Oracle Patch Terminology INTRODUCTION

When you use Oracle's technical support services, you often encounter patch-related terminology. Here are some explanations for these terms:

interim Patch/one-off Patch:It is a patch that we often say about patches that are released in order to fix a bug (s). This patch is recommended for testing on the test library and then installed on the production library.

merged Patch:Merge the patches. This merged patch is required when there is a conflict between several small patches and cannot be installed at the same time. Patch conflict is mainly due to 2 or more patches to modify the same file, but the contents of the changes are different.

Bundle Patch:Patch set to fix multiple bugs. Oracle on the Windows platform does not have a small patch, only this bundle patch. This patch assembly is periodically released (at least quarterly). This set of patches is cumulative (cumulative), which means that each bundle patch will contain all of the previous bundle patches. For example, Windows bundle patch 16, which contains all of the previous 15 bundle patches, is always recommended to install the latest bundle patches. The Windows bundle patch for Oracle's cluster software and database software is the same, such as the window bundle patch 16 (Patch number 16167942, which can be hit on a cluster or on a database).

To learn about patch numbers for Windows Bundle patches, refer to the MOS documentation:
Note 161549.1 Oracle Database, Networking and Grid Agent patches for Microsoft platforms

Critical Patch Update (CPU):Quarterly releases, some patches to fix security, are cumulative. The Security Patch Update (SPU) has now been renamed.
Click on the link below to see the specific issues fixed by each CPU:
Http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/alerts-086861.html

Patch Set Update (PSU):Quarterly release, fixed some of the more serious problems, including the quarterly CPU, is cumulative type. While describing the PSU will use the database version of the 5th bit, such as DB PSU 11.2.0.3.5, but actually after the PSU does not really change the version of the database, from the v$version to see the version or 4-bit (11.2.0.3.0), The 5th digit is still 0. Note that there is no CPU and psu,oracle on Windows cluster software and the database software uses a different PSU.

You can refer to the MOS documentation below for specific patch numbers for each quarter of the CPU, PSU, Windows Bundle Patch:
Note 1454618.1 Quick Reference to Patch Numbers for Database PSU, SPU (CPU), Bundle patches and patchsets

Patch Set:is a patch set released on a large version that fixes more bugs and may contain enhancements (enhancement). For example, 11.2 is a large version, then 11.2.0.2 is a patch set. This set of patches has undergone rigorous integration testing and is a cumulative type. So we always recommend installing the latest patch Set.

Diagnostic Patch:Diagnostic patches. Sometimes when diagnosing a problem, in order to get more diagnostic information, Oracle's development department provides a diagnostic patch that is not intended to fix the problem, but rather to diagnose the problem.

Composite Patch:Starting from the April 2012 database PSU 11.2.0.3.2, a new concept called composite patches was introduced. This is a new kind of patch pack, which differs from other cumulative patch packs. If the composite patches is installed for the first time, all the patches included in the composite patches will be installed, and subsequent installations of composite patches will only be installed compared to the previous composite Patches has changed parts and new additions to patches.

The PSU is a composite Patch, illustrated in the case of the PSU.

The first installation of the composite patch is PSU 11.2.0.3.2:
Interim patches (1):

Patch 13545268:applied on Fri Dec 10:59:28 EST 2011
Patch Description: "Database Patch Set update:11.2.0.3.2 (13545268)"<== Change and the new section
Created on 2 July, 07:52:00 hrs PST8PDT
Sub-patch 13343438; "Database Patch Set update:11.2.0.3.1 (13343438)" <==sub-patch
Bugs fixed:
9275072, 9352237 ...

When installing the next composite patch PSU 11.2.0.3.3, you only need to install the changed parts and the newly added patches, without having to install the previously installed 11.2.0.3.1 And 11.2.0.3.2, the part that was previously installed is called Sub-patch:

Patch 13795248:applied on Fri Dec 10:00:28 EST 2011
Patch Description: "Database Patch Set update:11.2.0.3.3 (13795248)" <== changes and additions
Created on 2 July, 07:52:00 hrs PST8PDT
Sub-patch 13545268; "Database Patch Set update:11.2.0.3.2 (13545268)" <==sub-patch
Sub-patch 13343438; "Database Patch Set update:11.2.0.3.1 (13343438)"  <==sub-patch
Bugs fixed:
9275072, 9352237 ...

The benefit of Composite patches is to reduce the amount of patches installed and to reduce conflicts with patches that have already been installed.

Detailed instructions for composite patches are available in the MOS documentation:
Note 1376691.1 Composite patches for Oracle products [Video]

All the patches mentioned above will have a patch number, and if you already know the patch number, you can download the patch directly using the link below:
https://updates.oracle.com/download/ Patch number . html
Enter the MoS's account number and password to do so.

For example: 11.2.0.3.0 PATCH SET Download Link:
Https://updates.oracle.com/download/10404530.html

Oracle recommended patches can refer to MOS documentation:
Note 756671.1 Oracle Recommended patches-Oracle Database
( recommended to play the latest version of patch set, PSU/CPU and Windows Bundle patch)

Oracle Patch Terminology INTRODUCTION