R12 Patch Wizard for SYSADMINs

and Functional Superusers

Session ID#: 13937

Prepared by:
Karen Brownfield
Practice Director
Infosemantics.com

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About the Speaker

Oracle Ace
Oracle Certified Specialist (EBS and Fusion)
Over 20 years E-Business Suite support
OAUG board member, past President
Member ATG Customer Advisory Board
Over 100 presentations worldwide
Co-author multiple books on E-Business Suite

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SBA 8(a) Small Business
disadvantaged company
GSA Schedule contract GS35F-0680V
Texas State HUB vendor
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Copyright 2014 Infosemantics, Inc. All Rights Reserved . Any other commercial product names
herein are trademark, registered trademarks or service marks of their respective owners.

R12.1.3, R12.2, OBIEE public

vision instances
Posted presentations on
functional and technical topics

Agenda

Introduction
What is Patch Wizard
Applied Patches
File History
Register Flagged Files
Patch Wizard
Create Recommendation
Analyze Recommendation
Merge Patches

References and SQL Scripts

Q&A

Introduction

Introduction
Problem occurs
MOS note seems to describe your issue

Have I already applied the patch?

I dont have SQL or know the tables to query for the patch

Am I already at a higher version of the file in the note?

SR is filed

Support asks me to grep the header (RDAs do not live everything)

and I have no UNIX access

Was the patch migrated?

Yes, DBA can answer questions, but he/she is

Remove, different time zone

Gone for the day

Busy

Introduction
Preventive Maintenance (Patch current)
Where do I go to find what patches to apply?

My Oracle Support notes

They change
I cant find one for some of the products

My DBA ran Patchsets.sh and says Im current

Only checks for codelevel changes, not additional patches for
same code level

Other sources
What other sources?

Introduction
I applied a patch, what do I need to test?
Many patches (ex. Product rollups) gather the whole schema
into the patch, but what really changed?
Did it overwrite my customization?

It worked yesterday (last week, last month.), what

happened?

What is Patch Wizard

What is Patch Wizard

Tool available from OAM (Oracle Applications Manager)
System Administrator responsibility has access

Delivered as a DBA tool in 11i to manage patches

Functionality expanded and now a useful (not perfect, but
constantly improving) tool for all personnel responsible for the
support of E-Business Suite

Patch Wizard
Applied Patches

Patch Wizard
File History

Patch Wizard
Register Flagged Files
Mark Files (Usually Customized) for Special Notice if affected by
a Patch
Does not stop patch replacing file

Patch Wizard
Timing Reports
List of Patches applied last 90 days
Details Timing Each Step

Patch Wizard
Patch Wizard
Recommend/Analyze Patches (and Patch impact)
Download Patches / Aggregate Patch Impact

Base Line for Presentation

Presentation from both a 12.1.3 and 12.2.3 instance
Also available in 11.5.10, but functionality may not be as rich

12.1.3 patched through 17270136 for ADO (Patch Wizard)

and through July recommended patches for all products
except CRM and Payroll
MOS note 976688.1 Patch Wizard FAQ [Video] provides script
to ensure you are on latest patch

12.2.x patches not in note..yet

Oracle R12 Patch Definitions

Point Release new features that will substantially impact
your system, example 12.1 or 12.2
Always starts a new codeline

RUP cumulative Release Update Pack updates the x after

12.1 or 12.2, example 12.1.3 or 12.2.3
Product family RUP aggregation of patches created for
specific product family after initial release
Example R12.ATG_PF.B.DELTA.3
Similar to codelevel, but refers to product family, not product

Oracle R12 Patch Definitions

Codeline point release for a product or product family that
delivers a unique set of features and is represented by letter
A R12.0.x
B R12.1.x (some products are at C)
C (and D) R12.2.x

Codelevel fixes to a set of features in a codeline for a

specific product and is represented by the product, the
codeline and a number, example R12.AD.B.1
This is similar to product family release update pack but is by
product within product family

Oracle R12 Patch Definitions

Recommended patch updates codelevel
Lowest level reported by patchsets.sh

High-priority patch is a one-off or collection of bugs that fixes

issues with current codelevel
May also be referred to as Consolidated patch

R12 patches are based on a specific codelevel (i.e.

