Backup Anywhere Mode for Data Guard

Demonstrates a how Backup Anywhere supports Data Guard.

Figure 15-2 shows two data centers for local and remote, where the primary site (upstream) is local RA-x and the standby site (downstream) is remote RA-y. The database in the local data center sends its primary backups and logs to RA-x, as usual. In request_only mode, there is no active replication between the upstream and downstream. Replication only happens when backups are requested by the upstream RA-x to fill gaps after an outage. Data Guard and redo logs keeps the remote database in sync with the local database.

When a failover or switchover is carried out, the remote database becomes the new primary and will backup and send redo to RA-y. Meanwhile a reversal of the replication automatically occurs from RA-y to RA-x for the backups and logs. All backups needed to synchronize RA-y are replicated from RA-x, while new primary backups and redo to RA-y replicate as normal to RA-x. No initial full backup is replicated, which reduces WAN consumption.

Figure 15-2 Backup Anywhere Mode for Data Guard

Description of "Figure 15-2 Backup Anywhere Mode for Data Guard"

A common use case with Data Guard and taking backups only on one database, is when the primary database has production workloads running that backups might impact. Instead, backups are taken from the standby database to its recovery appliance (RA-y). Replication from RA-y to RA-x keeps it in synch.