Questions regarding creating a physical standby database in 10gR2

Question

I'm setting up a physical standby database in a test environment using two windows 2003 servers. I was wondering if someone could answer a few questions I'm not too clear on. I've been thru the data guard manual and as much online information as i can find. I may have it working but wanted to post some things I'm not sure I did quite right.
My tnsnames.ora files.
On my primary database server:
# tnsnames.ora Network Configuration File: F:\oracle\product\10.2.0\db_1\NETWORK\ADMIN\tnsnames.ora
# Generated by Oracle configuration tools.
PRIMARY =
(DESCRIPTION =
(ADDRESS_LIST =
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = SERVER1)(PORT = 1521))
(CONNECT_DATA =
(SERVER = DEDICATED)
(SERVICE_NAME = PRIMARY.MYDOMAIN.com)
STANDBY =
(DESCRIPTION =
(ADDRESS_LIST =
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = SERVER2)(PORT = 1521))
(CONNECT_DATA =
(SERVICE_NAME = STANDBY.MYDOMAIN.com)
On my physical standby database server:
# tnsnames.ora Network Configuration File: f:\oracle\product\10.2.0\db_1\NETWORK\ADMIN\tnsnames.ora
# Generated by Oracle configuration tools.
STANDBY =
(DESCRIPTION =
(ADDRESS_LIST =
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = SERVER2)(PORT = 1521))
(CONNECT_DATA =
(SERVICE_NAME = STANDBY.MYDOMAIN.com)
PRIMARY =
(DESCRIPTION =
(ADDRESS_LIST =
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = SERVER1)(PORT = 1521))
(CONNECT_DATA =
(SERVER = DEDICATED)
(SERVICE_NAME = PRIMARY.MYDOMAIN.com)
My Listener.ora files:
On my primary database server:
# listener.ora Network Configuration File: F:\oracle\product\10.2.0\db_1\NETWORK\ADMIN\listener.ora
# Generated by Oracle configuration tools.
SID_LIST_LISTENER =
(SID_LIST =
(SID_DESC =
(GLOBAL_DBNAME = PRIMARY.MYDOMAIN.com)
(ORACLE_HOME = f:\oracle\product\10.2.0\db_1)
(SID_NAME = primary)
LISTENER =
(DESCRIPTION =
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = server1.mydomain.com)(PORT = 1521))
On my physical standby database server:
# listener.ora Network Configuration File: f:\oracle\product\10.2.0\db_1\NETWORK\ADMIN\listener.ora
# Generated by Oracle configuration tools.
SID_LIST_LISTENER =
(SID_LIST =
(SID_DESC =
(GLOBAL_DBNAME = standby.mydomain.com)
(ORACLE_HOME = f:\oracle\product\10.2.0\db_1)
(SID_NAME = standby)
LISTENER =
(DESCRIPTION =
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = sever2.mydomain.com)(PORT = 1521))
The next item I'm not sure about is after creating the control file for standby use.
One the primary server I created it using:
alter database create standby controlfile as 'sbcontrol01.ctl';
I copied the primary database pfile I had created earlier to the standby server, renamed it and edited it.
Initially I left the CONTROL_FILES= parameter pointing to the control01.ctl, control02.ctl and control03.ctl that I restored. But I was getting the error ORA-01665: control file is not a standby control file
So I copied the sbcontrol01.ctl to sbcontrol02 and sbcontrol03.ctl and pointed the CONTROL_FILES= parameter at them.
The error went away and the database came up. I still need to test it some more but wanted to see if what i did was correct or a fluke.
Edited by: tjohnson on Mar 23, 2009 2:26 PM

Answer 1

If in the primary I had control files named control01, control02 and control03 would I have been able to create a standby controlfile called control01.ctl or would I have had to name it something else like I did (sbcontrol01.ctl) and rename it to control01.ctl once I got it over to the standby database server?Suppose you have the primary database control file in C:\oracle\primary\control location with names control01.ctl and control02.ctl. Then also you can create a standby controlfile with control01.ctl and control02.ctl , but then the location to be created must be different.You can create it in C:\oracle\primary location and then transfer to the specified location mentioed in the pfile of the standby database and mount the standby database.
But saying this i would suggested to keep the name different from control01.ctl as far as naming conventions are followed.It might confuse someoe whether its a primary database controlfe or a standby database controlfile.Usally primary database controlfile are named control01.ctl , coltrol02.ctl etc and for standby many do prefer keeping standby01.ctl, standby02.ctl.Thats just for for understanding.
HTH
Anand