Category Archives: Update

23ai, Zero-Downtime Oracle Grid Infrastructure Patching – GOLD IMAGE with Silent Install

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My previous post was about the Zero-Downtime Oracle Grid Infrastructure Patching (ZDOGIP) for 23ai using the gold image. In that case, I used the GUI interface to do the installation and patch, but as you know, this is not good for the automation process. So, here in this post, I will describe how to do the same operation using the silent mode for the installation. I will show what parameters you need to set in the response file and all the other steps.

Important details

The focus of this post is to show how to do the same process as my previous post using the silent mode. I will not “prove” (like I made in the last one) that databases continue to receive inserts or details about the AFD/ACFS drivers not being updated. I really recommend that you read my previous post to understand all of these details. Here I will show how to do in silent mode what I made in the previous post.

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23ai, Zero-Downtime Oracle Grid Infrastructure Patching – GOLD IMAGE

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As you know, the 23ai was released for Cloud and Engineered Systems (Exadata and ExaCC) first, I already explored these in previous posts as well. And since the patches already started to be released, now with the patch for 23.6, we can re-test the feature Zero-Downtime Oracle Grid Infrastructure Patching (ZDOGIP). The steps here are not specific to the Exadata version and can be used for any 23ai version.

I already demonstrated how to use it for 21c (using graphical, and silent mode) and the same can be done for 19c as well.

But now, I will show how to do for 23ai, and this post includes:

  • Install the Grid Infrastructure 23.6.0.24.10, using the Gold Image
  • Upgrade the GI from 23.5.0.24.07 to 23.6.0.24.10 using the Zero-Downtime Oracle Grid Infrastructure Patching

This will be done while the database is running to show that we can patch the GI without downtime. I will show how to do this:

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Exadata version 23.1.0.0.0 – Part 04

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On 08/March/2023 the Oracle Exadata team released version 23.1.0.0.0 and this include a significant change, OEL 8. I already explained that in my first post that you can read here. In my previous posts, I already described how to patch how to patch storage and switch, and the dom0. In this post, I will discuss how to patch the domU.

What you can do

I already wrote this previously but is important to understand the upgrade paths that you can do: If you are running the old Exadata with InfiniBand, your dom0 will always be updated until Oracle Linux 7 with UEK5. For domU you can upgrade to the OEL 8. And you can upgrade in any order, first dom0 or domU. If you are running RoCE, your dom0 can run the latest OEL 8 UEK6. The blog post from Oracle made an excellent explanation about the upgrade paths and below you can see the images that are there (I used the image from their post).

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Exadata version 23.1.0.0.0 – Part 03

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On 08/March/2023 the Oracle Exadata team released version 23.1.0.0.0 and this include a significant change, OEL 8. I already explained that in my first post that you can read here. In my second post, I wrote about how to patch storage and switch. In this post, I will discuss how to patch the dom0.

What you can do

Due to the changes for OEL 8, is important to understand the upgrade paths that you can take. As I wrote in my first post: If you are running the old Exadata with InfiniBand, your dom0 will always be updated until Oracle Linux 7 with UEK5. For domU you can upgrade to the OEL 8. And you can upgrade in any order, first dom0 or domU. If you are running RoCE, your dom0 can run the latest OEL 8 UEK6. The blog post from Oracle made an excellent explanation about the upgrade paths and below you can see the images that are there (I used the image from their post).

So, since the environment that I am patching is Exadata with InfiniBand, my dom0 will be upgraded until the OEL7 running the UEK5. But the Exadata-related software will be upgraded to version 23.1. The domU will be upgraded to OEL8, with UEK6. So, basically will be this (I used the image from the Exadata Team post):

Here, I patched first the dom0 because if I patch it first, all the versions already released for domU will be compatible with him. I am upgrading, so, the dom0 running at 23.1 will be compatible with domU running at a lower version.

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Exadata version 23.1.0.0.0 – Part 02

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On 08/March/2023 the Oracle Exadata team released version 23.1.0.0.0 and this include a significant change, OEL 8. I already explained that in my first post that you can read here. Here I will show how to patch to the 23.1.0.0 version for switch and storage cells.

Patching

As you know, I am working with Exadata since 2010 and have already posted about how to upgrade to the 19x version,  18.x version, version 12.x (Portuguese only), and many other details for Oracle Engineered Systems. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to apply the 23.1 version over one environment and will show the details.