R12.AD.B.1)
If R12.GL.B.3 is the prereq, R12.GL.B.4 satisfies but
R12.GL.B.2 does not (nor does any R12.GL.A.n)

MOS note 459156.1 has a second set of definitions for the

aggregation level of patches but above definitions match
Patch Wizard terminology

Applied Patches

Query Patch Simple Search

Default is applied within last 60 days
Earliest patch date is 01-JAN-1950
If patch merged, click to
see included patches
Actual patch(es) applied
that include patch
Click Details to access
more info, drilldowns

Query Patch Advanced Search

Product list contains pseudo products

Included Patches
Despite ability to search by pseudo products, search may
not yield any results so you may need to know alternate
product association
Example: patch 17618508 is not returned in search for OWF or
WF patches, only FND

Details and Drilldown

Click to see:

Timing Details detail patch steps and execution times

Actions Summary by file, each action on that file
Files Copied files applied by the patch
Bug Fixes bugs in patch even if no files from bug applied
Codelevel Introduced (if applicable)

Bug Fixes
All bugs in the patch
Clicking on underlined link goes to Action Summary
That Bug will be listed twice

Files Copied
Only lists 200 rows
Can search for Product, File, or Directory
Must understand your Product family to search effectively

Uses for this screen

It worked yesterday use the Applied Within n days to
search for patches applied in previous days
Was my patch migrated search by patch number
MOS note lists file(s) to check, what other files were
changed/added?
Did the latest upgrade iteration include all the patches from
the issues log? this one is tougher since searching by
Applied Within or date range will list all patches applied as
part of the upgrade
Search in the former instance by date range to get all patches
applied after the initial instance creation

Search in the new instance by individual patch number.or

Create script to check for the specific patches

File History

Replace Grep the Header

Results give all applied versions within search parameters
Actions gives detail patching actions on the file
Clicking Patch Details goes to Patch History

Register Flagged Files

Register Flagged Files

Flagged Files are Oracle files you have customized (or want
awareness that a patch touched the file)
Applcust.txt is obsolete in R12

Patch Wizard will then let you know when a patch includes
one of these files
Form opens to search screen, click Add to register a file

Register Flagged Files

Finding which file to register is hardest part
Example Purchasing Approval workflow is contained in
poxwfpoa.wft (not same as internal name of workflow)

Click Add, not Apply

Register Flagged Files

This time click Apply will get Confirmation

Add what customization to check

for when testing patch

Register Flagged Files

Subsequent visits to this form lists registered files

Register Flagged Files Anomaly

Many files (> 100,000) appear more than once in AD_FILES
Product Abbreviation or directory is different (abbreviation is all
uppercase on form, but table is not)

Pick appropriate Product and dont worry if appear the same

If Directory different, use File History to pick most recent

Patch Wizard

Are You Patched Current?

MOS note 1525452.1
Patches & Updates MOS note 1400757.1
Patching Quick Links Legacy Search Method
Patch Search R12 only

Product or Family (Advanced)

Performance Patches MOS note 244040.1

Extended Support Patches MOS note 1178133.1
Patchset Comparison Utility Patchsets.sh MOS note
139684.1
Patch Wizard
Offline MOS note 741129.1

https://updates.oracle.com/download/InfoBundleR12.zip

Connected to MOS

What is InfoBundleR12.zip?
Zip file containing

List of recommended patches recommended.xml

Latest codelevel patches codelevels.xml
Information on products and product families productInfo.xml
For Each patch

Readme

Patch LDT file

Patch_metadata.xml

Patch Wizard Tasks

Patch Wizard Preferences

Prerequisites (performed by DBA)
Create working or Staging directory
This directory must have two sub-directories

ad

nonad

From Screen
Enter Staging Directory in Patch Wizard Preferences
(Optional) Set Up MetaLink (MOS) Credentials

Required to download patches

If not setup, DBA will have to periodically download

InfoBundleR12.zip and place in staging directory

Patch Wizard Preferences

Enter Directory
Choose Platform,
Languages and how to
merge language patches

Click Metalink Credentials

if want to download
patches / InfoBundleR12
automatically
Must be real MOS user

Patch Wizard Preferences (bottom of page)

