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Connor McDonald

Thanks for the question, sanjiv.

Asked: November 05, 2018 - 8:52 am UTC

Last updated: November 06, 2018 - 3:31 am UTC

Version: oracle 12.2.0.1.0

Viewed 1000+ times

You Asked

Hi,

The project is to upgrade 11gR2 RAC database to 12cR2(12.2.0.1) with minimal downtime.

The approach is using standby database.

Logical standby database cannot be done.

Number of nodes in 11gr2 cluster 2.

What i am doing >>>

1> Prepare a standalone standby database with respect to vrdb1( primary vrdb instance one )

2> Switch database role. ( Now initial standby is a new primary / both nodes of rac mounted)

3> Log transport cancelled.

4> Upgraded standalone primary to 12.2.0.1 (initially standby)

5> Now i tried to upgrade the current standby databases. (mounted in rac). Seems, database needs to
be in read/write open mode for upgrade.


Without using logical standby, i have to upgrade using phycical standby. Is this achivable?

With Regards,
Sanjiv Ranjit


and Connor said...

There are various techniques depending on the amount of downtime you are prepared to accept

The first section of this document covers some of the options

https://www.oracle.com/technetwork/database/availability/s317153-1-176378.pdf

with more details on each in this whitepaper

https://www.oracle.com/technetwork/database/upgrade/overview/upgrading-oracle-database-wp-122-3403093.pdf

But you can't have *only* a physical standby - at some point in the process you need to convert it to a (transient) logical standby.

For me, one of the techniques I favour is transportable database, or the rman incremental backup method (as covered in the above whitepaper). This is a very low risk way of upgrading because you are keeping the original database untouched, so reverting in the event of a failure/error is easy.

Downtime is limited roughly to data dictionary import time (so this is minutes not hours).



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