Oracle database patching might be tricky. With all the different patches available and complex environment, we need to make some order in this chaos.

1. liron@gotodba.com
@amitzil
https://gotodba.com
Liron Amitzi
Liron Amitzi

2. Vancouver, BC
Canada

3. Website:
>=Oracle7 (1998)
Since 2009
Since 2020
President
bcoug.org
Senior DB
consultant
(since 2002)
gotodba.com

4. OPatchUpgrades
https://mikedietrichde.com

5. MOS Note# 742060.1

6. 12.2 18c 19c 20c 21c 22c
Innovation release:
• 2 year premier support
• no extended support
• no RURs (>=20c)
Long term release
• 5y premier support
• 3y extended support
• RURs
Release Family Release Family (predicted)

7.  Security vulnerabilities
 Bug fixes
 Support

8. RU
(Release Update)
RUR
(Release Update
Revision)
Patching
Standby
Patching
RAC
DBBP
(DB Bundle
Patch)
DST
One-Off
OJVM

9. MOS note# 756671.1

11.  Released every quarter
 Always RAC-rolling and standby-first
 RU (Release Update)
• May introduce new features and behavior changes
• Second number in the version (e.g. 18.12, 19.9)
 RUR (Release Update Revision)
• Regression fixes and security fixes only
• Third number in the version (e.g. 18.10.2, 19.8.1)
MOS note# 2337415.1

12.  RURs won't be available for Innovation releases (20c, 21c)
 RUR are supported for 6 months only (2 RURs per RU)
 RURs include all RU changes
19.5
19.5.1 19.6.1
19.6 19.7
19.5.2
Apr-2020Jan-2020Oct-2019
19.4.1
19.3.2 19.4.2
19.7.1
19.8
19.6.2
Jul-2020

13.  Check the known
issues note
 Make sure one-offs
Are available and
install them as well

14.  Versions: GI = ASM ≥ DB (MOS 337737.1 for matrix)
 Contains DB patch
 GI_HOME does not need OJVM patch
 Installed using opatchauto under root and by default:
• Will patch GI and DB homes of running databases
• Will execute datapatch on running databases
 20c - will allow patching GI while DB is up

15.  Only for DB homes
 Needed for databases that have OJVM installed
 Requires "startup upgrade" (<18.4 with exclusions)
 Requires java downtime (probably until 20c)
 https://mikedietrichde.com/2020/01/23/do-you-need-
startup-upgrade-for-ojvm/
MOS note# 2217053.1

16.  For download convenience only
 RU only
 Two difference combos:
• DB + OJVM
• GI + OJVM
 Should be installed separately

17.  Fix specific issues
 Check conflicts:
• Before one-offs
• Before RU/RUR if you have one-offs
 Use the MOS opatch conflict
analyzer tool (can be
accessed from a patch
search)

18.  DST patch requires "startup upgrade", therefore:
• Requires downtime in RAC
• Requires longer downtime in DG environment
• Requires standby to be mounted (not active standby)
 In multitenant:
• Updating DST in CDB doesn't affect PDBs
• Updating DST in one PDB doesn't affect other PDBs
• New PDB will always take DST info from PDB$SEED
• You cannot update DST info in PDB$SEED

20.  Standby first patches - shorter downtime
confusion with RUs:
Note 1265700.1 - Data Guard Standby-First Patch Apply
 Note 278641.1 - How do you apply a Patchset, PSU or CPU in a
Data Guard Physical Standby configuration
 Non "standby first" patches require both servers to be
patched together (longer downtime)
 "startup upgrade" cannot be applied to active standby
(standby must be mounted)

21. 19.619.519.619.5
primary secondary
App
switchover
datapatch
MOS note# 1265700.1

22. 19.619.5 19.619.6 19.519.5
node2 node3node1
datapatch

23. patched patchedpatchedunpatched unpatchedunpatched
node2 node3node1

24.  Create a patched Gold Image
 Deploy Gold Image to a new home
 Move DB to the new home
 Run datapatch
 Eliminates patch installation - shorter downtime

25.  When databases share Oracle home
• patch together
• Use out-of-place patch
DB2_standby DB2_primary
DB1_primary DB1_standby
Use "standby first"
method on both
databases together

26.  Which patch(es) - RU/RUR, GI, OJVM
 Existing one-offs
 Required one-offs
 Check availability and request unavailable patches
 Prepare a procedure
 Test
 Deploy

27. liron@gotodba.com
@amitzil
https://gotodba.com
Liron Amitzi