Standby db in R/W mode with RMAN

Question

Hello,
I have a test environment that I have a physical non-managed standby database created in a virtual machine. I would like to use a physical standby database for read/write testing and reporting. I've been implementing the Data Guard Scenarios and tried to see if I can revert the activated database back to a physical standby database. However, I keep receiving the following error when I try to open the standby in read only mode:
ORA-16004: backup database requires recovery
ORA-01194: file 1 needs more recovery to be consistent
ORA-01110: data file 1: 'C:\ORACLE\PRODUCT\10.2.0\ORADATA\ORCL\SYSTEM01.DBF'
Note: The standby db starts up as follows:
startup nomount pfile=C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\db_2\database\initORCLstdby.ora;
alter database mount standby database;
Once every x minutes, a batch job ships the logs from the primary to the secondary and runs the following:
connect / as sysdba
spool c:\scripts\logapply.log
alter database recover automatic standby database until cancel;
alter database recover cancel;
Here's the steps I've done:
1. On the standby database, query the V$DATABASE view and record the current SCN of the standby database:
SQL> SELECT CURRENT_SCN FROM V$DATABASE;
CURRENT_SCN
1804721
2. This step didn't work/isn't necessary:
SQL> ALTER DATABASE RECOVER MANAGED STANDBY DATABASE CANCEL;
ALTER DATABASE RECOVER MANAGED STANDBY DATABASE CANCEL
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-16136: Managed Standby Recovery not active
3. Connect to the standby database as the RMAN target and create an incremental backup from the current SCN of the standby database that was recorded in step 1:
RMAN> connect target "system/password"
connected to target database: ORCL (DBID=xxxxx, not open)
RMAN> BACKUP INCREMENTAL FROM SCN 1804721 DATABASE FORMAT 'C:\tmp\ForStandby_%U' tag 'FOR STANDBY';
4. Connect to the standby database as the RMAN target, and catalog all incremental backup pieces:
RMAN> CATALOG START WITH 'c:\tmp\ForStandby_';
5. On the primary database, switch logs so the SCN of the restore point (created in step 1) will be archived on the physical standby database and ship it to the standby database:
SQL> ALTER SYSTEM ARCHIVE LOG CURRENT;
6. Activate the physical standby database:
SQL> ALTER DATABASE ACTIVATE STANDBY DATABASE;
SQL> STARTUP MOUNT FORCE;
SQL> ALTER DATABASE OPEN;
Make any write changes on the activated standby database.
7. Revert the activated database back to a physical standby database.
SQL> STARTUP MOUNT FORCE;
Connect to the standby database as the RMAN target and apply incremental backups
Open another session for RMAN:
RMAN> RECOVER DATABASE NOREDO;
Back to SQL session
SQL> ALTER DATABASE CONVERT TO PHYSICAL STANDBY;
SQL> SHUTDOWN IMMEDIATE;
I then run a batch file that automatically start the standby database and recover from the shipped archive logs:
startup nomount pfile=C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\db_2\database\initORCLstdby.ora;
alter database mount standby database;
SQL> alter database recover automatic standby database until cancel;
alter database recover automatic standby database until cancel
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-00279: change 1804724 generated at 04/25/2008 18:14:16 needed for thread 1
ORA-00289: suggestion : C:\ARCHIVELOGS\NODE2\ARCH_1_1_652990391.ARC
ORA-00280: change 1804724 for thread 1 is in sequence #1
ORA-00278: log file 'C:\ARCHIVELOGS\NODE2\ARCH_1_1_652990391.ARC' no longer
needed for this recovery
ORA-00308: cannot open archived log
'C:\ARCHIVELOGS\NODE2\ARCH_1_1_652990391.ARC'
ORA-27041: unable to open file
OSD-04002: unable to open file
O/S-Error: (OS 2) The system cannot find the file specified.
SQL> alter database recover cancel;
alter database recover cancel
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-01547: warning: RECOVER succeeded but OPEN RESETLOGS would get error below
ORA-01194: file 1 needs more recovery to be consistent
ORA-01110: data file 1: 'C:\ORACLE\PRODUCT\10.2.0\ORADATA\ORCL\SYSTEM01.DBF'
I've tried another approach to step 7:
SQL> STARTUP MOUNT FORCE;
SQL> ALTER DATABASE CONVERT TO PHYSICAL STANDBY;
SQL> STARTUP MOUNT FORCE;
SQL> ALTER DATABASE RECOVER MANAGED STANDBY DATABASE DISCONNECT;
I get an error if I try this:
SQL> ALTER DATABASE RECOVER MANAGED STANDBY DATABASE USING CURRENT LOGFILE DISCO
NNECT;
ALTER DATABASE RECOVER MANAGED STANDBY DATABASE USING CURRENT LOGFILE DISCONNECT
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-38500: USING CURRENT LOGFILE option not available without stand
When I try to open the standby database in read only mode, I get this error:
SQL> alter database open read only;
alter database open read only
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-16004: backup database requires recovery
ORA-01194: file 1 needs more recovery to be consistent
ORA-01110: data file 1: 'C:\ORACLE\PRODUCT\10.2.0\ORADATA\ORCL\SYSTEM01.DBF'
I ran SELECT SEQUENCE#, FIRST_TIME FROM V$LOG_HISTORY; and found that the standby sequence# is only one sequence behind the test primary database.
I'm stuck and would appreciate any help. Thank you.

Answer 1

And how do you think you will conserve disk space with RMAN ?
Stop and think about it : How can you revert a database AFTER you have Opened
it Read/Write ? You need to flashback it OR restore it from a backup taken before
the OPEN.
So, you could have taken a backup to Tape or to alternate disk before OPENing the
database. The backup to alternate disk can be via Flashback Recovery area or
a regular RMAN (compressed, you want ?) backup. In the second case, you wouldn't
be using a Flashback mechanism but a simple backup and restore method.