Database patching for Peoplesoft applications

Looking for comments/anecdotes about database patching with Peoplesoft applications.  

We run HCM, CRM & ELM on AIX hosts (for all tiers). Our database is Oracle.
Some of this is Oracle-RAC.  

When you are applying DATABASE patches do you shut down your APPLICATION software also?  

Our experience seems to be that leaving the application software up is O.K........for the most part.  

Integration Broker has problems with this; it will end up hung. Everything else seems to restart/reconnect OK.  

I opened a case with Oracle/Peoplesoft support, looking for an official position. The "official" recommendation is to stop the application software, before patching your database. But...........this recommendation is not written down anywhere; the analyst says such a document does not exist.      

Want to hear form others regarding how they handle this.

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