TYPES OF PATCHES IN ORACLE

It all started in January 2005 with Critical Patch Updates (CPU).  Then Patch Set Updates (PSU) were added as cumulative patches that included priority fixes as well as security fixes.  As of the October 2012 Critical Patch Update, Oracle has changed the terminology to better differentiate between patch types.  This terminology will be used for the Oracle Database, Enterprise Manager, Fusion Middleware, and WebLogic.

Critical Patch Update (CPU) now refers to the overall release of security fixes each quarter rather than the cumulative database security patch for the quarter.  Think of the CPU as the overarching quarterly release and not as a single patch.

Patch Set Updates (PSU) are the same cumulative patches that include both the security fixes and priority fixes.  The key with PSUs is they are minor version upgrades (e.g., 11.2.0.1.1 to 11.2.0.1.2).  Once a PSU is applied, only PSUs can be applied in future quarters until the database is upgraded to a new base version. PSU : same as CPU  patches but include both the security fixes and priority fixes Which mean you can't Apply CPU and PSU and same database.

A PSU is a collection of proactive, stabilizing cumulative patches for a particular product version (base release or patch set).  PSUs are cumulative and include all of the security fixes from CPU patches, plus additional fixes.  Critical Patch Updates are the primary means of releasing security fixes for Oracle products. CPUs are cumulative with respect to prior CPUs and generally contain only security fixes.  Each PSU is limited from 25 to 100 new bug fixes.

Security Patch Update (SPU) terminology is introduced in the October 2012 Critical Patch Update as the term for the quarterly security patch.  SPU patches are the same as previous CPU patches, just a new name.  For the database, SPUs can not be applied once PSUs have been applied until the database is upgraded to a new base version.

Bundle Patches are the quarterly patches for Windows and Exadata which include both the quarterly security patches as well as recommended fixes.

Applying CPU Patch

1) take the below commands outputs.
select name from v$database;
select * from registry$history;
select * from v$version;
select * from dba_registry_history;
select count(1) from dba_objects where status like 'I%';
SELECT OBJECT_NAME,OBJECT_TYPE,owner FROM DBA_OBJECTS WHERE STATUS= 'INVALID';
cd $ORACLE_HOME/OPatch
opatch version
opatch lsinventory

2) Shut down the database & stop the listener.

3) check the iventory path and make sure the inventory path should be point correct inventory.

4)use below commands and take the home and inventory backups.
cd /oracle10g/PRDRCD1/product/10.2

tar cvf - .|gzip -c > /oradb/PRDRCD1/oradata1/back_home/home_prdrcd1_`hostname`_`date +%Y%m%d`.tar.gz

cd /oracle10g/PRDRCD1/product/10.2/inventory

tar cvf - .|gzip -c > /oradb/PRDRCD1/oradata1/back_home/oraInvent_prdrcd1_`hostname`_`date +%Y%m%d`.tar.gz

cd /oracle10g/oraInventory

tar cvf - .|gzip -c > /oradb/PRDRCD1/oradata1/back_home/oracle10g_oraInventory_`hostname`_`date +%Y%m%d`.tar.gz

5)take the OPatch backup.
cd $ORACLCE_HOME
cp OPatch OPatch_bak

6) unzip the p6880880_102000_SOLARIS64.zip under ORACLE_HOME

7) go to CPU patch directory and apply the CPU patch
cd /opt/oracle/July2010/9655017
export PATH=$PATH:/usr/ccs/bin
export PATH=$ORACLE_HOME/OPatch:$PATH:.
opatch version
opatch napply -skip_subset -skip_duplicate

8) Run catbunle.sql
cd $ORACLE_HOME/rdbms/admin
sqlplus /'as sysdba'
startup
@catbundle.sql cpu apply

9) run the utlrp.sql

10) excute the below statement
SELECT * FROM registry$history where ID = '6452863';
if that statement returns no rows please execute below commands
cd $ORACLE_HOME/cpu/view_recompile
sqlplus /'as sysdba'
@recompile_precheck_jan2008cpu.sql
sql>shut immediate
startup upgrade
@view_recompile_jan2008cpu.sql
shut immediate
startup
@utlrp.sql

11) perform 1st step for taking patch information.