Oracle Data Guard Physical Standby Configuration

There are various steps in which you can configure physical standby database. We
need to make several changes to the primary database before we can even setup the
standby database.

This article applies to Oracle 12c R2 database version

In this article, we will setup physical standby on Oracle Linux 7.6 server.

Configuration overview

Primary database changes

Build standby

Verify standby configuration

Configuration overview

Primary details

SID: VARUNDBA
ORACLE_HOME: /u01/app/oracle/product/12.2.0.1
Host Name: 192.168.223.128

Standby details

SID: VARUNDBA
ORACLE_HOME: /u01/app/oracle/product/12.2.0.1
Host Name: 192.168.223.130

Assumption: we assume that primary server has a database (SID=VARUNDBA) up and

running. The standby database has Oracle 12cR2 installation done in the same oracle
home location as primary.

Primary database changes

Primary must run in archive log mode. Check the archive log mode

SELECT log_mode FROM v$database;

LOG_MODE
------------
NOARCHIVELOG

If it is not running in archive log mode, then enable it

SQL> shutdown immediate

SQL> startup mount
SQL> alter database archivelog;
SQL> alter database open;
SQL> archive log list;

Enable force logging on primary: In oracle, users can restrict redo generation for
SQL by using NOLOGGING clause. This NOLOGGING transaction will be a problem for
physical standby. Hence, we force logging so even user uses NOLOGGING clause, every
SQL will be logged on to redo

SQL> alter database force logging;

SQL> select name, force_logging from v$database;

Standby file management: We need to make sure whenever we add/drop datafile in

primary database, those files are also added / dropped on standby

SQL> alter system set standby_file_management = 'AUTO';

Create standby log files: You must create standby log files on primary. These files
are used by a standby database to store redo it receives from primary database.

Our primary may become standby later and we would need them, so better to create
it. First check the current log groups:

SQL> select GROUP#, THREAD#, bytes/1024/1024, MEMBERS, STATUS from v$log;

GROUP# THREAD# BYTES/1024/1024 MEMBERS STATUS

---------- ---------- --------------- ---------- ----------------
1 1 200 1 INACTIVE
2 1 200 1 CURRENT
3 1 200 1 INACTIVE

SQL> select member from v$logfile;

MEMBER
---------------------------------------------------
/u01/data/db_files/VARUNDBA/redo03.log
/u01/data/db_files/VARUNDBA/redo02.log
/u01/data/db_files/VARUNDBA/redo01.log

Add the standby logfiles, make sure group number should be from a different series
like in this case we choose to start with 11 and above. This helps in easy
differentiation.

Make sure to keep the thread# and logfile size exactly same. Oracle also recommends
to always create n+1 standby log files. Where n is the total number of logfiles

ALTER DATABASE ADD STANDBY LOGFILE THREAD 1 GROUP 11

'/u01/data/db_files/VARUNDBA/stb_redo1.log' SIZE 200M;
ALTER DATABASE ADD STANDBY LOGFILE THREAD 1 GROUP 12
'/u01/data/db_files/VARUNDBA/stb_redo2.log' SIZE 200M;
ALTER DATABASE ADD STANDBY LOGFILE THREAD 1 GROUP 13
'/u01/data/db_files/VARUNDBA/stb_redo3.log' SIZE 200M;
ALTER DATABASE ADD STANDBY LOGFILE THREAD 1 GROUP 14
'/u01/data/db_files/VARUNDBA/stb_redo4.log' SIZE 200M;

Check the standby log files via below query

SQL> SELECT GROUP#,THREAD#,SEQUENCE#,ARCHIVED,STATUS FROM V$STANDBY_LOG;

Enable flashback on primary: Flashback database is highly recommended because in

case of failover, you need not re-create primary database from scratch

SQL> alter system set db_recovery_file_dest_size=45g;

SQL> alter database flashback on;
SQL> select flashback_on from v$database;
If flashback parameters are not set properly, use below commands

SQL> show parameter recovery;

SQL> alter system set db_recovery_file_dest='/u01/app/oracle/fast_recovery_area';
SQL> alter system set db_recovery_file_dest_size=45g;
SQL> alter database flashback on;

