As you know, Oracle is keep releasing the Critical Patch Update (CPU) / Patch Set Update (PSU) on every quarter. In this article, we discuss about applying these patches to Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS) along with the Oracle MOS id references.
In Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS) we have various tech stack components. It is important to keep update the critical patch update (CPU) to all these components.
The components are
- Forms and Reports
- Fusion Middleware - Web Tier
- Fusion Middleware - oracle_common Home
- WebLogic.
- Database ( Do not get confused here; Database is also a component of EBS application. This also needs to be considered while applying the patches to EBS environment)
First, it is better to apply patches the latest Quarterly patches to DB tier and then to Apps/Middle Tier. For DB tier, I strongly advise applying the Patch Set Update (PSU) instead of Critical Patch Update (CPU). PSU contains a lot of pro-active and Stabilization fixes for issues which you might have encountered already, or you are going to encounter in near future. These fixes will have the learnings from the issues arisen across the customers of Oracle. PSU also includes Critical Patch Update (CPU) along with the pro-active stabilization fixes.
Database Tier
Firstly, always try to apply the latest PSU patch available along with OJVM patch. Always latest.
Secondly, run the EBS Technology Code level Checker (ETCC). The ETCC script can be downloaded from the Patch 17537119. Always run the latest one while running ETCC.
ETCC has two scripts.
· checkDBpatch.sh: This script needs to be run in DB tier.
· checkMTpatch.sh: This script needs to be run in Apps tier.
Run the checkDBpatch.sh script against the database and identify the patches needs to apply.
Thirdly, in case if you are on Exadata or Superclusters, need to apply the Proactive Bundle Patch(BP). While downloading the patch, you need to select the right release. Consider the newly applied PSU patch release.
Fourthly, apply the overlay patches. (Overlay patches are answers for conflict patches. Some patches don't co-exist with the latest PSU patches. In such scenarios, you need to consider patches which can co-exist with latest PSU patch).
After that, Apply the Standard patches. Mostly the standard patches are one-off patches.
Finally, Run the DB tier ETCC script and check the missing patches. And act on the missing patches.
Middle Tier
For EBS, Oracle is only releasing Critical Patch Update (CPU) and not PSU (unlike Database). This is important for every Apps DBA to remember if they try to apply quarterly release patches to EBS components.
Please refer the MOS id for the latest Oracle E-Business Suite Release 12 Critical Patch Update Knowledge Document (April 2018) (Doc ID 2369524.1)
It is important to apply the patches to above all tech stack components in EBS. During this phase, there are certain pre-requisites, we need to apply in case if the pre-requisites do not exist in the system.
Apart from CPU patches to Oracle E-Business Suite, there are certain pro-active, Stabilization fixes as well for all components. Apps DBAs should remember to apply all these pro-active fixes if they are considering applying the Critical Patch Update (CPU) to their environment. The above Oracle Note has mentioned references of this, but not in detail.
Please find the below MOS id for checking all the pro-active fixes for EBS components.
While checking the patches for each component, there could be some conflict patches. Sometimes, both can’t co-exist. In such a case, try to get the combination patch. If you didn't get any clue from the Oracle support site, it is always better to raise an SR with Oracle to get the new patches. Most of the times, Oracle has already encountered this scenario for other customers and the solution might be available immediately for you.
And one more thing, it is always better to run the EBS Technology Code level Checker (ETCC) before and after the above exercise.
Post applying the patches, if you find any suggestion from checkMTpatch.sh, please do consider applying those missing patches as well. This is a kind of checker for you to identify if you have missed any patches. This ETCC script covers mostly all the pro-active fixes and not the Critical Patch Update.
Both CPU and PSU are all are cumulative. You need not worry in case if you are skipping one release and applying the latest one.