Select whether to get recommendations for all or just In Use
products
Click Codelevels Summary to adjust list
Be careful of unmarking In Use check against Installed and
Shared Products table

Define Patch Filters

Type Oracle cannot be altered or deleted
Recommended is across all products but excludes new
codelevels
New Codelevels is across all products and only lists patches
that update the product level
To create your own, click Create New or select a model and
click Create Like

Define Patch Filters

Name and Description are required
Name cannot be changed once saved, but can delete and start
over limited to 30 characters

As a rule, filter is by product family

Select options,
click Continue
then Submit

Recommend/Analyze Patches
Choices
Create Recommendation using selected Patch Filter
Analyze Specific Patches

Recommend/Analyze Patches
Can schedule
When to start
How often to repeat

If scheduled at start of each day, others w/o Credentials can review

results or schedule own recommendations

What Runs and What Is It

PatchWizard Recommended Patches (Request Set
Submit/AdvisorCreator)
Request Set that controls all other programs

Submit Recommend Patches (Wrapper)

Log from this program tells status of request set

Submitted from PAUpload (PATCH WIZARD (FNDGFU))

Unpacks zipfile for each patch in InfoBundle not found in ad or
nonad directory

Submitted from PAUpload (PATCH WIZARD (FNDLOAD))

Loads ReadMe for each patch in InfoBundle not found in ad or
nonad directory

What Runs and What It Does

Analyze Impact Data
Verifies prereqs applied or included in recommended list

Build JSP Dependency Tree

Ensure Java dependencies are there

Compile Diagnostic Test Versions

Analyze Menu Tree Affected
Looks at forms and JSPs in a patch and if updated, what is
impact on menus and responsibilities

Analyze Impact Data 2

Aggregate Impact Analysis
If flag checked, aggregates changes from each patch

Patch Wizard Status Tracker THE END

How to Monitor / Check status

View Concurrent Requests
Click Recommend Analyze Patches Job Status button
From Recommended Patches Results
Click link under Request Set
May have to click refresh button at top of form (not browser
refresh)
Wont show until request set finished

Initial run could take hours, so be patient

How to Monitor / Check status

Click Show link to expand, then click Request Log

Why Completed Warning

No MOS credentials, cant download InfoBundle12.zip

Ran more than one Analysis same day

Reviewing Results R12.1.3 vs R12.2.x

12.1.3
Patch 17270136 added Applied Indirectly

12.2.3
Note Pending Cutover

Reviewing Results
Click View Aggregate Patch Impact for impact of all patches
merged together
Click blue box in Impact column for single patch
Initial sort by patch
Click a column to
change sort by

If status Missing,
prereqs are needed

Click Show All nnn

to see all rows

Reviewing Results New Codelevels

Patch Wizard lists equivalent Patchsets.sh patches in New
Codelevels section
Lists patches for current release as well as new releases
Patches listed actually exist

Same patch
number as reports
by Patchsets.sh

If PAA = Yes, must run

admsi.pl for mandatory
instructions

Note this is 12.2.3

Reviewing Results by Aggregate Impact

Reviewing Results by Patch

Can view Read Me
Can see which files are changed
Can see which responsibilities, paths affected***

Reviewing Results Drilldown

File Types Affected
Drilldown further to exact files impacted

Reviewing Results Drilldown

Example Drilldown on .fmb (forms)
Note Yes in Flagged File column
Drilldown on File Name to see complete File History
Drilldown on Objects Affected to see Menus / Responsibilities
Impacted

Objects Affected
Shows responsibilities, navigation patch, and number of
users impacted

Viewing Results Can/Will it be Better?