Check DB Unique name parameter on primary: Make sure your primary database has
DB_UNIQUE_NAME parameter set for consistency. If it’s not set properly, use ALTER
SYSTEM SET command

SQL> show parameter db_name

NAME TYPE VALUE

------------------------------------ ----------- -------------
db_name string VARUNDBA

SQL> show parameter db_unique_name

NAME TYPE VALUE

------------------------------------ ----------- -------------
db_unique_name string VARUNDBA

Create password file for standby: This is needed for cloning purpose. Even if there
is one password file in $ORACLE_HOME/dbs location, create a new one with standby
SID

$ orapwd file=$ORACLE_HOME/dbs/orapwVARUNDBA entries=10 force=y

$ scp orapwVARUNDBA oracle@srv2:$ORACLE_HOME/dbs

Configure network

Use below tns entries and put them under ORACLE user
HOME/network/admin/tnsnames.ora. Change host as per your environment and execute on
both primary and standby.

Notice the use of the SID, rather than the SERVICE_NAME in the entries. This is
important as the broker will need to connect to the databases when they are down,
so the services will not be present.

vi $ORACLE_HOME/network/admin/tnsnames.ora

VARUNDBA =
(DESCRIPTION =
(ADDRESS_LIST =
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = 192.168.223.128)(PORT = 1521))
)
(CONNECT_DATA =
(SID = VARUNDBA)
)
)

VARUNDBS =
(DESCRIPTION =
(ADDRESS_LIST =
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = 192.168.223.130)(PORT = 1521))
 )
(CONNECT_DATA =
(SID = VARUNDBA)
)
)

Configure listener on primary database. Since the broker will need to connect to
the database when it’s down, we can’t rely on auto-registration with the listener,
hence the explicit entry for the database.

vi $ORACLE_HOME/network/admin/listener.ora

LISTENER =
(DESCRIPTION_LIST =
(DESCRIPTION =
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = 192.168.223.128)(PORT = 1521))
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = IPC)(KEY = EXTPROC1521))
)
)

SID_LIST_LISTENER =
(SID_LIST =
(SID_DESC =
(GLOBAL_DBNAME = VARUNDBA_DGMGRL)
(ORACLE_HOME = /u01/app/oracle/product/12.2.0.1)
(SID_NAME = VARUNDBA)
)
)

ADR_BASE_LISTENER = /u01/app/oracle

Configure listener on standby. Since the broker will need to connect to the
database when it’s down, we can’t rely on auto-registration with the listener,
hence the explicit entry for the database.

vi $ORACLE_HOME/network/admin/listener.ora

LISTENER =
(DESCRIPTION_LIST =
(DESCRIPTION =
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = 192.168.223.130)(PORT = 1521))
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = IPC)(KEY = EXTPROC1521))
)
)

SID_LIST_LISTENER =
(SID_LIST =
(SID_DESC =
(GLOBAL_DBNAME = VARUNDBS_DGMGRL)
(ORACLE_HOME = /u01/app/oracle/product/12.2.0.1)
(SID_NAME = VARUNDBA)
)
)

ADR_BASE_LISTENER = /u01/app/oracle

Once the listener.ora changes are in place, restart the listener on both servers

lsnrctl stop
lsnrctl start

Configure redo transport

Note: if you plan to use Oracle Data Guard broker, then you can skip this
section “configure redo transport” and jump to “Build Standby” section.

Configure redo transport from primary to standby: The below statement says that if
the current database is in primary role, then transport logs to standby. We need to
change service and db_unique_name for same parameter on standby server

On Primary Server
=================
SQL> alter system set log_archive_dest_2 = 'service=VARUNDBS async
valid_for=(online_logfiles,primary_role) db_unique_name=VARUNDBS';

Setup FAL (Fetch Archive Log) server: This parameters tell the primary as to where
it will get archives from (FAL Server=proddb_st)

On Primary Server
=================
SQL> alter system set fal_server = 'VARUNDBS';

Setup Data Guard configuration on primary: This parameter will let primary database
know which databases are in data guard configuration.

