DB version : 11.2.0.3 , 11.1.0.7, 10.2.0.5
OS Platform : AIX 6.1
We have 3 ORACLE_HOME in our AIX server. We don't seem to be a central inventory for all these HOMEs. There is no oraInventory directory outside ORACLE_BASE or anywhere in the server. There is no /etc/oraInst.loc . We have $ORACLE_HOME/oraInst.loc but it points to non-existent directory.
$ cat oraInst.loc
inventory_loc=/optware/app/oraInventory ### no such directory
inst_group=oinstall
We have local inventory ($ORACLE_HOME/inventory ) called as "Oracle Home Inventory" in the documentation for all these 3 ORACLE_HOMEs
http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E11882_01/em.112/e12255/oui2_manage_oracle_homes.htm#CJAHJJAE
1. Is it a good practise not to have a central inventory when you have multiple homes?
2. To keep track of one-off and PSU patches for a particular ORACLE_HOME, Is it
technically possible to point $ORACLE_HOME/oraInst.loc to our local inventory and do our patching? I know it is a bad practice. But I just want to know if it is technically possible ?
3. Can I do patching without a local or central inventory ?