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Installing Maintenance Updates and Service Packs

# Glossary

This section includes the following topics:

Term | Definition
--- | ---
BEA Home directory | Root directory into which BEA software products are installed, represented by the environment variable `BEA_HOME`.
`bsu` command | Command for running the Smart Update command-line interface. To run the command-line interface, you must first change to the `BEA_HOME``\utils\bsu` directory. For details about Smart Update commands, see Using the Command-Line Interface.
Custom patch profile | A patch profile the user can create in addition to the default patch profile. The use of a custom patch profile provides a way to scope a set of patches to a subset of the servers that run on a specific BEA product installation; for example, an individual domain, cluster, or server. Custom patch profiles are described in Patching Individual Domains or Servers.
Dependency violated | Conflict reported when you attempt to remove a patch upon which an existing patch depends.
Installation-level patch directory | Directory created by Smart Update that contains patch JAR files, native patches, profile subdirectories, the patch registry, and the patch manifest JAR files.
Invalidated patch | Patch that has been superseded or deprecated by BEA Customer Support. Smart Update automatically notifies you if any invalidated patches are detected in your patch download directory. If you have applied an invalidated patch, Smart Update highlights it in among the entries in your patch profile. You can click on the patch icon to get information about replacing an invalidated patch, when a replacement is available.
Maintenance snapshot | Text file you can generate using Smart Update that contains details about the current maintenance level of a target installation for a specific patch profile.
Mutually exclusive | Conflict that is reported when a patch you have selected to download or apply cannot co-exist with an existing patch for the target installation. The identifier of the existing patch causing the conflict is provided.
Native artifact file | Operating system-specific file, which may be a binary file or other resource.
Out of sequence | Patch conflict reported when you are attempting to download or apply multiple patches in the wrong sequence. When this conflict is reported, the proper sequence for the selected patches is provided.
Passcode | Alphanumeric string provided by BEA Customer Support that you use, with a patch identifier, to obtain a private patch.
Patch | Between service packs, patches are issued to provide bug fixes for individual components. A patch does not provide product enhancements.
Patch backup manifest | File, stored in the `BEA_HOME``\patch_weblogic910\backup` directory, that contains files that have been replaced as a result of having applied a patch. This directory holds files required to restore an earlier patch maintenance level on your system.
Patch conflict | Compatibility problem that Smart Update has detected between the patch you have selected to download, apply, or remove and the other patches that have been applied to the target installation.
Patch container | File that you download from eSupport that is kept in the patch download directory. Contains patch content and metadata about that patch that is used for validation.
Patch identifier | Unique identifier for a patch. Use of a patch identifier is required for obtaining private patches.
Patch JAR file | JAR file containing classes to be inserted into a classpath; for example, in the WebLogic system classpath, or the classpath of an application deployed on WebLogic Server. Patch JAR files are placed in the `patch_jars` subdirectory of the installation-level patch directory. For more information about patch JAR files, see Structure of the Installation-Level Patch Directory.
Patch manifest JAR | File that references patch JARs that exist in the in the `BEA_HOME``\patch_weblogic910\patch_jars` directory
Patch profile | Set of patches that have been installed in a specific BEA product installation and that serves as a mechanism for Smart Update to validate patches being applied.
Patch set | Set of multiple patches made available for download and installation as a single entity. Patch sets enforce the sequence in which member patches are applied to the target installation; however, individual patches within a set may be selectively removed. Patch sets can be created from multiple, existing patches.
Prerequisite not met | Conflict that may be reported when downloading or applying a patch. This conflict occurs when you are attempting to download or apply a patch that requires other patches be installed first. Identifiers of prerequisite patches are displayed when this conflict is reported.
Private patch | Patch that BEA Support makes available to individual users based on their support requirements. A private patch may be unique to a given user.
Publicly available patch | A patch that BEA Customer Support makes available anyone with a valid support contract. From Smart Update's Get Patches tab, you can view and obtain detailed information about publicly available patches for a specific BEA product that is installed on your machine.
Service pack | A service pack is an update to an existing release that includes solutions to known problems and other product enhancements. A service pack is not a replacement for an installation of the BEA product, but a package of changes and additions to it.
Support ID | ID of the user account you obtain when you register with BEA. No product purchase is required to obtain a BEA user account. However, when you purchase a support contract for a BEA product, make sure that your login ID for your account is associated with this support contract, which is required for downloading private patches and service pack updates. For more information, see Obtaining a BEA Account and Accessing Your Contract Entitlement.
Target installation | The currently selected BEA product installation in Target Installation panel of Smart Update.
Validation | The process of determining if a patch has a conflict with other patches that are applied to the target installation.