Apply Software Updates

Well-planned, tested, and properly executed software updates are crucial to maximizing uptime and minimizing business disruption. Wherever possible, Oracle recommends out-of-place, gold image-based patching—especially for clustered systems—to ensure safe rollbacks and rapid issue resolution.

Key Practices

  • Before updating software run Exachk/Orachk and correct configuration that does not follow recommended best practices.
  • Follow client failover best practices to reduce application-level impact during rolling updates that disrupt database instance connectivity. See Continuous Availability for Applications for details.
  • Test the update and rollback process in a non-production environment with production-like workload and configuration.
  • Use Data Guard Standby-First Patch Apply approach to minimize risk and primary database impact when updating mission critical systems. See Oracle Patch Assurance - Data Guard Standby-First Patch Apply (KB137118) for details.
  • Take system and database backups immediately before software changes.
  • Always validate, backup, and have a proven rollback plan before making software changes.
  • Use repeatable, automated, image-based workflows provided by Oracle software maintenance tools to ensure consistency and reduce manual errors.
  • Use DBCA/DBCACTL or AutoUpgrade for out-of-place, gold image-based Database updates on standalone/non-clustered systems.
  • Use FPP or EM for coordinated, out-of-place, rolling, gold image-based Database and Grid Infrastructure updates on clustered environments such as RAC and Exadata.
  • Apply online/in-place updates only for specific patch types or situations where minimal disruption is required. See MOS note RDBMS Online Patching Aka Hot Patching (KB140524) for details.

Software Update Method Selection: Benefits and Tradeoffs

Table 45-1 Database Software on Non-Clustered Systems (Standalone Hosts)

Method Benefits/Tradeoffs

Out-of-place (gold image) with DBCA/DBCACTL or AutoUpgrade

(Recommended)
  • Fast, simple, easy rollback
  • Requires extra disk space
$ dbca -moveDatabase -sourceDB <dbname> -silent
Online hot patch with OPatch
  • No database downtime or database connection disruption
  • Patching is done in-place in the existing database home
  • Limited to supported patches (MRP/interim)

Table 45-2 Database Software on Clustered Systems (Oracle RAC/Exadata)

Method Benefits/Tradeoffs

Out-of-place (gold image), RAC rolling with FPP or EM

(Recommended)
  • Fast, simple, full cluster orchestration, easy rollback
  • Requires extra disk space
$ rhpctl move database –sourcewc <src> –patchedwc <dest>
Online hot patch with FPP
  • No database downtime or database connection disruption
  • Patching is done in-place in the existing database home
  • Limited to supported patches (MRP/interim)
Non-rolling with FPP
  • All updates applied at once, reduced planned maintenance time
  • Full database downtime

Table 45-3 Grid Infrastructure Software on Clustered Systems (Oracle RAC/Exadata)

Method Benefits/Tradeoffs

Out-of-place (gold image), Oracle RAC rolling with FPP

(Recommended)
  • Fast, simple, full cluster orchestration, easy rollback
  • Requires extra disk space
$ rhpctl move gihome –sourcewc <src> –destwc <dest>
Zero-downtime out-of-place (gold image), Oracle RAC rolling with FPP
  • No database connection disruption
  • Requires extra disk space
$ rhpctl move gihome –sourcewc <src> –destwc <dest> -tgip

Table 45-4 Exadata System Software

Method Benefits/Tradeoffs

Rolling update with patchmgr or FPP

(Recommended)

  • Storage servers
  • Database servers
  • Network fabric switches
  • No database downtime, simple, full system orchestration
$ patchmgr --dbnodes <group_file> --repo <repo>
 --upgrade --target_version <version> --rolling

Live update with patchmgr or FPP

  • Database servers
  • No database connection disruption, supports partial updates to address security issues
  • Outstanding work update items cannot be completed online and require a system reboot
$ patchmgr --dbnodes <group_file> --repo <repo>
 --upgrade --target_version <version> --rolling --live-update-target full

Non-rolling with patchmgr or FPP

  • Storage servers
  • Database servers
  • Network fabric switches
  • All updates applied at once, reduced planned maintenance time
  • Full system downtime