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About Software Management and Patch Releases

Software management involves kccping your Oracle Databasc software up-to-date with the latest product fixes. Whcn a product defect, or a bug. is discovercd, a patch is created to fix the problem. A patch corrccts a single defect in the installed software. Individual patches, also referred to as interim patches. arc madę available to customers who for business reasons cannot wait until the ncxt patch set to rcceive the product fix.

Oracle periodically issues maintenance releases for its software, in the form of patch sets. A patch set is a collection of product fixes that have been released up to the time of the maintenance release. Patch sets are fully tested and integrated product fixes. AU the product fixes in the patch set have been tested and are certified to work with each other.

Every patch or patch set is associated with a bug number for identification purposes. Patch sets are also associated with version numbers. For example, if you use Oracle Database 1 lg Release 1 (11.1.0.6). then an availablc patch set might be 11.1.0.7. The vcrsion number of the patched software docs not changc if an interim patch is applied. Evcry patch has an associated README file that dcscribcs how it fixcs the software. The README Filc also has instructions for applying the patch.

Evcry patch set is accompanied by a Patch Set Notes filc that contains installation instructions and information about the product fixes contained within the patch set. When you apply a patch set to your Oracle software, you change the maintenance release number for your installed software. Applying a patch set affects the software residing in your Oracle home only, with no change to the data in the database.

You can use Oracle OPatch and Oracle Universal Installer (OUI) to apply patches and patch sets respectively. Alternatively, you can automate the application of these patches using Oracle Enterprise Manager Cloud Control. Use of these products is beyond the scope of this documentation.