GI

MRP3 for Oracle 19.17.0 adds an interesting surprise

You may have read my previous blog posts about MRPs (Monthly Recommended Patches). And today I did a quick check with Rodrigo. We both were a bit surprised to have the MRP3 for 19.17.0 add a lot of fixes to a standard RDBMS installation. So we were investigating a bit further. As a teaser, read on to see that MRP3 for Oracle 19.17.0 adds an interesting surprise.

 

How did we find out?

The MRP3 for Oracle Database 19.17.0 got released just a week ago. You can navigate to it via MOS

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Important alert for Oracle Database and GI RU 19.18.0 on Linux

Some of you may have seen the alert already released yesterday. And thanks to Peter Lehmann again for alerting me. When you logon to MyOracle Support, you will find it simply in the alert section to the left. On Jan 25, 2023, this Important alert for Oracle Database and GI RU 19.18.0 on Linux has been released.

Important alert for Oracle Database and GI RU 19.18.0 on Linux

Photo by Gary Bendig on Unsplash

 

What is the situation?

Due to an issue described in MOS Note: 2923428.1 – LMON trace file with repeated entries of “Submitting asynchronized dump request” the Release Updates (RU) 19.18.0 for the Oracle Database and …

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How to speed up your database and GI patching

Several of you mailed me already and commented. And I know that I promised this blog post for weeks, if not longer. So let me try to explain How to speed up your database and GI patching. Since this blog post has a longer history, I’d say far over 6 months, it will be a bit longer than the usual posts. At when I started writing it, I decided to split it up into several pieces to make it more digestible but also to allow easier finding of certain topics. I hope it may help easing some recent patching …

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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.

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 …

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Adding the Oracle 19.14.0 OCW / GI bundle patch to my database home

Actually I planned for a different blog post this morning. But since I have a backlog of unanswered comments accumulated I came across this interesting question from Pedro. He wanted to know how he can patch the OCW component in his database home. So I thought I will show you the process of Adding the Oracle 19.14.0 OCW / GI bundle patch to my database home.

Is this necessary?

That’s a good question for a Monday morning. I think: No, that isn’t necessary for a “Database only” home where you don’t have or …

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Some additional information regarding the Oracle 19.14.0 RUs

You may have read my previous blog post about patching all my environments to the January 2022 patch bundles. But since I do this in a very simple non-RAC, non-GI environment, I may not see issues you may have encountered. Some people commented – and I would like to share Some additional information regarding the Oracle 19.14.0 RUs . Still, please, this is NOT a collection of all open issues. I just see this blog post as a summary of the issues I have seen and/or heard about so far.

Some additional information regarding the Oracle 19.14.0 RUs

Photo by Josh Hild on Unsplash

555.1 is one

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ORA-29702 – and your instance does not startup in the cluster anymore

This is the right blog post for a Friday 13th. And please forgive me – I wanted to put this on the blog earlier as two of my customers hit this weeks ago already. But it must have fallen through the cracks. Still, now it is hopefully not too late to tell you what you should do if you hit ORA-29702 – and your instance does not startup in the cluster anymore. Especially when you tested a database upgrade – and after a restore, the database doesn’t want to start, no matter what you try.

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Does your GI RU/RUR patch level has to match your database’s?

A long while ago I blogged about whether you should keep your patch versions between Grid Infrastructure and Databases Homes in synch, or not. And today, Daniel dropped me a note mentioning that this old blog post may need an update for 18c/19c. He’s right. And as I’ve had trouble finding my old blog post, I title this one a bit more obvious: Does your GI RU/RUR patch level has to match your database’s?

Does your GI RU/RUR patch level has to match your database's?

Photo by Vincent van Zalinge on Unsplash

Before Oracle Database 18c

Since Oracle 18c we move from a 5-number release schema to a 3-number one. …

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Of course, Oracle Clusterware is certified on OL8/RHEL8 as well

To be very honest, when I posted a few days ago, Oracle Database 19c is certified on OL8/RHEL8 I didn’t check for the Oracle Clusterware (OCW) certification. I blindly assumed that this is the case. But from comments and discussions on twitter, I realized it may be necessary to point this out explicitly to avoid confusion. Even though my fellow mate, RAC Product Manager Anil Nair has pointed it out already many times: Of course, Oracle Clusterware is certified on OL8/RHEL8 as well.

Of course, Oracle Clusterware is certified on OL8/RHEL8 as well

Photo by Angela Hobbs on Unsplash

Find it on MOS

Your source for certification information …

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AutoUpgrade – New Version with RAC Database Upgrade Support

Thanks to all our customers who participated in our evaluation test for RAC upgrade support with the AutoUpgrade Tool. And my colleagues worked hard to deliver the new version as quickly as possible. Just to make sure: This is not an April’s fools blog post. Since 2 days, you can download AutoUpgrade – New Version with RAC Database Upgrade Support.

AutoUpgrade - New Version with RAC Database Upgrade Support

Picture by: Jason Yuen on Unsplash

Where to download it?

As usual, you can download the newest version – in this case 19.8 aka 20200327 from MOS Note: 2485457.1:

You simply copy the new version into your 19c (or …

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Do you need to apply OJVM patches to Grid Infrastructure?

From time to time, when I discuss OJVM patching with customers, I hear the following question: Do you need to apply OJVM patches to Grid Infrastructure? I’m carrying around this topic since months actually.

Do you need to apply OJVM patches to Grid Infrastructure?

