This document provides a comparison of upgrading an Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS) 11i instance to release 12.1.3 versus 12.2.3. Key differences discussed include: - 12.2.3 offers online patching capabilities for reduced downtime when applying patches. - 12.2.3 uses the Fusion Middleware infrastructure instead of the Oracle Application Server used in prior releases. - The file system structure is different between the releases, with 12.2.3 having separate instances for applications and technologies. - There are minor functional differences in what is included in each release. Upgrading directly to 12.2.3 generally has a higher technical learning curve but offers improved capabilities

1. REMINDER
Check in on the
COLLABORATE mobile app
E-Business Suite 11i Upgrade to 12.1.3
and 12.2.3 - A Technical Comparison
Prepared By:
Biju Thomas
Principal Solutions Architect
OneNeck IT Solutions, A TDS Company
Session ID#: 14398

2. Speaker Bio
■ Biju Thomas
▪ Oracle ACE
▪ Principal Solutions Architect
OneNeck® IT Solutions
▪ More than 20 years of Oracle database
administration experience.
▪ Author of Oracle12c OCA, Oracle11g
OCA, co-author of Oracle10g, 9i, 8i
certification books published by
Sybex/Wiley.
▪ Presentations, Articles, Blog, Tweet

3. OneNeck IT Solutions at a Glance
 Solution line up includes: cloud and hosting
solutions, colocation services, managed
services, ERP application management,
professional services, IT hardware resale and
world-class data center facilities
 Backed by the Fortune 500® strength of
Telephone and Data Systems
 Formed in 2010 through strategic acquisitions ;
Doing business since 1993
 650+ Employees
 450+ Technical Resources
 7 Data Centers
 Offices in 8 States
www.oneneck.com
We provide end-to-end IT Solutions to mid-market and enterprise companies

4. EBS 12.2.3 Benefits vs 12.1.3
■ Online Patching
▪ Apply patches with almost no downtime
■ Use WebLogic Server
▪ Improve system administration and monitoring options. Light
weight. GUI. Integrated with OAM.
■ Several new features
▪ Many functional enhancements
▪ Mobile features
■ Cloning enhancements
■ Install to existing Oracle RDBMS install – RAC, ASM support
■ New experience for end users
▪ Look and feel enhanced
▪ Scrolling features enhanced

5. Comparing 12.2 and 12.1
Against 11.5.10.2

6. EBS 12.x Comparison at a Mile High
■ Significant changes to
Financial products,
Procurement, Supply
Chain, Asset Life Cycle,
Human Capital
Management. Higher
involvement from business
and functional analysts
required.
■ Technical components and
architecture similar to 11i.
■ Several product schemas
dropped, few added.
■ 12.1.3 functional changes
PLUS
■ Functional enhancements -
12.1 to 12.2 upgrade is
minimal impact to business
and functional analysts.
■ Technical changes –
WebLogic Server, Online
Patching
■ Several more gone
Upgrade to 12.1.3 Upgrade to 12.2.3

7. EBS 12.x Comparison at a Mile High - 2
■ For direct upgrade to 12.1,
instance must be 11.5.9 or
higher. + 11i ADI6
■ One APPL_TOP,
INST_TOP
■ Oracle Identity Manager
Single Sign-On
■ Oracle Portal
■ 11.2 database nice to have
■ For direct upgrade to 12.2,
instance must be 11.5.10
CU2 or higher. + 11i ADI7
■ Three file systems –
production, copy for online
patching, non-editioned
■ Oracle Access Manager
(migrate before 12.2)
■ Oracle WebCenter Portal
(migrate before 12.2)
■ 11.2.0.3 database
mandatory
Upgrade to 12.1.3 Upgrade to 12.2.3

8. EBS 12.x Comparison at a Mile High - 3
■ Recommended to review
customizations
■ Database passwords not
Case Sensitive
■ Patch outages depend on
size of patch.
■ Context File is the main
configuration setup location
■ Smaller learning curve for
DBAs
■ Customizations must
comply coding standards to
utilize Online Patching
■ Supports database
password case sensitivity
■ Predictable smaller patch
outages
■ FMW setup is outside of
Autoconfig
■ Higher learning curve for
DBAs
Upgrade to 12.1.3 Upgrade to 12.2.3

