Configuring Oracle Fleet Patching and Provisioning Server

Configuring Oracle Fleet Patching and Provisioning (Oracle FPP) in central mode involves creating an Oracle FPP Server, adding gold images to the server, and creating working copies of gold images to provision software.

After you install and configure Oracle Grid Infrastructure, you can configure and start using Oracle FPP. You must create an Oracle FPP Server where you create and store gold images of database and other software homes.

Server Configuration Checklist for Oracle FPP

Use this checklist to check minimum server configuration requirements for Oracle Fleet Patching and Provisioning (Oracle FPP).

Table: Server Configuration Checklist for Oracle Fleet Patching and Provisioning

Check	Task
Oracle Grid Infrastructure installation	Install Oracle Grid Infrastructure on a new cluster on which you want to configure Oracle FPP. Note: The Oracle FPP Server needs an Oracle Clusterware installation, thus you can not configure Oracle FPP Server on an Oracle Restart server.
Operating System Kernel version	Install or upgrade the operating system kernel to a version for which an Oracle ACFS kernel module is already built.
Metadata Repository configuration	The Oracle FPP Server provides two options for metadata repository configuration: You can create an external metadata repository. This external metadata repository can be an Oracle AI Database. If external metadata repository is not configured, then Oracle FPP Server automatically creates an Oracle AI Database to store metadata.
Oracle FPP server storage	Allocate a minimum of 100 GB additional disk space to the Oracle Automatic Storage Management (Oracle ASM) disk group that is used by the Oracle FPP Server.
Oracle FPP server network	Create one Application VIP Managed by Oracle Clusterware. Note: The Highly Available Grid Naming Service feature of Grid Naming Service (GNS) in Oracle Grid Infrastructure is deprecated in Oracle AI Database 26ai.
Firewall	Make sure that the ports used by Oracle FPP Server and Client are not filtered by firewalls. Please refer to Table 2-2 Fleet Patching and Provisioning Communication Ports
Custom certificates	Optionally, create custom security certificates to specify during Oracle FPP Server or Oracle FPP Client setup for server-server and client-server communication. You can also change the security certificate after initial configuration.

Oracle FPP Communication Ports

Configure communication ports for Oracle Fleet Patching and Provisioning (Oracle FPP) Server, clients, and rhpclient-less targets.

The Oracle Fleet Patching and Provisioning Server communicates with Oracle Fleet Patching and Provisioning Clients and rhpclient-less targets using the following ports, several of which you can configure, as described in the below tables. Additionally, differences in ports used when communicating with Oracle Fleet Patching and Provisioning Clients versus rhpclient-less targets are noted.

Note:

The Oracle FPP ports that allow an ephemeral range or a custom port, you must ensure that the ports are open bidirectionally.
You need six ports for each working copy operation on the same client. For example, if you perform two add working copy operations on the same client, then you need 12 open ports.

Table: Ports Open on Oracle FPP Server to Communicate with Oracle FPP Client

Protocol Port Modifiable Purpose Description

UDP

GNS/APP VIP

Protocol	Port	Modifiable	Purpose	Description
UDP	53	No	GNS/APP VIP	The Oracle FPP clients use GNS to locate the Oracle FPP Server. If you are using the application VIP, then only the application VIP will communicate on this port. Note: The Highly Available Grid Naming Service feature of Grid Naming Service (GNS) in Oracle Grid Infrastructure is deprecated in Oracle AI Database 26ai.
TCP	8896	Yes. Use the `srvctl modify rhpserver -port` `port_number` or `srvctl modify rhpserver -port` `port_number` command to modify this port. It requires a restart.	JMX Server	The Oracle FPP Server uses this port to communicate with the Oracle FPP clients.
TCP	Ephemeral range or a custom port	Yes. Use the `srvctl modify rhpserver -pl_port` `port_number` or `srvctl modify rhpserver -clport` `port_number` command to modify this port.	Command Progress Listener	The Oracle FPP Server opens a random port from an ephemeral range to monitor progress on the client or `rhpclient` -less target. The Oracle FPP Server can also use a fixed port you specify using `srvctl modify rhpserver -pl_port` `port_number`, `srvctl modify rhpserver -clport` `port_number`, and multiplex the fixed port across clients or `rhpclient` -less targets.

The Oracle FPP clients use GNS to locate the Oracle FPP Server. If you are using the application VIP, then only the application VIP will communicate on this port.

Note: The Highly Available Grid Naming Service feature of Grid Naming Service (GNS) in Oracle Grid Infrastructure is deprecated in Oracle AI Database 26ai.

TCP 8896 Yes. Use the srvctl modify rhpserver -port port_number or srvctl modify rhpserver -port port_number command to modify this port. It requires a restart. JMX Server The Oracle FPP Server uses this port to communicate with the Oracle FPP clients.

