How to Apply WebLogic Server (WLS) Patches Using Smart Update

There are two ways to apply patches to a system:

1. Using Smart Update

You can apply the patch using Smart Update with the following steps:

1. Extract the contents from the zip file: you will have a jar file and patch-catalog_xxx.xml. A readme file may also be included.
2. Copy the files (for example, E5W8.jar and WGQJ.jar) and the patch-catalog_xxx.xml from the zip file to the target machine. You do not need the readme file. Copy the files to the appropriate cache_dir directory for the target system: for example, on Windows, %MIDDLEWARE_HOME%\utils\bsu\cache_dir, or on UNIX, $MIDDLEWARE_HOME/utils/bsu/cache_dir. The directory MW_HOME\utils\bsu\cache_diris created as the default patch download directory when you install Smart Update 3.3.0.
3. Run Smart Update and apply the patches and/or patch sets to the target system. This can be done using the Smart Update GUI or the command-line interface

a. Smart Update in graphical (GUI) mode

1. Run the <MIDDLEWARE_HOME>/utils/bsu/bsu script (bsu.sh for UNIX, bsu.cmd for Windows). This will start the Smart Update GUI.
2. Look for the patches you copied in the "Downloaded Patches" section at the bottom.
3. Select the "Apply" button for each pat
4. Download the patch from My Oracle Support (MOS).
5. ch you want to apply. This will validate the patch and apply it to the whole installation.

b. Command-line interface

1. This is the syntax for the command to view the downloaded patches as below:
   
   ./bsu.sh -prod_dir=<weblogic_home> -patch_download_dir=<download dir of patch> -status=downloaded -view -verbose
   For example:
   
   ./bsu.sh -prod_dir=/opt/bea/weblogic92 -patch_download_dir=/opt/bea/utils/bsu/cache_dir -status=downloaded -view -verbose
2. This is the syntax for the command to install a patch:
   
   ./bsu.sh -prod_dir=<weblogic_home> -patchlist=<patchID> -verbose -install
   For example:
   
   ./bsu.sh -prod_dir=/opt/bea/weblogic92 -patchlist=E5W8 -verbose -install
   ./bsu.sh -prod_dir=/opt/bea/weblogic92 -patchlist=E5W8,WGQJ -verbose -install
3. This is the syntax for the command to check if the patch is installed:
   
   ./bsu.sh -prod_dir=<weblogic_home> -patch_download_dir=<download dir of patch> -status=applied -verbose -view
   For example:
   
   ./bsu.sh -prod_dir=/opt/bea/weblogic92 -status=applied -verbose -view

2. Applying the patch to the classpath manually

You can apply the patch to the system manually by extracting the actual patch and adding it to the classpath on the system:

1. Extract the actual patch jar file. It will be in the form <patch_id>.jar (for example: E5W8.jar). Inside this jar file is the actual patch jar file, which will be of the form CR326566_92mp3.jar. Extract the latter file for the following steps.
2. Add the extracted jar file as the first element of the classpath of the Admin server as well as the managed servers in the domain.
3. If you are starting servers using the WebLogic Server startup script, update the classpath in the startup script like this:
   
   set CLASSPATH=\jars\CR326566_92mp3.jar;%CLASSPATH% (Windows)
   CLASSPATH=<PATCH_DIR>/jars/CR326566_92mp3.jar:$CLASSPATH (UNIX)
   where PATCH_DIR is the directory on the machine where you extracted/saved the patch file.
4. Similarly, if you are starting servers using Node Manager, add the patch jar to the beginning of the Class Path argument in the Server Start tab for the server(s).