What’s New With Exadata – September 2011

By | September 28, 2011

Over the past few weeks, I've been working on some new (and older) installations of Exadata, and came across a few items that piqued my interest.  Each of these things had been on my mind for a while, but it's nice to see them finally resolved.

The first is a small change to the installation tree of the Oracle homes on Exadata.  With the release of 11.2.0.2, Oracle created a new "best practice" of performing all patch sets out of place into a new home.  While this makes it really easy to roll back a patch, the default naming convention for Oracle homes on Exadata became a bit of a sticky situation. If your 11.2.0.2 Grid Infrastructure home was at /u01/app/11.2.0/grid, where would you put your 11.2.0.3 home when it's ready to come out?  This was the topic of more than a few discussions around the Enkitec office.  Do you extend the version out another digit to 11.2.0.3, or version the home (/u01/app/11.2.0/grid_11.2.0.2, etc).  Well, Oracle has put this discussion to rest....Your new Oracle home directories on Exadata are:

Grid Infrastructure - /u01/app/11.2.0.2/grid
Database - /u01/app/oracle/product/11.2.0.2/dbhome_1

read on for another change (it has to do with bundle patches)

The second change affects everyone, as it has to do with patches.  One of the more frequent questions I get from Exadata clients is "how can I easily tell what my patch levels are on Exadata?"  The answer was always to run an "opatch lsinventory" and "imageinfo" and then cross-reference these with the supported versions note for Exadata (888828.1).  It was a little tricky sometimes with the bundle patches, as there were several patch numbers listed in the inventory, even for one bundle patch.

For example, here's the output from a system patched with bundle patch 8:

[enkdb03:oracle:DEMO1] /home/oracle
> opatch lsinventory
Invoking OPatch 11.2.0.1.6

Oracle Interim Patch Installer version 11.2.0.1.6
Copyright (c) 2011, Oracle Corporation.  All rights reserved.

Oracle Home       : /u01/app/oracle/product/11.2.0.2/dbhome_1
Central Inventory : /u01/app/oraInventory
   from           : /etc/oraInst.loc
OPatch version    : 11.2.0.1.6
OUI version       : 11.2.0.2.0
Log file location : /u01/app/oracle/product/11.2.0.2/dbhome_1/cfgtoollogs/opatch/opatch2011-09-28_03-23-36AM.log

Lsinventory Output file location : /u01/app/oracle/product/11.2.0.2/dbhome_1/cfgtoollogs/opatch/lsinv/lsinventory2011-09-28_03-23-36AM.txt

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Installed Top-level Products (1): 

Oracle Database 11g                                                  11.2.0.2.0
There are 1 products installed in this Oracle Home.

Interim patches (3) :

Patch  12332686     : applied on Wed Jul 20 10:33:34 CDT 2011
Unique Patch ID:  13789775
   Created on 26 May 2011, 04:53:25 hrs PST8PDT
   Bugs fixed:
     12332686, 10626132

Patch  12419090     : applied on Wed Jul 20 10:33:20 CDT 2011
Unique Patch ID:  13789775
   Created on 3 May 2011, 23:04:18 hrs PST8PDT
   Bugs fixed:
     9959110, 10314123, 10014392, 10157622, 10089120, 10057296, 10385838
     10053985, 9864003, 10425674, 10044622, 9812970, 10083789, 10073372
     9876201, 9963327, 11077756, 10375649, 9336825, 10062301, 10018215
     10105195, 10007185, 10376847, 10071992, 10634513, 10038791, 11655840
     10048487, 9926027, 10260251, 10052721, 10028235, 10027079, 10028343
     11866171, 10231906, 10065216, 10045436, 9907089, 9897335, 10175855
     9891341, 10284828, 10072474, 10036834, 10028637, 10029900, 9974223
     9979706, 10016083, 10015460, 9918485, 9971646, 11782423, 10040647
     9978765, 10069541, 9915329, 10107380, 10110969, 10029119, 10305361
     10233159, 10083009, 9812956, 10008467, 10036193, 10048027, 10040109
     10015210, 9944978, 10033106, 9978195, 10042143, 10284693, 11877079
     9679401, 10111010, 10075643, 10057680, 10205290, 10124517, 10078086
     9944948, 10146768, 10052529, 10011084, 10073075, 10299006, 10248739
     10236074, 10128191, 10253630, 10178670, 9975837, 10168006, 9949676

