3 Preparing for Exadata Cloud Infrastructure

Review OCI as well as the site, network and storage requirements to prepare and deploy Exadata Cloud Infrastructure in your data center.

Cross-Service Data Guard Between ExaDB-D and ExaDB-XS

You can now create a cross-service Oracle Data Guard group across database services.

  • Primary database on ExaDB-D with one or more standby databases on ExaDB-XS or ExaDB-D.
  • Primary database on ExaDB-XS with one or more standby databases on ExaDB-D or ExaDB-XS.

Note:

To ensure maximum availability, Oracle recommends that you place your peer VM cluster in a different Exadata infrastructure from the primary VM cluster.

Standby Database Configuration Options

When adding a standby database, you can specify the following details:

  • Peer VM Cluster Details: If the target is ExaDB-D, you can select the Exadata Infrastructure.
  • Target Service Selection: Choose either ExaDB-D or ExaDB-XS. By default, the service initiating the Data Guard group is selected.. If a service is unavailable in the selected region, it is disabled with the message: 'Service is not available in this region".
  • Data Guard Type: The group can be configured with either Data Guard or Active Data Guard, and each standby database can have a different type.
  • Data Guard Group Limitation: A primary database is limited to one Data Guard group.
  • Standby Database Creation: Only one standby database can be added at a time. However, standby databases can be created in any of the following categories without restrictions on their number:
    • Within the same service
    • Across services
    • Within the same Availability Domain (AD)
    • Across Availability Domains within the same region
    • Across regions

Key Considerations for cross-service primary and standby databases

  • Both the primary and standby databases must use the same key management solution.
  • Data Guard can be configured in Max Performance or Max Availability protection mode with Sync or Async transport type, subject to the following rules:
    • For the first standby database:
      • Defaults to Max Performance mode with Async transport.
      • Protection mode and transport type cannot be changed.
    • For the second and subsequent standby databases:
      • Inherits the protection mode from the first standby.
      • Defaults to Async transport.
      • Protection mode and transport type cannot be changed.

Viewing and Editing Data Guard Configuration

  • View all databases that are part of the Data Guard group in the Data Guard Group table, irrespective of whether you are on the primary or standby database pages.
  • Edit the Data Guard configuration to update:
    • Data Guard type: Can be different for each standby database. This can be changed only from a standby database.
    • Database administrator password: Can be edited from any database.
    • Protection mode: Can be switched between Max Performance and Max Availability from the primary or any standby database.
    • Transport type: Can be switched between Async and Sync only from a standby database.

Note:

If the Protection Mode is set to Max Availability, then the system verifies that at least one standby database uses Sync transport. If not found, then an error message is displayed:

To achieve zero data loss, you require at least one standby with Sync transport. It is recommended to have a standby with Sync transport in the same service as the primary database.

Switchover and Failover

  • Switchover (on any standby database)
    • Switchover is performed without enforcing a major version or Release Update (RU) check. However, a warning appears if the standby database has asymmetric configuration, such as differing node counts, memory, or service type.
  • Failover (on any standby database)
    • Failover is performed without enforcing a major version or Release Update (RU) check. However, a warning appears if the standby database has an asymmetric configuration, such as differing node counts, memory, or service type.

Backup and Restore

  • Scheduled and Automatic Backups
    • You can schedule automatic backups on the primary database, standby database, or both.
    • Both Object Storage and Recovery Service backups are supported.
    • If backups are configured on both primary and standby databases, they must use the same backup destination type.
  • In-Place Restore of the Same Database within ExaDB-XS

    Restore and recover a database using a backup taken from the same database in ExaDB-XS:

    • Restore primary using a backup taken on the primary database.
    • Restore standby using a backup taken on the standby database
  • In-Place Restore of a Peer Database within ExaDB-XS
    Restore and recover a peer database (which has no backups configured) using a backup from the source database with Recovery Service:
    • Scenario 1: Restore the primary using the standby backup.
      • Primary database: ExaDB-XS (no backups configured)
      • Standby database: ExaDB-XS (backups configured to Recovery Service)
    • Scenario 2: Restore the standby using the primary backup.
      • Primary database: ExaDB-XS (backups configured to Recovery Service)
      • Standby database: ExaDB-XS (no backups configured)
  • In-Place Restore of a Peer Database Across Services

    Restore and recover a database in ExaDB-XS or ExaDB-D using a backup from the source database in the opposite service (ExaDB-D or ExaDB-XS) with Recovery Service:

    • Scenario 1: Restore a peer database in ExaDB-XS using a backup from ExaDB-D
      • Use Case 1: Restore primary using the standby backup.
      • Use Case 2: Restore standby using the primary backup.
    • Scenario 2: Restore a peer database in ExaDB-D using a backup from ExaDB-XS
      • Use Case 1: Restore primary using the standby backup.
      • Use Case 2: Restore standby using the primary backup.

Out-of-Place Restore (Creating a New Database)

  • Within ExaDB-XSYou can create a new database in ExaDB-XS using a backup from the same service.
    • Restore within:
      • The same Availability Domain (AD)
      • A different AD within the same region
      • A different region
    • Supports Object Storage or Recovery Service as the backup destination..
  • Across Services
    • Scenario 1: Create a New Database in ExaDB-D Using a Backup from ExaDB-XS
      • Source: ExaDB-XS (database and backups)
      • Target: ExaDB-D (any region or AD)
      • Backup Destination: Object Storage or Recovery Service
    • Scenario 2: Create a New Database in ExaDB-XS Using a Backup from ExaDB-D
      • Source: ExaDB-D (database and backups)
      • Target: ExaDB-XS (any region or AD)
      • Backup Destination: Object Storage or Recovery Service

Parent topic: Preparing for Exadata Cloud Infrastructure