files
31% complete
Creating and starting Oracle instance
32% complete
36% complete
39% complete
42% complete
46% complete
Completing Database Creation
51% complete
53% complete
54% complete
Creating Pluggable Databases
58% complete
77% complete
Executing Post Configuration Actions
100% complete
Database creation complete. For details check the logfiles at:
/opt/oracle/cfgtoollogs/dbca/ORCLCDB.
Database Information:
Global Database Name:ORCLCDB
System Identifier(SID):ORCLCDB
Look at the log file "/opt/oracle/cfgtoollogs/dbca/ORCLCDB/ORCLCDB.log" for further details.
Database configuration completed successfully. The passwords were auto generated, you must change them by connecting to the database using 'sqlplus / as sysdba' as the oracle user.
[root@ggate1 working]#
The Installation of the Oracle AI Database 26 ai and the Database creation completed successfully. Now let’s check few items.
[oracle@ggate1 ~]$ . oraenv
ORACLE_SID = [oggdb1] ? ORCLCDB
The Oracle base has been changed from /data/app/oracle to /opt/oracle
[oracle@ggate1 ~]$ sqlplus / as sysdba
SQL*Plus: Release 23.26.1.0.0 - Production on Sat Jan 31 14:21:11 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>We have connected the database and now we will check the full version using sqlcli
[oracle@ggate1 ~]$ sql / as sysdba
SQLcl: Release 25.4 Production on Sat Jan 31 14:26:55 2026
Copyright (c) 1982, 2026, 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> set sqlformat ansiconsole
SQL> select * from v$version;
BANNER BANNER_FULL BANNER_LEGACY CON_ID
______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ _________
Oracle AI Database 26ai Enterprise Edition Release 23.26.1.0.0 - Production Oracle AI Database 26ai Enterprise Edition Release 23.26.1.0.0 - Production Oracle AI Database 26ai Enterprise Edition Release 23.26.1.0.0 - Production 0
Version 23.26.1.0.0
SQL>
Verify the components from dba_registry
SQL> show pdbs
CON_ID CON_NAME OPEN MODE RESTRICTED
_________ ___________ _____________ _____________
2 PDB$SEED READ ONLY NO
3 ORCLPDB1 READ WRITE NO
SQL> select comp_name,version from dba_registry;
COMP_NAME VERSION
_____________________________________ _____________
Oracle Database Catalog Views 23.0.0.0.0
Oracle Database Packages and Types 23.0.0.0.0
Oracle Real Application Clusters 23.0.0.0.0
JServer JAVA Virtual Machine 23.0.0.0.0
Oracle XDK 23.0.0.0.0
Oracle Database Java Packages 23.0.0.0.0
OLAP Analytic Workspace 23.0.0.0.0
Oracle XML Database 23.0.0.0.0
Oracle Workspace Manager 23.0.0.0.0
Oracle Text 23.0.0.0.0
Oracle OLAP API 23.0.0.0.0
Spatial 23.0.0.0.0
Oracle Label Security 23.0.0.0.0
Oracle Database Vault 23.0.0.0.0
14 rows selected.
SQL>
Verify the Oracle Process from Linux
[oracle@ggate1 ~]$ ps -ef|grep pmon
oracle 64476 1 0 14:20 ? 00:00:00 ora_pmon_ORCLCDB
oracle 65274 63028 0 14:30 pts/1 00:00:00 grep --color=auto pmon
[oracle@ggate1 ~]$ echo $ORACLE_HOME
/opt/oracle/product/26ai/dbhome_1
[oracle@ggate1 ~]$ ls -ltr /opt/oracle/product/26ai/dbhome_1
total 116
-rw-r--r--. 1 oracle oinstall 852 Aug 18 2015 env.ora
-rw-r--r--. 1 oracle oinstall 2927 Jul 20 2020 schagent.conf
-rwxr-x---. 1 oracle oinstall 2957 Jun 7 2024 runInstaller
-rwx------. 1 oracle oinstall 513 Jan 19 09:25 root.sh
drwxr-xr-x. 5 oracle oinstall 52 Jan 31 13:56 R
drwxr-xr-x. 10 oracleOracle AI Database 26ai marks a significant shift in how Oracle Database software is delivered and installed on Linux platforms. The introduction of an RPM-based installation model simplifies the overall setup process, reduces manual intervention, and brings automation right to the very first stage of the database lifecycle.
As demonstrated in this post, installing and configuring Oracle AI Database 26ai is straightforward and can be completed with minimal effort using the built-in scripts provided by Oracle. With just a few validation checks, the database can be quickly made ready for testing, learning, and further exploration of the new features introduced in this release.
This approach makes Oracle AI Database 26ai particularly attractive for lab environments, proofs of concept, and rapid evaluations. As always, for production deployments, it is important to follow Oracle’s certification and support guidelines and ensure the correct RPM is selected based on the underlying Linux version.
