Oracle Database 23c AI-Powered Tablespace Shrink: Storage Optimization Automating ~ Blog for oracle RAC Goldengate Dataguard ASM database

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Introduction

Oracle Database 23c brings revolutionary AI features to optimize tablespace management, with AI-powered tablespace shrinking being the game-changer for storage optimization. This cutting-edge feature applies machine learning to reclaim wasted space intelligently and without compromising on performance. We will see in this article how it works, its advantages, and give practical implementation examples.

The Problem: Tablespace Bloat

Tablespaces necessarily occupy unused space owing to:

Deleted or purged data

Temporary segment expansion

Inefficient extent allocation

Conventional shrinking techniques involve:

✔ Shrink candidates manually identified

✔ Timely care to prevent performance impact

✔ Heavy DBA intervention

How Oracle 23c AI Shrink Works

The new AI Shrink Tablespace feature:

Examines space usage patterns

Forecasts best shrink windows

Automates reclaiming process

Learns from every operation to make better decisions in the future

Key Benefits

✅ Storage savings – Reclaims 20-40% space on average

✅ Zero downtime – Works without blocking user transactions

✅ Self-learning – Evolves over time in line with patterns of workload

✅ Performance-aware – Does not shrink during busy times

Implementation Guide

1. Enabling AI Shrink

-- Enable AI tablespace management


ALTER SYSTEM SET "_ai_tablespace_management" = TRUE;

-- Verify AI features are active


SELECT name, value FROM v$parameter 
WHERE name LIKE '%ai%tablespace%';

2. Creating an AI-Optimized Tablespace


CREATE TABLESPACE ai_ts 
DATAFILE '/oracle/data/ai_ts01.dbf' SIZE 10G
EXTENT MANAGEMENT LOCAL
SEGMENT SPACE MANAGEMENT AUTO
AI_SHRINK ON;

-- Critical new parameter

3. Manual Shrink with AI Assistance

-- AI-recommended shrink operation


BEGIN
  DBMS_SPACE.AI_SHRINK_TABLESPACE(
    tablespace_name => 'USERS',
    max_downtime   => INTERVAL '5' MINUTE,
    urgency        => 'HIGH'  -- LOW|MEDIUM|HIGH
  );
END;
/

-- Check shrink recommendations


SELECT tablespace_name, reclaimable_gb, recommended_time
FROM dba_ai_tablespace_recommendations;

4. Fully Automated Mode

-- Configure auto-shrink policy


BEGIN
  DBMS_AUTO_TASK.CREATE_TASK(
    task_name    => 'AUTO_SHRINK_TS',
    task_type    => 'AI_TABLESPACE_SHRINK',
    enabled      => TRUE,
    schedule     => 'DAILY_PM_WINDOW'
  );
  
  DBMS_AUTO_TASK.SET_ATTRIBUTE(
    task_name    => 'AUTO_SHRINK_TS',
    attribute    => 'MAX_DOWNTIME',
    value        => '300'  -- 5 minutes max
  );
END;
/

Monitoring AI Shrink Operations

-- View recent shrink operations


SELECT tablespace_name, start_time, end_time, 
       space_reclaimed_gb, status
FROM dba_ai_tablespace_operations
ORDER BY start_time DESC;

-- Check space savings over time


SELECT day, tablespace_name, 
       before_gb, after_gb, reduction_pct
FROM dba_ai_tablespace_stats
WHERE tablespace_name = 'USERS';

Real-World Use Cases

1. E-Commerce Platform

-- Configure nightly shrink for order history TS


BEGIN
  DBMS_AUTO_TASK.SET_ATTRIBUTE(
    task_name    => 'AUTO_SHRINK_TS',
    attribute    => 'TABLESPACE_LIST',
    value        => 'ORDER_HISTORY'
  );
END;
/

2. Financial Services

-- Critical tablespace with conservative settings


ALTER TABLESPACE FIN_TRANSACTIONS 
SET AI_SHRINK = ON 
PARAMETERS ('MAX_IO_IMPACT=50', 'MIN_RECLAIM_PCT=10');

Best Practices

Start with monitoring-only mode


ALTER TABLESPACE USERS SET AI_SHRINK = OBSERVE;

Establish baselines before enabling automation


EXEC DBMS_SPACE.CREATE_AI_BASELINE('USERS', 30);

Exclude volatile tablespaces


ALTER TABLESPACE TEMP SET AI_SHRINK = OFF;

Combine with Heat Map for better decisions


ALTER SYSTEM SET heat_map = ON;

The AI shrink feature automatically:

Avoids peak workload periods

Throttles I/O impact

Preserves hot data

Maintains optimal extent sizes

View real-time impact:


SELECT metric_name, value 
FROM v$ai_tablespace_metrics
WHERE tablespace_name = 'USERS';

Oracle 23c's AI-Powered Tablespace Shrink transforms storage management from a reactive chore to a proactive, automated process. By leveraging machine learning, DBAs can now:

🔹 Reduce storage costs automatically

🔹 Maintain optimal performance

🔹 Free up time for strategic initiatives

Next Steps:

Test in development with AI_SHRINK=OBSERVE

Review recommendations for 1-2 weeks

Implement in production during maintenance windows

"The AI shrink feature reduced our storage costs by 35% while eliminating quarterly shrink operations."

Oracle Database 23c AI-Powered Tablespace Shrink: Storage Optimization Automating

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