8.4.1 About the Exadata Patchmgr Update Utility

Patchmgr is designed to simplify the software update process.

Patchmgr has the following capabilities:

• With a single invocation updates all Oracle Exadata storage servers, database servers, or RDMA Network Fabric switches.

• Orchestrates the software update across components one at a time when performing a rolling update.

• Parallelizes the software update to all components at the same time when performing a non-rolling update.

• Updates all component software, as required, such as firmware, operating system, and Oracle Exadata System Software.

  • Database servers contain all software necessary to run Oracle Database and are configured to run Oracle Database optimally. However, it may be necessary to manually install additional, site-specific software, such as monitoring agents or backup agents. It is supported to manually customize database servers, but note that customizing the operating system by adding or updating packages may require additional actions when applying a future Oracle Exadata System Software update with patchmgr.

  • Storage server or RDMA Network Fabric switch configuration or installed software may not be altered manually (update without using patchmgr) in any way unless Oracle Exadata documentation contains steps to perform the desired change.

• Patchmgr may be run from an Engineered System running Oracle Linux, as the root user or a non-root user.

• Multiple invocations of patchmgr may be run from the same software directory.

When updating database servers, patchmgr manages the following as needed:

• Stops and starts databases and clusterware
• Stops and starts user domains (domUs)
• Stops and starts Oracle Enterprise Manager Cloud Control agents
• Unmounts remote network mounts
• Performs a root file system operating system backup that can be used for rollback
• Relinks database home and Oracle Grid Infrastructure home binaries
• Applies updated best practices configuration changes and workarounds for known issues