Oralytics

OML4R available on ADB

Posted on September 28, 2022 Updated on September 29, 2022

Oracle Machine Learning for R (OML4R) is available on Oracle Autonomous Database. Finally. After waiting for way, way too long we can now run R code in the Autonomous Database (in the Cloud). It’s based on using Oracle R Distribution 4.0.5 (which is based on R 4.0.5). This product was previously called Oracle R Enterprise, which I was a fan of many few years ago, so much so I wrote a book about it.

OML4R comes with all (or most) of the benefits of Oracle R Enterprise, whereby you can connect to, in this case an Oracle Autonomous Database (in the Cloud), allowing data scientists work with R code and manipulate data in the database instead of in their local environment. Embed R code in the database and enable other database users (and applications) to call this R code. Although with OML4R on ADB (in the Cloud) does come with some limitations and restrictions, which will put people/customers off from using it.

Waiting for OML4R reminds me of Eurovision Song Contest winning song by Johnny Logan titled,

What’s Another Year.

I’ve been waiting such a long time

Looking out for you

But you’re not here

What’s another year

It has taken Oracle way, way too long to migrate OML4R to ADB. They’ve probably just made it available because one or two customers needed/asked it.

As the lyrics from Johnny Logan says (changing I’ve to We’ve), We’ve been waiting such a long time, most customers have moved to other languages, tools and other cloud data science platforms for their data science work. The market has moved on, many years ago.

Hopefully over the next few months, and with Oracle 23c Database, we might see some innovation, or maybe their data science and AI focus lies elsewhere within Oracle development teams.