9. Architecture Differences
What DBAs need to Know!

10. Architecture – Database Releases
11.5.10.2 12.1.3 12.2.3
9i*
10g*
11g
12c
10.2.0.4+*
11.1.0.7+
12c
11.2.0.3+
12c ##
■ 9i and 10g databases are unsupported – upgrade to 11gR2+
■ Note 12.1.0 database is supported on 11.5.10.2, 12.1.3 (and soon
on 12.2?)
■ It is best to upgrade database to 11gR2+ even if you are not
planning R12.x upgrade immediately.

11. Architecture – EBS Stack
8.1.7 Web HTTP
Apache
Discoverer 4i (Opt)
8.0.6.3 ATS
Admin
Forms (6i)
Concurrent
Reports (6i)
10.1.3 Web HTTP
Apache
OC4J Container
Discoverer 10g+
(Opt)
10.1.2 ATS
Admin
Forms (10g)
Concurrent
Developer 10.1.2
Fusion MW 11g
Oracle HTTP (OHS)
WebLogic (WLS)
10.1.2 ATS
Admin
Forms (10g)
Concurrent
Developer 10.1.2
11.5.10.2 12.1.3 12.2.3
Jinitiator (or)
Sun J2SE
Sun J2SE Sun J2SE

12. File System Structure – 11i
<base>
<dbname>APPL <dbname>COMN <dbname>ORA
iAS
8.0.6$APPL_TOP
$COMMON_TOP
$IAS_ORACLE_HOME
$ORACLE_HOME
--
$APPLCSF=$COMMON_TOP/admin/
$JAVA_TOP=$COMMON_TOP/java
Product Top=$APPL_TOP/product/11.5.10

13. File System Structure – 12.1
<base>
inst apps
10.1.2
10.1.3
$INST_TOP
$APPL_TOP
$COMMON_TOP
$ORACLE_HOME (tools)
$ORACLE_HOME (Java)
--
$APPLCSF=$INST_TOP/logs/appl/conc
$JAVA_BASE=$COMMON_TOP/java
$JAVA_TOP=$JAVA_BASE/classes
Product Top=
$APPL_TOP/product/12.0.0
apps_st tech_st
appl
comn
appl
Context_Name

14. File System Structure – 12.2
<s_base>
inst EBSapps
$INST_TOP
$FMW_HOME
$ORACLE_HOME (tools)
$APPL_TOP
$COMMON_TOP
--
$ORACLE_HOME (wls)=
$FMW_HOME/wlserver_10.3
$APPLCSF=$INST_TOP/logs/appl/conc
$JAVA_BASE=$COMMON_TOP/java
$JAVA_TOP=$JAVA_BASE/classes
Product Top=
$APPL_TOP/product/12.0.0
appl
comn
appl
Context_Name
FMW_Home
10.1.2
<s_base>
<s_patch
_base>
<s_ne_ba
se>
• The Oracle Application Server 10.1.2 ORACLE_HOME replaces the 8.0.6 ORACLE_HOME
provided by Oracle9i Application Server 1.0.2.2.2 in Release 11i.
• The FMW ORACLE_HOME replaces the OracleAS 10.1.3.-based ORACLE_HOME used in
Oracle E-Business Suite 12.x releases prior to 12.2.

