Generic PSU patching considerations

 Patching in a  MIXED version GI/RDBMS env

  • Patch Set Update – Bugs fixed in each PSU (Doc ID 1123863.1)
 Apply patches in a mixed RAC env
- GRID  11.2.0.4
- RDBMS 11.2.0.4
- RDBMS 11.2.0.4

See 
RAC PATCHING QUICK REF: Applying CRS PSU, CRS Bundle, GI PSU, Windows Bundles 10.2 - 11.2 (Doc ID 1446371.1)
  Example 2: 11.2.0.3 Grid/ASM home; 11.2.0.2 DB, 11.1.0.7 DB and 10.2.0.5 DB

1. Apply the latest 11.2.0.3 Grid PSU to the GI home. Do NOT apply it to any of the database homes.
2. Apply the latest 11.2.0.2 Grid PSU to the 11.2.0.2 DB home. (This will also automatically apply the latest 11.2.0.2 DB PSU to that home.)
..
--> GRID PSU can/should be applied to both GRID and RDBMS home

This would translate to :
  - Using opatch auto to apply PSU 11.2.0.4.4 to the 11.2.0.4 GRID and 11.2.0.4 RDBMS Homes 
  - After that patch 11.2.0.3 database by applying PSU 11.2.0.3.12 :  
     $GRID_HOME/OPatch/opatch auto  /patch_media   -oh /u01/app/oracle/product/11203/racdb -ocmrf ....
    --> Note I have not yet tested this !

In case of any error please be prepared to manually apply PSU 11.2.0.3.12 as stated in 
Readme : Patch 19791428 - Combo of OJVM Component 11.2.0.3.1 DB PSU + GI PSU 11.2.0.3.12 (Oct2014)
        2.4 Patch Installation ( of course skip 3. Apply the GI PSU patch.)

11.2.0.3 Grid Infrastructure Patch Set Update Patches

  • 11.2.0.3 Grid Infrastructure Patch Set Updates – List of Fixes in each GI PSU (Doc ID 1517790.1)
The table below shows the Grid Infrastructure Patch Set Update patches available for 11.2.0.3. Each link takes you to a 
document with more information about that specific Patch Set Update.
    Document    Version    Download link
    17272731    11.2.0.3.8 (Oct 2013) Grid Infrastructure Patch Set Update (GI PSU)    Patch:17272731
    16742216    11.2.0.3.7 (Jul 2013) Grid Infrastructure Patch Set Update (GI PSU)    Patch:16742216
    16083653    11.2.0.3.6 (Apr 2013) Grid Infrastructure Patch Set Update (GI PSU)    Patch:16083653
    14727347    11.2.0.3.5 (Jan 2013) Grid Infrastructure Patch Set Update (GI PSU)    Patch:14727347
    14275572    11.2.0.3.4 (Oct 2012) Grid Infrastructure Patch Set Update (GI PSU)    Patch:14275572
    13919095    11.2.0.3.3 (Jul 2012) Grid Infrastructure Patch Set Update (GI PSU)    Patch:13919095
    13696251    11.2.0.3.2 (Apr 2012) Grid Infrastructure Patch Set Update (GI PSU)    Patch:13696251
    13348650    11.2.0.3.1 (Jan 2012) Grid Infrastructure Patch Set Update (GI PSU)    Patch:13348650

Gerneric GI PSU considerations

  • GI PSUs are cumulative and include the Database PSU and associated CPU program security content.
  • Opatch auto is the preferred patch command
  • Opatch auto patches both GI and RDBMS installation
  • Opatch auto for 11.2.0.3.8 GI patches patches GRID and any 11.2.0.3.X database version to 11.2.0.3.8
  • For prior RDBMS versions like  11.1.0.7.0 you add. need to apply the related 11.1.0.7.x PSU
  • If you are installing DB PSU version 11.2.0.2.7 or later, including all 11.2.0.3, 11.2.0.4 and 12.1.0.1 onwards, then these PSU releases use composite patching. With composite patching the patch version that you need to resolve a conflict may be lower than the DB PSU version that you are installing. You are advised to read Note:1376691.1 for details of composite patches before investigating conflicts on these releases in order to understand why a lower version patch might be applicable.
  • Clusterware/Grid Infrastructure patch  should always be at higher version than the RAC Database homes on the cluster ( refer to Document 337737.1 for details )

Opatch Installation in a RAC env

Always install the latest OPatch utility  ( at least version 11.2.0.3.4 or later )
Patch 6880880 :      OPatch patch of version 11.2.0.3.6 for Oracle software releases 11.2.0.x (DEC 2013)

PSU 11.2.0.3.8 considerations

    This is a marker bug for the 11.2.0.3.8 (Oct 2013) Grid Infrastructure  Patch Set Update (PSU).
    This Patch Set Update can be downloaded here: Patch:17272731    
    For information about Patch Set Updates please read Note:854428.1 .
    This Grid Infrastructure Patch Set Update includes:
     - The 11.2.0.3.8 (Oct 2013) Database Patch Set Update (see bug 16902043)
     - Plus all fixes which are included in the Security Patch Update for October 2013 - for 
       details see Note:1571391.1
     - Plus a number of other fixes related to Grid Infrastructure  including all fixed from the 
       11.2.0.3.7 (Jul 2013) GI PSU (Bug 16742216)

    For a cumulative list of fixes in the latest 11.2.0.3 GIPSU see Note:1517790.1
    Known Issues
      See Note:1571652.1 for details of Known Issues with this  Grid Infrastructure Patch Set Updat

