Create the standby database

This page describes how to provision the standby database (in this case, oracdb2).

To create the standby database oracdb2, complete the following steps:

1. Configure listener and Oracle Data Guard parameters.
2. Prepare the standby database password file and NOMOUNT.
3. Initialize standby database storage with NetApp Volumes.
4. Mount standby ASM disk groups.
5. Finalize the standby instance.
6. Register the standby database with Oracle Restart.

Configure listener and Oracle Data Guard parameters

Configure the listener on both database hosts to support Data Guard connections, including the _DGMGRL service required for the Broker. Set up the password file and configure archive log parameters on the primary database.

1. On the primary database oracdb1, as oracle user, configure the listener and the environment.

   sudo su - oracle
   . ~/.bash_profile        # ORACLE_SID=orcl, ORACLE_HOME set

2. On the standby database oracdb2, configure the listener to include orcls and orcls_DGMGRL services.

   GRID_HOME=/u01/app/26ai/grid
   sudo -u grid tee "$GRID_HOME/network/admin/listener.ora" >/dev/null <<'EOF'
   LISTENER =
     (DESCRIPTION =
       (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = oracdb2.example.internal)(PORT = 1521)))
   SID_LIST_LISTENER =
     (SID_LIST =
       (SID_DESC = (GLOBAL_DBNAME = orcls)        (ORACLE_HOME = /u01/app/oracle/product/26ai/db_1) (SID_NAME = orcls))
       (SID_DESC = (GLOBAL_DBNAME = orcls_DGMGRL) (ORACLE_HOME = /u01/app/oracle/product/26ai/db_1) (SID_NAME = orcls)))
   EOF

3. On both the primary and standby databases, restart the listener through Oracle Restart and verify that the _DGMGRL service is registered.

   sudo -u grid bash -c '
   export GRID_HOME=/u01/app/26ai/grid
   export ORACLE_HOME=$GRID_HOME
   $GRID_HOME/bin/srvctl stop listener
   $GRID_HOME/bin/srvctl start listener
   $GRID_HOME/bin/lsnrctl status
   '

   The lsnrctl status output must list SID and _DGMGRL.

Prepare the standby database password file and NOMOUNT

1. From the primary database, copy the password file to the standby database using Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP) and Google Cloud CLI command gcloud compute scp.

   PRIMARY_ZONE=us-west1-a       # zone of oracdb1
   STANDBY_ZONE=us-west1-b       # zone of oracdb2

   gcloud compute scp oracdb1:/u01/app/oracle/product/26ai/db_1/dbs/orapworcl ./orapworcl \
   --zone=$PRIMARY_ZONE --tunnel-through-iap
   gcloud compute scp ./orapworcl oracdb2:/u01/app/oracle/product/26ai/db_1/dbs/orapworcls \
   --zone=$STANDBY_ZONE --tunnel-through-iap
   

2. From the primary database oracdb1, copy *.compatible parameter values.

   sudo -u oracle sqlplus -s / as sysdba <<<"SELECT value FROM v\$parameter WHERE name='compatible';"

3. On the standby database oracdb2, set up audit directory and password file.

   Replace COPY_FROM_PRIMARY with the value of the compatible parameter you copied in the previous step.

   sudo -u oracle mkdir -p /u01/app/oracle/admin/orcls/adump
   sudo chown oracle:oinstall /u01/app/oracle/product/26ai/db_1/dbs/orapworcls
   sudo chmod 0600 /u01/app/oracle/product/26ai/db_1/dbs/orapworcls

4. Create standby init parameter file.

   sudo -u oracle tee /u01/app/oracle/product/26ai/db_1/dbs/initorcls.ora >/dev/null <<'EOF'
   *.db_name='orcl'
   *.db_unique_name='orcls'
   *.audit_file_dest='/u01/app/oracle/admin/orcls/adump'
   *.diagnostic_dest='/u01/app/oracle'
   *.compatible='<COPY_FROM_PRIMARY>'
   *.sga_target=3072m
   *.pga_aggregate_target=1024m
   *.processes=320
   *.remote_login_passwordfile='EXCLUSIVE'
   *.standby_file_management='AUTO'
   *.fal_server='orcl'
   *.log_archive_config='DG_CONFIG=(orcl,orcls)'
   *.log_archive_dest_1='LOCATION=+RECO VALID_FOR=(ALL_LOGFILES,ALL_ROLES) DB_UNIQUE_NAME=orcls'
   *.log_archive_dest_2='SERVICE=orcl AFFIRM SYNC VALID_FOR=(ONLINE_LOGFILES,PRIMARY_ROLE) DB_UNIQUE_NAME=orcl'
   *.log_archive_dest_state_2='DEFER'
   *.log_archive_format='%t_%s_%r.arc'
   *.dg_broker_start=TRUE
   *.undo_tablespace='UNDOTBS1'
   *.open_cursors=300
   *.db_create_file_dest='+DATA'
   *.db_create_online_log_dest_1='+DATA'
   *.db_recovery_file_dest='+FRA'
   *.db_recovery_file_dest_size=25000m
   EOF

