Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Documentation
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Updated 2025-03-14

Manage Software Images

Using Software Images in Oracle Cloud Infrastructure

Parent topic: Manage Software Images

Creation and Storage of Software Images

Software images are resources within your tenancy that you create before provisioning or updating a DB system, Exadata Cloud Infrastructure instance, Database Home, database, or Grid Infrastructure.

There are two types of software image resources:

  • Grid Infrastructure software image: Grid Infrastructure software images are resources containing Oracle Grid Infrastructure software used to update Oracle Grid Infrastructure. Grid Infrastructure software images are either Oracle-published software releases or custom software images created by the customer that include the desired Grid Infrastructure release updates (GIRU) and additional one-off (interim) patches.
  • Database software image: Database software images are resources containing Oracle Database software used to provision and update Oracle Databases and Oracle Database Homes. Database software images are either Oracle-published software releases or custom software images created by the customer that include the desired Database release updates (DBRU) and additional one-off (interim) patches.

There is no limit on the number of software images you can create in your tenancy, and you can create your images with any Oracle Database software or Oracle Grid Infrastructure version and update supported in Oracle Cloud Infrastructure.

Software images are automatically stored in Oracle-managed Object Storage and can be viewed and managed in the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Console. Software images are regional-level resources but they can be accessed from any region within your tenancy.

Note: The software images incur Object Storage usage costs.

Using the OPatch lsinventory Command to Verify the Patches Applied to an Oracle Home

OPatch utility enables you to apply the interim patches to Oracle Database Home or Oracle Grid Infrastructure Home. You can find the opatch utility in the $ORACLE_HOME/Opatch directory.

Using the lsinventory command provided by OPatch, you can create a file that lists the interim patches applied to an Oracle Database Home or Oracle Grid Infrastructure Home. This file can then be uploaded to the OCI Console during the creation of a custom software Image to add the exact set of patches used by the source Oracle Database Home or Oracle Grid Infrastructure Home to the list of patches included in the software image. You can find the opatch utility in the $ORACLE_HOME/Opatch directory. The following example shows how to use the lsinventory command to create the lsinventory file:

  1. Run the opatch lsinventory command to get the list of interim patches applied.
    $ORACLE_HOME/OPatch/opatch lsinventory
Oracle Interim Patch Installer version 12.2.0.1.21
Copyright (c) 2021, Oracle Corporation. All rights reserved.
 
Oracle Home : /u02/app/oracle/product/19.0.0.0/dbhome_2
Central Inventory : /u01/app/oraInventory
from : /u02/app/oracle/product/19.0.0.0/dbhome_2/oraInst.loc
OPatch version : 12.2.0.1.21
OUI version : 12.2.0.7.0
Log file location : /u02/app/oracle/product/19.0.0.0/dbhome_2/cfgtoollogs/opatch/opatch2021-01-21_09-22-45AM_1.log
 
Lsinventory Output file location : /u02/app/oracle/product/19.0.0.0/dbhome_2/cfgtoollogs/opatch/lsinv/lsinventory2021-01-21_09-22-45AM.txt
    Oracle Interim Patch Installer version 12.2.0.1.41
Copyright (c) 2024, Oracle Corporation.  All rights reserved.
 
 
Oracle Home       : /u01/app/oracle/product/19.0.0.0/gridhome_1
Central Inventory : /u01/app/oraInventory
   from           : /u01/app/oracle/product/19.0.0.0/gridhome_1/oraInst.loc
OPatch version    : 12.2.0.1.41
OUI version       : 12.2.0.7.0
Log file location : /u01/app/oracle/product/19.0.0.0/gridhome_1/cfgtoollogs/opatch/opatch2024-04-19_19-24-22PM_1.log
 
Lsinventory Output file location : /u01/app/oracle/product/19.0.0.0/gridhome_1/cfgtoollogs/opatch/lsinv/lsinventory2024-04-19_19-24-22PM.txt
  2. Use the lsinventory output file to extract the additional interim patches applied to a specific Oracle Database Home or Oracle Grid Infrastructure Home.

Using a Software Image with an Exadata Cloud Infrastructure Instance

Create, save, and reuse a Software Image.

