Database patching is carried out to correct issues and enhance system performance. Patching co-managed (VMBD/BMDB/Exadata) databases is the user’s responsibility, whereas Oracle, the service provider, is responsible for patching autonomous databases. An Oracle Critical Patch Update (CPU) is released by Oracle and contains several security vulnerability fixes. These updates cover code & third-party components as well as potential security holes in Oracle products. In this post, we will talk about Oracle Patch Update and everything important to it that you should know.

What is patching?

Oracle’s easiest way to add new features is through patches. Whether you oversee an on-premises Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS) installation or a Cloud application environment, patches are inevitable.

Things to know about patching

Operating System Patches: For computers connected to the VMDB/BMDB system, Oracle offers security patches.

Database Patching: There are two techniques to apply patches to databases, both to the databases themselves and to the DB system where the databases are stored.

Grid Infrastructure Patching: The grid infrastructure is where the OS and storage for databases are located. We can upgrade this infrastructure via fixes.

Patching Cloud tools: We can patch Cloud tools like (DBcli & DBaaSCLI), which we employ to fix databases.

Patches in between: Patches in between are used to address certain issues for a specific client. These patches must first be installed to be implemented, depending on the base release or patch set.

Balancing Oracle patching test

As a test or release manager, deciding what needs to be tested is the most crucial choice you’ll make. To find the most serious flaws, you must also decide who among IT and the company needs to test.

Educate the organization and take note of the new capability that the patch has added. Choose the appropriate individuals to confirm how a vendor change may affect current modifications. Find customizations and integrations that are not documented. Recognize and order the impact of patches on crucial business operations.
As with any project, the major challenge is to release more quickly while reducing excessive costs. Business analysts spend a lot of time figuring out how much a patching job will cost and how it will affect the system. Before deploying the release, you can only do business-critical testing as a low-cost strategy. Utilizing your company users as testers will allow you to complete this testing.

Choosing the right tool for your business

The ideal testing solution must be uncomplicated, simple to use, and provide genuine benefits to both testers and corporate clients. If not, substantial delays are to be expected. Functional analysts and business users can work more efficiently with the aid of good testing tools. They help you specify the testing parameters for each Oracle Critical Patch Update and reduce the amount of time testers must spend assessing the effects of upgrades.

Final Thoughts

Testing is successful only if you are choosing the right tools and platforms. Opkey for Oracle streamlines patching and customization while integrating your business and IT operations, automating testing, and ensuring high quality. With Opkey, you can automate tests for regression, functionality, user acceptability, Cloud testing, and more, reducing the human efforts and costs.