Oracle database support 12c 18c 19c patching vs upgrade

To help you plan ahead the Oracle database upgrades and patching, below is an Oracle Database Releases roadmap, showing their lifetime support stages (Premier + Extended) for the latest releases.

Oracle database Release and Support Timelines (MOS Doc ID 742060.1) + Extras

Oracle Support Notes

  • Ensure to maintain Oracle releases that are under Oracle Premium Support  (black bars on the chart) or Extended Support (red bars on the chart)
  • Extended Support is typically for three years following the expiration of Premier Support and only for the Terminal Patch Set release
  • After end of Premium + Extended Support no new patches are released by Oracle + lower SLAs apply for the corresponding database release
  • To receive Extended Support, you must:
    • Continue to pay the support fee for Premier Support 
    • Purchase Extended Support on top of Premier Support fee (unless the fee is waived (usually for the 1st year)
    • Most ULA/PULA contracts include Extended Support fee
    • Enable Extended Support for your Support Identifier (SI) on MOS
Read more »

Oracle Support (MOS) Service Request best practices

In case you want to engage Oracle Support in order to receive help in an issue resolution you have to submit a Service Request (SR) at My Oracle Support website (MOS). Below I share some best practices in this area collected from different training courses and my own experience.

Before creating Oracle MOS SR

When you have a question or issue, need help the solution may already be available on MOS or Internet.
So before creating an SR you can do a quick search in the MOS Knowledge Base and MOS Community Space, use OTN Forum or even Google it. I recommend however using MOS Community or Internet only if all below points apply:

  • If you have a low severity question or if you are interested in discovering how to do something
  • If you have been unable to locate an answer in the MOS Knowledge Base
  • When you have knowledge or experiences to share with your peers

If the issue is critical, do not wait! Submit the SR immediately while in parallel doing your own investigation (ideally having 2 resources for these 2 tasks). In this case even if you find a solution yourself, it will be anyway worth to validate it through MOS SR.

Creating a well-defined SR

1) Create an MOS SR using following methods:

  • Using a relevant System/Target that is managed in MOS via Oracle Configuration Manager (OCM): <Systems> Tab -> Right-Click on System or Target -> Create SR
  • Using “Create SR Like Selected SR” (best method in case a similar SR for the same target exists already)
  • Using “Create SR” button to create SR from scratch

Oracle MOS SR Create step

Oracle Support MOS SR Create Step

2) Provide all the necessary information that enables the SR to be correctly assigned to the engineer with the best skillset to resolve your issue.

Oracle Support MOS SR - Problem Step

Oracle Support MOS SR – Problem Step

SR Step – Problem

  • Problem Summary = Tittle of the SR (use as short SR explanation; try to be descriptive to distinguish it in the SR List later; include Error codes)
  • To speed up SR creation you can Autofill the Configuration/Software section using “SR Profile” or “Existing SR”.
  • Choose carefully [Problem type] to ensure the SR assigned to the most appropriate and qualified support engineer available which will minimize the potential number of SR transfers and decrease the resolution time.

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How to speed up Oracle MOS SR resolution – OnePager

Below is a quick summary (OnePager) of the most valuable tips and best practices in order to speed up an Oracle Support (MOS) Service Request (SR) resolution:

  1. Speed up SR creation using:
    – Use OCM and System/Target list -> Right Click on a target -> Create SR button (best method for initial SR)
    – “Create SR Like Selected SR” (best method in case a similar SR for the same target exists already)
    – Using SR Profiles (as alternative in case both above methods are not available/appropriate)
  2. Provide proper SR description and problem type including all relevant logs, traces, screenshots, etc. right at the beginning
  3. Open SR with Severity 2 as minimum (in case you want the SR resolution will move during the day)
  4. Ensure the Oracle Support engineer is in similar time zone (unless it’s 24×7 SR), otherwise request SR reassignment
  5. Ask for the proper root cause analysis, path forward and detail action plan
  6. Respond to your action codes fast in SR (Customer Working, Solution Offered) to ensure the SR is moving
  7. Track Timelines in the SR body yourself (since MOS does not do it properly)
  8. Speed up communication with Support Engineer using alternative ways:
    • Ask Support Engineer to open a chat
    • Ask Support Engineer to open a web conference (get instructions from the engineer how to start it)
    • Call Support Engineer (call Oracle Support and ask them to connect you to the Engineer)
  9. Raise SR Severity to 1 (24×7 or during business hours; it works also for test systems!)
  10. Escalate SR / Request Management Attention

If you have more valuable tips on how to speed up Oracle Support (MOS) Service Request (SR) resolution, share your ideas in comments and/or else like/share it with others.

How to escalate Oracle Support Service Request MOS SR

Oracle Support MOS SR escalated

Oracle Support Service Request (MOS SR) escalated

If you are not satisfied with the resolution or response to a critical Service Request (SR) at My Oracle Support (MOS), you can escalate it. SR escalation process (formerly known as the Duty Manager Process) is officially known as Requesting Manager Attention to a Service Request. This procedure will facilitate the assignment of a Support Manager [and potentially another support Engineer] to the SR, creation of an Action Plan and as the result it will usually speed up the resolution of the issue.

See below a Workbook of how to properly escalate MOS SR which is based on the Oracle official procedure, best practices and my own experience (this is a draft document -> it will be adjusted based on your valuable comments and experiences that you can post right below this post).

Before Escalating MOS SR

  • Raise SR Severity (do not escalate if you have an ability to raise the severity)
  • Work properly with the SR to avoid delays using my MOS SR Tips and Best practices
  • In case you decide to escalate SR ensure the following:
    • You have a valid reason and business case at your hands.
    • Decide who will be the main contact from your side for the escalation process and that contact information is properly documeted in the SR (either as Primary or Alternate SR contact or if other: place it in SR body).

1. Insert the below template into the SR

This step is optional but makes sense to ensure proper communication Read more »

Oracle Configuration Manager OCM installation administration

OCM Proactive database monitoring with MOS

OCM proactive database monitoring with MOS

The Oracle Configuration Manager (OCM) is a tool to proactively monitor your Oracle environment (your Oracle database in particular) with combination to My Oracle Support (MOS) website. OCM uploads this configuration information to Oracle Customer Configuration Repository on a regular basis and replicates this to My Oracle Support so that you and MOS engineers can view your Oracle database configuration, see alerts, and perform health-checks against your Oracle database. OCM also simplifies and speeds up a creation and handling of MOS Service Requests.

How to download latest OCM

All Oracle customers are enabled for Configuration Manager by default and they obtain the latest version of Configuration Manager (OCM) with different ways. Read more »

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