For Oracle Exadata Cloud@Customer (ExaCC), DomU (Guest VM) OS patching is the customer's responsibility, while Oracle patches the underlying infrastructure (Dom0, storage servers, switches, firmware, ILOM, etc.). Oracle provides automated tools through the OCI Console and APIs to simplify the DomU patching process.

Oracle Exadata Cloud@Customer (ExaCC) DomU OS Patching Procedure

1. Back Up the sudoers Configuration

Log in to each database server and back up the /etc/sudoers.d configuration.

cp -r /etc/sudoers.d /etc/sudoers.d_bkp

2. Verify /etc/fstab

Review the /etc/fstab file and ensure there are no duplicate entries for the same file system mount point.

3. Run OS Patching Prechecks

Log in to the OCI Console and execute the OS patching prechecks. The precheck typically takes approximately 20 minutes.

Navigate to:

Oracle AI Database → Oracle Exadata Database Service on Cloud@Customer → Select the Compartment → Select the VM Cluster → Updates (OS) → Select the target OS version → More Actions (⋮) → Run Prechecks

4. Review Precheck Results

If the prechecks fail due to RPM conflicts, review the conflict reports located on the first database server.

Possible log locations:

/u02/dbserver.patch.zip_exadata_ol8_<version>_Linux-x86-64.zip/dbserver_patch_<date>/patchmgr_log_<hostname>/minimum_conflict_report.<datetime>.txt.<hostname>

or

/var/log/cellos/minimum_conflict_report.<datetime>.txt

Typical conflict examples include:

• python3-libipa_hbac-2.9.4-4.0.1.el8_10.x86_64
• sssd-idp-2.9.4-4.0.1.el8_10.x86_64

5. Resolve RPM Conflicts

5.1 Resolve python3-libipa_hbac Conflict

Verify whether the RPM is installed.

rpm -qa | grep python3-libipa_hbac-2.9.4-4.0.1.el8_10.x86_64

Check whether the package has dependencies.

rpm -e --test python3-libipa_hbac-2.9.4-4.0.1.el8_10.x86_64

Example dependency:

krb5-pkinit-openssl >= 1.18.2-26 is needed by ipa-client

Verify the dependent package.

rpm -qa | grep ipa-client

If there are no blocking dependencies, test removal of the dependent packages.

rpm -e --test krb5-pkinit ipa-client

Remove the conflicting packages.

rpm -e krb5-pkinit ipa-client

5.2 Resolve sssd-idp Conflict

Verify whether the RPM is installed.

rpm -qa | grep sssd-idp-2.9.4-4.0.1.el8_10.x86_64

If no dependency issues exist, remove the package.

rpm -e sssd-idp-2.9.4-4.0.1.el8_10.x86_64

6. Verify Package Installation Dates

Confirm the installation dates of the conflicting RPMs.

rpm -qa --last | grep python3-libipa_hbac-2.9.4-4.0.1.el8_10.x86_64
rpm -qa --last | grep sssd-idp-2.9.4-4.0.1.el8_10.x86_64

7. Repeat on All Cluster Nodes

Perform the same RPM verification and conflict resolution procedure on every node in the Exadata VM cluster.

8. Re-run the Prechecks

After resolving all RPM conflicts, log in to the OCI Console and execute the OS prechecks again.

Navigate to:

Oracle AI Database → Oracle Exadata Database Service on Cloud@Customer → Select the Compartment → Select the VM Cluster → Updates (OS) → Run Prechecks

Ensure that all prechecks complete successfully.

9. Apply the OS Patch

Once the prechecks complete successfully, begin the OS patching process.

Navigate to:

Oracle AI Database → Oracle Exadata Database Service on Cloud@Customer → Select the Compartment → Select the VM Cluster → Updates (OS) → Select the target OS version → More Actions (⋮) → Apply Update

The patch is applied in a rolling manner across the cluster nodes. Monitor the update from the OCI Console until all nodes complete successfully.