Oracle on AWS: What Breaks (and How to Fix It)

Rob Moayedzadeh

I’m Robert Moayedzadeh, a seasoned Oracle Database Administrator based in Atlanta, Georgia. With years of hands-on experience managing complex Oracle environments — from RAC and Exadata to large-scale cloud migrations — I’ve helped organizations move critical workloads to OCI with minimal downtime and maximum performance. Through DBA Dispatch, I share practical insights, battle-tested strategies, and no-fluff guidance on Oracle performance tuning, Zero Downtime Migration (ZDM), GoldenGate, Autonomous Database, and everything in between. If you’re a DBA navigating the shift to the cloud, you’re in the right place.

Field notes from the front lines of database infrastructure.

Oracle ACE insights on Exadata, performance tuning, patching, and cloud architecture—focused on what actually breaks in production and how to fix it.

The Promise vs Reality

On paper, moving Oracle to AWS looks straightforward. In reality, the issues don’t show up until you’re in production.

What Breaks First

Storage latency assumptions (EBS ≠ SAN)
Backup strategy gaps (RMAN + S3 confusion)
Network throughput bottlenecks
Licensing misunderstandings
Monitoring blind spots vs on-prem OEM

Real-World Fixes

1. Storage Matters More Than You Think

Use io1/io2 with proper IOPS sizing. Don’t “figure it out later.”

2. RDS vs EC2 is a Strategic Choice

RDS = easier ops, less control
EC2 = full control, more responsibility

Pick based on operational maturity, not convenience.

3. Rethink Monitoring

CloudWatch is not OEM. You need both perspectives.

4. Network is the Silent Killer

Throughput limits will impact performance before CPU does.

Lessons Learned

Most AWS Oracle problems aren’t Oracle problems—they’re architecture problems.

Takeaway

If you lift-and-shift without redesign, you’re just moving risk—not removing it.

Oracle on AWS: What Breaks (and How to Fix It)

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The Promise vs Reality

What Breaks First

Real-World Fixes

1. Storage Matters More Than You Think

2. RDS vs EC2 is a Strategic Choice

3. Rethink Monitoring

4. Network is the Silent Killer

Lessons Learned

Takeaway

Command Palette

Comments

More from this blog

The Promise vs Reality

What Breaks First

Real-World Fixes

1. Storage Matters More Than You Think

2. RDS vs EC2 is a Strategic Choice

3. Rethink Monitoring

4. Network is the Silent Killer

Lessons Learned

Takeaway