5. Register the standby database and start it in the NOMOUNT mode.

   echo "orcls:/u01/app/oracle/product/26ai/db_1:N" | sudo tee -a /etc/oratab
   sudo -u oracle bash -c '
   export ORACLE_HOME=/u01/app/oracle/product/26ai/db_1
   export ORACLE_SID=orcls
   sqlplus / as sysdba <<SQL
   STARTUP NOMOUNT PFILE=/u01/app/oracle/product/26ai/db_1/dbs/initorcls.ora;
   EXIT
   SQL
   '

The standby database is in NOMOUNT mode with no datafiles.

Initialize standby database storage with NetApp Volumes

NetApp Volumes storage-layer seeding is the primary differentiator of this architecture over a standard Oracle Data Guard setup. Rather than running Oracle Recovery Manager (RMAN) active duplicate which consumes primary database I/O and network bandwidth proportional to database size, NetApp Volumes replicates blocks directly between storage pools. The primary database is unaware of the transfer. It continues serving production workload throughout.

Seed the standby volumes in oracle-pool-b using NetApp Volumes, attach them to the standby database oracdb2, mount ASM disk groups, and finalize the standby instance at MOUNT state.

Choose the standby seeding method based on your environment and recovery requirements.

• For production: use the Replication path: create and sync replications and Replication path: cut over and attach standby volumes.

• For labs: use Alternate path: seed from snapshot.

All paths rejoin at Mount standby ASM disk groups and Finalize the standby instance.

Prerequisites

Make sure that the following prerequisites are met before seeding the standby volumes:

• Enable the following NetApp Volumes APIs:

  API	Use
  gcloud netapp storage-pools	Create Default-mode Flex Unified pools (--mode=default)
  gcloud netapp volumes	iSCSI volumes, host groups, snapshots
  gcloud netapp volumes replications	Cross-location volume replication

• Two default-mode pools (oracle-pool-a and oracle-pool-b) in different locations.

• Source volumes on primary pool attached to oracdb1-hg; destination volumes created by replication.

• Run replication from Cloud Shell or workstation, but not from the database instances.

• On oracdb2, complete iSCSI and ASM host setup.

  export PROJECT=PROJECT_ID
  export LOC_A=us-west1-a
  export LOC_B=us-west1-b
  export DEST_POOL="projects/${PROJECT}/locations/${LOC_B}/storagePools/oracle-pool-b"

• Create a standby storage pool if needed.

  gcloud netapp storage-pools create oracle-pool-b \
  --project="${PROJECT}" --location="${LOC_B}" \
  --service-level=flex --type=unified --mode=default \
  --capacity=1024 --network=name=<your-vpc>
  

Create and sync replications

Create replication relationships from primary database volumes to standby database volumes, and then wait for initial synchronization to finish.

  gcloud netapp volumes replications create repl-oracdb2-data \
  --project="${PROJECT}" --location="${LOC_A}" --volume=oracdb1_data \
  --replication-schedule=EVERY_10_MINUTES \
  --destination-volume-parameters="storage_pool=${DEST_POOL},volume_id=oracdb2_data,share_name=oracdb2_data"

  gcloud netapp volumes replications create repl-oracdb2-reco \
  --project="${PROJECT}" --location="${LOC_A}" --volume=oracdb1_reco \
  --replication-schedule=EVERY_10_MINUTES \
  --destination-volume-parameters="storage_pool=${DEST_POOL},volume_id=oracdb2_reco,share_name=oracdb2_reco"

Wait until mirrorState is MIRRORED and the initial sync is complete for each replication.

Cut over and attach standby volumes

Quiesce the primary, stop replication after the final sync, and attach destination volumes to the standby host group.

1. On the primary, quiesce writes and capture recovery metadata.

   ALTER DATABASE BEGIN BACKUP;
   SELECT CURRENT_SCN FROM V$DATABASE;
   ALTER DATABASE CREATE STANDBY CONTROLFILE AS '/tmp/orcls_stby.ctl';
   

2. Allow one final replication cycle, and then stop the replications.

   gcloud netapp volumes replications stop repl-oracdb2-data \
   --project="${PROJECT}" --location="${LOC_A}" --volume=oracdb1_data --force
   

   gcloud netapp volumes replications stop repl-oracdb2-reco \
   --project="${PROJECT}" --location="${LOC_A}" --volume=oracdb1_reco --force
   

3. Attach destination volumes to oracdb2-hg. Replicated LUN may keep source name. Use name=oracdb1_data_lun on update.

   HG=$(gcloud netapp host-groups describe oracdb2-hg --project="${PROJECT}" --location=us-west1 --format='value(name)')
   

   gcloud netapp volumes update oracdb2_data --project="${PROJECT}" --location="${LOC_B}" \
   --block-devices="name=oracdb1_data_lun,host-groups=${HG},os-type=LINUX"
   

4. Copy the controlfile to oracdb2, then end backup mode on the primary.

   ALTER DATABASE END BACKUP;
   

Seed from snapshot

Use this path for one-time lab seeding when continuous replication is not required.