Patch  12576172     : applied on Wed Jul 20 10:32:30 CDT 2011
Unique Patch ID:  13789775
   Created on 17 Jun 2011, 05:57:18 hrs PST8PDT
   Bugs fixed:
     9940990, 10249791, 10031806, 11935601, 9744252, 9956713, 10635701
     9591812, 10127360, 10207551, 11795047, 11723722, 10396874, 9443361
     11772687, 9707965, 10245086, 9845644, 12327579, 10147185, 11658679
     10039731, 10077191, 10195991, 10035521, 12417897, 10184634, 10258337
     10264680, 10209232, 9819413, 10240581, 10284570, 9770718, 10106828
     9881076, 10621169, 10048701, 9078442, 11057263, 10126219, 10073205
     10251084, 10092153, 10264696, 8223165, 10142909, 10052956, 10332589
     10329146, 11870249, 11677855, 10639365, 9869401, 10218578, 10229719
     11724984, 10411618, 11927619, 9724970, 10296898, 10084145, 10285394
     10367188, 10208386, 10142776, 10245259, 11656163, 10190642, 10129643
     10113633, 9715581, 10302581, 11889177, 10121589, 10126094, 10396041
     11826679, 11785390, 10375930, 9795214, 10142788, 9905049, 11674898
     6892311, 11936885, 10358019, 10134407, 11864352, 10207092, 9965655
     11651810, 11067567, 9869287, 9375300, 10155605, 10126680, 10356782
     10326338, 10051315, 10218814, 10261389, 10033603, 11684307, 11795819
     9929660, 9889683, 9761434, 11707302, 10230571, 10043801, 10205715
     10227133, 10353880, 10005127, 10061015, 10260808, 10094949, 9572787
     9309735, 12387009, 10632425, 10113803, 10073683, 10269026, 9748749
     10022980, 10355493, 11674485, 10006008, 10187168, 9041435, 10158965
     10044114, 10010252, 10204358, 10356513, 10378005, 10026193, 10170431
     10222719, 10403641, 10035737, 10384285, 10630260, 11069199, 11867363
     10205230, 10052141, 11818335, 10040921, 10228393, 10368754, 10199627
     9465079, 10219576, 11707699, 9951423, 11695333, 10138589, 8752691
     10270888, 9500046, 10220118, 10106107, 10278372, 11719062, 10149223
     11737421, 10122077, 10157249, 9735237, 10317487, 10219583, 10636231
     10310299, 11074393, 11065646, 12433293, 10055063, 10368698, 9709292
     10079168, 10098253, 10035825, 10233732, 10353054, 10314582, 9953542
     10033071, 10080579, 11699057, 10110863, 9919654, 10363186, 10004943
     10417716, 12341386, 11729347, 10019218, 10239480, 10373381, 9539440
     10261072, 10061490, 10124841, 10190421, 11800170, 11695285, 10157402
     9941757, 9651350, 10299224, 10151017, 10010792, 11724916, 10228635
     10018789, 10248523, 9770451, 10094635, 10425676, 9824198, 9683047
     10180307, 10071193, 9924349, 10221016, 10132870, 10094201, 10171273
     10145612, 10193846, 11664046, 10324294, 10046912, 9414040, 10086980
     11830776, 10364073, 11830777, 11830778, 10200404, 10147588, 11073768
     10102506, 10640142, 10051966, 10040531, 10082277, 10222405, 9788588
     10026967, 10260870, 10054513, 12400621, 10105926, 10040035, 11781487
     10013431, 10228151, 9172465, 10324526, 10217802, 10238786, 9791810
     10026972, 10332111, 10352368, 10227288, 10261680, 10623249, 11887380
     9671271, 11664719, 10094732, 9735282, 11800854, 9853076, 10097711
     6523037, 10053725, 8685446

Rac system comprising of multiple nodes
  Local node = enkdb03
  Remote node = enkdb04

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OPatch succeeded.

How did we determine that we were running bundle patch 8?  Well, we looked for the last patch listed, and grabbed that patch number, then looked it up on the supported versions note.  On a system that has more than a few patches installed (I'm looking in your direction, EBS), it's not always as easy as looking at the last patch listed.  Also, wouldn't you expect the "Unique Patch ID" to be the bundle patch number, since it's common across the 3 patches included in the bundle?  Not so.

Back to the new feature.  Take a look at the output of "opatch lsinventory" from this system and see if you can spot anything different:

[oracle@co01db01 config]$ $ORACLE_HOME/OPatch/opatch lsinventory
Invoking OPatch 11.2.0.1.6

Oracle Interim Patch Installer version 11.2.0.1.6
Copyright (c) 2011, Oracle Corporation.  All rights reserved.

