Upgrade downtime credited to APEX

What do you think when you see this post-upgrade result?

Oracle Database 12.1 Post-Upgrade Status Tool           08-07-2015 15:08:26

Component                               Current         Version  Elapsed Time
Name                                    Status          Number   HH:MM:SS

Oracle Server                          UPGRADED      12.1.0.2.0  00:19:26
JServer JAVA Virtual Machine              VALID      12.1.0.2.0  00:10:52
Oracle Workspace Manager                  VALID      12.1.0.2.0  00:01:52
OLAP Analytic Workspace                   VALID      12.1.0.2.0  00:00:34
OLAP Catalog                         OPTION OFF      11.2.0.3.0  00:00:00
Oracle OLAP API                           VALID      12.1.0.2.0  00:00:42
Oracle XDK                                VALID      12.1.0.2.0  00:01:07
Oracle Text                               VALID      12.1.0.2.0  00:01:36
Oracle XML Database                       VALID      12.1.0.2.0  00:03:55
Oracle Database Java Packages             VALID      12.1.0.2.0  00:00:22
Oracle Multimedia                         VALID      12.1.0.2.0  00:03:57
Spatial                                UPGRADED      12.1.0.2.0  00:08:56
Oracle Application Express                VALID     4.2.5.00.08  00:46:19
Final Actions                                                    00:03:48

Total Upgrade Time: 01:44:16

I’ve got a bit worried as the time to upgrade APEX took 44% of the complete database upgrade downtime. APEX (Oracle Application Express) is a fantastic piece of software which is still completely underrated – potentially because it is for free for everybody who has an Oracle Database license. And things not costing anything are just worth nothing, ey?

Simply be aware when you have APEX in your databases installed – and especially if you ACTIVELY use APEX – it may be a very good idea to upgrade APEX upfront without causing downtime for your entire database.

See this blog post here about how to upgrade APEX upfront:

Since Oracle Database 12.2.0.1 we don’t upgrade APEX as part of the database upgrade anymore. You will have to upgrade it separately.

–Mike