This blog post describes a complex Oracle database patching issue encountered before an EXACC Image Upgrade to version 25.2.x. Initially, the plan involved applying the 12.1.0.2 database bundle patch – 34057733; however, conflicts arose with existing one-off patches. A rollback was necessary, which unexpectedly caused all database options/features to show as FALSE, impacting database functionality. After extensive troubleshooting , the issue was resolved by applying a different patch that restored the necessary features and some tricks to make DBMS_SQLPATCH valid again.

This post presents an updated Oracle 19.28 Release Update patching guide based on feedback and practical experiences. The objective remains to simplify patching for easier execution. The use of Ansible is emphasized for its consistency and repeatability in patching processes. The post includes detailed instructions for preparation, execution, Datapatch, and cleanup. Users are encouraged to validate operations and maintain backups, highlighting the importance of testing in non-production environments.

In this post, a critical incident is described that occurred while patching an Oracle 12.1.0.2 database. During the process, the rollback of conflicting patches failed because the .patch_storage directory was missing in the ORACLE_HOME. Since this directory is essential for restoring previous file versions, its absence led to corruption of the Oracle Home. Several recovery options were evaluated, but the only reliable solution was to rebuild a new Oracle Home and ensure that all required files were copied. This experience highlights the importance of verifying the existence of the .patch_storage directory and maintaining healthy Oracle Home backups.

Before upgrading a 12c EBS database to 19c in an ExaCC environment, the DBMS_STATS.GATHER_FIXED_OBJECTS_STATS command resulted in an ORA-00600 error. The issue was resolved by correcting the ORA_NLS10 environment variable to point to the appropriate directory using srvctl setenv database. After restarting the database, the command executed successfully.

This blog post details the steps for cloning an Oracle Database Home from an existing Oracle Home to another server, applicable to both RAC and Single Instance environments. Cloning is preferred over reinstalling, particularly for legacy systems with unique patches when original installation setups are unavailable. The process involves creating a tar file of the source, setting up the target, and executing cloning commands to ensure successful cloning and validation of the new Oracle Home.