1. Advanced Management and Monitoring for Engineered Systems
  2. Using the Engineered Systems Packs
  3. Exadata Management Pack Features
  4. Exadata Infrastructure Patching Using Fleet Maintenance
  5. Image Maintenance
  6. Create a Gold Image

Create a Gold Image

A gold image represents a specific Exadata release for a particular target type. It can include multiple versions aligned with the corresponding Exadata software release. Each time a new Exadata version is released, a new gold image version is created.

Note:

To maintain efficiency and storage optimization, Oracle recommends limiting each gold image to three versions.
Gold Image creation and versions

Note:

For FPP patching, the gold image must reside in the FPP server and not in Oracle Enterprise Manager. Note this for FPP server storage space considerations.
Follow these steps to create an FPP gold image:
  1. Download Patches:

    Review and download Exadata patches using MOS Note: Exadata Database Machine and Exadata Storage Server Supported Versions 888828.1

  2. Create a gold image:

    EMCLI command format:

    emcli db_software_maintenance -createSoftwareImage -input_file="data:/<location>/fpp_image"

    For more information about the createSoftwareImage verb, see db_sm_createsoftwareimage in Command Line Interface Reference.

    Example input file with suitable information depending on the Exadata resource type to be patched:

    • Example input file for Storage Server:
      IMAGE_NAME=EMCLI_INSTALL_FEST_STORAGE_SERIES
VERSION_NAME=EMCLI_INSTALL_FEST_STORAGE_IMAGE_v01
IMAGE_VERSION=22.1.3.0.0
FPP_SERVER_HOST=emracr06.subnet.example.com
IMAGE_LOCATION=/mnt/emrac/patches/patches_22.1.3.0.0/storage_22.1.3.0.0.220914
WORKING_DIRECTORY=/tmp
REF_HOST_CREDENTIALS=FPP_SERVER_CUSER:SYSMAN
IMAGE_DESCRIPTION=Image description for metadata
TARGET_TYPE=oracle_exadata
STORAGE_FILE=p34568888_221300_Linux-x86-64.zip
    • Example input file for Switch:
      IMAGE_NAME=Exadata_switch_Series_2317_1
VERSION_NAME=Exadata_switch_Image_2317_1
IMAGE_VERSION=22.1.3.0.0.221207
FPP_SERVER_HOST=emracr06.subnet.example.com
IMAGE_LOCATION=/scratch/switch_231700
WORKING_DIRECTORY=/tmp
REF_HOST_CREDENTIALS=FPP_SERVER_CUSER:SYSMAN
IMAGE_DESCRIPTION=Image description for metadata
TARGET_TYPE=oracle_si_netswitch
SWITCH_FILE=p36261780_2311200_Linux-x86-64.zip
    • Example input file for Database Node:
      IMAGE_NAME=Exadata_dbnode_Series_2317_1
VERSION_NAME=Exadata_dbnode_Version_2317_1
IMAGE_VERSION=22.1.3.0.0.221207
FPP_SERVER_HOST=emracr06.subnet.example.com
IMAGE_LOCATION=/scratch/dbnode_231700
WORKING_DIRECTORY=/tmp
REF_HOST_CREDENTIALS=FPP_SERVER_CUSER:SYSMAN
IMAGE_DESCRIPTION=Image description for metadata
TARGET_TYPE=host
DBNODE_FILE=p36261778_2311200_Linux-x86-64.zip
PATCH_MANAGER_LOCATION=dbserver_patch_220810
      • IMAGE_VERSION must contain the full version name including patch date. For example 22.1.3.0.0.221207.
      • Patch manager location file must be unzipped and copied into Compute node (domU) image folder.
  3. Create an image version:

    For recurring patch cycles, a new image version can be created in an existing gold image. This avoids having to create a new gold image for each new patch for the same component version. This requires an additional parameter FPP_IMAGE_ID.

    EMCLI command format to create the gold image:

    emcli db_software_maintenance -createSoftwareImage -input_file="data:/<location>/fpp_image"

    For more information about the createSoftwareImage verb, see db_sm_createsoftwareimage in Command Line Interface Reference.

    Example input file with suitable information depending on the Exadata resource type to be patched:

    • Example input file for Storage Server:
      FPP_IMAGE_ID=1C3BAEBE500B3F67E063DF034B64620
VERSION_NAME=EMCLI_INSTALL_FEST_STORAGE_IMAGE_v01
IMAGE_VERSION=22.1.3.0.0
FPP_SERVER_HOST=emracr06.subnet.example.com
IMAGE_LOCATION=/mnt/emrac/patches/patches_22.1.3.0.0/storage_22.1.3.0.0.220914
WORKING_DIRECTORY=/tmp
REF_HOST_CREDENTIALS=FPP_SERVER_CUSER:SYSMAN
IMAGE_DESCRIPTION=Image description for metadata
TARGET_TYPE=oracle_exadata
STORAGE_FILE=p34568888_221300_Linux-x86-64.zip
    • Example input file for Switch:
      FPP_IMAGE_ID=1C3BAEBE500B3F67E063DF034B64620
VERSION_NAME=Exadata_switch_Version_2317_1
IMAGE_VERSION=22.1.3.0.0.221207
FPP_SERVER_HOST=emracr06.subnet.example.com
IMAGE_LOCATION=/scratch/switch_231700
WORKING_DIRECTORY=/tmp
REF_HOST_CREDENTIALS=FPP_SERVER_CUSER:SYSMAN
IMAGE_DESCRIPTION=Image description for metadata
TARGET_TYPE=oracle_si_netswitch
SWITCH_FILE=p36261780_2311200_Linux-x86-64.zip
    • Example input file for Database Node:
      FPP_IMAGE_ID=1C3BAEBE500B3F67E063DF034B64620
VERSION_NAME=Exadata_dbnode_Version_2317_1
IMAGE_VERSION=22.1.3.0.0.221207
FPP_SERVER_HOST=emracr06.subnet.example.com
IMAGE_LOCATION=/scratch/dbnode_231700
WORKING_DIRECTORY=/tmp
REF_HOST_CREDENTIALS=FPP_SERVER_CUSER:SYSMAN
IMAGE_DESCRIPTION=Image description for metadata
TARGET_TYPE=host
DBNODE_FILE=p36261778_2311200_Linux-x86-64.zip
PATCH_MANAGER_LOCATION=dbserver_patch_220810
      • IMAGE_VERSION must contain the full version name including patch date. For example, 22.1.3.0.0.221207.
      • Patch manager location file must be unzipped and copied into Compute node (domU) image folder.