Steps to shutdown Dataguard/Standby database for maintenance work

In our office there are certain situations where we have to shutdown Dataguard site, mostly for maintenance work, such as shared disk, server's hardware or any general maintenance at our DR (Disaster Recovery) site.

Point behind shutdown/startup of Dataguard is when Dataguard/Standby database come online it should get synchronized to Production/Primary site.

There may be many ways to achieve our goal, here is my recipe:

SHUTDOWN STANDBY DATABASE

step 1: Disable standby archive writing:
at primary/production database

SQL> alter system set log_archive_dest_state_2=defer scope = both sid = '*';
PS: in case of RAC: this step should be done at just ONE of the RAC node.

step 2: Disable auto recovery at standby site:
at secondary/DR database

SQL> alter database recover managed standby database cancel;
PS: In case of RAC: above command should run on just ONE of the standby RAC node.

SQL> shutdown immediate
PS: in case of RAC: shutdown should be done on ALL standby RAC nodes.

STARTUP STANDBY DATABASE

Step 1: Coping all archive from primary to DR generated during shutdown.

in this step we will copy all archive those were generated after standby database was taken down.

$scp /opt/oracle/archive/*.arc oracle@DR-Site-IP:/opt/oracle/archive

Step 2: Startup standby database and configure automatic recovery:

SQL> startup nomount
SQL> alter database mount standby database;
SQL> alter database recover managed standby database disconnect from session;

PS: in case of RAC: repeat following commands on all standby nodes.

SQL> startup nomount
SQL> alter database mount standby database;

step 3: Enable standby archive writing:
at primary/production database

SQL> alter system set log_archive_dest_state_2=enable scope = both sid = '*';
PS: in case of RAC: this step should be done at just ONE of the RAC node.

cheers

Hates Air France

I have experienced twice flying from Jo'burg (South Africa) to Paris (France), first trip was aimed to participate in Linuxtag2007 in June while the second was in November 2007 for FAD (Fedora Ambassadors Day).

First Trip Experience: when i reached Jo'burg airport, the Airport authorities announced at eleventh hour "a possible delay in flight"", the flight was planned at 7.30PM and almost 200+ passengers were at the boarding gate, as if you have been in Jo'burg airport, new basement construction at that time had very few seats to rest...so almost all of us were lying on floor, after almost one and half hours suddenly few uniform Airport staff arrived and informed us that the Aircraft has some problem our engineers are working on them...everybody was concern what has happen to aircraft, so they said we d'nt have info...engineers are working on them...we again went on floor and start chatting each other...i was sitting with an ex-Zimbabwe citizen who's parents were British...but lately due to current political problems in Zimbabwe he had to leave country and went back UK, his son was working in Cape Town, so he often use to come SA.

anyhow, we were telling different stories each other and time was slowly passing, suddenly we heard voice "all passengers going to Paris with Airfrance please consult boarding gate counter"...everybody rush to get there...same uniform guy started "Sir, our aircraft is unable to get singnals, due to which it can't take off. our another flight which is planned for 11:45PM is ready, we can only offer our Business class passengers to board on this flight, rest will stay on airport." every economy class passenger started screaming Sir..Sir..! do you will give us Hotel...a big NO :-| you have sleep on floor, yahoooo !!!

somehow, i got a chance to reach near by the guy who was giving boarding passes to Business class, i got a chance to speak with him, i said, Sir...could you please help me ! he said WHAT? i replied, i am economy class passenger but i have a very important meeting at Berlin, if i miss this flight i will never be able to get that meeting. He quickly with anger "We are only shifting Business Class...silence" but i didn't moved from his desk and kept watching all business class getting there boarding...i was holding my boarding pass in my hand such that he could read my name. He suddenly pointed me, Mr...You Mr..i noticed him he was seeing me, "GIVE ME YOUR BOARDING PASS" i handed over him and here we go !!! i was shifted on flight with business class passengers...So after 4 hours delay i was lucky to get a substitute flight.

Second Trip Experience: This time i was traveling for FAD in November 2007, same happen, i reached Jo'burg Airport we got boarding on time...this was very pleasant, i was really happy that thanks God, this time we are flying on time...our aircraft was slowly filling with people, after a while they even closed the aircraft door and started pre take off safety checks...but we noticed that they are not starting aircraft engines...flight was timed 11:45PM we all were waiting inside aircraft to get take off, almost after 1 & half hour, the pilot announced, "Dear passengers, we are having some technical fault in aircraft, and we could not get signals, we are really sorry to inform, you that we have to cancel this flight !" Big BANG !!! flight cancel.

this time i wasn't that lucky i had to sleep on airport floor !!!

