8.3.3 Overview of Performing Exadata Database Servers Updates

Updating Exadata database servers uses the same general procedure for bare-metal servers, virtual machine (VM) hosts, and VM guests.

The following is an overview of the steps involved in updating an Exadata database server.

1. Download the latest patchmgr from My Oracle Support and stage it on the driving system. See Exadata Database Machine and Exadata Storage Server Supported Versions (My Oracle Support Doc ID KB153930).

2. Download the target Exadata software from My Oracle Support and stage it on the driving system. See Exadata Database Machine and Exadata Storage Server Supported Versions (My Oracle Support Doc ID KB153930).

3. Examine the update README file and decide on the patchmgr options that you will use.

   The patchmgr options that you choose largely depend on your maintenance priorities and the nature of the update being performed. In general, you can choose whether or not to use Exadata Live Update, and you can choose between performing the update in a rolling (-rolling option) or non-rolling (default) manner.

   See also Understanding Exadata Live Update, Understanding Rolling and Non-Rolling Updates, and Patchmgr Syntax for Database Servers.

4. Create a file containing the list of database servers to update.

   If you are updating database servers in a virtualized configuration, update the virtual machine (VM) hosts in one operation, and then update the VM guests separately in another patchmgr session.

5. Configure SSH equivalence from the user running patchmgr on the driving system to the root OS user on all of the database servers being updated. See also Setting up SSH Equivalence.

6. Run a patchmgr backup to backup the database server root file system and operating system on each server being updated.

7. Run a patchmgr prerequisite check. Correct any issues identified by the check and repeat the check until it is clear.

8. Run patchmgr to update database servers.