What is snapshot Standby Database? What are benefits?

Converting a physical standby database to a snapshot standby database in Oracle 19c involves several steps. A snapshot standby database allows read/write access to the standby database while remaining able to fall back to the physical standby database. A snapshot standby database provides many advantages over a physical standby database in an Oracle environment. A snapshot standby database is a fully updatable standby database that is created by converting a physical standby database into a snapshot standby database. A snapshot standby database receives and archives, but does not apply redo data from a primary database. Redo data received from the primary database is applied when a snapshot standby database is converted back into a physical standby database, after discarding all local updates to the snapshot standby database.

Here are the main benefits: 

1. Read-Write Capability

A snapshot standby database can be opened in read-write mode, allowing users to perform updates and test applications using production-like data without affecting the primary database. This is particularly useful for development and testing scenarios where real-time data is required for validation.

2. Temporary Testing Environment

Organizations can utilize snapshot standby databases to create a temporary testing environment. This allows teams to experiment with changes or new applications on a copy of the production data, ensuring that any potential issues can be identified before deployment in the live environment. After testing, the snapshot can be reverted back to its original state. 

3. Data Protection

While a snapshot standby is open for updates, it continues to receive redo data from the primary database. This ensures that the integrity of the primary database is maintained, as the snapshot standby can be converted back to a physical standby at any time, applying any received redo data and discarding local changes made during the testing phase.

4. Guaranteed Restore Point

Whenever a physical standby database is converted into a snapshot standby database, a guaranteed restore point is automatically created. Once the updateable transactions are completed for testing purposes on the snapshot standby database and when you are converting back the snapshot standby to physical standby, oracle flashbacks to the restore point that was created earlier which means the transactions that were made in the standby database while it was open in READ WRITE mode will be flushed out.

5. Flexibility in Database Management

The ability to switch back and forth between snapshot and physical standby modes provides flexibility in database management. Organizations can conduct necessary testing and development while still maintaining a robust disaster recovery setup, as the snapshot can be reverted to a physical standby without loss of data protection capabilities.

6. Reduced Administrative Overhead

Using a snapshot standby can reduce the need for cloning production databases for testing purposes, simplifying administrative tasks. Since the snapshot is derived from an existing physical standby, it minimizes the overhead associated with managing multiple copies of the database.

Snapshot standby databases provide a versatile solution for testing and development while ensuring data protection and recovery capabilities, making them a valuable tool in Oracle database management. This process allows for testing and development on a standby database without affecting the primary database, while still maintaining the ability to revert changes easily

Please feel free to ask. thank you 🙂

Toufique Khan