Configure Oracle Data Guard

Create an Oracle Data Guard Association on the primary database to enable Data Guard between the primary and standby. Note the following about Data Guard:

  • Disaster recovery database configuration using Data Guard or Active Data Guard is an Oracle Exadata Database Service on Cloud@Customer product feature. If Active Data Guard is configured, automatic backups cannot be configured on the standby database. The OCI interface does not allow this option.
  • Data Guard can be configured for databases running on different VM Clusters. Those VM Clusters can be running on the same Oracle Exadata Database Service on Cloud@Customer Infrastructure (not recommended), or different Infrastructures managed in the same OCI tenancy and region.

The following steps describe how to configure Data Guard using the OCI interface.

  1. In OCI, open the navigation menu. Click Oracle Database, then click Exadata Cloud@Customer.
  2. Click the compartment where the Oracle Exadata Database Service on Cloud@Customer VM Cluster is configured.
  3. Click the VM Cluster that includes the Database to be configured with Data Guard.
  4. Ensure a Database Home running the same database version and patch level as the primary database exists in the standby VM cluster. If not, create one. Use the OCI console to update the new Database Home with the same patch level as the primary Database Home required. Note the Database Home name, database version, and patch level. See "Create Oracle Database Homes on an Oracle Exadata Database Service on Cloud@Customer System" in the Before You Begin section for instructions.
  5. Click the Database name.
  6. Under Resources, click Data Guard Associations.
  7. Click Add Standby. An Add standby window will open, your database version determines the options displayed. Databases version 11g and 12c support Data Guard Associations, while versions 19c and newer support Data Guard Groups. Select whether to configure a Data Guard Association, or a Data Guard Group.
  8. Specify your Data Guard configuration:
    • Peer Region: Select the region where the standby Oracle Exadata Database Service on Cloud@Customer Infrastructure is running (or being managed). By default, the region of the current database is selected.
    • Exadata Cloud@Customer Infrastructure: Select the peer Oracle Exadata Database Service on Cloud@Customer Infrastructure.

      You can select the same Oracle Exadata Database Service on Cloud@Customer Infrastructure as the primary database, but this is not recommended for production databases. The OCI console will display a warning that the best practice is to run the standby database on a different Oracle Exadata Database Service on Cloud@Customer Infrastructure.

      Change compartment if necessary.
    • Peer VM Cluster: Select the VM Cluster where the standby database will run. For maximum database availability, the standby database should be configured on a VM Cluster other than where the primary database is running. Change compartment if necessary.
    • Data Guard Type: Specify Data Guard or Active Data Guard. Active Data Guard is selected by default. Note Data Guard is included with Oracle Enterprise Edition License. Active Data Guard may require additional licensing.
    • Protection Mode: Specify Max Performance (asynchronous) or Max Availability (synchronous).

      When adding a standby database for the first time (first Data Guard Group), Max Performance is selected by default, and this option cannot be changed during the initial configuration. The Protection Mode can be changed after the first Data Guard Group is configured using the Edit Data Guard Group option. When a Data Guard Group is already configured, the standby being created is configured with the same Protection Mode as the first standby, but this can be changed after the new Data Guard Group is configured using the Edit Data Guard Group option.

    • Transport: Specify Sync or Async depending on Protection Mode.

      If Max Performance for Protection Mode is configured, Async Transport is selected. If Max Availability Protection Mode is configured, Sync Transport is selected.

    • Database Home: Select an existing Database Home. The Database Home must be running the same database software version as the primary database as mentioned in step 4.
    • Database Unique Name: Provide a unique name for the standby database.
    • Database Password: Enter sys password for the primary database.
    • TDE Wallet Password: Enter the TDE Wallet password of the primary database.
  9. Click Add Standby.
After the work request is complete, a new database is created in the standby VM Cluster, and a Data Guard Group or Association is created between the two databases. The new database is configured as a standby database.