# Oracle Spatial
Amazon RDS supports Oracle Spatial through the use of the `SPATIAL` option. Oracle Spatial provides a SQL schema and functions that facilitate the storage, retrieval, update, and query of collections of spatial data in an Oracle database. For more information, see [Spatial Concepts](http://docs.oracle.com/database/121/SPATL/spatial-concepts.htm#SPATL010) in the Oracle documentation. Amazon RDS supports Oracle Spatial in all editions of all supported releases.
## How Spatial Patch Bundles (SPBs) work
Every quarter, RDS for Oracle releases new minor engine versions for every supported major engine. A Release Update (RU) engine version incorporates bug fixes from Oracle by including the RU patches for the specified quarter. A Spatial Patch Bundle (SPB) engine version contains RU patches plus patches specific to Oracle Spatial. For example, 19.0.0.0.ru-2025-01.spb-1.r1 is a minor engine version that contains the RU patches in engine version 19.0.0.0.ru-2025-01.rur-2025-01.r1 plus Spatial patches. SPBs are supported only for Oracle Database 19c.
SPBs function in the same way as RUs, although they are named differently. An RU uses the naming format 19.0.0.0.ru-2025-01.rur-2025-01.r1. An SPB name includes the text "spb," as in 19.0.0.0.ru-2025-01.spb-1.r1. Typically, an SPB is released 2–3 weeks after its corresponding quarterly RU. For example, 19.0.0.0.ru-2025-01.spb-1.r1 is released after 19.0.0.0.ru-2025-01.rur-2025-01.r1.
RDS for Oracle has separate paths for automatic minor version upgrades of RUs and SPBs. If your DB instance uses an RU, then RDS automatically upgrades your instance to an RU. If your DB instance uses an SPB, then RDS upgrades your instance to an SPB.
For more information about RUs and SPBs, see [Oracle minor version upgrades](USER_UpgradeDBInstance.Oracle.Minor.md). For a list of supported RUs and SPBs for Oracle Database 19c, see [Amazon RDS for Oracle Database 19c (19.0.0.0)](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonRDS/latest/OracleReleaseNotes/oracle-version-19-0.html) in *Amazon RDS for Oracle Release Notes*.
## Prerequisites for Oracle Spatial
The following are prerequisites for using Oracle Spatial:
+ Make sure that your DB instance is of a sufficient instance class. Oracle Spatial isn't supported for the db.t3.small DB instance classes. For more information, see [RDS for Oracle DB instance classes](Oracle.Concepts.InstanceClasses.md).
+ Make sure that your DB instance has **Auto Minor Version Upgrade** enabled. This option enables your DB instance to receive minor DB engine version upgrades automatically when they become available and is required for any options that install the Oracle Java Virtual Machine (JVM). Amazon RDS uses this option to update your DB instance to the latest Oracle Patch Set Update (PSU) or Release Update (RU). For more information, see [Modifying an Amazon RDS DB instance](Overview.DBInstance.Modifying.md).
## Best practices for Oracle Spatial
The following are best practices for using Oracle Spatial:
+ For maximum security, use the `SPATIAL` option with Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). For more information, see [Oracle Secure Sockets Layer](Appendix.Oracle.Options.SSL.md).
+ Configure your DB instance to restrict access to your DB instance. For more information, see [Scenarios for accessing a DB instance in a VPC](USER_VPC.Scenarios.md) and [Working with a DB instance in a VPC](USER_VPC.WorkingWithRDSInstanceinaVPC.md).
## Adding the Oracle Spatial option
The following is the general process for adding the `SPATIAL` option to a DB instance:
1. Create a new option group, or copy or modify an existing option group.
1. Add the option to the option group.
1. Associate the option group with the DB instance.
If Oracle Java Virtual Machine (JVM) is *not* installed on the DB instance, there is a brief outage while the `SPATIAL` option is added. There is no outage if Oracle Java Virtual Machine (JVM) is already installed on the DB instance. After you add the option, you don't need to restart your DB instance. As soon as the option group is active, Oracle Spatial is available.
**Note**
During this outage, password verification functions are disabled briefly. You can also expect to see events related to password verification functions during the outage. Password verification functions are enabled again before the Oracle DB instance is available.
**To add the `SPATIAL` option to a DB instance**
1. Determine the option group that you want to use. You can create a new option group or use an existing option group. If you want to use an existing option group, skip to the next step. Otherwise, create a custom DB option group with the following settings:
1. For **Engine**, choose the Oracle edition for your DB instance.
1. For **Major engine version**, choose the version of your DB instance.
For more information, see [Creating an option group](USER_WorkingWithOptionGroups.md#USER_WorkingWithOptionGroups.Create).
1. Add the **SPATIAL** option to the option group. For more information about adding options, see [Adding an option to an option group](USER_WorkingWithOptionGroups.md#USER_WorkingWithOptionGroups.AddOption).
1. Apply the option group to a new or existing DB instance:
+ For a new DB instance, you apply the option group when you launch the instance. For more information, see [Creating an Amazon RDS DB instance](USER_CreateDBInstance.md).
+ For an existing DB instance, you apply the option group by modifying the instance and attaching the new option group. For more information, see [Modifying an Amazon RDS DB instance](Overview.DBInstance.Modifying.md).
## Removing the Oracle Spatial option
After you drop all objects that use data types provided by the `SPATIAL` option, you can drop the option from a DB instance. If Oracle Java Virtual Machine (JVM) is *not* installed on the DB instance, there is a brief outage while the `SPATIAL` option is removed. There is no outage if Oracle Java Virtual Machine (JVM) is already installed on the DB instance. After you remove the `SPATIAL` option, you don't need to restart your DB instance.
**To drop the `SPATIAL` option**
1. Back up your data.
**Warning**
If the instance uses data types that were enabled as part of the option, and if you remove the `SPATIAL` option, you can lose data. For more information, see [Backing up, restoring, and exporting data](CHAP_CommonTasks.BackupRestore.md).
1. Check whether any existing objects reference data types or features of the `SPATIAL` option.
If `SPATIAL` options exist, the instance can get stuck when applying the new option group that doesn't have the `SPATIAL` option. You can identify the objects by using the following queries:
```
SELECT OWNER, SEGMENT_NAME, TABLESPACE_NAME, BYTES/1024/1024 mbytes
FROM DBA_SEGMENTS
WHERE SEGMENT_TYPE LIKE '%TABLE%'
AND (OWNER, SEGMENT_NAME) IN
(SELECT DISTINCT OWNER, TABLE_NAME
FROM DBA_TAB_COLUMNS
WHERE DATA_TYPE='SDO_GEOMETRY'
AND OWNER <> 'MDSYS')
ORDER BY 1,2,3,4;
SELECT OWNER, TABLE_NAME, COLUMN_NAME
FROM DBA_TAB_COLUMNS
WHERE DATA_TYPE = 'SDO_GEOMETRY'
AND OWNER <> 'MDSYS'
ORDER BY 1,2,3;
```
1. Drop any objects that reference data types or features of the `SPATIAL` option.
1. Do one of the following:
+ Remove the `SPATIAL` option from the option group it belongs to. This change affects all DB instances that use the option group. For more information, see [Removing an option from an option group](USER_WorkingWithOptionGroups.md#USER_WorkingWithOptionGroups.RemoveOption).
+ Modify the DB instance and specify a different option group that doesn't include the `SPATIAL` option. This change affects a single DB instance. You can specify the default (empty) option group, or a different custom option group. For more information, see [Modifying an Amazon RDS DB instance](Overview.DBInstance.Modifying.md).