Oracle DataGuard

Concepts and Architecture

Brian Hitchcock
OCP 10g DBA
Sun Microsystems
brian.hitchcock@sun.com
brhora@aol.com
www.brianhitchcock.net
Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 1
www.brianhitchcock.net
Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 2
Oracle DataGuard
Maintains a standby database
Archived redo logs on primary
Sent to standby and applied
Simple idea
Many configuration options
No attempt to cover them all here
Discuss several specific sets of options
Can become very complicated
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 3
Oracle DataGuard
Comes in Two Flavors
Physical Standby
When I was young this was all we had
Read-only when not applying redo logs
Logical Standby
Can be read-write while applying redo logs
Can add db objects to standby
- Indexes for reporting
Many options
www.brianhitchcock.net
Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 4
Themes
What is a standby?
standby implies specific capabilities
Ready for failover
Complete copy of primary
No need to verify standby before failover
When is a standby not a standby?
When it doesnt provide what name implies
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 5
What is a standby database?
Database that we can fail over to
Kept closely synchronized with primary db
Up to the minute
Once a day
Primarily dedicated to being ready for failover
May also be used for reporting
Guaranteed to be an exact copy
To the point of last synchronization
Can catch up as long as redo logs available
www.brianhitchcock.net
Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 6
What is a standby database?
No question about standby
Is it a complete copy?
Is it ready for failover
Standby for reporting
Is standby providing accurate data for reports?
No one can change standby
No changes to data/objects in standby
If changes made to standby
Should be very obvious
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 7
Before DataGuard?
Scripts, cron jobs
Copy archived redo logs from primary to standby
Apply redo logs on standby periodically
When script(s) executes
Standby db cant be used for anything else
Constantly recovering
Failover
Open standby db with resetlogs
Cant be standby again without rebuild
Cant fail back to primary without rebuild
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 8
Standby
Primary
Database
Online Redo
Logs
Archived
Redo Logs
Standby
Database
Archived
Redo Logs
Scripts, Cron Jobs
Standby mounted, recovering
Can only be opened resetlogs
Once opened, cant switch back
Cant change standby db objects
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 9
Why DataGuard?
Part of Oracle RDBMS
No scripts or cronjobs to maintain
Supported by Oracle
Can switch between primary/standby repeatedly
Redo sent and applied continuously (options)
Standby db can be used for other things
Read-only when not applying redo logs
Read-write with limitations (Logical Standby)
Failover
Primary fails, standby becomes primary
Cant switch back without rebuild
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 10
DataGuard Classic*
Primary
Database
Online Redo
Logs
Archived
Redo Logs
Standby
Database
Archived
Redo Logs
DataGuard
Standby mounted, recovering
or
Standby read-only, no apply
Can switch back and forth
-Primary becomes standby
-Standby becomes primary
*Before choice of physical or logical standby
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 11
Applying Redo Logs
Default
Archived redo log complete on primary
Sent and applied to standby
Standby Redo Logs (Optional)
Redo sent to standby as it is written on primary
Real-time apply
No waiting for primary archive redo log complete
No waiting for primary log switch
Not to be confused with init.ora parameter
VALID_FOR=(STANDBY_LOGFILES,)
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 12
Standby Redo Logs
Primary
Database
Online Redo
Logs
Archived
Redo Logs
Standby
Database
Standby
Redo Logs
DataGuard
Primary redo written
continuously to standby
No waiting for primary log switch
Archived
Redo Logs
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 13
Typical Configurations
Standby dedicated for failover
Primary db
configured for log switch every 15 minutes
Standby db
always applying redo logs
Behind primary by 15 minutes at most
- Less if primary writes redo logs more often
Use standby redo logs
- Very close to primary at all times
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 14
Typical Configurations
Standby for failover and reporting
Primary db
configured for log switch every 15 minutes
Standby db
apply redo logs 8pm to 5am
- Long enough to apply 24 hours of redo logs
Stop applying redo logs 5am to 8pm
Standby up to 15 hours behind primary
Open for reporting 15 hours a day
- Reports use old data
- Standby data doesnt change from 5am to 8pm

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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 15
Protection Modes
Maximum Performance (default)
Primary sends transactions to standby
Doesnt wait for them to commit
Maximum Protection
Primary stops if standby doesnt commit
Requires standby redo logs
Maximum Availability
Max protection but primary doesnt stop
Switch to max perf until standby catches up
Switch back to max availability
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 16
DataGuard Physical Standby
Primary
Database
Online Redo
Logs
Archived
Redo Logs
Log Transport
Services
Physical
Standby
Database
Archived
Redo Logs
Log Apply
Services
DataGuard
Standby mounted, recovering
Or
Standby read-only, no apply
Can switch back and forth
Cant change standby db objects
www.brianhitchcock.net
Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 17
Physical Standby a Standby?
