2 Preparing to Upgrade Oracle Database

Before you upgrade Oracle Database, review new features, and carry out procedures to prepare your database for upgrade.

Note:

Oracle strongly recommends that you test the upgrade process and prepare a backup strategy.

• Installing Oracle Software in a New Oracle Home
  Choose a new location for the target Oracle home, and then install the new Oracle Database release software for single-instance.
• Prepare a Backup Strategy Before Upgrading Oracle Database Using AutoUpgrade
  You must design and carry out an appropriate backup strategy to ensure a successful upgrade.
• Database Preparation Tasks to Complete Before Starting Oracle Database Upgrades
  Ensure that you have completed these database preparation tasks before starting an Oracle Database upgrade.
• Preparing for Upgrades of Databases with Oracle Database Vault
  If the Oracle Database you plan to upgrade uses Oracle Database Vault, then you must disable Oracle Database Vault before starting the upgrade.
• Preparations for Running AutoUpgrade Processing Modes
  You must complete preparations before you can run an AutoUpgrade processing mode.
• Pre-Upgrade Information Check with AutoUpgrade
  To obtain a checklist of tasks you must complete before upgrading an Oracle Database, run the AutoUpgrade utility (autoupgrade.jar) in analyze mode.
• Create Configuration File for AutoUpgrade
  To use AutoUpgrade to complete the upgrade, you first create a configuration file with AutoUpgrade from the new release Oracle home.
• Locally Modifiable Global Parameters for AutoUpgrade Configuration File
  Required configuration parameters for AutoUpgrade can be set either globally for all upgrades, or locally.
• Local Parameters for the AutoUpgrade Configuration File
  To configure information for specific Oracle Databases for the AutoUpgrade utility upgrade, you provide information in the AutoUpgrade local parameters.
• Global Parameters for the AutoUpgrade User Configuration File
  To specify a default behavior for a parameter for all Oracle Database upgrades addressed in the configuration file, you can use the optional AutoUpgrade global parameters.
• Understanding Non-CDB to PDB Upgrades with AutoUpgrade
  You can upgrade and convert a non-CDB to a PDB in a new CDB in a single operation, or upgrade and then convert a Non-CDB database to a PDB in a pre-existing CDB.
• Non-CDB to PDB Upgrade Guidelines and Examples
  Before conversion, back up your datafiles and database, and follow the guidelines for your source Oracle Database release.
• Understanding Unplug-Plug Upgrades with AutoUpgrade
  AutoUpgrade can perform an unplug of a pluggable database (PDB) from an earlier release source container database (CDB), plug it into a later release target CDB, and then complete all the steps required to upgrade the PDB to the target CDB release.
• Examples of Non-CDB to PDB Configuration Files for AutoUpgrade
  Use these examples to understand how you can modify your own Oracle Database upgrade configuration file for AutoUpgrade.

Prepare a Backup Strategy Before Upgrading Oracle Database Using AutoUpgrade

You must design and carry out an appropriate backup strategy to ensure a successful upgrade.

For Oracle Database Enterprise Edition, the primary fallback mechanism is Flashback Database. However, Flashback Database can't be used to revert an unplug-plug upgrade. For unplug-plug upgrades, remove it entirely, or rely on other fallback strategies, such as an RMAN backup.

If you use AutoUpgrade, then Oracle recommends that you specify target_pdb_copy_option=file_name_convert, in the AutoUpgrade configuration file, where file_name_convert is a convert pattern prefixed to the data files. When you do that, AutoUpgrade directs the database to create copies of the data files before plugging in the database. Choosing to use this method enables you to use the original database as a fallback. However, be aware that when you create data file copies, the upgrade requires additional disk space and extra time.

To develop a backup strategy, consider the following questions:

• How long can the production database remain inoperable before business consequences become intolerable?
• What backup strategy is necessary to meet your availability requirements?
• Are backups archived in a safe, offsite location?
• Are backups tested to ensure that they are done properly?
• How quickly can backups be restored (including backups in offsite storage)?
• Have disaster recovery procedures been tested successfully?

Your backup strategy should answer all of these questions, and include procedures for successfully backing up and recovering your database. For information about implementing backup strategies using RMAN, review Oracle Database Backup and Recovery User’s Guide.

In addition, to ensure that you are prepared for a downgrade, review the downgrade chapter and complete any preparation steps you may need to prepare for your release.

Preparing for Upgrades of Databases with Oracle Database Vault

If the Oracle Database you plan to upgrade uses Oracle Database Vault, then you must disable Oracle Database Vault before starting the upgrade.

During the upgrade process, if your source Oracle Database uses Oracle Database Vault, then you must first disable Oracle Database Vault before you start the upgrade.

You have two options you can use:

1. Use a manual procedure: Log on as the common Database Vault (DV) administrator in the CDB$ROOT and grant the DV_PATCH_ADMIN role to SYS, or log in and disable Oracle Database Vault on every container. Procedures vary slightly, depending on your upgrade scenario. This procedure is described in My Oracle Support, "Requirement for Upgrading Database with Database Vault (Doc ID 2757126.1)".
2. Download the latest AutoUpgrade Jar file, and perform the procedure described here.

With either option, when you run AutoUpgrade in Analyze mode, it detects that Oracle Database Vault is enabled, and indicates in its report that you must ensure the prerequisites for Oracle Database Vault and upgrade are met.

Example 2-1 AutoUpgrade Procedure for Databases Using Oracle Database Vault

When you use AutoUpgrade, and your database is configured with Oracle Database Vault, the upgrade procedure is as follows:

1. Disable Oracle Database Vault.
2. Install the new Oracle Database release.
3. Download the latest AutoUpgrade JAR file from My Oracle Support note 2485457.1, and replace the AutoUpgrade JAR file in the new Oracle Database release, in the path Oracle_home/rdbms/admin
4. Run the AutoUpgrade utility (or Database Upgrade Assistant), and complete the upgrade.
5. Enable Oracle Database Vault in the upgraded Oracle Database.

Pre-Upgrade Information Check with AutoUpgrade

To obtain a checklist of tasks you must complete before upgrading an Oracle Database, run the AutoUpgrade utility (autoupgrade.jar) in analyze mode.

Oracle recommends that you download and run the most recent release of AutoUpgrade in -analyze mode before you upgrade Oracle Database. AutoUpgrade can identify issues for you to address before you start your upgrade. In certain cases, AutoUpgrade can also generate scripts that can resolve some issues.

Tip:

Consider reviewing Mike Dietrich's upgrade blog for tips and suggestions that can assist you with your upgrade preparations. You can also review the checklist on My Oracle Support, but ensure that you download the latest version of the AutoUpgrade tool, and use the checklist AutoUpgrade generates for your upgrade.