Oracle Database 12.2.0.1 – End of Support and Patch Bundles

This will be a short blog post but since I received a number of messages yesterday after I published my usual Patching all my environments with the April 2022 Patch Bundles blog post I need to clarify a few things regarding Oracle Database 12.2.0.1 – End of Support and Patch Bundles.

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Premier Support for Oracle 12.2.0.1

If you remember this, the Premier Support period for Oracle 12.2.0.1 ended on November 30, 2020.

Limited Error Correction Support for Oracle 12.2.0.1

Since many of you were still on Oracle 12.2.0.1 when the end of Premier Support came closer, the people in charge at Oracle did listen to your concerns. And we added Limited Error Correction Support for Oracle Database 12.2.0.1 until end of March 2022. Basically, you could stay 1.5 years longer on 12.2.0.1 without any need to pay for Extended Support.

See here for a recap:

• Oracle 12.2.0.1 Support extended with Limited Error Correction Support
• Oracle 12.2.0.1 – Clarification for Limited Error Correction Support

No Patch Bundles and Fixes anymore for Oracle 12.2.0.1

As a result of this with Oracle 12.2.0.1 entering Sustaining Support from April 1, 2022 on, you won’t find patch bundles such as the RU for Grid Infrastructure and the database in the April 2022 cycle anymore.

And this is actually the main reason for my blog post. Several people were asking after my Patching all my environments with the April 2022 Patch Bundles post when the 12.2.0.1 bundles for GI and the database will be available. But unfortunately there won’t be any available anymore since 12.2.0.1 has left Limited Error Correction Support.

This means, you still can open SRs, we give you access to everything we produced for 12.2.0.1 – but there won’t be new patches from now on.

Upgrade to Oracle 12.2.0.3 aka 19c

So what are your tasks now? You need to upgrade to Oracle 12.2.0.3 which is better known as Oracle Database 19c. In the old terminology we would have called 19c the terminal patch set. But now it is simply 19c.

Upgrade your Grid Infrastructure at first. You can still operate 12.2.0.1 databases (and of course 12.1.0.2 and 11.2.0.4 databases, too) with GI 19c. Just ensure you patch GI to 19.15.0 and check MOS Note: 555.1 for additional known issues.

Oracle Database 19c gives you Premier Support until end of April 2024 – and several years of Extended Support in addition.

Please check the Single Source of Truth MOS Note: 742060.1.

–Mike