Oracle Patch Assurance - Data Guard Standby-First Patch Apply (Doc ID 1265700.1)

Last updated on JULY 05, 2024

Applies to:

Purpose

Overview

Oracle Data Guard Standby-First Patch Apply provides support for different database home software between a primary database and its physical standby database(s) for the purpose of applying and validating Oracle patches in rolling fashion with minimal risk to the primary database.

Data Guard has long supported running different configuration between primary and standby systems.  Data Guard is completely independent from anything under the database, so you can run different versions of the operating system, Oracle Clusterware, hardware, or storage software across different sites with no restrictions on versions or time.  This has included support for the following:

• Differences in hardware (e.g. X3 Exadata Database Machine with X4 Exadata Database Machine)
• Differences in operating system (e.g. Oracle Linux 5.7 with Oracle Linux 5.8)
• Differences in database storage (e.g. Oracle ASM-based storage with NFS-based storage, or Exadata 11.2 with Exadata 12.1)
• Differences in Oracle Clusterware version and patch level (e.g. 11.2.0.3 GIPSU4 with 11.2.0.3 GIPSU5)

However, differences in database home software were limited to rolling upgrade scenarios supported only by logical standby databases.  In order to apply a later database home patch (e.g. Exadata bundle patch, or database PSU) to a Data Guard environment with physical standby, you had to perform one of the following actions:

• Shutdown both the primary and standby databases and apply the update to both systems before restarting, or
• Convert the physical standby database to a logical standby database and apply the update using the rolling upgrade process, then convert the standby database back to a physical standby (a feature known as transient logical standby).

With Data Guard Standby-First Patch Apply, Oracle supports different database home software between a primary database and its physical standby database(s), in addition to the differences listed above.

Data Guard Standby-First Patch Apply

Oracle Data Guard Standby-First Patch Apply provides support for different database home software between a primary database and its physical standby database(s) for the purpose of applying and validating Oracle patches and patch bundles in rolling fashion with minimal risk to the primary database. For example, with Data Guard Standby-First Patch Apply you apply a database home patch first to a physical standby database.  The standby is used to run read-only workload, or read-write workload if it is a snapshot standby, for testing and evaluation of the patch.  After passing evaluation, the patch is then installed on the primary system with greater assurance of the effectiveness and stability of the database home patch.

Oracle Data Guard Standby-First Patch Apply is supported only for certified interim patches and patch bundles (e.g. Patch Set Update, or Database Patch for Exadata) for Oracle Database 11.2.0.1 and later, on both Oracle Engineered Systems (e.g. Exadata, SuperCluster) and non-Engineered Systems. A patch and patch bundle that is Data Guard Standby-First certified will state the following in the patch README:

Data Guard Standby-First Installable

The following types of patches are candidates to be Data Guard Standby-First certified:

• Database home interim patches
• Exadata bundle patches (e.g. Monthly and quarterly database patches for Exadata)
• Database patch set updates

Oracle patch sets and major release upgrades do not qualify for Data Guard Standby-First Patch Apply.  For example, upgrades from 11.2.0.2 to 11.2.0.3 or 11.2 to 12.1 do not qualify.  Use the Data Guard transient logical standby rolling upgrade process for database patch sets and major releases.  Refer to the Oracle Maximum Availability Architecture best practice document at:

http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/database/availability/database-rolling-upgrade-3206539.pdf

Other configuration differences between primary and standby systems listed above in the Overview section that have been previously supported continue to be supported.

Data Guard Standby-First Patch Apply has the following advantages:

• Ability to apply software changes to the physical standby database for recovery, backup or query validation prior to role transition, or prior to application on the primary database. This mitigates risk and potential downtime on the primary database. 
• Ability to switch over to the targeted database after completing validation with reduced risk and minimum downtime. 
• Ability to switch back, also known as fallback, if there are stability or performance regressions.

Scope

Applies To

Oracle Exadata Database Machine Release 2 (11.2) release 11.2.0.1 bundle patch 8, and later
Oracle Database 11g Enterprise Edition Release 2 (11.2) release 11.2.0.2, 11.2.0.3 and later 

Details

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