8.6.8 Updating Individual Packages on Exadata Storage Servers

Subject to the following requirements and limitations, you can update individual general-purpose Linux software packages (RPMs) that are supplied with the Oracle Exadata System Software release on Exadata storage servers.

• You may update individual packages on Exadata storage servers only in the following circumstances:

  1. To address a critical known security vulnerability with a Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) score of 9 or greater, and only when the update is not available in a regular Oracle Exadata System Software update. If the updated package is available in an Oracle Exadata System Software update, then you must apply the Exadata update.

  2. To address a Service Request (SR), but only with the express direction and approval of Oracle Support Services.

• Individual package updates to Oracle Linux kernel packages, RDMA Network Fabric packages, and firmware packages are not permitted under any circumstances. A separate mechanism exists for qualified online Oracle Linux kernel updates using Ksplice. See Installing Kernel Updates on Oracle Exadata Storage Servers.

• Updated packages must be from the same major Oracle Linux release used on the system. For example, you cannot use a package from Oracle Linux 9 to update a system using Oracle Linux 8.

• You are responsible for validating individual package updates. As is the case with every Oracle Exadata System Software update, it is highly recommended to validate the update on a test system before performing it on a production system.

• You are responsible for orchestrating individual package updates, including stopping and restarting relevant processes and services.

• 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.

To find information about and download available Oracle Linux packages:

1. Log on to ULN at https://linux.oracle.com/.

2. Navigate to Channels.

3. In the Find a Channel search interface:

   • Enter a term in the search field.

     If you want to find the latest packages in an Oracle Linux release, search for baseos_latest.

     If you want to find packages in a specific Oracle Linux release, search for Oracle Linux <Release>, where <Release> is the relevant Oracle Linux release. For example, Oracle Linux 8.10.

   • To narrow the search, select the appropriate release from the drop-down list of Oracle Linux releases. For example, Oracle Linux 8.

   • Select x86_64 from the drop-down list of platform architectures.

   Then, click View Channels.

4. In the resulting list, click the link for the channel that you want to access.

5. The resulting page lists the packages in the channel. You can browse the list or use the Find a Package search interface to find a specific package.

6. Click the link for a specific package to view the package details page. In the package details page you can view information about the package including its contents and dependencies. You can also download the software package.

As an alternative to downloading individual packages, you can mirror the channel containing the relevant packages to a local repository. See Using Software Distribution Mirrors in Managing Software in Oracle Linux.