Grid Infrastructure 18c: changes in gridSetup.sh -applyRU and -createGoldImage

Starting with release 12cR2, Grid Infrastructure binaries are no more shipped as an installer, but as a zip file that is uncompressed directly in the Oracle Home path.
This opened a few new possibilities including patching the software before the Grid Infrastructure configuration.
My former colleague Markus Flechtner wrote an excellent blog post about it, here: https://www.markusdba.net/?p=294

Now, with 18c, there are a couple of things that changed comparing to Markus blog.

The -applyRU switch replaces the -applyPSU

While it is possible to apply several sub-patches of a PSU one by one:

./gridSetup.sh -silent -applyOneOffs <path to sub-patch>
e.g.

./gridSetup.sh -silent -applyOneOffs /work/p28659165_180000_Linux-x86-64/28659165/28547619
./gridSetup.sh -silent -applyOneOffs /work/p28659165_180000_Linux-x86-64/28659165/28655784
./gridSetup.sh -silent -applyOneOffs /work/p28659165_180000_Linux-x86-64/28659165/28655916
...

it was possible to do all at once with:

./gridSetup.sh -silent -applyPSU <path to PSU>

Now the switch is called, for consistency with the patch naming, -applyRU.

E.g.:

# [ oracle@server:/u01/app/grid/crs1840 [16:38:40] [18.4.0.0.0 [GRID] SID=GRID] 255 ] #
$ ./gridSetup.sh -silent -applyRU /u01/app/oracle/stage/p28659165_180000_Linux-x86-64/28659165
Preparing the home to patch...
Applying the patch  /u01/app/oracle/stage/p28659165_180000_Linux-x86-64/28659165...
Successfully applied the patch.
The log can be found at: /u01/app/oraInventory/logs/GridSetupActions2018-11-02_04-39-54PM/installerPatchActions_2018-11-02_04-39-54PM.log
Launching Oracle Grid Infrastructure Setup Wizard...

[FATAL] [INS-40426] Grid installation option has not been specified.
   ACTION: Specify the valid installation option.

Still there are no options to avoid the run of the Setup Wizard, but it is safe to ignore the error as the patch has been applied successfully.

The -createGoldImage does not work anymore if the Home is not attached

I have tried to create the golden image as per Markus post, but I get this error:

# [ oracle@server:/u01/app/grid/crs1840 [09:43:39] [18.4.0.0.0 [GRID] SID=GRID] 0 ] #
$ ./gridSetup.sh -createGoldImage -destinationlocation  /u01/app/oracle/stage/golden_images/crs1840 -silent
Launching Oracle Grid Infrastructure Setup Wizard...

[FATAL] [INS-32715] The source home (/u01/app/grid/crs1840) is not registered in the central inventory.
   ACTION: Ensure that the source home is registered in the central inventory.

To workaround the issue, there are two ways:

1. Create a zip file manually, as all the content needed to install the patched version is right there. No need to touch anything as the software is not configured yet.
2. Configure the software with CRS_SWONLY before creating the gold image:
   

   $ cat grid1840_swonly.rsp
   oracle.install.responseFileVersion=/oracle/install/rspfmt_crsinstall_response_schema_v18.0.0
   INVENTORY_LOCATION=/u01/app/oraInventory
   oracle.install.option=CRS_SWONLY
   ORACLE_BASE=/u01/app/oracle
   oracle.install.asm.OSDBA=dba
   oracle.install.asm.OSASM=asmdba
   oracle.install.crs.config.scanType=LOCAL_SCAN
   oracle.install.crs.config.gpnp.configureGNS=false
   oracle.install.crs.config.autoConfigureClusterNodeVIP=false
   oracle.install.crs.config.gpnp.gnsOption=CREATE_NEW_GNS
   oracle.install.crs.config.clusterNodes=server1,server2
   oracle.install.asm.configureGIMRDataDG=false
   oracle.install.crs.config.useIPMI=false
   oracle.install.asm.storageOption=ASM
   oracle.install.asmOnNAS.configureGIMRDataDG=false
   oracle.install.asm.diskGroup.name=OCRVOT
   oracle.install.asm.diskGroup.AUSize=1
   oracle.install.asm.gimrDG.AUSize=1
   oracle.install.asm.configureAFD=false
   oracle.install.crs.configureRHPS=false
   oracle.install.crs.config.ignoreDownNodes=false
   oracle.install.config.managementOption=NONE
   oracle.install.config.omsPort=0
   oracle.install.crs.rootconfig.executeRootScript=false
   
   $ ./gridSetup.sh -silent -responseFile grid1840_swonly.rsp ORACLE_HOME_NAME=crs1840
   Launching Oracle Grid Infrastructure Setup Wizard...
   
   The response file for this session can be found at:
    /u01/app/grid/crs1840/install/response/grid_2018-11-05_01-18-28PM.rsp
   
   You can find the log of this install session at:
    /u01/app/oraInventory/logs/GridSetupActions2018-11-05_01-18-28PM/gridSetupActions2018-11-05_01-18-28PM.log
   
   As a root user, execute the following script(s):
           1. /u01/app/grid/crs1840/root.sh
   
   Execute /u01/app/grid/crs1840/root.sh on the following nodes:
   [server1, server2]
   
   [root@server1 dbs01]# /u01/app/grid/crs1840/root.sh
   Check /u01/app/grid/crs1840/install/root_server1.cern.ch_2018-11-05_14-13-58-835084539.log for the output of root script
   
   [root@server2 dbs01]# /u01/app/grid/crs1840/root.sh
   Check /u01/app/grid/crs1840/install/root_server2.cern.ch_2018-11-05_14-15-18-835087641.log for the output of root script
   
   $ ./gridSetup.sh -createGoldImage -destinationlocation  /u01/app/oracle/stage/golden_images/crs1840 -silent
   Launching Oracle Grid Infrastructure Setup Wizard...
   
   Successfully Setup Software.
   Gold Image location: /u01/app/oracle/stage/golden_images/crs1840/grid_home_2018-11-05_02-25-52PM.zip

HTH

—

Ludo