15. Upgrading 11.5.10.2 to R12

16. Direct Upgrade to 12.2 – Supported
Versions
11.5.10.2
12.0.4
12.0.6
12.1.1
12.1.2
12.1.3
12.2.2
12.2.3
12.2.0
11.5.9 CU1 & CU2, 11.5.10 CU1 version
can be upgraded to 12.1

17. Upgrading to 12.1.3 – High Level Steps
■ Assumptions or Pre-tasks
▪ Database already on 11gR2 release – 11.2.0.3+
▪ Database already using OATM
▪ Applied the 11i.AD.I.6+ Minipack
■ TUMS Patch and Report - lists tasks that you can omit from the
upgrade because they do not apply to your system
■ Functional Steps to prepare for upgrade
■ Lay down file system [Rapid Install or Restore]
■ AD Upgrade Driver for 12.1.1 (patch 7461070)
■ American English unified driver (u6678700.drv)
■ Apply latest product patches
■ Ready for 12.1.3…

18. Upgrading to 12.1.3 – High Level Steps - 2
■ Upgrade to 12.1.3
▪ Use AutoPatch to apply R12.AD.B.DELTA.3 Patch 9239089
▪ Use AutoPatch to apply Oracle E-Business Suite Release 12.1.3 Patch 9239090
▪ Use AutoPatch to apply the latest consolidated online help Patch 9239095
■ Post 12.1.3 patches – Recently released (Oracle E-Business
Suite Release 12.1.3+ Recommended Patch Collection 1
(RPC1) (Doc ID 1638535.1)
■ Product specific patches
■ Customization/CEMLI setup
■ Functional Setup, Changes, Configuration
■ Third party tools configuration
■ User validation

19. Upgrading to 12.2.3 – High Level Steps -1
■ Assumptions or Pre-tasks
▪ Database already on 11gR2 release – 11.2.0.3+
▪ Database already using OATM
▪ Applied the 11i.AD.I.7 Minipack
▪ Database patches applied per doc “Oracle E-Business Suite Release
12.2: Consolidated List of Patches and Technology Bug Fixes (Doc ID
1594274.1)”
■ TUMS Patch and Report - lists tasks that you can omit from the
upgrade because they do not apply to your system
■ Functional Steps to prepare for upgrade
■ Lay down 12.2 file system [Rapid Install or Restore]
■ AD Upgrade Driver for 12.2 (patch 10117518)
■ Apply Consolidated Upgrade Patches (CUPs)
■ American English unified driver (u10124646.drv)
■ Rapid Install again to Configure Upgraded 12.2.0 Instance

20. Upgrading to 12.2.3 – High Level Steps -2
■ Enable Online Patching
■ Synchronize the secondary file system
■ Apply latest AD and TXK patchsets
▪ Consolidated Seed Table Upgrade Patch 17204589
— Outage required, shutdown services and start only WebLogic Admin
server.
▪ Apply R12.AD.C.Delta.3 and R12.TXK.C.Delta.3 Release
Update Packs
■ Apply the 12.2.3 Suite-Wide Release Update Pack
▪ Prereq: Apply R12.AD.C.Delta.3 and R12.TXK.C.Delta.3
▪ Online patch – EBS accessible!

21. Upgrading to 12.2.3 – High Level Steps -3
■ Synchronize file systems (adop phase=fs_clone)
■ Apply any product patches online
■ Customization setup – must comply online patching
requirements
■ Functional Setup
■ Third party tools configuration
■ User validation

22. Upgrade Tuning 12.1.3 – Major Phases
R12.1.3 Partially Tuned Upgrade
11i
Preparation
(3.5 hrs)
R12.1.1
Upgrade
(22 hrs)
R12.1.3
Upgrade
(8 hrs)
Post
Upgrade
Steps
(10 hrs)
Functional
Setup & IT
Testing
(6 hrs)
R12.1.3 Final Tuned Upgrade
11i
Preparation
(1.5 hrs)
R12.1.1
Upgrade
(7 hrs)
R12.1.3
Upgrade
(4 hrs)
Post
Upgrade
Steps
(6 hrs)
Functional
Setup & IT
Testing
(6 hrs)
Total 49.5
Total 24.5

