RMAN, PSU & DBBP

Last time I ran into an issue with RMAN when trying to register a new 12.1.0.2 database in my 12.1.0.2 RMAN catalog database.

I got the error message

PL/SQL package RMAN.DBMS_RCVCAT version 12.01.02 in RCVCAT database is too old

In the first moment I was astonished, because both databases were on 12.1.0.2.

But I found the cause very quick:

I had applied the PSU July 2016 („12.1.0.2.160719 (Jul 2016) Database Patch Set Update DB PSU) (23054246)“) to the catalog database, but I had applied the DBBP July 2016 „12.1.0.2.160719 Database Proactive Bundle Patch (Jul 2016) (23273686)“) to the target database.

As you probably know, there are conflict between both patch types, and in fact you have to decide on one of them: Either PSU or DBBP!

But these conflicts not only appear when trying to install both patch types in the same Oracle-Home but when working with a catalog database for RMAN, too.

Personally I‘m in favour of the Database Proactive Bundle Patches (they are a superset of the PSUs and correct e.g. some „wrong result“ bugs).

So I had to:

1. rollback the PSU from the catalog database (datapatch rollback)
2. de-install the PSU (opatch rollback)
3. install the DBBP (opatch apply)
4. apply the changes to the database (datapatch)

Then I could register the new database.

 

Lesson learned:

Apply the same patch type to all of your databases („standards, standards, standards, ..“)

 

Related Blog Posts (by Mike Dietrich):

• Can I apply a BP on top of a PSU? Or vice versa?: https://blogs.oracle.com/UPGRADE/entry/can_i_apply_a_bphttps://blogs.oracle.com/UPGRADE/entry/can_i_apply_a_bp
• Can I apply a BP on top of a PSU? Or vice versa? PART 2: https://blogs.oracle.com/UPGRADE/entry/can_i_apply_a_bp1

Related MOS-Notes:

• Oracle Database – Overview of Database Patch Delivery Methods (Doc ID 1962125.1)

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