Update Grid Infrastructure (GI) and Database software for Exadata Database Service on Exascale Infrastructure fleet using Exadata Fleet Update

Introduction

Exadata Fleet Update provides fleet-level orchestration for software maintenance. For Exadata Database Service on Exascale Infrastructure, you can create separate collections for Grid Infrastructure (GI) and Oracle Database software targets, and then run maintenance cycles with precheck, stage, apply, and optional cleanup.

For Exadata Database Service on Exascale Infrastructure, fleet-wide maintenance actions can be performed for:

This tutorial shows how to:

  1. Prepare the required IAM and network prerequisites.
  2. Create GI and Database collections for Exadata Database Service on Exascale Infrastructure targets.
  3. Create maintenance cycles and select target software images.
  4. Execute update actions (Precheck, Stage, Precheck, Apply) in the correct order.
  5. Validate outcomes and perform optional cleanup.

Key benefits

Prerequisites

Required network setup for Exadata Database Service on Exascale Infrastructure

Configure security rules for client network and backup network to allow Fleet Update connectivity to Exascale VM clusters.

  1. Client network ingress rule for Fleet Update private endpoint:
    • Stateless: No
    • Source Type: CIDR
    • Source CIDR: Client subnet’s CIDR
    • IP Protocol: TCP
    • Source Port Range: All
    • Destination Port Range: 7085
    • Description: Allow access to Exadata Fleet Update private endpoint within the subnet.
  2. Client network egress rule to allow all outbound traffic.
    • Stateless: No (all rules must be stateful)
    • Destination Type:CIDR
    • Destination CIDR: 0.0.0.0/0
    • IP Protocol: All
  3. Backup network egress rule to Oracle Object Storage service through Service Gateway.
    • Stateless: No (all rules must be stateful)
    • Destination Type: Service
    • Destination Service:
      • The service CIDR label called OCI <region> Object Storage
      • If the client network does not have access to the Oracle YUM repos, use the service CIDR label called All <region> Services in Oracle Services Network
    • IP Protocol: TCP
    • Source Port Range: All
    • Destination Port Range: 443 (HTTPS)
    • Description: Allow access to object storage

Required IAM policies

  1. Create IAM policy to allow users in a group to manage collections. Below example shows policies are assigned to CollectionAdmins group to manage collections of Exadata Database Service on Exascale Infrastructure resources in compartment ABC.

     allow group CollectionAdmins to manage fleet-software-update-family in compartment ABC
 allow group CollectionAdmins to inspect exascale-db-storage-vaults in compartment ABC
 allow group CollectionAdmins to manage db-homes in compartment ABC
 allow group CollectionAdmins to inspect db-nodes in compartment ABC
 allow group CollectionAdmins to use databases in compartment ABC
 allow group CollectionAdmins to use network-security-groups in compartment ABC
 allow group CollectionAdmins to manage exadb-vm-clusters in compartment ABC
 allow group CollectionAdmins to use private-ips in compartment ABC
 allow group CollectionAdmins to use vcns in compartment ABC
 allow group CollectionAdmins to use vnics in compartment ABC
 allow group CollectionAdmins to inspect database-software-images in compartment ABC
 allow group CollectionAdmins to use subnets in compartment ABC

  2. Create a dynamic group (e.g. fsu-action-dyn-group) with resource type as fsuaction to make Exadata Fleet Update as principal actor to perform maintenance actions on resources. Follow https://docs.oracle.com/en-us/iaas/Content/Identity/Tasks/managingdynamicgroups.htm for steps to create dynamic group.

     resource.type='fsuaction'

  3. Assign below policies to dynamic group which allows Exadata Fleet Update to perform maintenance actions on Exadata Database Service on Exascale Infrastructure resource in compartment ABC

     allow dynamic-group fsu-action-dyn-group to inspect db-nodes in compartment ABC
 allow dynamic-group fsu-action-dyn-group to manage subnets in compartment ABC
 allow dynamic-group fsu-action-dyn-group to manage vnics in compartment ABC
 allow dynamic-group fsu-action-dyn-group to manage private-ips in compartment ABC
 allow dynamic-group fsu-action-dyn-group to use vcns in compartment ABC
 allow dynamic-group fsu-action-dyn-group to manage exadb-vm-clusters in compartment ABC 
 allow dynamic-group fsu-action-dyn-group to inspect exascale-db-storage-vaults in compartment ABC
 allow dynamic-group fsu-action-dyn-group to manage db-homes in compartment ABC where any {request.permission='DB_HOME_CREATE', request.permission='DB_HOME_UPDATE', request.permission='DB_HOME_INSPECT'}
 allow dynamic-group fsu-action-dyn-group to manage databases in compartment ABC where any {request.permission='DATABASE_CREATE', request.permission='DATABASE_UPDATE', request.permission='DATABASE_INSPECT'}
 allow dynamic-group fsu-action-dyn-group to use database-software-images in compartment ABC
 allow dynamic-group fsu-action-dyn-group to manage db-homes in compartment ABC where request.permission='DB_HOME_DELETE'
 allow dynamic-group fsu-action-dyn-group to manage databases in compartment ABC where request.permission='DATABASE_DELETE'