On Primary Server
=================
SQL> alter system set log_archive_config = 'dg_config=(VARUNDBA,VARUNDBS)';

Build standby

On standby server, create parameter file with below contents

On standby server
=================

vi /tmp/initVARUNDBA.ora
*.db_name='VARUNDBA'

Create pfile on primary, open it and create the necessary directories on the
standby server

On Primary Server
=================
SQL> create pfile from spfile;
exit

$ cd $ORACLE_HOME/dbs
$ cat initVARUNDBA.ora

On Standby Server
=================
on standby, create directories as you find in the initVARUNDBA.ora file
mkdir -p /u01/app/oracle/admin/VARUNDBA/adump
mkdir -p /u01/data/db_files/VARUNDBA
mkdir -p /u01/FRA/VARUNDBA

Start the auxiliary instance on the standby server by starting it using the
temporary “init.ora” file

On Standby Server
=================

$ export ORACLE_SID=VARUNDBA
$ sqlplus / as sysdba

SQL> STARTUP NOMOUNT PFILE='/tmp/initVARUNDBA.ora';

SQL> exit;

--you must exit from sqlplus, else cloning will fail

Duplicate primary database via RMAN: In this step, we will use RMAN to duplicate
primary database for our standby database.

On primary, connect to RMAN, specifying a full connect string for both the TARGET
and AUXILIARY instances. Do not attempt to use OS authentication or the database
cloning will fail

On primary server
=================

$ rman TARGET sys@VARUNDBA

RMAN> connect auxiliary sys@VARUNDBS

RMAN> DUPLICATE TARGET DATABASE FOR STANDBY FROM ACTIVE DATABASE DORECOVER SPFILE
SET db_unique_name='VARUNDBS' COMMENT 'Is standby' NOFILENAMECHECK;

Once cloning is done, you should see below at RMAN prompt.

Finished Duplicate Db at 07-DEC-2015

Set Standby Parameters: We need to make some changes to standby parameters that
will enable log shipping to the current primary (VARUNDBA) when a switchover
happens

On Standby Server
=================
SQL> create pfile from spfile;

$ cd $ORACLE_HOME/dbs
$ vi initVARUNDBA.ora

--change
*.fal_server='VARUNDBS'

--to
*.fal_server='VARUNDBA'

--change
*.log_archive_dest_2='service=VARUNDBS async
valid_for=(online_logfiles,primary_role) db_unique_name=VARUNDBS'
--to
*.log_archive_dest_2='service=VARUNDBA async
valid_for=(online_logfiles,primary_role) db_unique_name=VARUNDBA'

Now re-create spfile for standby using the pfile you just modified

On Standby Server
=================
SQL> create spfile from pfile;
SQL> shut immediate;
SQL> startup mount;
SQL> show parameter spfile;

Enable flashback on standby: As we know the importance of flashback in data guard,

we must enable it on standby as well

On Standby Server
=================
SQL> alter database flashback on;

Verify standby configuration

Once MRP is started, we must verify if our setup is working fine

On standby:
===========
--start MRP command
SQL> alter database recover managed standby database disconnect;

On both primary & standby:

==========================
set lines 999;
select * from v$dataguard_status order by timestamp;

select dest_id, status, destination, error from v$archive_dest where dest_id<=2;

IF you see any ORA error like ORA-16058, do this on primary:

============================================================
SQL> alter system set log_archive_dest_state_2='DEFER';
SQL> alter system set log_archive_dest_state_2='ENABLE';
SQL> select dest_id, status, destination, error from v$archive_dest where
dest_id<=2;

On primary:
===========
select sequence#, first_time, next_time, applied, archived from v$archived_log
where name = 'VARUNDBS' order by first_time;
select STATUS, GAP_STATUS from V$ARCHIVE_DEST_STATUS where DEST_ID = 2;
archive log list;

On standby:
===========
select process, status, sequence# from v$managed_standby;
select sequence#, applied, first_time, next_time, name filename from v$archived_log
order by sequence#;
Configure Archive deletion policy: We must set this policy in order to prevent
accidental deletion of archive logs on primary database

On Primary:
===========
rman target /
configure archivelog deletion policy to applied on all standby;