DataCenter Automation and Configuration Management

First of the PSU (more like a beta) was released on Jul 17th for Oracle DB 10.2.0.4 across specific platforms of Unix. Oracle will release PSUs every quarter (starting with July 2009) along with quarterly CPUs across Databases and Middleware. PSUs will be a superset of CPUs and will have additional recommended patches from Oracle. These set of patches are tested in cohesion.

First patch in the series is patch number : 8576156 applicable on 10.2.0.4 Database. The application of this patch can be identified from the inventory by running - opatch lsinventory.

PSU provides all high value, recommended patches for the Oracle Software. Based on the Patch Management cycle, factor in PSU for the future cycles of patch management. Suggest once you take up the PSU track,stay on the course. Without which, resolving conflicts, getting specific MLRs will require significant efforts.
As the readme of the PSU note reads.. "Once a PSU has been installed, the recommended way to get future security content is to apply subsequent PSUs. Reverting from PSU back to CPU, while possible, would require significant effort, and so is not advised"

Application of PSU can be automated through Deployment procedures. Refer to My Oracle Support note: 864316.1

Related Links:
854428.1 - Intro to Patch Set Updates (PSU)

The Critical Patch Update (CPU) for July 2009 was released on July 14th, 2009. Oracle strongly recommends applying the patches as soon as possible.

More Info:  Supported Products and Components Affected

Includes Patch Advisory also for  Oracle BEA – WebLogic server, JRockit, Oracle Complex Event Processing and WebLogic Event Server

Related links:

• Identify Vulnerability and Patch in Automated way through Enterprise Manager
• Automation of CPU application from EM for Oracle Databases and Oracle Application Servers (FAQ style Doc)
• Application Change Management Pack of Enterprise Manager supports Ebiz patching (Metalink Note 812315.1)
• Critical Patch Update Implementation Best Practices (Generic Whitepaper)

Download the latest one-off patch introducing fixes on Patch Automation feature from Enterprise Manager 10.2.0.5(Patch Number: 8653501)

Download the patch and apply it on one/all of the OMS server. Make sure you complete the additional steps in the readme.

Patch Summary

This one-off patch is applicable on top of 10.2.0.5 Enterprise manager, the patch introduces:

1. Enhanced Pre-requisites checks to standard deployment procedures,which can be invoked in Analyze mode to verify the applicability of the patch on the database environment.

Run the Deployment Procedures in Analyze Mode to do complete patchability check before the actual patching cycle. The below two modes are seen in the Review page during the Deployment procedure execution.

On submitting in ‘Analyze’ mode, the pre-req checks are run and you could check for the results with recommendations under RESULTS tab

2. Two new reports, accessible under Reports tab:
  a. EM Target Patchability Report: Provides a comprehensive report on the automated patchability of the database environment managed by Grid control.
  b. Patching Deployment Procedure Execution Summary Report: Provides a summary  view of the deployment procedure's execution status across the given time period.

Deployment Procedures that are modified by the patch,
1. 'Patch Oracle Database'
2. 'Patch Oracle RAC - Rolling'
3. 'Patch Oracle RAC - All Nodes'
These procedures are accessible under 'Patching through Deployment Procedures'
in 'Deployments' page and with version 5.1.

Related Metalink Note: 427577.1 : OMS and Agent Patches required for setting up Provisioning,Patching and Cloning in 10.2.0.3 to 10.2.0.5 GC

Oracle’s Q1 CPU patch - Jan CPU 2009 is released. Typical rollout starts with understanding the CPU in terms of risk , applicability and the list of vulnerable targets in your environment.

Reduce ‘Level of Effort’ involved in identifying the vulnerability based on the advisory from Grid Control and automate the patching using deployment procedures.

Vulnerability Analysis: Oracle EM Grid Control provides an automated way to compute vulnerability based on metadata from My Oracle Support (MOS) and a detailed advisory across your grid environment.

From Grid Control UI , Click the advisory link for  “Critical Patch Advisories for Oracle Homes”  to check on the advisory report.

Automate Application of Patches using Deployment Procedures:

Watch the screenwatch:  Critical Patch Updates - Applying Oracle patches from Enterprise Manager

Pre-req: Apply the mandated patches on OMS 10.2.0.4  starting with Patch 7592382. Refer to the MOS/Metalink Note: 427577.1

For more details, refer to the documentation : Achieving Grid Automation with Deployment Procedures

I will discuss more about automated Patch Management in a typical  datacenter through a series of articles to follow.