Failover
Ready to failover?
Block by block copy of primary
If any changes made, cant failover
- Standby had to be opened resetlogs to change
Refresh
No questions
Complete rebuild from primary
Only need backup of primary, nothing else
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 18
Physical Standby
Just a copy of production
Only needed in production
Dont need to do any dev, testing
Dont need backups
Recover from backups of primary database
What is added to your infrastructure?
One database
No backups
www.brianhitchcock.net
Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 19
Physical vs Logical Standby
Physical Standby
classic standby
Cant connect to db while applying redo logs
Can be read only when not applying redo logs
Logical Standby
Applies redo logs from primary all the time
As long as SQL apply process is running
Open for users for read and write
Various restrictions
Many configuration options
www.brianhitchcock.net
Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 20
DataGuard Logical Standby
Primary
Database
Online Redo
Logs
Log Transport
Services
Logical
Standby
Database
Archived
Redo Logs
SQL Apply
Services
Online Redo
Logs
Archived
Redo Logs
Standby open while redo applied
Can change db objects (restrictions)
Two sets of archived
redo logs
Archived
Redo Logs
DataGuard
www.brianhitchcock.net
Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 21
DataGuard Logical Standby
Primary
Database
Online Redo
Logs
Archived
Redo Logs
Logical
Standby
Database
Archived
Redo Logs
LogMiner
Extract SQL
DataGuard
SQL applied to Logical Standby
Just like any other database user
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 22
Logical Standby
Standby is open, read-write
Anything copied from primary
Maintained by DataGuard
Depending on Guard status
DataGuard doesnt maintain things added to
standby
Guard status restricts who can update
This can be bypassed
Alter session or database
Needed to import db objects into standby
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 23
Logical Standby Guard Status
All
SYS can modify anything in standby database
Standby
SYS can modify anything
Other users can modify objects not maintained
by DataGuard
Subject to normal user privs
None
Standby not protected by DataGuard
Any user can alter db objects
Subject to normal user privs
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 24
Skipping
Schemas, tables, transactions
May be skipped automatically
Can be skipped manually
Why anything skipped?
Performance
Unsupported db objects
More later
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 25
Logical Standby a Standby?
Failover
Ready to failover?
Not sure if standby is a complete copy
- Tables, schemas, transactions skipped?
Standby can be changed
- Failover not prevented
- Changes can be made
- No warning that changes made
Who knows what you are failing over to?
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 26
Logical Standby a Standby?
Refresh
Additional db objects in standby need backup
Refresh from primary wipes out these objects
Complete rebuild from primary
Insert additional db objects
If standby fails
Need to recover standby db from backups
Extract additional db objects from standby
Refresh logical standby
Insert additional db objects
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 27
Refresh Standby
Physical Standby
Just refresh
Standard process
No debate
Logical Standby
Refresh wipes out unique db objects
Must extract them first
Refresh from primary
Load unique db objects
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 28
Standby Fails
Physical
No problem, just a copy of primary
Refresh from primary
Logical
What about unique db objects
Recover standby from standby backups
Extract unique db objects
Refresh standby
Insert unique db objects
Logical standby db must be backed up
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 29
Recovering Logical Standby
You wanted Logical
To add things
Indexes for reporting
How to recover Logical?
Rebuild physical from primary
Convert to logical
How to recreate the additional db objects/data?
If indexes, recreate them
If data extracted from copy of primary?
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 30
How It Works
Basic DataGuard setup
Where to send archived redo logs?
