Flashback Database

Guaranteed Restore Points and COMPATIBLE parameter

Guaranteed Restore Points and COMPATIBLE parameterA while ago I blogged about Fallback Strategy: Flashback Database to Guaranteed Restore Points. I included a recommendation that you must not change the COMPATIBLE setting. But I should have been a bit more clear and precise about Guaranteed Restore Points and COMPATIBLE parameter settings.

Guaranteed Restore Points and COMPATIBLE parameter

First of all, you can’t use FLASHBACK DATABASE to a Guaranteed Restore Point when you changed to COMPATIBLE parameter. This was a common pitfall in older Oracle releases.

But with Oracle Database 12.2.0.1 we add a tiny change which prevents you from accidentally changing COMPATIBLE while your fallback …

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Oracle 12.2 underscores appear in SPFILE – be aware when you flashback

Oracle 12.2 underscores appear in SPFILE - be aware when you flashbackI did blog in the past weeks about Fallback Strategies with Flashback Database. But two of my reference customers came across an interesting issue when they tried to fallback: Oracle 12.2 underscores appear in the SPFILE – magically – and prevent the fallback using the existing SPFILE.

Oracle 12.2 underscores appear in SPFILE – be aware when you flashback

In one case it happened during a test, in the other case it happened during a live fallback after the Data Guard Broker has interfered with the upgrade causing real trouble. In both cases the SPFILE sits in ASM.

Both …

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Fallback Strategy: Flashback to Guaranteed Restore Points

Fallback Strategy: Flashback to Guaranteed Restore PointsYou can attempt an Oracle database upgrade without having a fallback strategy. Of course you can. If you are brave enough. But I would recommend you this Fallback Strategy: Flashback to Guaranteed Restore Points. It is simple, easy, fast. And yes, it is an Enterprise Edition only feature. I have blogged about it in the past already but I realized it need some refresh.

Fallback Strategy: Flashback to Guaranteed Restore Points

One of the fastest way to revert from a big change (i.e. a database upgrade, an application upgrade, etc) is Flashback Database to a previously created Guaranted Restore Point.…

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Guaranteed Restore Points as Fallback Method

Thanks to the great audience yesterday in the Upgrade & Migration Workshop in Utrecht. That was really fun and I was amazed by our new facilities (and the  “wellness” lights surrounding the plenum room’s walls).

And another reason why I like to do these workshops is that often I learn new things from you 🙂 So credits here to Rick van  Ek who has highlighted the following topic to me. Yesterday (and in some previous workshops) I did mention during the discussion about Fallback Strategies that you’ll have to switch on Flashback Database beforehand to create a…

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