Hello Everyone,

I would like to invite you for the session:

S298651: Real-Life Experiences with Fast Deployment of Databases and SOA Middleware Through Oracle Enterprise Manager

Abstract: An essential requirement for enterprises is to automate the task of lifecycle management of software and servers to have standard processes and lower operational costs for their datacenters. This session discusses and demonstrates how customers use Oracle Enterprise Manager for automatic provisioning and patching of databases, RAC, SOA deployments

Join the session to understand how customers like Qualcomm, NetApp and Draexlmaier Group (Head Quartered in Germany) are using Enterprise Manager for saving precious administrator time using automated Provisioning, Patch Management and ensuring compliance.

** Please note that the session abstract in the content management system is incorrect. This session covers customers stories across the areas and not just RAC extension.

Thanks and Regards,

Rajat Nigam
Senior Product Manager,
Provisioning and Patch Automation,
Oracle Enterprise Manager

What you do there?-

• Key note sessions.
  
• Hands on Lab session on Enterprise Manager Products
  
• Presentations on Enterprise Manager

Experience It!! If you are interested to know more :Mail Us

Oracle released October CPU 2007 : Use the Enterprise Manager -Provisioning packs Deployment Procedures to apply the CPU.

Best Practices:

#1 IDENTIFY: Identify the Critical Patches Applicable on to the targets in your environment from the EM GC Home page from the section: Critical Patch Advisories for Oracle Homes

#2 PRE-REQS: Select a test system to apply patches and run the pre-requisite checker deployment procedure. For example: Oracle Patch Prerequisite Checker for Standalone Database deployment procedure to check for any errors or issues which might occur during the actual application of the patches.

Note: With the current release 10.2.0.3 :Pre-req deployment procedures are applicable only to Linux x86 and Windows environments.

On errors: Review through the read me and figure out the known issues associated with the patch.

#3 TEST RUN: Run Patch Oracle Database procedure or other relevant Oracle software procedures for AS , RAC on the test system.

Note: Following the trend with July CPU , the patches for 10.2.0.3 DBs  on Unix platform are of Napply model.

Use the deployment procedure:Patch Oracle Database for napply CPUs/ Merge patches.

#4 CHECK FOR KNOWN ISSUES : Check for issues/errors > Compare with the Known issue listed in the README.

• #4.1  Use the workarounds for the Known issues and proceed with patching.


• #4.2 Try automate the workarounds as scripts and incoporate the scripts as directive steps in to the Deployment Procedure and run over the test systems. Advantage: Allows mass distribution along with the automated workaround process.

Additional things to do:  Setup Notifications in the Deployment procedures to notify you with the udpates.

Ref: Use case @ 17. What are examples of customizations that a customer can incorporate in a patching deployment procedure?

For more details on Napply Deployment Procedure see : Question #24 :Starting July 2007 Oracle has changed the patch application method for Critical Patch Updates (CPU) on 10.2.0.3 Databases (and beyond).Will Enterprise Manager based patching work for July07 CPU on 10.2.0.3 databases?
at Achieving Grid Automation with Deployment Procedures

Notes to check:
427577.1 :  Pre-req to use Provisioning pack 10.2.0.3 Deployment Procedures.
455287.1 : Critical Patch Update Availability Information for Oracle Server and Middleware Products
438314.1 : Critical Patch Update - Introduction to Database Napply CPU Patches
232827.1 : Windows patching error : Universal Installer can not replace the oci.dll Error when install/deinstall Oracle Products

Apply the latest patch- 6235191(re-uploaded) on the 10.2.0.3 OMS home and start using the new deployment procedure - Patch Oracle Database for napply CPUs/ Merge patches.



This is an update to the previous process of editing a DP and attaching a new directive to handle this.

Follow up : Question #24 :Starting July 2007 Oracle has changed the patch application method for Critical Patch Updates (CPU) on 10.2.0.3 Databases (and beyond).Will Enterprise Manager based patching work for July07 CPU on 10.2.0.3 databases?
at Achieving Grid Automation with Deployment Procedures

Related Links:

• Pre-req to use Provisioning pack 10.2.0.3 Deployment Procedures: 427577.1

• Screen Watch : Applying Oracle patches (e.g. Critical Patch Updates) from Enterprise Manager