8.5.11 Installing, Updating, and Managing Additional Software Packages

Installing and updating additional (non-Exadata) software packages (RPMs) is permitted on Oracle Exadata database servers, provided that the kernel and RDMA Network Fabric packages are not altered. However, Oracle cannot anticipate the effects of every possible customization, and such package changes may introduce dependencies that a subsequent Oracle Exadata System Software update cannot handle. Oracle therefore recommends keeping such customizations to the minimum necessary.

Oracle Exadata utilities rely on standardized configurations that reflect established best practices and have been validated over time. Deviating from these standards may result in a suboptimal configuration or unexpected behavior. Adding software or changing the system configuration may therefore require changes or additional steps when applying an Oracle Exadata System Software update. Oracle strongly recommends validating every Oracle Exadata System Software update on a test system before applying it to a production system, regardless of whether the system has been customized.

Note the following if you customize the operating system by installing or updating additional (non-Exadata) software packages:

• For updates that do not change the major Oracle Linux version number, Oracle Exadata System Software release 25.1.0 introduces options to update additional non-Exadata software packages as part of an Exadata database server update operation. This integrated capability enables you to handle software package dependency issues that arise when additional non-Exadata software packages are installed on the system.

  With this capability, you can iteratively run patchmgr with the --precheck option to find and resolve package dependency issues associated with any additional non-Exadata software packages installed on the system. After you understand the additional package updates required for a clean update, you can confidently perform the Exadata database server update and update the additional packages at the same time.

  See Patchmgr Syntax for Database Servers.

• For updates that change the major Oracle Linux version number and for all other updates prior to Oracle Exadata System Software release 25.1.0, it is recommended that you have scripts to automate the removal and re-installation of additional non-Exadata software packages to run before and after the Oracle Exadata System Software update. Before re-installing any additional packages, you should verify that the additional packages are still required and compatible with the updated system software.

• To add a non-Exadata package or update an Exadata-supplied package you must first remove the relevant exadata-*-computenode-exact RPM from your system. Removing the RPM does not impact any functionality, but it removes a logical lock allowing you to update specific individual Linux RPMs. The relevant RPM depends on your system configuration:

  • exadata-ib-computenode-exact: Bare-metal system with InfiniBand Network Fabric.

  • exadata-sun-computenode-exact: Bare-metal system or KVM host with RoCE Network Fabric.

  • exadata-sun-kvm-computenode-exact: Virtual machine (VM) guests on Oracle Linux KVM.

  • exadata-sun-ovs-computenode-exact: Oracle VM Server (OVS) management domain (Dom0).

  • exadata-sun-vm-computenode-exact: Oracle VM Server (OVS) user domain (DomU).

  For example, to remove the RPM from a KVM host, run:

  [root@dm01]# rpm -e exadata-sun-computenode-exact

  Note:

  • Do not use yum or dnf, as these commands may also remove other RPMs in the dependency chain.

  • When updating to a new Oracle Exadata System Software release, the patchmgr update utility attempts to restore the relevant exadata-*-computenode-exact package. If the exadata-*-computenode-exact RPM cannot be restored, the update utility falls back to using the exadata-*-computenode-minimum RPM.

• Ensure that all package installations strictly enforce dependencies. Unless directed by Oracle Support Services, never use dependency-bypass options, such as --nodeps or --skip-broken, with any package management tool.

• Oracle Exadata does not ship with 32-bit software. You must manage any customization that introduces 32-bit RPMs.