Primary
Log_archive_dest_1
Location for local archived redo logs
Location=/arch01/NY Valid_for=(All_Logfiles, All_Roles)
Log_archive_dest_2
Sends archived redo logs to service name
Service name points to standby
Service=LA Valid_for=(Online_logfiles, Primary_Role)
Tnsnames.ora
Contains entry for service name for standby
Log_archive_dest_n
Where n is 1 to 10
Specific value doesnt matter
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 31
How it works
Standby
Log_archive_dest_1
Location for local archived redo logs
Not used while db is physical standby
Location=/arch01/LA Valid_for=(All_Logfiles,
All_Roles)
Log_archive_dest_2
Location receives archived redo logs from primary
Location=/arch02/LA Valid_for=(Standby_logfiles,
Standby_Role)
Log_archive_dest_n
Where n is 1 to 10
Specific value doesnt matter
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 32
Symmetrical init.ora/spfile
Use three log_archive_dest_n parameters
Setup on primary and standby
Dont need to change for failover
Dont need to change for fail-back
Create tnsnames.ora entry
On primary
Pointing to standby
On standby
Pointing to primary
Less maintenance for frequent failover/back
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 33
DataGuard init.ora/spfile
Primary
Database
Online Redo
Logs
Archived
Redo Logs
Standby
Database
Archived
Redo Logs
Log_archive_dest_1
LOCATION=/arch01/NY
VALID_FOR=(ALL_LOGFILES,
ALL_ROLES)
Log_archive_dest_2
LOCATION=/arch02/NY
VALID_FOR=(STANDBY_LOGFILES,
STANDBY_ROLE)
Log_archive_dest_3
SERVICE=LA
VALID_FOR=(ONLINE_LOGFILES,
PRIMARY_ROLE)
Log_archive_dest_1
LOCATION=/arch01/LA
VALID_FOR=(ALL_LOGFILES,
ALL_ROLES)
Log_archive_dest_2
LOCATION=/arch02/LA
VALID_FOR=(STANDBY_LOGFILES,
STANDBY_ROLE)
Log_archive_dest_3
SERVICE=NY
VALID_FOR=(ONLINE_LOGFILES,
PRIMARY_ROLE)
Db_unique_name=NY_DB Db_unique_name=LA_DB
Tnsnames.ora
LA=(DESCRIPTION=
(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=tcp)
(HOST=<hostnameLA>)(PORT=1521))
(CONNECT_DATA= (SID=LA_DB) ) )
Tnsnames.ora
NY=(DESCRIPTION=
(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=tcp)
(HOST=<hostnameNY>)(PORT=1521))
(CONNECT_DATA= (SID=NY_DB) ) )
Active
Inactive
Active
Inactive Active for Logical Standby
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 34
DataGuard init.ora/spfile
Primary
Database
Online Redo
Logs
Archived
Redo Logs
Standby
Database
Archived
Redo Logs
Log_archive_dest_1
LOCATION=/arch01/NY
VALID_FOR=(ALL_LOGFILES,
ALL_ROLES)
Log_archive_dest_2
LOCATION=/arch02/NY
VALID_FOR=(STANDBY_LOGFILES,
STANDBY_ROLE)
Log_archive_dest_3
SERVICE=LA
VALID_FOR=(ONLINE_LOGFILES,
PRIMARY_ROLE)
Log_archive_dest_1
LOCATION=/arch01/LA
VALID_FOR=(ALL_LOGFILES,
ALL_ROLES)
Log_archive_dest_2
LOCATION=/arch02/LA
VALID_FOR=(STANDBY_LOGFILES,
STANDBY_ROLE)
Log_archive_dest_3
SERVICE=NY
VALID_FOR=(ONLINE_LOGFILES,
PRIMARY_ROLE)
Db_unique_name=NY Db_unique_name=LA
Tnsnames.ora
LA=(DESCRIPTION=
(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=tcp)
(HOST=<hostnameLA>)(PORT=1521))
(CONNECT_DATA= (SID=LA_DB) ) )
Tnsnames.ora
NY=(DESCRIPTION=
(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=tcp)
(HOST=<hostnameNY>)(PORT=1521))
(CONNECT_DATA= (SID=NY_DB) ) )
Active
Inactive
Active
Inactive Active for Logical Standby
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 35
DataGuard Reporting
Primary
Database
Online Redo
Logs
Archived
Redo Logs
Logical
Standby
Database
Archived
Redo Logs
LogMiner
Extract SQL
DataGuard
Database objects
Copied from primary
Maintained by DataGuard
Database objects added to
Logical standby database
-- indexes for reporting
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 36
Rebuild Reporting Standby
If additional standby db objects have no data
Indexes for reporting
Refresh from primary wipes out indexes
Refresh standby
Execute script to recreate indexes
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 37
Create DataGuard Standby
Physical Standby
Logical Standby
Create physical standby
Convert to logical standby
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 38
Create Physical Standby
On Primary database
Enable Forced Logging
Create password file
Setup init.ora/spfile parameters
Verify archiving enabled
Backup db (hot or cold)
Create standby control file
Dont use backup control file
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 39
Create Physical Standby
On Standby database
Copy db backup files from primary
Copy standby control file from primary
Setup init.ora/spfile parameters
Db_name same as primary db_name
Start physical standby db
Verify physical standby working
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 40
Convert to Logical Standby
On Primary database
Build LogMiner dictionary
On Standby database
Stop redo apply
Convert database to logical standby
Change db_name
Restart db
Open resetlogs
Verify logical standby working
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 41
Cascaded Standbys
DataGuard supports cascading standbys
Primary sends redo to
Physical standby A
Logical standby B
Physical standby A sends redo to
Physical standby B
Physical standby C
Logical standby B sends redo to
Dont you have enough to worry about?