Here, my environment is:

  • Exadata X6 for storage and dbnodes.
  • InfiniBand Switches.
  • Virtualized configuration (dom0 and domU).
  • dom0 running over version 22.1.0.9.
  • domU running over version 22.1.0.9.
  • Grid Infrastructure running version 19.17.

Since I am running with dom0/domU, my base machine (from where I will call most of the patches) is the dom0. There, I have ssh passwordless/keyless to all other cells, dbnodes, domU, and switches.

Before you start the patch please check the readme for the patch and identify if you have everything in compliance. Do not start any patch if you meet the requirements. Even from a simple database version, grid, and switch versions. And as well, do not start the patch if your machine has HW errors. So, please read the note Exadata System Software 23.1.0.0.0 Update (32829291) (Doc ID 2772585.1).

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Exadata version 23.1.0.0.0 – Part 01

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On 08/March/2023 the Oracle Exadata team released version 23.1.0.0.0 and this include a significant change, OEL 8. But is not just that, other interesting requirements are there and I will discuss them below. I will show you how to patch to the 23.1 version and some other details as well. In this first part, I will just discuss one interesting point that you need to take care of before you start to patch. And probably is more important than you imagine.

Before you patch

The new version brings some requirements (over what you need to be running) to allow you to patch. For the Grid Infrastructure, you need to run 19.15 or a newer version. You can even run the 21c (21.6 or newer) version if you want. If you want to know how to do that, I already discussed how to upgrade both in previous posts (19c, and 21c).

For databases, the recommendation is the same, 19c or 21c. You can still run older versions (11,g, 12c, and 18) but they are already (or will be soon) under Market Driver Support. You can read the MOS note over that (here), but to be clear (now) only the 19c have premier support available.

And now things became quite interesting because the new 23.1 version is the first running with OEL 8. And if you check the supplemental README for the 23.1 version just the 19c support the database and GI are listed. So, be aware and check the compatibilities.

One important detail for this version is that you can only upgrade to 23.1 if your base Exadata running version is newer or equal to 21.2.10 (basically one year old only). If not, you need to upgrade to (at least) this version before you patch to 23.1. And this will be the same in the one-year future, it will be only possible to upgrade to 24.x if you will be running (at least) 23.1.

If you are running the old Exadata with InfiniBand, your dom0 will always be updated until Oracle Linux 7 with UEK5. For domU you can upgrade to the OEL 8. And you can upgrade in any order, first dom0 or domU. If you are running RoCE, your dom0 can run the latest OEL 8 UEK6. The blog post from Oracle made an excellent explanation about the upgrade paths and below you can see the images that are there (I used the image from their post).

So, as usual, the version includes everything, switches, storage, and database node. And while for switches and storages, the patches are quite normal, for virtualized environments the upgrades paths start to be a little more challenging to plan. I will explain, but (as hinted in the blog post) the upgrade of the Hosts and Guests independently and in any order. And is hard not because of the patch apply itself, but will be to create the plan. Remember the requirements for Oracle Database and GI? So, you can spend a lot of time patching others parts than the Exadata version.

But let’s put pieces together, the small lines written in several places. With this version 23.1, Oracle is telling you that you need to be running at least the Oracle Database 19c to be allowed to have a continuous upgrade for future releases (and possible usage) of Exadata. And whatever the machine version that you use, IB or RoCE network. You can’t anymore use GI older than 19.15, and the databases are enforced, as well, to be this version too. Imagine that you have some kind of incapability between 11g/12c and OEL 8, if you need to open one SR, you need to have/pay for that support, and will not be cheap.

And if you think the upcoming 23c (and that it will be the new LTS version) being in OEL 8 is a requirement. Imagine one year in the future, when the Exadata 24.x version will arrive, do you think that Oracle still supports 11g to the new OEL 9? I don’t think so.

And by the way, IMHO you should be running to 19c. 11G is from 2009, 12.1 from July 2013. So, they are old and out of support for good reasons. I understand the point that they are working on and the legacy applications that maybe you have. But the point is not just to support them, is the case to be possible to continue to upgrade/update your Exadata. Please do not postpone your database upgrades anymore, for the good sake of your Exadata. 

