Information for Unix Patch Bundles (Doc ID 762858.1)

Last updated on SEPTEMBER 04, 2023

Applies to:

Purpose

Beginning with release 10.2.0.3, Oracle Corporation has improved the process whereby interim patches are released for various different database components. The normal method of patching between major patchset releases is to apply an interim patch, also known as a one-off patch, on top of a patchset release. For example, if a customer is on 10.2.0.3, and needs a fix that is scheduled to be included in the 10.2.0.4 patchset, but that patchset is not available yet, or cannot be applied, the customer can request a targeted fix for that particular bug, on their platform. This is known as an interim, or one-off patch.

For detailed information on Oracle policies regarding interim patches, please see <Note 209768.1>.

To improve the efficiency of delivering interim patches to customers on a timely basis, Oracle Corporation has begun proactively creating interim 'bundle' patches, containing targeted fixes for various RDBMS features.

Creating these bundle patches, which are focused on specific areas or features of RDBMS functionality, provides several advantages:

• Many potential conflicts can be avoided, because the bundles include a set of interim fixes that has already been merged.
• This also allows the proactive delivery of a small set of critical fixes (targeted towards specific functionality) to be available on all major platforms in a timely manner, without the need to wait for the next full patchset.
• The interim 'bundle' patches undergo a more strenuous level of testing than the normal testing done for interim/one-off patches, which provides for greater stability.

Points Regarding Feature-specific bundle patches:

• Bundle Patches are separate from CPU Patches. CPU Patches contain security fixes, whereas the bundle patches referred to in this note contain fixes targeted towards specific features and functionality of the RDBMS and Clusterware.
• CPU Patches should not conflict with the bundle patches. However, in some cases, the patches may need to be applied using the n-Apply option, to avoid conflicts.
• RAC and CRS Bundle Patches are meant to be eligible patches that can be applied in a rolling fashion in RAC environments. Fixes that cannot be applied in a rolling fashion are not included in the RAC Bundle patch, and must be delivered as one-off patches.

The following types of bundle patches are available:

• CPU – known to be quarterly and a well-known process already exists
• CRS
• RAC
• DB Generic

Scope

This document answers the questions Support community may have regarding these bundle patches.

Details

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