There are a
few changes in this release:
·
Packaging: Starting with the first patch
set for Oracle Database 11g Release 2 (11.2.0.2), Oracle Database patch sets
are full installations of the Oracle Database software.
·
Simplified
new installation: Because
the release 11.2.0.2 patch set is a full installation package, if you are
installing Oracle Database on a system without an existing Oracle Database
installation, then you can simply install the release 11.2.0.2 patch set. You
are no longer required to install the base release, and then apply the patch
set.
·
Upgrade
process: Beginning with the release
11.2.0.2 patch set, you have two ways to apply a patch set:
o
Out-of-place
upgrade – This is Oracle's recommended
way to apply a patch set. You install the patch set into a new, separate Oracle
home location. After you install the patch upgrade, you then migrate the Oracle
Database from the older Oracle home. The patch set upgrade is now the same
process to upgrade from one version to another. Oracle recommends that you
perform an out-of-place patch set upgrade, because this patch set application
option requires much less downtime, and is safer because it does not require
patching an ORACLE_HOME that is already being used in production. However, you
must ensure that you have sufficient free disk space to accommodate two Oracle
home directories at the same time.
o
In-place
upgrade – You install the patch set
into an existing Oracle home location. Oracle recommends that you select this
option only if you do not have sufficient free disk space to perform an
out-of-place upgrade, as the upgrade removes the existing Oracle installation.
This patch option requires less disk space, but requires more time, and is
riskier, because if you encounter an installation failure, then you must
recover the entire existing Oracle home from a backup. If you choose this more
risky option, then before you begin the patch installation, complete the
following tasks.
·
Direct
upgrade from previous releases: You
can upgrade from a previous Oracle Database release directly to the latest
patch set, without having to install the base release. For example, if you want
to upgrade from Oracle Database 10g Release 2, or Oracle Database 11g Release
1, then you can upgrade directly to Oracle Database 11g Release 2, patch set 2
(11.2.0.2) using an out-of-place upgrade. Oracle now supports direct upgrades
to the release 11.2.0.2 patch set from any release where direct upgrade to the
base release (11.2.0.1) is supported, as well as direct upgrades from 11.2.0.1
to 11.2.0.2 or 11.2.0.3.
·
New
Features Available in Patch Sets: In
addition to the usual set of fixes, the release 11.2.0.2 patch set contains a
small number of features that complete the Database 11g Release 2 feature set. Oracle Database New Features Guide for Oracle
Database 11g Release 2
