Cambio Política de Parches de Oracle. Nota metalink 1189783.1

Es importante si ud va a instalar la última versión de oracle, esta se puede obtener en la forma de parche full, que no requiere instalar versiones anteriores de oracle. La version 11.2.0.1 tiene varios bugs que se resuelven con las versiones más recientes. Lamentablemente estas versiones full de parches están solo disponibles en Oracle Support (metalink), y por lo tanto frecuentemente la gente comete el error de bajar el último release oficial disponible para todo público en el sitio web de Oracle y después, al tratar de parchar se  dan cuenta que podrían haber instalado desde el principio la versión full con el último parche.

Este cambio facilita el proceso de instalación de la versión mas reciente del producto. Por otro lado, Oracle recomienda que el proceso de aplicación de este patchset, se haga de forma «Out-of-Place», lo que significa que se instale en un ORACLE_HOME nuevo, como por ejemplo si se tratara de un upgrade de 10gR2 a 11gR1. Esto implica tener suficiente espacio para acomodar una segunda instalación de Oracle, por lo tanto se hace relevante en el diseño de las particiones para instalar oracle y no tener problemas en el futuro, cuando se requiera parchar.
La aplicación del patchset de forma «In-Place», solo queda sugerida ante la falta de espacio adicional.
Sin embargo si se usa  Grid Infrastructure (ASM, clusterware, etc), se está obligado a utilizar la  forma «Out-of-Place».

Me pareció importante compartir esta información.

Important Changes to Oracle Database Patch Sets Starting With 11.2.0.2

Se aplica a

Oracle Server – Standard Edition – Version 11.2.0.2 and later
Oracle Server – Enterprise Edition – Version 11.2.0.2 and later
Oracle Server – Personal Edition – Version 11.2.0.2 and later

What has changed?

Packaging: Starting with the first patch set for Oracle Database 11g Release 2 (11.2.0.2), Oracle Database patch sets are full installations of the Oracle Database software. In past releases, Oracle Database patch sets consisted of a set of files that replaced files in an existing Oracle home. Beginning with Oracle Database 11g Release 2, patch sets are full installations that replace existing installations.

Because Oracle Database 11g Release 2 and later patch sets are a full installation, Oracle patch sets are now released as several installation bundles, just as are the base releases:

  • Oracle Database Server
  • Oracle Grid Infrastructure
  • Oracle Database Client
  • Companion/examples
  • Oracle Gateways

Simplified new installation: Because the release 11.2.0.2 patch set is a full installation package, if you are installing Oracle Database on a system without an existing Oracle Database installation, then you can simply install the release 11.2.0.2 patch set. You are no longer required to install the base release, and then apply the patch set.

Upgrade process: Beginning with the release 11.2.0.2 patch set, you have two ways to apply a patch set (documented in the Oracle Database 11g Release 2 Upgrade Guide):

  • Out-of-place upgrade – This is Oracle’s recommended way to apply a patch set. You install the patch set into a new, separate Oracle home location. After you install the patch upgrade, you then migrate the Oracle Database from the older Oracle home. The patch set upgrade is now the same process to upgrade from one version to another. Oracle recommends that you perform an out-of-place patch set upgrade, because this patch set application option requires much less downtime, and is safer because it does not require patching an ORACLE_HOME that is already being used in production. However, you must ensure that you have sufficient free disk space to accommodate two Oracle home directories at the same time.
  • In-place upgrade – You install the patch set into an existing Oracle home location. Oracle recommends that you select this option only if you do not have sufficient free disk space to perform an out-of-place upgrade, as the upgrade removes the existing Oracle installation. This patch option requires less disk space, but requires more time, and is riskier, because if you encounter an installation failure, then you must recover the entire existing Oracle home from a backup. If you choose this more risky option, then before you begin the patch installation, complete the following tasks:
    • Make a complete backup of your existing Oracle home
    • Read through the entire Upgrade Guide section dealing with in-place upgrades
Note: All Oracle Grid Infrastructure patch set upgrades must be out-of-place upgrades, in which you install the patch set into a new Grid home. In-place patch set upgrades are not supported.

How to Obtain the Patch Set

As with all previous patch sets, the release 11.2.0.2 and later patch sets are available for download from the Patches tab on My Oracle Support, or use these links:

You can find links to all recent Oracle Database patch sets and find out when the different ports will be released by viewing Release Schedule of Current Database Releases (Doc ID 742060.1)

Important Changes to Note:

  1. Disk space requirement: Because the out-of-place upgrade requires the installation of a new Oracle home, you must have enough free disk space to accommodate the new Oracle home, as well as disk space needed for temporary files during installation.
  2. ORACLE_HOME location change: When using the out-of-place upgrade path, the location of your Oracle home is different after you complete the upgrade. You must change any direct references to the old location of your Oracle home (such as in /etc/oratab or in tnsnames.ora) to the new location, and update user environment variables for the Oracle home.
  3. In-place upgrade process differs from previous patch set installation processes: Even though it seems similar, the in-place upgrade process for the release 11.2.0.2 patch set differs from previous patch set installation procedures. It is very important to read the entire in-place upgrade process before you begin to install the release 11.2.0.2 patch set, because the preinstallation steps are different.