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Enterprise Information Technology Services

Oracle...at the University of Georgia

Oracle software is made available via site license to the University of Georgia community.
Distribution is through MSD for a nominal media fee.
 
Before applying any patches to your Oracle database, you should read the instructions that accompany it very carefully.  An incorrectly applied patch may render your database unusable, and possibly unrecoverable.  Oracle’s documentation will typically include a statement along the lines of, “Oracle recommends that you create a backup...”. This cannot be overemphasized.

Platforms and Versions

Support
  • Windows
  • AIX
  • Solaris
  • Linux
  • Unix
  • HP-UX
  • Mac

Multiple versions available (many in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions). Click HERE and navigate to the CD-Packs section.

 

You may subscribe to the UGA-Oracle Listserv HERE.

Patchsets

In general, Oracle ships the “base” version of the software.  Significant upgrades are accomplished by applying a “patchset”.  For example, Oracle 9i Release 2 for Windows was shipped as “9.2.0.1.0”.  At login you would see this in SQL*Plus:

SQL*Plus: Release 9.2.0.1.0

The SQL*Plus command "show release" will display this as:

SQL> show release
release 902000100

In Windows, if you apply Patchset 4 the release will be updated to “9.2.0.5.0”.  Patchsets will typically include detailed instructions for applying the patchset as well as a list of bugs fixed.  Be aware that installation may include both pre- and post-installation tasks and that these may include altering database parameters. 

The patchset is applied using the Oracle Universal Installer (OUI) and this may have to be upgraded prior to patchset installation.  If so, current patchsets will usually include the updated version of the OUI.

It will typically be necessary to remove interim patches (sometimes called “one-off” or “opatches”) before applying the patchset. 

Opatches

Between the releases of Patchsets, Oracle will periodically provide interim (or one-off) patches, called “opatches”.  These may include bug fixes, security patches, and related hot fixes.  It is the position of the Oracle Corporation that these patches must be removed before applying a patchset (however, always review the documentation).  This is done because the interim patches are not as rigorously tested as a patchset and a patch may include files that are incompatible with the subsequent patchset even if the patchset incorporates the bugfix initially remedied by the opatch. 
 
The script used to apply opatches is “opatch.pl”.  It is a perl script, and is no longer (as of the release of Oracle 9i Release 2 Patchset 1) included in the patch itself.  Oracle Corporation recommends the use of the current version, located here. <link to local copy of opatch zip>  Contact EITS should an older version be necessary.  Perl 5.6 or greater is needed for this script, however, please note from the in-line documentation for the current version of opatch.pl:
#    Version 5.6.0 or later should be used. However due to the
#    constraints of time this does work with 5.005_03 onwards.
 
A “standard installation” of Oracle will include Apache and within that is an acceptable version of Perl.
  • EITS is your first point of support contact. Assistance is available for system configuration and Oracle installation. Call the EITS Help Desk at 542-3106 or email helpdesk@uga.edu
  • The University System of Georgia (Board of Regents) provides additional support as outlined HERE. A listserv is administered there as well.
  • Classes are offered from time to time by the Board of Regents. Locations vary.
  • Online classes are available anytime from Element K , available at MSD.
  • Oracle offers fee-based support and training.
  • Oracle Technology Network (OTN) is an excellent source of documentation, whitepapers, product directions, evaluation software downloads, and much more. If you will be working with Oracle, you should become very familiar with this site.
  • Oracle magazine is a free publication, available both in print and online. It is a mix of news items, press releases, articles and columns dealing with Oracle usage.
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