dbaascli patch db prereq failing with: Error opening the transaction id file

Sometimes you are doing a cloud patch precheck and error is a bit cryptic, it even says “ready to apply patch”!

[root@DBNODE_A ~]#  dbaascli patch db prereq --patchid 31718644 --dbnames db_topatch
DBAAS CLI version 18.2.3.1.0
Executing command patch db prereq --patchid 31718644 --dbnames db_topatch
INFO: DBCS patching
333333 /var/opt/oracle/exapatch/exadbcpatchmulti -precheck_async 31718644 -cli -dbname=db_topatch
This might take some time, please take a look at file /var/opt/oracle/log/exadbcpatch/exadbcpatch.log for progress
Error opening the transaction id file /home/opc/txnid_fl.305940

Prereq check completed successfully, ready to apply patch
[root@DBNODE_A ~]#

Now, if you try from the other node it can give you a hint:

[root@DBNODE_B ~]# dbaascli patch db prereq --patchid 31718644 --dbnames db_topatch
DBAAS CLI version 18.2.3.1.0
Executing command patch db prereq --patchid 31718644 --dbnames db_topatch
INFO: DBCS patching
333333 /var/opt/oracle/exapatch/exadbcpatchmulti -precheck_async 31718644 -cli -dbname=db_topatch
This might take some time, please take a look at file /var/opt/oracle/log/exadbcpatch/exadbcpatch.log for progress
ERROR: cannot copy /home/opc/file.292421 onto node DBNODE_A: Inappropriate ioctl for device

WARN : Possible Invalid entry in OCR : CCLAMGR
 WARN : Possible Invalid entry in OCR : CCLAMGR
 WARN : Possible Invalid entry in OCR : CCLAMGR

ERROR: cannot copy /home/opc/file.292421 onto node DBNODE_A: Inappropriate ioctl for device

Error during prereq check
[root@DBNODE_B ~]#

Somehow it can not copy file from DBNODE_B to DBNODE_A, and indeed, we tried to ssh both ways and we got the error:

[opc@DBNODE_B ~]$ ssh DBNODE_A
no matching mac found: client hmac-sha1 server hmac-sha2-256,hmac-sha2-512
[opc@DBNODE_B ~]$ 

[opc@DBNODE_A ~]$ ssh DBNODE_B
Last login: Fri Jan  1 10:58:01 2021 from DBNODE_A.us2.oraclecloud.com
[opc@DBNODE_B ~]$

Once passwordless ssh was fixed, prechecks have no issues ( and patch can be applied ok…)

[root@DBNODE_A ~]#  dbaascli patch db prereq --patchid 31718644   --dbnames db_topatch
DBAAS CLI version 18.2.3.1.0
Executing command patch db prereq --patchid 31718644  --dbnames db_topatch
INFO: DBCS patching
333333 /var/opt/oracle/exapatch/exadbcpatchmulti -precheck_async 31718644 -cli -dbname=db_topatch
This might take some time, please take a look at file /var/opt/oracle/log/exadbcpatch/exadbcpatch.log for progress on local node

Prereq check completed successfully on all nodes, ready to apply patch
[root@DBNODE_A ~]#