Starting with Oracle Database 12c Release 1, Oracle has introduced a set of more task-oriented new administrative privileges. Prior to Oracle 12c you had to have the SYSDBA privilege to make a backup, monitor the Data Guard status, or administrate certain features of Oracle Transparent Data Encryption. With Oracle 12c Release 1, this is not the case anymore. You can now grant limited administrative privileges for the operating of a Oracle 12c database.