Enhancement Request 9703046
Provide Description of the Files and Test Plan in Patch Impact
Analysis Results

Help from other presentations

Patch Wizard for the Masses: An APEX Version of the Patch
Impact Analysis Reports

April 9 11-12 Sands, Level 1 - 303

Patch Wizard Display Issues

Aggregate Impact button is gray even though clicked to
Aggregate Impact
Flagged Files is zero even when registered files impacted
Cant view logs from Sub Requests for Request ID
Answer: Run Update Current view snapshot via adadmin,
then rerun analysis
From adadmin, choose options 2, 4, 2, 1
MOS note 1533608.1 OAM Registered Flagged Files Does
Not Display Correctly The Number Of Flagged Files Changed

Create An Aggregated Patch

Always ensure any recommended AD and ADO patches are
applied first
These patches cannot be merged with any other product
patches

AD is Patching Utility

ADO is Patch Wizard

If not applied first, Patch Wizard will create two merged patches
and name 2nd one mrg_<mrg number>_A

If only one AD or ADO patch in requested merge, request completes

warning with following warning: WARNING: Merge Patch: mrg_<mrg
number>_A building skipped. Only 0 or 1 patch found to be merged
in staging directory

Warning may disappear if enhancement request 14732628

implemented

MUST read Readmes

Patch Wizard looks at the driver file, not the Readme
Per MOS note 976188.1
Only hard prereqs (i.e. regardless of product mix) will be
checked for
Prereqs that are dependent on your product mix may not be in
driver file, only in Readme

Check Instructions AND Description

Example: FUN Patch 13773185

No Prereq detected by Patch Wizard or downloaded
Was not already applied, index did not exist

If mentioned prereq is obsoleted (not same as superseded),

then replacement patch will be obtained

MUST read Readmes

Instructions in Description may not be discovered by Patch
Wizard
Example: Patch 14069503

Description stated patch must not be merged

Patch Wizard allowed patch to be merged

Any patch with following in Readme cannot be merged with

patches w/o this note
Patch Wizard will not separate the merges
Applying these not reflected in AD_BUGS
Seem to have been removed from latest InfoBundle

Running Download
Requires MOS Credentials to be in Preferences
Person must have Patch Download authority

From Recommended Patches screen

Either click Select All or check patches to merge
Hint: First put screen in Show All

Click Download

Running Download

Can add patches

<patch #>.<product>.<codeline>
Use product code from analysis

Write down name

After Download finishes

If any patch had PAA=Yes, must run admsi.pl against merged
patch to get list of manual steps
No harm is done by running admsi.pl regardless
ADO patch 1727016 PAA will not return Yes if only manual
step is to apply patch or an informational step

From operating system

Admsi.pl cli patch_top=<staging>/<merge name>_N

Requires apps password

-cli removes need to have X Terminal emulation installed

When finished
More install_<merge name>_N.txt

Also produces .html file

Merged Patch is ready to be installed

Perform pre-patch instructions requiring EBS screens
Forward to DBA
Name of merged patch
Any pre-patch instructions from readmes or admsi.pl not
requiring EBS screens
Any post-patch instructions from readmes or admis.pl not
requiring EBS screens
Ask DBA to update the snapshot

After DBA replies patch is complete

Perform post-patch instructions requiring EBS screens
Can use Patch Wizard to verify files impacted by patch
Test

References and SQL Scripts

What Application is unv_pf (or any abbr)??

What Application are Installed?

What is the real patch that was applied?

Web sites for additional scripts

http://beginapps.blogspot.com/2008/05/here-is-list-of-fewimportant-tables.html

MOS notes Patch Wizard

1077813.1 Patch Wizard: Overview and Videos
976188.1 Patch Wizard Utility [Video]
976688.1 Patch Wizard FAQ [Video]
1085668.1 Patch Wizard: Training Video
741129.1 How To Use Patch Wizard Without Setting Up
Internet Connection
352843.1 How to Run a Patch Analysis In OAM
1533608.1 OAM Registered Flagged Files Does Not
Display Correctly The Number of Flagged Files Changed

MOS notes General Patching

459156.1 Oracle E-Business Patching FAQ for Release 12
1525452.1 How to find the Latest, Recommended Patches
for E-business Suite R12 or 11i
1400757.1 How to Find E-Business Suite Recommended
Patches
244040.1 Oracle E-Business Suite Recommended
Performance Patches
139684.1 R11i / R12.0 / R12.1 / R12.2: Oracle Applications
Current Patchset Comparison Utility patchsets.sh
954704.1 EBS: R12.1 Oracle Financials Recommended
Patch Collection (RPC)

Thank you!!
Karen.Brownfield@Infosemantics.com

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