Unable to create an Oracle ASM database lower than 12.1.0.2

Unable to create an Oracle ASM database lower than 12.1.0.2.17814 PSU (12.1.2.12).

Hardware Models:

Oracle Database Appliance X6-2-HA, X5-2, X4-2, X3-2, and V1.

Workaround:

There is not a workaround. If you have Oracle Database 11.2 or 12.1 that is using Oracle Automatic Storage Management (Oracle ASM) and you want to upgrade to a higher release of Oracle Database, then you must be on at least Oracle Database Appliance 12.1.2.12.0 and Database Home 12.1.0.2.170814.

The upgrade path for Oracle Database 11.2 or 12.1 Oracle ASM is as follows:

• If you are on Oracle Database Appliance version 12.1.2.6.0 or later, then upgrade to 12.1.2.12 or higher before upgrading your database.
• If you are on Oracle Database Appliance version 12.1.2.5 or earlier, then upgrade to 12.1.2.6.0, and then upgrade again to 12.1.2.12 or higher before upgrading your database.

This issue is tracked with Oracle bug 21626377, 27682997, and 21780146. The issues are fixed in Oracle Database 12.1.0.2.170814.

Error when upgrading virtualized platforms to 12.2.1.4.0 in ODA

When upgrading Oracle Database Appliance hardware models with virtualized platforms to 12.2.1.4.0, perform these manual steps before upgrading to release 12.1.2.12.

If you upgrade Oracle Database Appliance hardware models with a virtualized platform, to 12.1.2.12, then there is an error when using the driver domain functionality. To upgrade to Oracle Database Appliance release 12.2.1.4.0, follow the steps documented in the workaround section.

Hardware Models:

Oracle Database Appliance X7-2-HA, X6-2-HA, X5-2, X4-2, X3-2, and V1 with a virtualized platform that use driver domain virtual machines

Workaround:

Follow these steps to upgrade to Oracle Database Appliance release 12.2.1.4.0:

• Deploy Oracle Database Appliance release 12.1.2.11 and create multiple virtual machines with driver domain enabled.
• Shut down all running virtual machines and repository.
• Apply the release 12.1.2.12 patch bundle.
• Apply the release 12.2.1.4.0 patch bundle.
• Start the repository. If you encounter the error OAKERR:5015 Start repo operation has been disabled by flag, then run the following command: 
• "oakcli enable startrepo -node 0/1"
• Start the virtual machines and confirm that they have started.

ODA: 'oakcli update -patch --database' Does Not Run Datapatch

Upon running /opt/oracle/oak/bin/oakcli update -patch 12.1.2.6.0 -database, some of the databases do not receive the update. The database homes are patched correctly and there are no errors in the update logs.

Symptoms:
select * from dba_registry_sqlpatch;

This either shows no rows selected or some previous entry.

Cause:
There are multiple bugs around this where ODA is still trying to run catbundle instead of datapatch, and will be fixed in future release.

Fix:
Workaround
Please set your oracle home and SID for each database one at a time, cd to
$ORACLE_HOME/OPatch directory and run
./datapatch

After it is run get the following from each DB
select * from dba_registry_sqlpatch;

This should show the current output with "Success"