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 42
Real World Example
What Im supporting now
Logical standby
2 added schemas for custom app
Primary db supports Oracle Applications 11i
Requirements
Provide copy of primary 11i db for reporting
Oracle Discoverer
Provide copy of 20-30 tables for custom app
Additional schemas store custom app data
Extracted from standby copies of primary tables
www.brianhitchcock.net
Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 43
DataGuard Logical Real World
Primary
Database
Online Redo
Logs
Archived
Redo Logs
Logical
Standby
Database
Archived
Redo Logs
LogMiner
Extract SQL
DataGuard
Database objects
Copied from primary
Maintained by DataGuard
Database objects added to
Logical standby database
-- 2 schemas for custom app
-- store data extracted from
standby copies of primary
tables
Procs extract data
Processed Data
Stored
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 44
Real World Refresh/Recovery
Refresh
Backup standby db objects not in primary
Refresh standby from primary
Recreate additional db objects in standby
If Logical standby fails
Db objects not in primary are lost
Need to recover standby db
Extract db objects
Refresh standby from primary
Recreate additional db objects in standby

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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 45
Logical Standby Issues
Unsupported
Data types
BFILE, user-defined types
PL/SQL supplied packages
That modify metadata, DBMA_JAVA etc.
Other things, see manual
If unsupported, automatically skipped
No notification of skipped objects
Examine primary for unsupported things
Does this sound like a standby?
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 46
Logical Standby Issues
Processing
Everything done on primary has to be extracted
from redo logs and applied to standby db
Apply process is just another db user session
Primary db
Objects may not be well designed
Tables with poor (or no) indexes
Updates on primary can be very slow when
applied as SQL to standby
Does this sound like a standby?
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 47
Logical Standby Issues
If applying to standby too slow
May have to skip for performance
To keep standby in synch per business reqmts
Ready for reporting once per day
Primary SQL depends on files on primary
Create java class
Class files not on standby
DataGuard doesnt maintain filesystems
No notification of such problems
Does this sound like a standby?
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 48
Logical Standby Issues
Performance impact
At any time, slow SQL may take days to complete
If you need standby in synch once per day
Must skip table
If you must have this table in standby
Must do full refresh from primary
If you can and do skip the table
Cant support requirement for reporting on standby
You never know when this will happen
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 49
Logical Standby Issues
Logical Standby is like an application
Needs control, review, careful release process
If Logical Standby is an application
Need dev, alpha, beta, prod
Logical standby database for dev, alpha, beta
Backups for additional dbs
Add space to primary production database?
Need to add space to 4 primary, 4 logical dbs
What is added to your infrastructure?
4 standby databases
Backups for 4 standby databases
Does this sound like a standby?
www.brianhitchcock.net
Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 50
Logical Standby Issues
How can standby get out of synch?
Someone bypassed guard and left it off
Someone left guard altered to NONE
SYS altered db objects in standby
Schema, table, transaction skipped
No record of transactions skipped
No utilities
Compare logical standby to primary
Compare tables standby/primary
Does this sound like a standby?
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 51
Logical Standby Issues
Logical apply process examines standby
When applying update from primary to standby
Compares
Previous values on primary
Current values on standby
If different, refuses to apply update from primary
Apply process fails
Cant apply anything more
must cure issue or skip table/transaction
Differences can go undetected indefinitely
Until next time primary updates object
Does this sound like a standby?
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Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 52
Logical Standby Issues
Need backups of logical standby database
If there are any unique database objects
If there arent, why use logical standby?
Refresh or rebuild
Have to recover db objects unique to standby
After refresh
Previously skipped tables
Do we skip them again?
Do we wait for them to need to be skipped?
Does this sound like a standby?
www.brianhitchcock.net
Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 53
Real World Redesign
Primary
Database
Online Redo
Logs
Archived
Redo Logs
Archived
Redo Logs
DataGuard
-- 2 schemas for custom app
-- store data extracted from
tables in physical standby
database
Procs extract data
Processed Data
Stored
Physical
Standby
Database
Separate database dedicated to custom application
www.brianhitchcock.net
Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 54
Real World Redesign
Custom Application database
Dedicated for app schemas
Db link into physical standby
Backup provides recovery of app schemas
Physical Standby database
Let DataGuard do what it does well
None of the Logical Standby issues
Can be used as read-only for reporting
When not applying redo logs
Support an extra database
Dont have to support Logical Standby
www.brianhitchcock.net
Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 55
Recommendation
Logical for reporting
Copy of primary
Add indexes to speed reporting
Add tables for aggregates
Objects added to standby
Easily recreated from a SQL script
Contain data that can always be regenerated
from copy of primary
www.brianhitchcock.net
Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 56
Recommendation
Physical standby
Is solid, dependable
No issues
Logical standby
Is it really a standby?
Is it ready for failover?
Is it providing complete data for reports?
Lots of issues
Is it worth the effort/risk?
www.brianhitchcock.net
Brian Hitchcock October 23, 2007 Page 57
DataGuard Support Issues
Covered in 2
nd
presentation
Oracle DataGuard Logical Standby Support
Issues