Looking Back: DOAG Conference and Exhibition 2024
Long in the planning and over far too quickly! From November 19 to 22, 2024, the DOAG Conference and Exhibition (K&A) took place in Nuremberg — an absolute highlight for Oracle enthusiasts. Times are changing, however, and with around 1,500 participants, including those attending the parallel KI Navigator event, attendance was lower than in its heyday. Even so, the event remains a central gathering point for the Oracle community.
Keynote and Highlights
A particular highlight was the keynote by Ömer Atiker, who presented the topic of AI in an entertaining and well-founded manner in his talk “Artificial Intelligence – Wish, Delusion and Reality”. With a well-crafted blend of humor and information, he had the audience captivated throughout.
Technology: Little New, but One Big Surprise
On the technology front, there were few groundbreaking announcements this year, as neither Oracle 23ai nor Oracle Enterprise Manager 24 were available. However, Oracle did spring a genuine surprise on Wednesday morning:
Support for Oracle 19c will be extended — through 2029 under standard support and even until 2032 under Extended Support. This announcement gives organizations still running Oracle 19c significantly more planning certainty and removes the pressure to upgrade quickly — unless, of course, they want to take advantage of new features.
PostgreSQL: The Competition in the Fast Lane
Another highlight was the growing interest in PostgreSQL. The Battle “Oracle vs. PostgreSQL” between Markus Flechtner and Marco Pachaly-Mischke drew a large crowd. Unfortunately the room was too small, leaving some interested attendees unable to get in.
Knowledge Meets Fun: “Who Knows That Sort of Thing”
Entertainment was also on the agenda. At the quiz “Who Knows That Sort of Thing”, now in its fourth edition, Oracle ACEs Johannes Ahrends and Oliver Pyka went head-to-head against Oracle employees Gerald Venzl and Sinus Petrus Toma. The event, charmingly hosted by Markus Flechtner and Axel vom Stein, had the audience in stitches with amusing questions such as “What is UFI?” So — who does know that sort of thing?
Community and Networking
The strength of the DOAG K&A clearly lies in its exchange of ideas. With high-profile Oracle representatives such as Markus Michalewicz, Mike Dietrich, Juan Loaiza, and many others, the conference provided a platform for in-depth conversations about current challenges and technologies. Particularly impressive were the around 50 Oracle ACEs who shared their knowledge in presentations.
Personal Highlights
My personal highlights, aside from the pinball machines that instantly took me back to my youth, were the conversations with Oracle colleagues — above all Beda Hammerschmidt, Mike Dietrich, and Markus Kiesling. Thank you, all three of you.
Conclusion
The DOAG Conference and Exhibition 2024 has once again proven that, despite lower attendance figures, it remains an indispensable event for the Oracle community. Between compelling presentations, surprising announcements, and lively discussions, it offered a perfect mix of knowledge, networking, and entertainment.
We are already looking forward to next year — perhaps with even more participants and new technological milestones — and of course with us: ora2know!