Troubleshooting Problems with the Observer

The observer continuously monitors the fast-start failover environment to ensure the primary database is available.

Installing and starting the observer is an integral part of using fast-start failover. The following sections describe techniques for troubleshooting the observer:

• Problems Because the Observer Has Stopped

• Capturing Observer Actions in the Observer Log File

Problems Because the Observer Has Stopped

If the observer host machine crashes, the broker configuration is no longer observed and fast-start failover is no longer possible.

In this case, you may have to move the observer to a new host if the original host machine cannot be repaired in a timely fashion.

1. Issue the DGMGRL STOP OBSERVER command to sever the link between the original observer and the broker configuration:

   DGMGRL> STOP OBSERVER;
   Done.
   

2. Issue the DGMGRL SHOW CONFIGURATION VERBOSE command to verify that the configuration is no longer being observed:

   DGMGRL> SHOW CONFIGURATION VERBOSE;
    
   Configuration - DRSolution
    
     Protection Mode: MaxAvailability
     Members:
       North_Sales - Primary database
       Warning: ORA-16819: fast-start failover observer not started
    
       South_Sales - (*) Physical standby database
       Warning: ORA-16819: fast-start failover observer not started
    
   (*) Fast-Start Failover target
    
   Properties:
     FastStartFailoverThreshold     = '30'
     OperationTimeout               = '30'
     TraceLevel                     = 'USER'
     FastStartFailoverLagLimit      = '30'
     CommunicationTimeout           = '180'
     ObserverReconnect              = '0'
     FastStartFailoverAutoReinstate = 'TRUE'
     FastStartFailoverPmyShutdown   = 'TRUE'
     BystandersFollowRoleChange     = 'ALL'
     ObserverOverride               = 'FALSE'
     ExternalDestination1           = ''
     ExternalDestination2           = ''  
     PrimaryLostWriteAction         = 'CONTINUE'
     ConfigurationWideService       = 'North_Sales_CFG' 
   
   Fast-Start Failover: ENABLED
    
     Threshold: 30 seconds
     Target: South_Sales
     Observer: (none)
     Lag Limit: 30 seconds (not in use)
     Shutdown Primary: TRUE
     Auto-reinstate: TRUE
     Observer Reconnect: (none)
     Observer Override: FALSE
    
   Configuration Status:
   WARNING
   

3. Note that you do not need to issue the DGMGRL SHOW CONFIGURATION command to verify that the observer has actually stopped. Successful completion of the DGMGRL STOP OBSERVER command will allow a new observer to become associated with the configuration.

Capturing Observer Actions in the Observer Log File

You can use the LOGFILE IS option of the START OBSERVER command to capture the activity performed by the observer.

Start DGMGRL and issue the command:

DGMGRL> START OBSERVER observer1 IN BACKGROUND LOGFILE IS observer.log CONNECT IDENTIFIER IS North_Sales TRACE_LEVEL IS SUPPORT;

When the LOGFILE IS clause is used, then all observer output is recorded in the specified file. If a complete path, with file name, is provided, the file is stored in the specified path. If only a file name is provided and the DG_ADMIN environment variable is defined, the specified file is stored in the $DG_ADMIN/config_ConfigurationSimpleName/log directory. If the DG_ADMIN environment variable is not defined, the file is stored in the current working directory. If LOGFILE IS clause is omitted, the log file is stored in the $DG_ADMIN/config_ConfigurationSimpleName/log directory using the name observer_hostname.log. If the DG_ADMIN environment variable is not defined, the log file is stored as observer_hostname.log in the current working directory. ConfigurationSimpleName is the name of the broker configuration.