TCP Ephemeral range or a custom port Yes. Use the srvctl modify rhpserver -pl_port port_number or srvctl modify rhpserver -clport port_number command to modify this port. Command Progress Listener The Oracle FPP Server opens a random port from an ephemeral range to monitor progress on the client or rhpclient -less target. The Oracle FPP Server can also use a fixed port you specify using srvctl modify rhpserver -pl_port port_number, srvctl modify rhpserver -clport port_number, and multiplex the fixed port across clients or rhpclient -less targets.

Table: Ports Open on Oracle FPP Client to Communicate with Oracle FPP Server

Protocol Port Modifiable Purpose Description

TCP 22 No SSH The Oracle FPP Client requires an SSH port open during initial deployment of Oracle Grid Infrastructure. After you add the cluster as an Oracle FPP Client, Oracle FPP uses the JMX port for communication between Oracle FPP Client and Oracle FPP Server. The default JMX port is 8896.

TCP 8896 Yes. Use the srvctl modify rhpclient -port port_number command to modify this port. It requires a restart. JMX Server The Oracle FPP Client uses this port to communicate with the Oracle FPP Server.

TCP

Ephemeral range or a custom range

Yes. Use the srvctl modify rhpserver -port_range port_number_range command to modify this port.

Image Transfer

The Oracle FPP Server uses six ports chosen from an ephemeral range, or six ports from the range you define to transfer gold images to the Oracle FPP clients.

Note: The Oracle FPP Server must be able to connect to the port specified in the port range.

Table: Ports Open on Oracle FPP Server to Communicate with rhpclient -Less Targets

Protocol	Port	Modifiable	Purpose	Description
TCP	Ephemeral range or a custom range	Yes. Use the `srvctl modify rhpserver -pl_port` `port_number` or `srvctl modify rhpserver -clport` `port_number` command to modify this port.	Command Progress Listener	The Oracle FPP Server opens a random port from an ephemeral range to monitor progress on the client or `rhpclient` -less target. The Oracle FPP Server can also use a fixed port you specify using `srvctl modify rhpserver -pl_port` `port_number`, `srvctl modify rhpserver -clport` `port_number`, and multiplex the fixed port across clients or `rhpclient` -less targets.

Table: Ports Open on rhpclient -Less Targets to Communicate with Oracle FPP Server

Protocol	Port	Modifiable	Purpose	Description
TCP	22	No	SSH	The Oracle FPP Client requires an SSH port open during initial deployment of Oracle Grid Infrastructure. After you add the cluster as an Oracle FPP Client, Oracle FPP uses the JMX port for communication between Oracle FPP Client and Oracle FPP Server. The default JMX port is 8896.
TCP	Ephemeral range or a custom range	Yes. Use the `srvctl modify rhpserver -port_range` `port_number_range` command to modify this port.	Image Transfer	The Oracle FPP Server uses a range of six ports, from an ephemeral range or six ports from the range you define, to transfer gold images to the Oracle FPP clients.

Table: Ports Open on Main Oracle FPP Server to Communicate with Peer Servers

Protocol	Port	Modifiable	Purpose	Description
UDP	53	No	GNS/APP VIP	The Oracle FPP clients use GNS to locate the Oracle FPP Server. If you are using the application VIP, then only the application VIP will communicate on this port.
TCP	8896	Yes. Use the `srvctl modify rhpserver -port` `port_number` command to modify this port. It requires a restart.	JMX Server	The Oracle FPP Server uses this port to communicate with the Oracle FPP clients and peer servers.
TCP	Ephemeral range or a custom range	Yes. Use the `srvctl modify rhpserver -port_range` `port_number_range` command to modify this port.	Image Transfer	The Oracle FPP Server uses a range of six ports, from an ephemeral range or six ports from the range you define, to transfer gold images to the Oracle FPP clients.

Table: Ports Open on Peer Servers to Communicate With Main Oracle FPP Server

Protocol Port Modifiable Purpose Description

UDP 53 No GNS/APP VIP The Oracle FPP clients use GNS to locate the Oracle FPP Server. If you are using the application VIP, then only the application VIP will communicate on this port.

TCP

8896

Yes. Use the srvctl modify rhpserver -port port_number command to modify this port.

It requires a restart.

JMX Server

The Oracle FPP Server uses this port to communicate with the Oracle FPP clients and peer servers.

TCP Ephemeral range or a custom range Yes. Use the srvctl modify rhpserver -port_range port_number_range command to modify this port. Image Transfer The Oracle FPP Server uses a range of six ports, from an ephemeral range or six ports from the range you define, to transfer gold images to the Oracle FPP clients.

Creating an Oracle FPP Server

The Oracle FPP Server uses a repository to store metadata. This repository uses Oracle ACFS file system to store all the software homes that you want to make available to clients and rhpclient-less targets.

Note:

The Oracle ACFS file system is created automatically during Oracle FPP Server installation, you must not create the Oracle ACFS file system manually.
When you install Oracle Grid Infrastructure, the Oracle Fleet Patching and Provisioning (Oracle FPP) Server is configured, by default, in Oracle FPP Local Mode to support the local switch home capability. To configure the central Oracle FPP Server, you must remove the current Oracle FPP Local Mode configuration.