  4. Create IAM policy to allow users in a group to manage maintenance cycles. Below example shows policies are assigned to CycleAdmins group to manage maintenance cycles of Exadata Database Service on Exascale Infrastructure resources in compartment ABC.

     allow group CycleAdmins to use fleet-software-update-collections in compartment ABC
 allow group CycleAdmins to manage fleet-software-update-cycles in compartment ABC
 allow group CycleAdmins to manage fleet-software-update-actions in compartment ABC
 allow group CycleAdmins to manage fleet-software-update-jobs in compartment ABC
 allow group CycleAdmins to manage fleet-software-update-work-requests in compartment ABC
 allow group CycleAdmins to use database-software-images in compartment ABC
 allow group CycleAdmins to manage db-homes in compartment ABC 
 allow group CycleAdmins to use cloud-vmclusters in compartment ABC
 allow group CycleAdmins to manage databases in compartment ABC where any {request.permission='DATABASE_CREATE', request.permission='DATABASE_UPDATE', request.permission='DATABASE_INSPECT'}
 allow group CycleAdmins to use vmclusters in compartment ABC
 allow group CycleAdmins to inspect exadata-infrastructures in compartment ABC
 allow group CycleAdmins to use exadb-vm-clusters in compartment ABC
 allow group CycleAdmins to inspect exascale-db-storage-vaults  in compartment ABC

Task 1: Create software target collections for Exadata Database Service on Exascale Infrastructure fleet

Create two collections: one for GI updates and one for Database updates

  1. In OCI Console, go to Oracle AI Database -> Exadata Fleet Update.

  2. Click Create collection.

    Oracle Cloud Console Collections page with the Create collection button highlighted

    Description of the illustration CreateCollection.png

  3. For GI collection, provide details and then click on Edit search criteria:

  4. Similarly, for Database collection, provide details and then click on Edit search criteria:

  5. Review selected targets and click Create.

  6. Once collection is created, check its details and targets in the collection

Task 2: Create maintenance cycle for GI collection

  1. Open GI collection and under Maintenance cycles tab, click Create maintenance cycle.

    Grid Infrastructure collection Maintenance cycles tab with Create maintenance cycle highlighted

    Description of the illustration GICreateMaintenanceCycle1.png

  2. Provide values for:

Task 3: Run maintenance actions for the GI targets collection

  1. Open maintenance cycle details for GI collection and click Actions drop down to run each action now or schedule it.

    For each maintenance cycle, actions run in this order:

    • Precheck (Stage)
    • Stage software
    • Precheck (Apply)
    • Apply update

    Grid Infrastructure maintenance cycle Actions menu with Precheck, Stage software, and Apply update options highlighted

    Description of the illustration GI_MC_Actions.png

  2. Run Precheck prior to staging software.

    Grid Infrastructure maintenance cycle Actions menu with Precheck highlighted before staging

    Description of the illustration GI_MC_Precheck1.png

    You can schedule the maintenance action of precheck or run it on-demand.

    Confirmation dialog for starting the Grid Infrastructure precheck action

    Description of the illustration GI_MC_Precheck2.png

    For each target in the GI collection, a job is created.

    Grid Infrastructure precheck log view with completion messages

    Description of the illustration GI_MC_Precheck7.png

    For failed jobs, logs can be viewed and failed targets can be retried after fixing the reported issue.

  3. After successful precheck maintenance action, run Stage software.

    Grid Infrastructure maintenance cycle Actions menu with Stage software highlighted

    Description of the illustration GI_MC_Stage1.png

    You can schedule the maintenance action of stage software or run it on-demand.

    Confirmation dialog for starting the Grid Infrastructure stage software action

    Description of the illustration GI_MC_Stage2.png

    Monitor job created for each target in the GI collection for any failures.

    Grid Infrastructure stage software jobs table showing all VM cluster jobs succeeded

    Description of the illustration GI_MC_Stage5.png

    For failed jobs, logs can be viewed and failed targets can be retried after fixing the reported issue.

  4. After successfully staging software on the GI targets in the collection, run Precheck (Apply)

    Grid Infrastructure maintenance cycle Actions menu with Precheck highlighted for apply validation

    Description of the illustration GI_MC_ApplyPrecheck1.png

    You can schedule the maintenance action of precheck or run it on-demand.

    Confirmation dialog for starting the Grid Infrastructure apply precheck action

    Description of the illustration GI_MC_ApplyPrecheck2.png

    Monitor job created for each target in the GI collection for any failures.

