Changes in database security patching with 12c

During my preparation for the tests of October Critical Patch Updates (CPU), I stumbled over an interesting Oracle Support Document. I this document Oracle announced that there will nolonger be seperate SPU (Security Patch Update) respectively CPU (Critical Patch Update) for 12.1.0.1 and newer.

Excerpt from Oracle support document 1581950.1 Database Security Patching from 12.1.0.1 onwards:

Starting with Oracle Database version 12.1.0.1, Oracle will only provide Patch Set Update (PSU) patches to meet the Critical Patch Update (CPU) program requirements for security patching. SPU (Security Patch Update) patches will no longer be available. Oracle has moved to this simplified model due to the popularity of the PSU patches. PSUs are Oracle’s preferred proactive patching vehicle since their inception in 2009 [1].

In future it will be much easier to decide on CPU or PSU patches. 🙂 The downside is that testing becomes more complicated, since the PSU (Patch Set Updates) include security patches as well functional bug fixes.

References

Some links related CPU, SPU and PSU