23. Upgrade Tuning 12.1.3 – Biggest Gains
■ Storage change from EMC Clarion to VMAX with SSD Flash.
■ More CPU and Memory on DB node to support multiple workers
(24 / 48). More memory on CM/Admin node.
■ Review timing report and skip jobs that are running against
unused modules (after confirming with Oracle Support)
▪ “exit 0”
■ Skip install/setup by using Save and Restore.
▪ Rapid Install 12.1.1 file system (patched).
▪ Tech stack Oracle home with latest patches.
▪ CEMLI directories
▪ Context Files, spfile, tnsnames.ora, listener.ora files
▪ Key profiles, PCP configuration, MRP setup
▪ Discoverer Noetix EU Schem
■ Entropy waits problem - Setup “rngd” daemon on application
nodes

24. Upgrade Tuning 12.1.3 – Some More
■ Upgrade RAC database with only one node (as non-RAC
database). Start DB as RAC after 12.1.3 upgrade.
■ No flashback, no archivelog mode
■ Distributed patching for 12.1.3
■ Continuous Compile of invalid objects “utlrp” single thread
■ Parallel AutoConfig, max# workers,
■ Import Statistics
■ Automate Scripts, including skipping known failed workers
■ Database parameters – parallelism, multi-block reads, SGA, etc
■ Complete as much as tasks in the pre-upgrade steps, much
earlier
▪ Upgrade database, PSU, Required patches, OATM, etc
▪ Multi-Org

25. Reducing Upgrade Down Time
■ Oracle E-Business Suite Reducing Downtime Upgrading to
12.1/12.2 (Doc ID 1578187.1)
▪ 130+ slides – very comprehensive
▪ Pay attention to pre-upgrade activities, Configuration and
Performance sections.
▪ Parallel Autoconfig
▪ Review timing report after each run, and tune.
■ Archive data, reduce database size!

26. Operational Differences
11.5.10.2 / 12.1 to R12.2

27. 12.2 Starting / Stopping Services
<INST_TOP>/admin/scripts
■ Web Application Services
▪ admanagedsrvctl.sh
■ WebLogic Admin
▪ adadminsrvctl.sh
■ Process Manager
▪ adopmnctl.sh
■ Start, Stop All Services
▪ adstrtal.sh, adstpall.sh
■ HTTP Server
▪ adapcctl.sh
■ Concurrent Manager
▪ adcmctl.sh
■ Forms Server
▪ adformsrvctl.sh

28. Patching Differences
■ Enable Maintenance
Mode
■ Stop services
■ adpatch
■ Start services
Patching
■ adop phase=prepare
■ adop phase=apply patches=n,m
■ adop phase=finalize
■ Stop services
■ adop phase=cutover
■ Start services
■ adop phase=cleanup
Prepare for Next Run
■ adop phase=fs_clone
Pre 12.2 12.2

29. Online Patching - Phases
Taking advantage of the Oracle Database 11g R2 Edition-Based Redefinition (EBR) feature.

30. Online Patching – Using EBR

31. 12.2 Cloning – EBS Tier - 1
■ Pre-Clone
▪ $ cd <INST_TOP>/admin/scripts
▪ $ perl adpreclone.pl appsTier
▪ $ echo $FILE_EDITION to find the run file system
▪ Compressed files created
— <COMMON_TOP>/clone/FMW/FMW_Home.jar
— <COMMON_TOP>/clone/FMW/WLS/EBSdomain.jar
— <COMMON_TOP>/clone/FMW/WLS/plan/moveplan.xml
— <COMMON_TOP>/clone/FMW/OHS/ohsarchive.jar
— <COMMON_TOP>/clone/FMW/OHS/moveplan.xml
■ Copy EBSApps sub dirs – 10.1.2, appl, comn

32. 12.2 Cloning – EBS Tier - 2
■ "Run Edition File System" in the Target System
▪ $ cd <COMMON_TOP>/clone/bin
▪ $ perl adcfgclone.pl appsTier
■ Run adpreclone.pl on the "Run Edition File System" in the
Target System
■ Copy Oracle E-Business Suite application directories from the
"Run Edition File System" to the "Patch Edition File System“
■ "Patch Edition File System" in the Target System
▪ $ cd <COMMON_TOP>/clone/bin
▪ $ perl adcfgclone.pl appsTier

33. 12.2 or 12.1?