    Grid Infrastructure apply precheck action details showing job status by VM cluster

    Description of the illustration GI_MC_ApplyPrecheck4.png

    For failed jobs, logs can be viewed and failed targets can be retried after fixing the reported issue.

  5. Run maintenance action Apply update to update the GI software of targets in the GI collection.

    Grid Infrastructure maintenance cycle Actions menu with Apply update highlighted

    Description of the illustration GI_MC_Apply1.png

    You can schedule the maintenance action of Apply update or run it on-demand.

    Confirmation dialog for applying the Grid Infrastructure software update

    Description of the illustration GI_MC_Apply2.png

    Monitor the jobs created for all the targets in the GI collection.

    Grid Infrastructure apply update jobs table showing update status by VM cluster

    Description of the illustration GI_MC_Apply5.png

    For failed jobs, logs can be viewed and failed targets can be retried after fixing the reported issue.

  6. Verify all the targets in GI collection are at the GI version selected for maintenance cycle.

    Grid Infrastructure collection maintenance cycle details after update completion

    Description of the illustration GI_Col_PostMC.png

Task 4: Create maintenance cycle for Database collection

  1. Open Database collection and under Maintenance cycles tab, click Create maintenance cycle.

    Database collection Maintenance cycles tab with Create maintenance cycle highlighted

    Description of the illustration DBCreateMaintenanceCycle1.png

  2. Provide values for:

    • Enter cycle name:
    • Choose target Database image: (Oracle-provided or custom)
    • Select maintenance method:
    • Provide schedule for Stage software and Apply update or leave it blank to run maintenance action on demand.
    • Select option for Incident logs and trace collection

    • From Advanced options: configure Maximum drain timeout (in seconds), Keep service placement, Ignore missing patches, Force rolling patch, and Tags

    • Select target database image

    Create maintenance cycle form for a database update with Change database software image highlighted

    Description of the illustration DBCreateMaintenanceCycle2.png

    • Select either Oracle-provided image or custom image. For Oracle-provided image select the version for target database image.

    Select a Database Software Image dialog with Oracle database version 23.26.1.0.0 selected

    Description of the illustration DBCreateMaintenanceCycle3.png

    • Select whether a new home should be created or an existing home (matching target database image version) should be used

    Create maintenance cycle form showing target database version and Use existing home selected

    Description of the illustration DBCreateMaintenanceCycle4.png

    • Select maintenance method and also provide schedule for Stage software and Apply update or leave it blank to run maintenance actions on demand.

    Create maintenance cycle form showing maintenance method and incident log collection options

    Description of the illustration DBCreateMaintenanceCycle5.png

    • From Advanced options: configure Maximum drain timeout (in seconds), Keep service placement, Ignore missing patches, Force rolling patch, and Tags

    Advanced options for creating the database maintenance cycle

    Description of the illustration DBCreateMaintenanceCycle6.png

Task 5: Run maintenance actions for the Database targets collection

  1. Open database maintenance cycle details and click Actions drop down to run each maintenance action now or schedule it.

    For each maintenance cycle, actions run in this order:

    • Precheck (Stage)
    • Stage software
    • Precheck (Apply)
    • Apply update

    Database maintenance cycle Actions menu with Precheck, Stage software, and Apply update options highlighted

    Description of the illustration DB_MC_Actions.png

    The flow is similar to how GI Maintenance cycle actions were run in Task 3. For each step below, a screenshot after completion of maintenance action is shown.

  2. Run Precheck prior to staging software.

    Database precheck action details showing all target database jobs succeeded

    Description of the illustration DB_MC_Precheck5.png

  3. After successful precheck maintenance action, run Stage software.

    Database stage software action details showing all target database jobs succeeded

    Description of the illustration DB_MC_Stage5.png

  4. After successfully staging software on the Database targets in the collection, run Precheck (Apply)

    Database apply precheck job details showing status, timestamps, and target information

    Description of the illustration DB_MC_ApplyPrecheck6.png

  5. Finally, run maintenance action Apply update to update the Database software of targets in the Database collection.

    Database apply update retry jobs table showing all target database jobs succeeded

    Description of the illustration DB_MC_Apply5.png

  6. Verify all the targets in Database collection are at the Database version selected for maintenance cycle.

    Database collection maintenance cycle details after update completion

    Description of the illustration DB_Col_PostMC.png

Optional Task: Cleanup

After successful apply, run cleanup to remove unused source homes.

  1. For maintenance cycle of both GI and Database collections, open actions menu and select Cleanup
  2. Run it now or schedule it.
  3. Resolve any Needs Attention jobs if homes are still in use, then retry cleanup.

Grid Infrastructure maintenance cycle Actions menu with Cleanup available after apply update

Description of the illustration GI_MC_Cleanup1.png

Related links

Acknowledgments

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