8.5.4 Update Utility for Exadata Database Servers

Patchmgr is the update utility for updating Oracle Exadata database servers.

Starting with release 12.2.1.1.0, Exadata software updates for the Exadata database server can only be applied using the patchmgr utility.

Note:

The patchmgr utility for updating Exadata database servers is not the same as the patchmgr script shipped with the Exadata software update.

The patchmgr utility supports all hardware generations and Exadata storage server releases starting with 11.2.3.1.0, Exadata database servers running Oracle Virtual Server (dom0), and Exadata Virtual Machines (domU). The README files for the Oracle Exadata System Software updates specify whether the update itself is applicable for a particular hardware generation or not. The README is not shipped with dbserver.patch.zip but with the Oracle Exadata System Software update zip file.

The utility also supports an Exadata software update that includes a major operating system upgrade. For example, from Oracle Linux 7 to Oracle Linux 8.

The utility takes care of the orchestration. You can perform the update in a rolling or non-rolling fashion across one or multiple Exadata database servers.

The update utility performs the following tasks:

• Automates all preparation, update, and validation steps, including:
  • Stopping the databases, Grid Infrastructure stack or domU’s
  • Stopping Oracle Enterprise Manager Cloud Control agents,
  • Un-mounting remote network mounts (when required)
• Uses the built-in dbserver_backup.sh script to perform a backup of the file system hosting the operating system before updating the Exadata database server.
• Applies Oracle best practices and fixes for the latest known issues.
• Verifies that the update was successful, relinks the Oracle binaries, and starts the Oracle stack and domU’s