Photo by Jakub Kriz on Unsplash

A quick MOS check

Well, you’d assume this is something MOS does give you an answer within fractions of a second. But nope. I found a lot but unfortunately not what I was looking for. What I found instead where community discussions where applying OJVM patches to a 12.1.0.2 GI installation corrupted the inventory. Hence, there seems to be some …

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GI Patch 28553832 may be needed before you upgrade to 19c

Thanks to my colleague Sebastian Alasino who works in the MAA team out of the UK. Sebas highlighted this issue to. And I’d like to share it with you when you attempt to upgrade Grid Infrastructure to Oracle 19c. If you have the Docker RPM  installed and you were lazy on patching, then GI Patch 28553832 may be needed before you upgrade to 19c.

GI Patch 28553832 may be needed before you upgrade to 19c

Photo by Daniel Frank on Unsplash

What is the issue?

If the Docker Engine RPM is installed and your GI version is 12.1.0.2, 12.2.0.1 or 18c below a certain patch level, the CSSD demon fails to …

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Exadata Upgrade to OL7 and to Oracle 19c

This is just a short blog post to ensure I will find the necessary information when somebody asks me again.. In case you plan to do an Exadata upgrade to OL7 and to Oracle 19c, the below links are the most important ones you should start with.

Exadata Upgrade to OL7 and to Oracle 19c

Exadata Upgrade to OL7 and to Oracle 19c

–Mike…

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DBCA 12.2 does not update /etc/oratab in GI / RAC

DBCA 12.2 does not update /etc/oratab in GI / RACInteresting things happen. And I learned (credits to Arun Gupta and others) that there is a change in Oracle Database 12.2 environments I wasn’t aware: The DBCA 12.2 does not update /etc/oratab in GI / RAC environments. Let me give you some extra information and hints on this topic as it may cause some strange situations.

DBCA 12.2 does not update /etc/oratab in GI / RAC

Arun Gupta commented on the blog:

Another case in point. DBCA fails to update the /etc/oratab file in 12.2 when a database is created. There is no documentation of this behavior. So, I opened

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Oracle 12.2.0.1 RESTART: Make sure you’ve patched your Oracle 12.1.0.2 homes

Oracle 12.2.0.1 RESTART: Make sure you've patched your Oracle 12.1.0.2 homesThis blog post title sounds a bit weird, doesn’t it? Oracle 12.2.0.1 RESTART: Make sure you’ve patched your Oracle 12.1.0.2 homes. Why the heck should you patch your 12.1.0.2 database homes upfront?

Oracle 12.2.0.1 RESTART: Make sure you’ve patched your Oracle 12.1.0.2 homes

Well, there’s an interesting issue happening. When you work with Oracle Grid Infrastructure, no matter if you operate a cluster or “just” use Oracle Restart, you’ll have to upgrade GI to Oracle 12.2 first before you can manage 12.2 databases with it. That’s not new. It’s a well understood rule.

Now guess you operate Oracle RESTART (SIHA …

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Keep your patch versions between Grid Infrastructure and Databases Homes in synch

Keep your patch versions between Grid Infrastructure and Databases Homes in synchI’ve had some interesting discussions with Anil Nair, our RAC Product Manager and a customer in the past days. The customer was looking for a definite statement that they can have a higher version of Patch Set Updates (PSUs) or Proactive Bundle Patches (BPs) in the Database homes than in the Grid Infrastructure home managing the resources.

For Oracle Database 18c, 19c and onward, please read instead:

Can you have different PSU/BP versions between Database and GI homes?

Yes, you can have a higher version PSU …

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Grid Infrastructure PSU Jan 2015 – Am I too intolerant?

Germans are not only known for being precise and timely – but sometimes also for being too direct. Well, Roy could tell you stories … and I always honor his politeness 🙂

Enough about stereotypes. I work with a customer at the moment on their 12c upgrades. And I did recommend the most recent PSU (Patch Set Updates) for their Grid Infrastructure environments running Oracle Restart. Same of course for the database homes but this blog post will just name some findings I’ve had the other night when trying to apply the January 2015 GI PSU to my …

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PSU1 and PSU2: Datapatch Issues coverd in MOS Note

You may have read a posting dis-recommending PSU1 and PSU2 for Oracle Multitenant 12.1.0.1 especially in RAC/GI environments earlier this week. Actually following a lot of internal discussions I will post some advice and clarification later this week.

Now I have an useful update:
Datapatch Issues are covered within a separate MOS Note making it easier to keep track and find workarounds for known issues.
Please see MOS Note:1609718.1 Datapatch Known Issues

-Mike…

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Upgrade to Grid Infrastructure – but OCR and VOTING on RAW?

Just received this question from a colleague these days:

“The current customer environment is 10.2.0.5 on Linux with a 2 node RAC cluster having OCR and Voting Disks on RAW devices. Customer is concerned about the possibility of upgrading to 11gR2 Grid infrastructure first before they could upgrade to 12c Grid
infrastructure.”

Now the answer is written down in MOS Note 1572925.1:
How to Upgrade to 12c Grid Infrastructure if OCR or Voting File is on Raw/Block Devices

Basically the MOS Note says:
You will have to relocate your OCR/Voting to a supported device BEFORE you can upgrade …

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Recap on Deinstall Routines

A few weeks ago I’Ve posted something about the deinstall utility as OUI doesn’t offer a “deinstall software” option anymore:
How to deinstall “old” SW after 11.2.0.2 has been applied?

And I’ve got some feedback (which is a good sign as it means that some of the content might be useful and will be read – and from the follow-up you see that we’ll read your comments and emails as well 🙂 ).

Anyway, the feedback was either CRS deinstall does not work the right way or deinstall cleans up too many things. So Roy did follow …

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