Oracle Home       : /u01/app/oracle/product/11.2.0/dbhome_1
Central Inventory : /u01/app/oraInventory
   from           : /etc/oraInst.loc
OPatch version    : 11.2.0.1.6
OUI version       : 11.2.0.2.0
Log file location : /u01/app/oracle/product/11.2.0/dbhome_1/cfgtoollogs/opatch/opatch2011-08-30_10-25-12AM.log

Lsinventory Output file location : /u01/app/oracle/product/11.2.0/dbhome_1/cfgtoollogs/opatch/lsinv/lsinventory2011-08-30_10-25-12AM.txt

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Installed Top-level Products (1): 

Oracle Database 11g                                                  11.2.0.2.0
There are 1 products installed in this Oracle Home.

Interim patches (3) :

Patch  12332686     : applied on Mon Aug 29 22:14:45 CDT 2011
Unique Patch ID:  13971811
Patch Description:  "Exadata Database Recommended Patch (Diskmon) : 11.2.0.2.10 (12332686)"
   Created on 17 Jul 2011, 21:22:04 hrs PST8PDT
   Bugs fixed:
     12332686, 10626132

Patch  12421404     : applied on Mon Aug 29 22:14:31 CDT 2011
Unique Patch ID:  13971811
Patch Description:  "Exadata Database Recommended Patch (CRS) : 11.2.0.2.10 (12421404)"
   Created on 3 Jul 2011, 00:38:21 hrs PST8PDT
   Bugs fixed:
     9959110, 10272615, 10314123, 10014392, 10089120, 10057296, 9864003
     11775080, 9916145, 10044622, 12399977, 12421404, 12340700, 10056713
     10637741, 9939306, 9902536, 10007185, 10376847, 10038791, 11741224
     11655840, 10048487, 10322157, 10260251, 10052721, 10028235, 10027079
     10357258, 10045436, 10231906, 10622973, 9891341, 10072474, 10036834
     10029900, 9974223, 10016083, 9918485, 11781515, 10040647, 10069541
     10029119, 10233159, 12332919, 9812956, 10036193, 10015210, 12340501
     10621175, 11877079, 8906163, 10111010, 10115514, 10104377, 10057680
     10280665, 10078086, 9944948, 10146768, 10052529, 10011084, 10012319
     10073075, 10233811, 10299006, 10248739, 10236074, 10128191, 11071429
     10019726, 10178670, 9975837, 10253630, 9949676, 11936945, 10637483
     10157622, 11698552, 10385838, 10053985, 10425674, 9812970, 11828633
     11899801, 10083789, 9876201, 10073372, 9963327, 11077756, 10375649
     9336825, 11682409, 10062301, 10018215, 10105195, 10419987, 10071992
     10634513, 9926027, 10103954, 10028343, 11866171, 10065216, 9907089
     9897335, 10190153, 11744313, 10175855, 10284828, 10028637, 10361177
     9979706, 10324594, 10015460, 9971646, 11782423, 11654726, 9978765
     10398810, 11904778, 10397652, 9915329, 10107380, 10110969, 10305361
     10331452, 10083009, 10631693, 10008467, 10048027, 10040109, 9944978
     10033106, 9978195, 11840629, 10042143, 10284693, 10638381, 9679401
     11663339, 10075643, 10205290, 10124517, 11069614, 9593552, 10168006
     12677816, 11807012