FAQ:

OracleHome Consideration
  In a pre-11.2 Clusterware environment you will have:
     - A single Clusterware (CRS) home
     - One or more Database (RDBMS) homes at the same or at a lower release level than the Clusterware home (to the 
       4th dot in the release)
     - Optionally a separate dedicated RDBMS home to run ASM (Automatic Storage Management) at the same or at a 
       lower release level than the Clusterware home  (to the 4th dot in the release)
     - In pre-11.2 installations, ASM was implemented using the RDBMS binary installation so this should be treated 
       as a typical RDBMS home

  In a 11.2 Grid Infrastructure environment you will have:
    - A single Grid Infrastructure (GI) Home that implements both ASM and the Clusterware
      Note: Starting with 11gR2 all upgrades of and to Grid Infrastructure MUST be performed "out-of-place" (into 
      a new software home) for this reason there may be more than one clusterware home, however only one will be 
      the active.  
      This "inactive" Clusterware or GI home should be removed once satisfied that the upgrade was successful.
    - One or more database (RDBMS) homes at the same or at a lower release level than the GI home (to the 4th dot 
      in the release)

Patchset considerations
    - Starting with 11gR2, patchset releases are now full releases and no longer require a "base" release, e.g. 
      11.2.0.2 can be installed directly without having to install 11.2.0.1 first.
    - Prior to 11gR2 - even though the CRS and RDBMS base releases were provided on 
      separate media (downloadable zip file or separate DVD/CD) - the patchsets 
      for both products were delivered as one i.e. the same patchset could be applied to
      the CRS as well as the RDBMS home.
    - Starting with 11gR2 the patchsets for Grid Infrastructure and RDBMS are delivered separately
      (as they are full releases).
    - Clusterware patchsets can be applied in a rolling fashion, while database patchsets cannot. 
      For example, you can rolling upgrade clusterware to 11.2.0.2,  but you have to shutdown database on all 
      nodes to upgrade to database 11.2.0.2.    

PSU considerations      
    - As the name implies PSUs are patches that are applied on top of a given patchset release. They 
      are released on a quarterly basis and contain fixes for known critical issues for the patchset. 
      PSUs are subject to thorough testing and do not include changes that would alter the functionality 
      of the  software.  With this in mind, PSUs are designed to provide "low risk" and "high value" allowing 
      for customers to more easily adopt proactive patching strategies. 
    - Consider the following PSU facts:
      - All PSUs are installed via "opatch" and are not considered an "upgrade".
      - Database PSUs always contain the CPU for the respective quarter that the PSU is released in.  PSUs and CPUs 
        are NOT compatible meaning if you apply the 11.2.0.2.2 Database PSU and then want to apply the 11.2.0.2 July 
        CPU this would result in the rollback of the 11.2.0.2.2 Database PSU.  That said, once a PSU patching strategy 
        is adopted it must be maintained.
      - Independent PSUs are released for both the Database and Clusterware or Grid Infrastructure installations.
           Clusterware PSUs (pre-11.2) are refered to as CRS PSUs
           Grid Infrastructure PSUs are refered to as GI PSUs
       - GI PSUs do contain the Database PSU for the corresponding release, e.g.  11.2.0.2.3 GI PSU contains the 
         11.2.0.2.3 Database PSU Database PSUs hold true to their name
       - Clusterware PSU refers to CRS PSU for pre-11gR2 and GI PSU for 11gR2.

       -  GI PSUs are always cumulative meaning that you can apply higher version GI PSU directly without having to 
          apply a lower version one first. For example, the 11.2.0.2.2 GI PSU can be applied to a 11.2.0.2 home without 
          having to apply GI PSU 11.2.0.2.1 first.
       - Database PSUs can be subject to overlay PSU packaging.  In these cases, the PSUs are still cumulative, but 
         a higher  PSU may require a lower PSU to be applied first; for example, to apply database PSU 10.2.0.4.7, 
         you must apply database PSU 10.2.0.4.4 first.  If a previous PSU is a prerequisite to a 
         later PSU the requirement will be clearly documented in the PSU readme.
       - Unlike other Grid Infrastructure patches (discussed later), 11gR2 GI PSUs contains both GI PSU and Database PSU 
        (YES, both GI and DB PSU) for a particular  quarter. 
        For example, 11.2.0.2.2 GI PSU contains both the 11.2.0.2.2 GI PSU and the 11.2.0.2.2 Database PSU.  
        Once the GI PSU is applied, "opatch lsinventory" will show that both GI PSU and DB PSU are applied  
      - Only CRS PSUs, GI PSUs or other Clusterware/GI patches can be applied to a Clusterware/GI home.

   - In CRS environments, a Clusterware patch (interim, MLR, bundle or PSU) applies to all homes (CRS, ASM and database), 
     while a Database patch applies to the ASM and Database home only
   - In Grid Infrastructure environments, a GI patch (interim, bundle or PSU) applies to all homes (GI and Database), 
     while a Database patch could be  applicable to GI/ASM home if the fix applies to ASM (in this case patch README 
     will tell clearly that it applies to GI/ASM home) 
   - Common identifier in patch README:
            # Product Patched : ORCL_PF ==> Applies to database and pre-11.2 ASM home
            # Product Patched : RDBMS ==> Applies to database and pre-11.2 ASM home
            # Product Patched : CRS/RDBMS ==> Applies to both clusterware and database homes

References

  • OPatch/Patch Questions/Issues for Oracle Clusterware (Grid Infrastructure or CRS) and RAC Environments (Doc ID 1339140.1)

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