Oracle: How to setup physical standby database

In production environment, It's often required to have a physical standby database. In case the primary environment is gone, we can continue serve customer requests using standby database.

There are a few ways to set up oracle standby database, In any ways, please make sure you have the following ready:

• remote login is enabled, both primary and standby SYS password are the same, this can be set using orapwd.
• log shipping is enabled on primary, define the proper TNS entry, set log_archive_dest_x, and set log_archive_dest_state_x to enable.
• The pfile or spfile is ready on standby database.

1. Using storage level replication
On primary database, put the database in backup mode. This is to make sure the copy replicated to standby environment is consistent.

SQL> alter database begin backup;

In storage, split the replication. Stop backup mode on primary database:

SQL> alter database end backup;

Create standby controlfiile:

RMAN> backup current controlfile for standby format '/tmp/stdby_ctrol_%U';

Copy the controlfile backup to standby servers, restore the controlfile.

SQL> startup nomoun;

RMAN> catalog start with '/tmp/stdby_ctrol';

RMAN> restore controlfile from '/tmp/stdby_ctrol_blahblah';

Mount the standby database, and enable redo apply.

SQL> alter database mount standby database;

SQL> recover managed standby database disconnect;

Note: Please make sure do NOT sync back the standby environment on storage level again, otherwise it will destroy the standby database.

2. Using RMAN duplicate.

connect to primary database and standby databse.

$ rman target / AUXILIARY SYS/sys_pwd@sbdb

RMAN> DUPLICATE TARGET DATABASE FOR STANDBY NOFILENAMECHECK;