Oracle 10.2.0.4 Patching Process - CPU vs Interim Patches

[Former Member]

Hi everyone,

We are getting ready to upgrade our AIX 5.2 - 64bit Oracle 10.2.0.2 systems to Oracle 10.2.0.4.

I noted that there was also a single CPU patch available (CPUOct2008_p7375644_10204_AIX5L.zip), as well as a large list of interim patches for 10.2.0.4.

I was wondering what other people do regarding their patching strategy for 10.2.0.4.

eg: After you complete your 10.2.0.4 upgrade, do you:

1. Apply the CPU patch first and then all the interim patches

2. Apply all the interim patches first and the the CPU patch

3. Apply the CPU patch only

4. Apply the interim patches only

5. Its all too hard, so I don't apply any CPU or interim patches ... I hope for the best.

6. Migrate to MaxDB ... its much easier to patch.

Interested in your feedback.

Cheers

Shaun

Edited by: Shaun on Nov 28, 2008 3:34 AM

[markus_doehr2 · Accepted solution]

We do

> 4. Apply the interim patches only

> 6. Migrate to MaxDB ... its much easier to patch.

And THAT is a very good option too )

Markus

[stefan_koehler]

Hello Shaun,

> Interested in your feedback.

Why not executing just one command with "MOpatch" and let this "tool" do the work?

Take a look at sapnote #1027012.

Regards

Stefan

[markus_doehr2]

The problem is not the number of patches but the fact, that CPU patches conflict with recommended and necessary interim patches....

Markus

[stefan_koehler]

Hey Markus,

but the MOpatch has also the dependencies included.

If the patches itself are not compatible with each other - ok then you have a problem

Regards

Stefan

[fidel_vales]

Hello,

Oracle changed the CPU patches in 10.2.0.4

Now they are more "granular". it is divided in "molecules"

that way it is possible to install only one "part" of the CPU if there is a conflict.

Better explanation and more details on the SAP note [850306|http://service.sap.com/sap/support/notes/850306]

For that reason, I'd install first all patches and then the CPU.

Regarding MaxDB, sorry I never used it

[Former Member]

> Why not executing just one command with "MOpatch" and let this "tool" do the work?

Hi Stefan,

Yes, I would use mopatch to apply all the interim patches, but mopatch can not be used to apply CPU patches.

Cheers

Shaun

[Former Member]

Hi Fidel,

Oracle changed the CPU patches in 10.2.0.4
Now they are more "granular". it is divided in "molecules"
that way it is possible to install only one "part" of the CPU if there is a conflict.

I was aware of Oracles new approach for 10.2.0.4 of using the molecule patch concept. I still feel uneasy with it given their past track record of patch conflicts.

For that reason, I'd install first all patches and then the CPU.

Have you done this? Has anyone done this? I wouldn't mind hearing from someone that has.

Regarding MaxDB, sorry I never used it

Your missing out on something wonderful. Great database.

Hows this ... I'll apply all of the interim patches, and then the CPU patch on one of our project boxes early next week, and report back if there were any conflicts or issues.

Cheers

Shaun

[fidel_vales]

>

> 

For that reason, I'd install first all patches and then the CPU.

> 
> Have you done this?  Has anyone done this?  I wouldn't mind hearing from someone that has.

Hi,

Sorry, I still have not tried it

For that reason I said "I would" ....

> Hows this ... I'll apply all of the interim patches, and then the CPU patch on one of our project boxes early next week, and report back if there were any conflicts or issues.

Please, do so, but report also if it is successful, that way it can be helpful to others.

Regards

Fidel

[Former Member]

Hi Everyone,

As promised, here are the results of our 10.2.0.4 patch upgrade.

We upgraded from 10.2.0.2 to 10.2.0.4, updated OPatch and MOPatch, applied all the current interim patches, performed the dbua upgrade component, and then applied the CPU patchset and post cpu patchset task (eg catbundle.sql and utlrp.sql ....etc...), and finally upgrade the Oracle client to 10.2.0.4 also.

In summary, we had no conflicts, and apart from taking a few hours to complete, the process went smoothly with no issues.

Cheers

Shaun

[former_member204746]

Have you adapted Your Oracle parameters as per SAP note 830576? This is a very important step that you must no bypass.

[Former Member]

Hi Eric,

Yes, we did adapt our parameters based on note 830765. The focus of this thread was to determine if there would be any conflicts between the interim patches and the cpu patch.

Cheers

Shaun