Creating a Software Image enables you to:

  • Create custom Database and Grid Infrastructure images based on Software Images, RU, and one-off (interim) patches.
  • Save a custom image automatically to Object Storage as a resource.
  • Provision an Oracle Database home or Oracle Database with the desired RU and one-off (interim) patches.
  • Update the Database Home and Grid Infrastructure using the Software Image.
  • Clone Software Image to another service in the Data Guard creation process.
Note

The Software Images are created and managed by the customer and they are available for use until explicitly deleted.

Parent topic: Manage Software Images

Using the Console for Software Images

Parent topic: Manage Software Images

To create a database software image

Follow this procedure to create a database on Oracle Exadata Database Service on Exascale Infrastructure

  1. Open the navigation menu. Click Oracle Database, then click Exadata Database Service on Exascale Infrastructure.
  2. Under Resources, click Database Software Images.
  3. Click Create Database Software Image.
  4. In the Display name field, provide a display name for your image. Avoid entering confidential information.
  5. Choose your Compartment.
  6. Choose the Database version for your image. You can create a database software image using any supported Oracle Database release update (RU).
    Note

    At the time of initial release of Exadata Database Service on Exascale Infrastructure, only Oracle Database 23ai is supported.
  7. Choose the patch set update, proactive bundle patch, or release update. For information on Oracle Database patching models, see Release Update Introduction and FAQ (Doc ID 2285040.1)
  8. Optionally, you can enter a comma-separated list of one-off (interim) patch numbers.
  9. Optionally, you can upload an Oracle Home inventory file from an existing Oracle Database. See Using the OPatch lsinventory Command to Verify the Patches Applied to an Oracle Home for instructions on creating an inventory file using OPatch.
  10. Click Show Advanced Options to add tags to your database software image. To apply a defined tag, you must have permissions to use the tag namespace. For more information about tagging, see Resource Tags. If you are not sure if you should apply tags, skip this option (you can apply tags later) or ask your administrator.
  11. Click Create Database Software Image.

To create a database software image from a Database Home

  1. Open the navigation menu. Click Oracle Database, then click Exadata Database Service on Exascale Infrastructure .
  2. Choose your Compartment.
  3. Navigate to the Database Home: Under Oracle Exadata Database Service on Exascale Infrastructure, click Exadata VM Clusters. In the list of VM clusters, find the VM cluster you want to access and click its highlighted name to view the details page for the cluster.
  4. Click Database Homes under Resources.
  5. Find the Database Home you want to use to create the database software image in the list of Database Homes. Click the name of the Database Home to display details about it.
  6. Click Create Image from Database Home.
  7. In the Create Database Software Image panel, enter a Display name and select a compartment for the software image.
  8. Click Create.

To update database software using custom database software image

Use the following instructions to update database software using a custom database software image.

  1. Open the navigation menu. Click Oracle Database, then click Exadata Database Service on Exascale Infrastructure.
  2. Under Oracle Exadata Database Service on Dedicated Infrastructure, click Exadata VM Clusters.
  3. Click the name of the VM cluster that you want to update the database software image.
  4. On the resulting VM cluster details page, click the View updates link in the Version section.
  5. On the resulting Updates page, click the Custom Database Software Images tab under the Database Home section.
  6. Choose a Compartment.
  7. Choose a Region.

    Region filter defaults to the currently connected region and lists all the software images created in that region. When you choose a different region, the software image list is refreshed to display the software images created in the selected region.

  8. Click the Actions button (three dots) for the update you're interested in, and select Run Precheck.
  9. On the resulting Confirm dialog, click OK to continue.
  10. After running the precheck successfully, select Apply from the Actions button (three dots).
  11. On the resulting Confirm dialog, click OK to continue.

To delete a software image

Use the following instructions to delete a software image.

  1. Open the navigation menu. Click Oracle Database, then click Exadata Database Service on Exascale Infrastructure.
  2. Under Resources, click Software Images.
  3. In the list of software images, find the image you want to delete and click the Actions icon (three dots) at the end of the row.
  4. Click Delete.
  5. In the resulting Delete software image dialog, enter the name of the software image to confirm your action.
  6. Click Delete software image.

Using the API to manage database software images

Use these API operations to manage database software images:

For information about using the API and signing requests, see REST APIs and Security Credentials. For information about SDKs, see Software Development Kits and Command Line Interface.

Parent topic: Manage Software Images

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Updated 2025-03-14