Patch  12773458     : applied on Mon Aug 29 22:13:16 CDT 2011
Unique Patch ID:  13971811
Patch Description:  "Exadata Database Recommended Patch (Database) : 11.2.0.2.10 (12773458)"
   Created on 26 Jul 2011, 22:25:05 hrs PST8PDT
   Bugs fixed:
     9940990, 10249791, 10031806, 11935601, 9744252, 9956713, 12314102
     10635701, 9591812, 10127360, 10207551, 11795047, 11723722, 10396874
     9443361, 11772687, 12337910, 9707965, 10259565, 10245086, 9845644
     9401552, 12327579, 10147185, 11658679, 10039731, 12366627, 10077191
     10195991, 9842238, 10035521, 12417897, 10184634, 10258337, 7293136
     10264680, 10094823, 10209232, 9819413, 10240581, 11907498, 10284570
     9770718, 10106828, 9672816, 9881076, 11906405, 10621169, 10048701
     12569482, 9078442, 11057263, 10126219, 10073205, 12584509, 10251084
     12340939, 9835605, 9380245, 10092153, 8223165, 10264696, 10142909
     12730844, 10052956, 10285022, 10332589, 10329146, 11870249, 11677855
     10639365, 9869401, 10218578, 10229719, 11724984, 10411618, 11927619
     9724970, 10296898, 10084145, 10367188, 10285394, 10208386, 10142776
     10245259, 11656163, 10190642, 12586486, 12586487, 10129643, 12586488
     10113633, 12586489, 9715581, 10302581, 10121589, 11889177, 10126094
     12341758, 10396041, 11826679, 12400751, 9436324, 11785390, 10375930
     12586490, 12586491, 12586492, 9795214, 12586493, 10142788, 12586494
     12586495, 9905049, 12586496, 11674898, 6892311, 11936885, 10264285
     10358019, 12431716, 10422126, 10134407, 11864352, 10207092, 11781904
     11879563, 9965655, 11890804, 11651810, 11067567, 11716621, 9869287
     9375300, 10155605, 10126680, 10356782, 10326338, 10051315, 10420027
     10218814, 10261389, 12340464, 10425616, 10033603, 12569737, 11076894
     11684307, 11795819, 9929660, 9889683, 9761434, 11707302, 10230571
     10043801, 10205715, 9966609, 12419321, 10227133, 10353880, 10005127
     12647754, 10061015, 10260808, 10094949, 9572787, 9309735, 12387009
     10632425, 10113803, 10073683, 9578670, 10269026, 9748749, 10022980
     12579947, 12419331, 10355493, 11674485, 10006008, 10187168, 10648873
     9041435, 10158965, 10044114, 12635537, 12698611, 10010252, 10204358
     10356513, 10378005, 10026193, 10170431, 10222719, 10403641, 10092858
     10630260, 10035737, 10384285, 11883472, 11069199, 11867363, 10205230
     10052141, 11818335, 12371955, 11665247, 10040921, 10228393, 10368754
     12554483, 10199627, 11827088, 9465079, 10219576, 12408350, 11707699
     9951423, 11695333, 10138589, 8752691, 10270888, 9500046, 10220118
     11719062, 10106107, 10278372, 10149223, 11737421, 10122077, 11820118
     10157249, 12378147, 9735237, 10317487, 10219583, 11074393, 10636231
     10310299, 11065646, 10055063, 12433293, 10368698, 9709292, 10348372
     10079168, 10098253, 10035825, 10233732, 10353054, 10314582, 9953542
     10033071, 10620808, 11699057, 12620422, 10080579, 10110863, 11663661
     9919654, 10363186, 10004943, 10417716, 12341386, 11064851, 11729347
     10019218, 9539440, 10239480, 10373381, 10261072, 10061490, 10124841
     10190421, 11775474, 11695285, 11800170, 10157402, 9941757, 9651350
     10299224, 10151017, 11724916, 10010792, 10228635, 10018789, 10408903
     10248523, 9770451, 10094635, 10425676, 9824198, 9683047, 10180307
     12544893, 10071193, 9924349, 10221016, 10132870, 10171273, 10094201
     10145612, 10193846, 11664046, 10324294, 11696169, 9414040, 10046912
     10086980, 11830776, 11830777, 10364073, 11830778, 10200404, 10147588
     11073768, 10102506, 10640142, 11733179, 10040531, 10051966, 10082277
     12382708, 10222405, 9788588, 10026967, 10260870, 12326246, 12400621
     10054513, 10040035, 10105926, 11781487, 9771278, 9172465, 10013431
     10228151, 12404330, 10324526, 10217802, 10238786, 9791810, 12363485
     12341996, 10026972, 10332111, 10352368, 10227288, 10261680, 10623249
     11887380, 9671271, 11664719, 10094732, 9735282, 11800854, 9853076
     9900417, 10097711, 6523037, 10053725, 8685446, 10363801

Rac system comprising of multiple nodes
  Local node = co01db01
  Remote node = co01db02

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OPatch succeeded.

Did you catch the difference? Starting with bundle patch 10 for 11.2.0.2, we have a new line in the patch titled a "Patch Description" that includes a version number - in this case, it's 11.2.0.2.10, meaning that we have bundle patch 10 installed. Also, you get what component is patched in each patch included in the bundle, so you can see that bundle patch 10 has separate fixes for diskmon, CRS, and database.

Where does this information come from? It's simply an added line in the $ORACLE_HOME/inventory/oneoffs//etc/config/inventory.xml file:

[enkdb01:oracle:SANDBOX1] /u01/app/oracle/product/11.2.0/dbhome_11202/inventory/oneoffs/12332686/etc/config 
> cat inventory.xml 

    
    Exadata Database Recommended Patch (Diskmon) : 11.2.0.2.10 (12332686)
    
    13971811
    11.2.0.1.5
    
    
        
        
    
    
        
    
    
        
    
    
    true
    
    true
    false
    false
    
    
    
    
    
    
    false
    
    
    

As I said, these items may not interest everyone...just a few notes about changes to the newer installations that I found interesting.

One thought on “What’s New With Exadata – September 2011

  1. Philip

    Re the home locations, remeber these are just suggestions. Customers are free to modify the paths to any valid location (remembering that /u01 is in it’s own filesystem/volume)

    Philip…

    Reply

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