RAC to Single Instance Data Guard Physical Standby

This article shows how to setup an Oracle 11.2.0.2 binary on both a Solaris 10 and on an OEL (Oracle Linux Server release 6.4) system.

This article shows how to setup an Oracle 11.2.0.2 binary on both  Solaris 10 and OEL (Oracle Linux Server release 6.4) systems.

It’s intended to describe a Solaris-based installation, though some parts include Linux-based procedures.

 

Before beginning the installation process it is highly recommended to read the entire article. The process would be easier if a data guard and RAC has already been installed from one instance to another.

This article has the below sections:

 

 

 

DG-RAC_Single_Instance

 

 

PRIMARY

STANDBY

Hostname/s

dbk01, dbk02 stddbk

Database Name

mx

mx

Database Unique Name

mx

stdmx

Net Service Name

mx.sysdba.org

stdmx.sysdba.org

Clusterware

11g R2 Grid Infrastructure (11.2.0.2)

11g R2 Grid Infrastructure (11.2.0.2)

Cluster Nodes

node1, node2 (2-node RAC)

Single instance

SCAN

mx-scan

SCAN listener Host/port

SCAN VIPs (port 1521)

DB Instances

mx1, mx2 stdmx

DB STORAGE

ASM ASM

File Management

ASM diskgroup for DB files

DATA DATA

ASM diskgroup for recovery files

FRA FRA

GRID_HOME

/u01/11.2.0/grid /u01/11.2.0/grid

ORACLE_HOME

/u01/app/oracle/product/11.2.0/db_1 /u01/app/oracle/product/11.2.0/db_1

OS

SUN 10u10 SUN 10u10

RDBMS Version

11.2.0.2 11.2.0.2

Grid Version

11.2.0.2 11.2.0.2

 

– Standby Server

  1. Setup both Grid Infrastructure and Stand Alone Server
  2. Create the DATA and FRA groups using ASMCA (ASM Configuration Assistant)

– Set up RDBMS only, without a database instance.

– Make sure whether the DATA and FRA groups in the Primary’s RedoLogs, consist of 2 groups each. If not, then create these groups.

 

You can find the files listed here in this zip file: config_parameter_files.zip

  • .bash_profile/.profile
  • listener.ora
  • tnsnames.ora
  • startup parameters (pfile)

Steps for the Primary Database

Step 1. Place the Primary Database into Archive Mode

Check redolog deatils

Close all instances using srvctl

Open the databases

To check

Step 2. Enable Force Logging (if using fast start fail over) & configure the service

Step 3. Creating the Standby RedoLogs

Important notes:
• Don’t create the standby redologs using an alias as shown below.
• Don’t create online redo logs or standby redo logs in areas using automatic storage management (ASM) using this method:
• There are performance benefits to creating an additional user.

There are 2 redo logs in every node, as well as these the DBA should create an additional redo log for each node (as a backup).

Should be created in the following way.

Recommendation: Create the redo logs after setting up the Data Guard, as it is more likely to be tested after the second configuration.(Both in the Primary and in the Standby)

Step 4. Create the password files (orapw$instance_name)
(The password should be the same in all the machines)
In all of the nodes

–ignore case is an important parameter here since from release 11gR2 onwards passwords are case-sensitive

PING[ARC2]: Heartbeat failed to connect to standby ‘mx’. Error is 16191.
Error 1017 received logging on to the standby
These are common errors associated with password files. If you encounter the above errors, recreate the password files.

Step 5. Enter the Session ID (SID) information into listener.ora (in all of the machines including standby ones).

Primary (the same as the RAC-GRID HOME 2 node)

“lsnrctl status” should appear both in standby and primary instances. If it doesn’t, it may be necessary to setup the local_listener parameter (alter local_lister / register).

Step 6. tnsname.ora

In all of the nodes as well as the standby nodes

Step 7. Setting the init.ora parameters for the DataGuard (primary)

First create a backup pfile (send a copy of this file to the standby)

Close, reopen and check the updated values.
In the same directory, in its full state, as initprimary_for_std.ora

 

Send this file to standby, rename  and update as required

The contents should be as the following

This addresses the spfile’s location. The database can’t be opened if the spfile can’t be opened.

Step 8. Create a temporary stage folders for the RMAN backup
Primary/standby (as an oracle user)

Step 9. In the primary database, take a RMAN backup of the standby.

Note: If the network speed between locations is low and the database is large, sending the RMAN backup using another method may be a better option.