8.4.3 Patchmgr Syntax

Patchmgr is a utility used to update software for Oracle Exadata infrastructure components.

Prerequisites

Patchmgr runs on the "driving system", which is an Oracle Exadata database server or a non-Oracle Exadata system running Oracle Linux. This allows patchmgr to run from a central server to update multiple Oracle Exadata systems. If patchmgr runs from an Oracle Exadata database server, then that database server cannot be in the group file supplied to patchmgr.

Syntax

Patchmgr syntax differs depending on the component to be updated, however, the general patchmgr syntax is:

./patchmgr -component component_list_file -action required_arguments [optional_arguments]

Options

Option	Description
component	Represents the component to update. Valid values are -cells, -dbnodes, -ibswitches, or -roceswitches
component_list_file	A text file containing the host names of components to update. For example, if updating Oracle Exadata storage servers (using -cells), then component_list_file will contain the list of all host names of the storage servers.
action	The action to perform. In most cases the action is specific to the component being updated.
required_arguments	The additional arguments required for certain actions.
optional_arguments	Any optional arguments required for certain actions.

Usage Notes

• Starting with Oracle Exadata System Software release 19.3, the options are prefixed with --. Prior to this release, the options were prefixed with -.

• Multiple invocations of patchmgr may be run concurrently from the same software directory by using the -log_dir option. This allows patchmgr to update multiple Oracle Exadata systems concurrently from the same software directory.

• Patchmgr may be run as the root user or as a non-root user. To run patchmgr as a non-root user, the -log_dir option must be used.

• The user running patchmgr must have root-level SSH equivalence configured to the servers or switches that patchmgr will update. The SSH equivalence must be bi-directional. That is, the user running patchmgr must be able to use SSH without a password to access the target servers or switches as the root user, and the root user on target servers or switches must be able to use SSH without a password to access the driving system as the user running patchmgr.

• Prior releases used the dbnodeupdate.sh utility to update database servers. dbnodeupdate.sh has been integrated with and is replaced by patchmgr.

• Patchmgr Syntax for Storage Servers
  You can use patchmgr to update software for Oracle Exadata storage servers.
• Patchmgr Syntax for Database Servers
  You can use patchmgr to update software for Oracle Exadata database servers.
• Patchmgr Syntax for RoCE Network Fabric Switches
  You can use patchmgr to update software for RoCE Network Fabric switches.
• Patchmgr Syntax for InfiniBand Network Fabric Switches
  You can use patchmgr to update software for InfiniBand Network Fabric switches.
• Patchmgr Syntax for the Management Network Switch
  You can use patchmgr to perform firmware upgrades on the 9000 series Management Network Switch found on Oracle Exadata Database Machine X7-2 and later systems.