Which Task Must Precede OPatch Patching of Grid Infrastructure 19c?
Which task must be performed before running the OPatch utility to patch Oracle Grid Infrastructure 19c?
Community Votes
66% of anonymous learners picked answer C. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.
Community Insight
This question tests the OPatch environment prerequisite for Grid Infrastructure 19c; the trap is assuming PATH must be updated on every cluster node or that staging the patch alone is the required step.
Patching Oracle Grid Infrastructure 19c with OPatch requires setting the PATH environment variable on the node where you will run the utility. This guide establishes that option C is the correct preparatory task, while staging on all nodes is unnecessary.
The most common wrong answer is B: staging the patch on the execution node is necessary for patching but does not satisfy the specific OPatch prerequisite the question asks about.
Community Discussion (7 comments)
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Expert Analysis
Why the Answer Is Correct
Oracle's documented procedure for patching Grid Infrastructure 19c with the standalone OPatch utility requires setting the PATH environment variable to include the$ORACLE_HOME/OPatch directory before invoking OPatch. Option C correctly scopes this to the node where you will actually run OPatch, because each cluster node has its own environment and its own Grid Infrastructure home in a non-shared configuration. This PATH update ensures the shell finds the opatch executable and that the correct GI home's OPatch is used. The question asks for the task that must be performed before running OPatch, and Oracle explicitly lists this environment setup as that prerequisite.Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Option A is too broad because you do not need to change PATH on every cluster node, only on the node from which you execute OPatch. Option B describes staging the patch, which is a necessary part of the patching workflow but does not make theopatch command available or address OPatch's documented environment requirement. Option D is even broader than A and is unnecessary for a single OPatch execution because you can stage the patch only on the node you are patching. While some learners argue that opatch -oh can replace setting PATH, the exam follows Oracle's standard documented procedure, which includes the PATH update.Community Comment Notes
lcoleandro reasoned that A is wrong because PATH is only needed on the node where you run OPatch, and selected C as the documented answer. avrely argued for B, noting that "you have to have patch files on a node being patched" and that-oh can substitute for $ORACLE_HOME, but that does not override Oracle's stated prerequisite for the OPatch utility. krwi1 highlighted the OPatch versus opatchauto distinction, explaining why patch staging scope is not the single best answer here. Tunglinfo9 called the question bad because a DBA "can use absolute path to use OPatch utility without setting PATH", which is technically true but not the exam's expected doctrine. The majority community vote for C aligns with the documentation-based reasoning. Official Reference
Exam Strategy
Focus on the scope word in the options: Oracle often requires environment changes only on the node where the command runs, not on every cluster node. For GI patching questions, separate OPatch (manual, per-node) from opatchauto (orchestrated, cluster-wide) to eliminate broad distractors like A and D.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is staging the patch on the execution node not the correct answer?
Staging is part of the patching workflow, but the question targets OPatch's documented environment prerequisite: setting PATH to $ORACLE_HOME/OPatch before invoking the utility.
Does PATH need to be set on every cluster node for OPatch?
No. Oracle requires updating PATH only on the node where you will run OPatch; other nodes' environments are irrelevant unless you execute OPatch there.