 

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21c, Zero-Downtime Oracle Grid Infrastructure Patching – Silent Mode

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Recently I made two posts about the process for patch/upgrading your 21 Grid Infrastructure (GI) while the databases continue to be running. The first post shows how to do this using the GUI interface, and the second one show more details about the process for AFD/ACFS Kernel Driver Update. But here in this post, I will show how to do the Zero-Downtime Patch (zeroDowntimeGIPatching – ZDGIP) in silent mode.

This way to do the patch is important because allows you to automatize it. You can create your own script and call it (using Ansible, Puppet, Chief, etc.) to upgrade your servers (or farms) remotely.

Current Environment

The current environment is the same of the first post:

  • OEL 8.4 Kernel 5.4.17-2102.201.3.el8uek.x86_64.
  • Oracle GI 21c, version 21.3 with no one-off or patches installed.
  • Oracle Database 21c, RU 21.5 (with OCW 21.5).
  • TFA version is 21.4 (last available in March 2022).
  • Nodes are not using Transparent HugePages.
  • Is a RAC installation, with two nodes.

You can see the output for the info above in this txt file.

And I will apply the same RU 21.5 (21.5.0.0.220118) for GI which is patch 33531909.

Patch Process

The patch process is almost the same as the first post, the main change is the response file and the way to call the gridSetup.sh. So, for this reason, I recommend for you read the first (and second) post. Below you will see a quick review of previous steps and a focus on the new 

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21c, updateosfiles after Grid Infrastructure Patch

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Recently I made one post about how to use the new feature -zeroDowntimeGIPatching when patching the Grid Infrastructure for 21c. It is a new feature/option that allows your database continues to be running while the grid is patched. You can see my post here. But during that post I talked about the usage of -updateosfiles when calling the rootcrs.sh and want to clarify some details and provide better examples.

Current environment

For this post, my environment is:

  • OEL 8.4 Kernel 5.4.17-2102.201.3.el8uek.x86_64.
  • Oracle GI 21c, version 21.5.
  • Is a RAC installation, with two nodes.

The GI was upgraded from 21.3 to 21.5 as demonstrated in my post.

Compatibility Matrix

Before you think about upgrading the ACFS/AFD drivers you need to check if they are compatible with the version or kernel that you are running. The only place to check this is the MOS note ACFS Support On OS Platforms (Certification Matrix). (Doc ID 1369107.1). On that note, you will see tables for each major version (18c, 19c, 21c), and you can see the versions of Linux Version and Kernel versions that are compatible. Below is marked for OEL 8:

And you can see that my version of Linux Kernel is compatible. If your version is not compatible, not update the ACFS/AFD kernel drivers.

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21c, Zero-Downtime Oracle Grid Infrastructure Patching

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Oracle 21c delivered a lot of new features and for Grid infrastructure one of the most interesting is the zero-downtime patch (zeroDowntimeGIPatching). This basically allows your database continues to be running while you patch/upgrade your GI. The official doc can be seen here. Let’s say that is an evolution of the Out of Place (OOP) patch for GI.

In this post I will show how to do that, but some details before starting:

  • This post shows how to do the zero-downtime patch using GUI mode.
  • I will do another post showing how to do in silent mode the same procedure. So, it can be automatized.
  • In a third post, I will detail how the zero-downtime works behind the scenes and will discuss some logs.

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Patch ODA from 18.3 to 19.8. Part 4 – 19.7 to 19.8

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The process of patch ODA is not complicated but requires attention over some steps. The 19.6 version was the first that was possible to patch from 18.8 version, and the version that allows upgrades to newer. If you want to go directly to 19.5 you need to reimage of the appliance. In this post, I will cover the process that I made recently to patch from 18.3 to 19.8 version.

The fourth part covers the upgrade from 19.7 to 19.8. I separate so you can use this as a direct guide from 19.6 to 19.7 if you need to do just this update. Parts of this post are similar to the upgrade from 19.6 to 19.7 that I described in the previous post.

Patch Matrix

The matrix of what can be done can be found at this post from ODA blog, and you can check below:

Another important detail is to check the MOS note ODA: Quick Reference Matrix for Linux Release and Kernel by ODA Hardware Type and Version (Doc ID 2680219.1) and verify if your hardware is still compatible.

Remember that in this process, the ODA will reboot several times, so, you need to inform your teams that databases will be unavailable during the process.

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