This post covers common questions related to Online Patching (ADOP) one of the most common task that Oracle Apps DBA‘s (apart from Cloning & Troubleshooting).
If you are new to Oracle AppsDBA or already working as Apps DBA but on version 11i or R12.1 then suggest you first go through Architecture, Installation, Start/Stop, File System, and Patching in Oracle AppsDBA R 12.2 for AppsDBAs here (FREE lessons from our Oracle Apps DBA Training)
ADOP stands for Application DBA Online Patching, introduced in EBS R12.2 to patch Oracle Applications while a system is available for users during Patching.
ADOP is the most important new feature introduced in Oracle EBS R12.2. It is the ability to patch a running system without having to take the system down for a significant period of time while the patches are applied.
ADOP uses dual file system (feature introduced in R12.2) to support online patching.
- adop phase=prepare -> copies the application code
- adop phase=apply -> apply patches to PATCH Environment
- adop phase=finalize -> makes ready the system for cutover
- adop phase=cutover -> bounce the system and does filesystem switchover. fs2 becomes RUN environment.
- adop phase=cleanup -> remove obsolete objects.
- adop phase=fs_clone -> synchronize filesystems
Note: that after cutover the command line environment should be re-loaded as the run edition file system has changed.
In a multi-node deployment, adop commands are only executed from the Primary Node. The primary adop session uses remote execution to automatically perform required actions on any secondary node.
Few questions on Online Patching raised by our trainees from our training Oracle Apps DBA (R 12.2) :
Q1. Which Oracle E-Business Suite releases Online Patching feature is available?
Ans: Online patching is used with Oracle E-Business Suite 12.2 and higher.
Q2. What types of patch are applied online?
Ans: All Oracle E-Business Suite Release 12.2 patches are applied online. This includes one-off patches, patch rollups, consolidated updates and security patches.
Q3. What is the Online Patching cycle?
Ans: The Online Patching cycle is a sequence of inter-related steps (phases) used to apply patches to an Oracle E-Business Suite system.
Q4. What tool is used to apply online patches?
Ans: The AD Online Patching (adop) command-line utility is used to manage the Online Patching cycle. adop invokes adpatch in the background only
Q5. Is there any downtime in Online Patching?
Ans: There is a short period of downtime when the application tier services are shut down and restarted. The database remains open all the time.
Q6. Can we still use adpatch in the Release 12.2 Online Patching environment?
Ans: No way. Only we can use adop utility in R12.2 onwards.
Q7. Can we upgrade to Release 12.2 with Online Patching?
Ans: We can’t . After you upgrade to Oracle E-Business Suite Release 12.2, you will enable to do Online Patching.
Q8. Should we enable Maintenance Mode before patching?
Ans: This is not available in Release 12.2.
Q9. Where are the log files stored for adop?
Ans: It is stored in the third filesystem which is non edition filesystem (fs_ne) :
s_ne_base/EBSapps/log/adop/<adop_session_id>/<phase>_<date>_<time>/<context_name>/log
Are you having any queries or hitting any issues in R12.2 Patching (ADOP) ?
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