Provisioning is arguably the first step in the lifecycle of database management. And in many regards, it is perhaps the most important step. Provisioning databases in a consistent and standardized way, sets the stage for creating standardized database deployments; standardization is essential for getting the most bang for the buck when implementing database automation at scale. Consistent deployments of databases, will make tasks such as backup, recovery, patching, and upgrades easier to manage and automate at scale.
Read this article by Martin Pena – SENIOR DIRECTOR PRODUCT MANAGEMENT
What's cooking at Oracle - Rob Zoeteweij 