Re: Doc.ID 756671.1 Oracle Recommended Patches
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 2009 09:54:17 +0300
Message-ID: <OFBB640591.564D2F3F-ONC22575A0.00253455-C22575A0.0025F2EA_at_seb.lt>
>Jack van Zanen <jack_at_vanzanen.com>
>It's quite funny really....
>Our OS get patched regualarly (Windows every other month or so and UNIX
once a year or so) but for the database there is no active patching policy.
Do you get a downtime for that?
In fact I suspect that OS patching is mainly for security reasons. The same reasons may drive Oracle patching in production.
However I am in position when application is still beeing tested which means it is not that late for Oracle patching.
The real question is how Oracle tests patch bundles:
My understanding is that Oracle possibly tests each one of one-off patches but there is no way nor need to test combinations of them.
But each patch bundle can be tested in principle. It may even be possible to test pairs as there are not so many bundles. It may even be that bundles do not interfere much.
Does Oracle say how this testing of bundles is really done?
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Jack van Zanen <jack_at_vanzanen.co m> To Sent by: "oracle-l_at_freelists.org" oracle-l-bounce_at_f <oracle-l_at_freelists.org> reelists.org cc Subject 2009.04.22 01:23 Re: Doc.ID 756671.1 Oracle Recommended Patches Please respond to jack_at_vanzanen.com
It's quite funny really....
Our OS get patched regualarly (Windows every other month or so and UNIX once a year or so) but for the database there is no active patching policy.
The often heard excuse is that it requires a lot of testing, I agree. But the operating systems running these databases get routinely patched and no application testing gets done prior to it.
Just the other week we had a UNIX patch and after the patch we had some issues with oracle that required us to run an oracle patch.
I believe that the CPU patch is definately worth looking at and should be taken serious.
New database servers go to the latest and greatest version available within our policy and will have the latest CPU patch applied to it. We do not go actively looking for one-of patches that might become an issue.
Jack
2009/4/22 Matthew Zito <mzito_at_gridapp.com>
So, we have one customer that is aggressively applying these recommended patch bundles, and have not reported any issues. Most of our other customers would not apply any patches at all, except for the fact that their security and/or compliance people have come down on them that “Thou must apply X critical patch updates per year”. I’m in favor of the, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” school of thought, but it seems like it’s just not going to be viable forever. Thanks, Matt -- Matthew Zito Chief Scientist GridApp Systems P: 646-452-4090 mzito_at_gridapp.com http://www.gridapp.com From: oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org [mailto: oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org] On Behalf Of Carol Dacko Sent: Tuesday, April 21, 2009 1:19 PM To: Laimutis.Nedzinskas_at_seb.lt Cc: oracle-l_at_freelists.org Subject: Re: Doc.ID 756671.1 Oracle Recommended Patches Laimutis, Patch bundles should be the way to go. Thanks for pointing this out to us! When we go up a 10.2.0.x release, we always apply any one-off patches that we believe we will encounter. This helps to prevent doing the one patch at a time dance. This is definitely a path that I will recommend we do here in our department at the University of Michigan. Thanks again! Carol 2009/4/21 <Laimutis.Nedzinskas_at_seb.lt> Is anyone patching database according to this: " Subject: Oracle Recommended Patches -- Oracle Database Doc ID: 756671.1 Type: ANNOUNCEMENT Modified Date : 15-APR-2009 Status: PUBLISHED Beginning with release 10.2.0.3, Oracle releases Recommended Patches for Oracle Database. For an introduction to Recommended Patches, see Note 756388.1. " Any positive experiences ? Because I am working on a new project (some projects are still not canceled in these times) I am wondering about apply-all-recommended-patches approach. It looks tempting to get rid of most of nasty bugs that manage to surface anyway. Especially that we are beeing forced to use Oracle Streams which are somewhat outstanding with regard to Oracle recommended minimal patch list. Oracle Physical Standby (aka Data Guard) is on the list too. Normally we go the way "wait until problem happens"(aka if it ain't broke don't fix it) and then try find workarround or patch but we have already encountered some bugs that could have been fixed by applying recommended patch bundles. Since it is a new project it looks to be an option. What the others say about all those recommended patch bundles? Thank you in advance, Laimis N. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail -- http://www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l
-- Jack van Zanen ------------------------- This e-mail and any attachments may contain confidential material for the sole use of the intended recipient. If you are not the intended recipient, please be aware that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of this e-mail or any attachment is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please contact the sender and delete all copies. Thank you for your cooperation -- http://www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-lReceived on Wed Apr 22 2009 - 01:54:17 CDT