Air France AF447 crash: they are again claiming Aircraft was unable to get signals...

Now Air France has used its million of dollars assets to buy media and flush their own narrated stories, so people will think that it is just an incident, but i am sure that they killed these 200+ passengers just due to lack of services...their aircraft are in fucking bad conditions, even if you ever travel on other world class airways you will feel the difference... even in Pakistan the Daewoo bus service is better then Air France.

I am feeling so sorry about the people suffered in this crash and give my deep condolence to their families....

Appeal: Please please...for God sake..if you have an option to avoid Air France, please d'nt leave your chance to be a safe traveler. Air France is playing with its passengers lives.

Steps to configure Shared Server

Yesterday, Eric asked me to configure Shared Server on one of our DR site database, the idea was to test some application level connectivity issue. Though oracle strongly discourage you to run your database server as shared (MTS) still there are cases such as JAVA based application connection where shared server could be handy.

I found this post very helpful, short & focused.

cheers

Tips to Analyze False Statements

i have been thinking for a while about my sense of identifying false statements, i have an ability to find out false statements in conversation with ease. it might be because my brain has strong statement analysis algorithm, or it could be because the opponent is using really easy to detect false statement algorithm at his brain.

you might think me an idiot...but i will try to explain how my analogy is working, it might not be just as you analyze or it might be helpful for you to fix yours, or at least compare with mine... :)

False Statement Cases:

1. The person is reporting a news which is a public issue e.g. Political, Religious, Sports...etc

if the person is making statement regarding an immediate future decision which is going to be a rule sooner, he will try to state as much correct as he can....But if he is speaking about some Political,Religious,Sportsman personal life, be sure he/she is going to bluff a lot.

For Example:

High degree true statements:

Political - person report about decision on some bill in senate...etc
Religious - speaking about an event in recent past or near future, or telling you some well know versus from holy books...etc
Sports - talking about recent held games score list, or near future happening tournaments date schedule...etc

High degree False statement:

Political - talking about politicians sexual affairs or their corruption stories...or even their bank accounts...etc.
Religious - talking about way past events, those are not well know...reporting you versus of holy books those you heard first time....etc.
Sports - reporting tournament budget or publicity expenditure...sportsman affairs...bank accounts...etc.

2. Narrating some event:

There are two cases in this type of statement,

a - The event happen without your presence.

i. the person reporting is not first person who report you this event.

In such case you already have a scatch in mind about the event, though reporting events in general has lot of false reporting even if it is through print-media, you will get hell lot of false statements. So if you have an idea about some even and someone is reporting the same to you, it give you better chance to compare the new reporting with your past knowledge/information.

ii. the person is reporting you event for the first time.

No doubt mostly in our life, we receive information regarding events where we were not present and someone is give us information for the first time. Mostly when people get idea that you d'nt have information of the event he is reporting you, he/she will try to add false statements as much as he can. this kind of first intro stories are mostly mixture with lots of false statements.

b - The event happen in your presence.

Of course if you are part of an event and someone is reporting you from that event, you have better position to analyze about statement worth. In such situation people mostly take care of reporting false statement, as you were a part of same event.

3. Numbers

If someone is reporting you numbers/figures you have to take care in such situations.

Mostly people use round-off figures that can be a problem for you lately.

e.g. you are making some business deal and your supplier gave you a rough idea of items price in round-off later when you actually buy products, you get heavy lose.

such as 3 <> 2.7 and round-off will make 2.7 to 3 that can cause you loses.

There are some other cases as well in Numbers, For Example, people report a person's wealth in round-off i.e. "Mr. XX is millionaire" but do you think he has exact that figure in his bank account...this kind of statement are mostly false.

Another case is in distance reporting, if you ask how for would be New Yark from Kabul :D they will always make a guess, never heard real distance.

4. Newspaper:

Newspaper is one of the biggest source of false statements, be sure when you read newspaper almost 80% of text is false...most of the newspapers specially in 3rd world are ran by politicians or mafia, so they print only what they want.

you have to take care especially text on current affairs.

5. Drama/Films:

:D do you need me to write for this category !

the most enjoyable part of their shit false story would be "This FILM/DRAMA is based on true story" :D


6. Back Biting:

Mainly more than 80% is false, when a person is talking about someone in his absence, be sure he is biased and he would spread hell lot of shit. In such situation you have to first find reason "why he is reporting this shit in someone's absence" then what benefit he is expecting from this lie/reporting.

BIG TIP make your false statement true:

Just keep all above points in mind before reporting false statement, i am sure you can report high degree false statement almost as that is true.

PS: i would ask all my readers to share their way of identifying false statement.

Cheers