For a one-time lab seed, create a source snapshot and create standby volumes from that snapshot in oracle-pool-b (Google Cloud console or API). Attach created volumes to oracdb2-hg, and then continue with Mount standby ASM disk groups.

Mount standby ASM disk groups

On the standby host, discover the attached storage paths and mount the ASM disk groups before database recovery.

On oracdb2, sign in to standby pool iSCSI portals and rescan multipath devices. If ASM disk headers match primary naming in a lab workflow, use primary-style multipath aliases (for example, ora_oracdb1_data_01, ora_oracdb1_arch_01), set asm_diskstring='/dev/mapper/ora_oracdb1_*p*', and confirm partition ownership is grid:asmadmin, then mount disk groups:

ALTER DISKGROUP DATA MOUNT FORCE;
ALTER DISKGROUP RECO MOUNT FORCE;
ALTER DISKGROUP FRA MOUNT FORCE;

Finalize the standby instance

Restore the standby controlfile, recover to the captured SCN, convert to physical standby, and start managed recovery.

STARTUP NOMOUNT;
RESTORE STANDBY CONTROLFILE FROM '/tmp/orcls_stby.ctl';
ALTER DATABASE MOUNT;
RECOVER DATABASE UNTIL SCN <quiesce_scn>;
ALTER DATABASE CONVERT TO PHYSICAL STANDBY;
SHUTDOWN IMMEDIATE;
STARTUP MOUNT;
ALTER DATABASE RECOVER MANAGED STANDBY DATABASE DISCONNECT FROM SESSION;

At this point, the standby should be PHYSICAL STANDBY and MOUNTED with managed recovery started.

Register the standby database with Oracle Restart

Register the standby with Oracle Restart so that reboots automatically recover ASM disk groups, mount the standby database, and restart managed recovery. Also, add the application service to both database resources.

1. On oracdb2, capture the spfile location and register with Oracle Restart.

   Replace STANDBY_SPFILE_PATH from the query (often under +DATA).

   sudo -u oracle bash -c '
   export ORACLE_SID=orcls
   sqlplus -s / as sysdba <<< "SHOW PARAMETER spfile;"
   '
   sudo -u oracle bash -c '
   export GRID_HOME=/u01/app/26ai/grid
   export ORACLE_HOME=/u01/app/oracle/product/26ai/db_1
   export PATH=$ORACLE_HOME/bin:$GRID_HOME/bin:$PATH
   srvctl add database \
     -db orcls \
     -dbname orcl \
     -oraclehome /u01/app/oracle/product/26ai/db_1 \
     -spfile <STANDBY_SPFILE_PATH> \
     -pwfile /u01/app/oracle/product/26ai/db_1/dbs/orapworcls \
     -role PHYSICAL_STANDBY \
     -startoption MOUNT \
     -stopoption IMMEDIATE \
     -diskgroup DATA,RECO,FRA
   srvctl config database -db orcls
   srvctl status database -db orcls
   '

2. On oracdb1, verify and update the primary database resource to include all ASM disk group dependencies.

   sudo -u oracle bash -c '
   export GRID_HOME=/u01/app/26ai/grid
   export ORACLE_HOME=/u01/app/oracle/product/26ai/db_1
   export PATH=$ORACLE_HOME/bin:$GRID_HOME/bin:$PATH
   srvctl config database -db orcl
   srvctl modify database -db orcl -diskgroup DATA,RECO,FRA
   srvctl config database -db orcl
   '

3. Add the application service on the standby database resource (orcls on oracdb2). Use role PRIMARY on both sides so that orclapp is available after switchover.

   sudo -u oracle bash -c '
   export GRID_HOME=/u01/app/26ai/grid
   export ORACLE_HOME=/u01/app/oracle/product/26ai/db_1
   export PATH=$ORACLE_HOME/bin:$GRID_HOME/bin:$PATH
   srvctl add service \
     -db orcls \
     -service orclapp \
     -pdb orclpdb \
     -role PRIMARY \
     -policy AUTOMATIC
   srvctl config service -db orcls -service orclapp
   '

4. On oracdb2, verify the standby database resource.

   sudo -u oracle bash -c '
   export GRID_HOME=/u01/app/26ai/grid
   export ORACLE_HOME=/u01/app/oracle/product/26ai/db_1
   export PATH=$ORACLE_HOME/bin:$GRID_HOME/bin:$PATH
   srvctl status database -db orcls
   '

What's next

• Finalize the standby database for Oracle Data Guard.