Use the Oracle ASM Configuration Assistant (Oracle ASMCA) to create an Oracle ASM disk group on the Oracle FPP Server to store software.
```
$ Grid_home/bin/asmca
```
Because this disk group is used to store software, Oracle recommends a minimum of 100 GB for this disk group.

Note:
You must set Oracle ASM Dynamic Volume Manager (Oracle ADVM) compatibility settings for this disk group to 19.0 or later.
Provide a mount path that exists on all nodes of the cluster. The Oracle FPP Server uses this path to mount gold images. You must ensure that the grid user owns the mount point.
```
$ mkdir -p storage_path
```
Note:
Starting with Oracle Grid Infrastructure 26ai, you can create an external metadata repository. This external metadata repository can be an Oracle AI Database.
Optional: As the root user, add the Grid Naming Service Virtual IP Address (GNS VIP) without zone delegation.
```
# srvctl add gns -vip myhost-gnsvip3
# srvctl start gns
# srvctl status gns
GNS is running on node myhost01.
GNS is enabled on node myhost01.
```
Note:
The Highly Available Grid Naming Service feature of Grid Naming Service (GNS) in Oracle Grid Infrastructure is deprecated in Oracle AI Database 26ai.
Optional: If you do not want to use GNS, then you can use the Oracle FPP VIP address by configuring it while adding the Oracle FPP Server.

Note:
Oracle recommends that you use Oracle FPP VIP address to configure your Oracle FPP Server.
Remove any existing Oracle FPP Local Mode configuration from your cluster.
```
# srvctl stop rhpserver
# srvctl remove rhpserver
```
To configure an internal metadata repository, setup an Enterprise Edition of single-instance Oracle AI Database or Oracle RAC One Node (with own license) across all active nodes in the cluster and associate the repository with your Oracle FPP Server.
```
$GRID_HOME/crs/install/reposScript.sh -db_home=database_home -mode="Install" -diskgroup=disk_group_name
```

Optional: Generate a P12 file from the security certificate that you want to use for the Oracle FPP Server configuration.

$ openssl pkcs12 -export -inkey ${SERVER_KEY} -passin pass:${PASS} -in ${SERVER_CRT} 
-name orakey -certfile ${CA_CRT} -caname cakey -out ${P12_FILE} -password pass:${P12_PASS}

Create the Oracle FPP Server resource.

# Grid_home/bin/srvctl add rhpserver -storage storage_path -diskgroup disk_group_name
  -email email_address -mailserver mail_server_address -mailserverport mail_server_port
  -pl_port RHP_progress_listener_port -clport RHP_copy_listener_port
  -enableTLS {YES|NO} -p12certpath p12_file_path -certname custom_cert_name -enableHTTPS '{YES|NO}'
  -dbtype {FPPDB|EXTERNAL} -connstr connection_string -dbadmin db_user -port_range low_val-high_val  
  -tmploc temporary_location -rhpsvip rhps_vip_address 
  -memsettings {LOW|MEDIUM|HIGH} -ssh_port ssh_port_number

Use the enableTLS parameter to enable TLS and specify the custom security certificate name.

Note:

You must provide the VIP name, instead of the VIP address, for the -rhpsvip parameter.

Start the Oracle FPP Server.
```
$ Grid_home/bin/srvctl start rhpserver
```

After you start the Oracle FPP Server, use the Fleet Patching and Provisioning Control (RHPCTL) utility to further manage Oracle FPP.

Switching from GNS to Oracle FPP Application VIP

Use this procedure to switch from GNS to Oracle FPP application VIP for existing Oracle FPP Server and its clients.

Stop the Oracle FPP Server, modify the server to use the application VIP, and start the server.
```
$ srvctl stop rhpserver
$ srvctl modify rhpserver -rhpsvip vip_name
$ srvctl start rhpserver
```
Note:
You must provide the VIP name, instead of the VIP address, for the -rhpsvip_address parameter.
Confirm that the endpoint is updated to Oracle FPP application VIP for the server.
```
$ srvctl config rhpserver
....
....
Endpoint : rhps-vip:vip_address
....
....
```
Note:
The existing Oracle FPP Clients continue to work if the GNS is still configured. The Oracle FPP Clients will continue to use GNS until you configure the clients to use Oracle FPP application VIP by following the steps in this procedure.
On the Oracle FPP Server as the Grid home owner, create a new client data file.
```
$ rhpctl export client -client client_name -clientdata new_file_location
```
Copy the generated client data file to the Oracle FPP Client.
As the root user, configure the existing Oracle FPP Client to use the new client data file.
```
# srvctl modify rhpclient -clientdata client_data_file_path
```

Restart Oracle FPP Client.

$ srvctl stop rhpclient
$ srvctl start rhpclient

Repeat Steps 4 through 6 on each Oracle FPP Client.
Once all the clients are configured to use Oracle FPP application VIP, you can remove GNS using the srvctl remove gns command.