Patching WebLogic in Offline Mode using Oracle Smart Update utility

Patching WebLogic server is a pre-req for installing grid. Oracle Smart Update utility requires a connection to the internet to get the required patches. This is not always possible as sometimes the case is that no internet connection is allowed due to security reason. (There's a proxy option as well).
But if the patch is already downloaded it's possible to apply it using the Oracle Smart Update utility in offline mode.

1. Download the patch. In this case the patch needed for grid control was WDJ7.zip

2. Install the WebLogic server

3. Default location for downloaded patches is Middleware_Home/utils/bsu/cache_dir. This is (cache_dir) is not created until the first the Oracle Smart Update utility is run. So either start it by running

Middleware_Home/utils/bsu/bsu.sh

or create the folder manually.

When started for the first utility will prompt to connect or work offline mode.
Click cancel to go to offline mode.

4. Once the cache_dir is created unzip the above patch inside the directory. This will extract the following files in cache_dir

cd Middleware_Home/utils/bsu/cache_dir
unzip WDJ7.zip
Archive:  WDJ7.zip
inflating: 4D53.jar
inflating: NIXN.jar
inflating: patch-catalog.xml
inflating: prod-info.xml
inflating: WDJ7.jar
inflating: XLXA.jar

After the extract delete the zip file leaving only the jar files and xml files.

5. Start the utility and select work offline mode.6. Once connected through the offline mode patches will be visible on the download section. Apply them by clicking on the button under apply column. Next steps are similar as applying in connected mode.Metalink note How to Download and Apply recommended WLS patch (WDJ7) on WLS home for 11g Grid Control Install/Upgrade [ID 1072763.1] provides how to apply patches in offline mode using command line.

./bsu.sh -prod_dir=WLS_ORACLE_HOME/wlserver_10.3 -patchlist=patch number -verbose -install