34. Ready for 12.2?
■ Smaller EBS system
■ Hard to find downtime window to apply patches
■ Cannot afford two upgrades and testing – to 12.1 and then
12.2
■ 12.2 functional enhancements important for business

35. Areas DBAs Need to Familiarize
■ Fusion Middleware Control
■ WebLogic Server Administration Console for troubleshooting
and performance management.
■ Managing JVM instances of the oacore, oafm, forms and
forms-c4ws services using Oracle Process Manager (OPMN)
■ Cloning options and steps
■ Online patching phases, status reports, timing reports
■ Modifying AutoConfig-Managed Services and Service Groups
and running AutoConfig in parallel
■ 11gR2 database Edition Based Redefinition (EBR)

36. MOS Documents to Review
■ R12.1 / R12.2 : Oracle E-Business
Suite Releases 12.1 and 12.2 Release
Content (Doc ID 1302189.1)
■ Which Oracle E-Business Suite
Release Should You Target: 12.1 or
12.2? (Doc ID 1592197.1)
■ Oracle E-Business Suite Technical
Planning Guide, First Edition, Release
12.2 (Doc ID 1585857.1)
■ Oracle E-Business Suite Release
12.1.3 Readme (Doc ID 1080973.1)
■ Oracle E-Business Suite Release
12.2.3 Readme (Doc ID 1586214.1)
■ R11i / R12 : Database Documentation
Resources for the E-Business Suite
(Doc ID 1072409.1)
■ Oracle Applications Release 12
Upgrade Sizing and Best Practices
(Doc ID 399362.1)
■ Database Preparation Guidelines for an
E-Business Suite Release 12.1
Upgrade (Doc ID 761570.1)
■ Database Preparation Guidelines for an
E-Business Suite Release 12.2
Upgrade (Doc ID 1349240.1)
■ Using the Online Patching Readiness
Report in Oracle E-Business Suite
Release 12.2 (Doc ID 1531121.1)
■ Useful 12.2 Documents For Customers
And ATG Support Engineers (Doc ID
1585889.1)

37. MOS Documents to Review – Continued…
■ Oracle E-Business Suite Reducing
Downtime Upgrading to 12.1/12.2
(Doc ID 1578187.1)
■ Oracle E-Business Suite Release
12.2: Consolidated List of Patches
and Technology Bug Fixes (Doc ID
1594274.1)
■ Oracle E-Business Suite RUP, AD,
TXK RUP Information, Release 12.2
(Metalink Note: 1583092.1)
■ Oracle VM Virtual Appliances for
Oracle E-Business Suite Deployment
Guide, Release 12.2.3 (Doc ID
1620448.1)
■ Oracle E-Business Suite
Recommended Performance Patches
(Doc ID 244040.1)
■ Installation Guide: Using Rapid
Install Release 12.2 (12.2.0) Part
No. E22950-14
■ Oracle E-Business Suite
Upgrade Guide Release 12.0 and
12.1 to 12.2 Part No. E48839-04
■ Oracle E-Business Suite
Upgrade Guide Release 11i to
12.2 Part No. E48834-04
■ Oracle E-Business Suite
Technical Planning Guide, First
Edition Release 12.2 Part No.
E35675-06

38. Please complete the session
evaluation
We appreciate your feedback and insight
You may complete the session evaluation either
on paper or online via the mobile app
■ Session ID#: 14398
Biju.Thomas@OneNeck.com
Tweets: @biju_thomas
Facebook: oraclenotes
Blog: www.bijoos.com/oraclenotes

39. Join me at the Great Lakes Oracle
Conference
where I’ll be presenting
Tue: Weekend Upgrade EBS 11i to R12 - Real
World Tips to Reduce Upgrade Downtime
Wed: Rest of the Database 12c Features for
11g DBA!
May 13 & 14, 2014
Cleveland State University
Cleveland, Ohio
www.neooug.org/gloc