Book Review : Oracle Data Guard 11gR2 Administration Beginner's Guide

Just finished review of book "Oracle Data Guard 11gR2 Administration Beginner's Guide” by authors, my dear friends Emre Baransel and Nassyam Basha.

"Oracle Data Guard 11gR2 Administration Beginner's Guide” book is a good introduction to Oracle Data Guard 11g R2 with examples that will be useful to all DBA’s. It is also is a very good book in terms of helping beginner- readers from creating and configuring Oracle Data Guard (11g R2) configurations. By reading this book one will learn what standby databases, protection modes, transport and apply services including role transitions. The book also covered Active Data Guard and dedicated chapter for patching and Common Data Guard issues.

This book is an ideal book for somebody who wants begin to learn quickly about Data Guard. The book covered Oracle Data Guard 11gR2 with 11 chapters, 385 pages. Every chapter has a pop quiz, time for action and has a lot of tips and tricks. Really, I liked this style of this book very much.

When reading this book, you learn every chapter is reflects authors’ experience. I liked all chapters of the book as Data Guard lover, but my favorite chapters are chapters 6, 7 and 11. Please, see the content of the book below:

Chapter 1, Getting Started - this chapter is covering Oracle Data Guard architecture, definition and features of Data Guard, evolution of Oracle Data Guard, overviews of physical, logical and snapshot standby databases. The chapter very provides very good explanation on work principle of Oracle Data Guard Services (transport, apply, role transition) and there are interesting comparison with other replication solutions of Oracle at the end of the chapter. 

Chapter 2, Configuring the Oracle Data Guard Physical Standby Database – in this chapter you learn how to prepare primary database for Data Guard create a physical standby database including post tasks with a step-by-step approach. The chapter provides very good explanation on Data Guard related initialization parameters. You can find verification steps of the physical standby database recovery including real-time apply in this chapter.

Chapter 3, Configuring Oracle Data Guard Logical Standby Database – this chapter is covering how to prepare a logical standby database configuration step-by-step. You learn what is data guard status, how to change data guard status, what is SQL apply process and how to create objects on logical standby database with examples.

 Chapter 4, Oracle Data Guard Broker – this chapter is covering the very good explanation on implementation and management of the Data Guard administration framework Data Guard broker. You learn steps how to configure fast-start failover – (FSFO) and explanations monitoring broker - managed Data Guard and troubleshooting the Data Guard broker and observer configuration.

Chapter 5, Data Guard Protection Mode - this chapter is focusing on the three data protection modes (Maximum Performance, Maximum Availability, Maximum Protection) of Oracle Data Guard. You learn from this chapter how to change protection modes using SQL*Plus, the Data Guard broker, and Enterprise Manager Cloud Control and this chapter also explain how to choose true protection mode for your Data Guard Configuration.

Chapter 6, Data Guard Role Transitions – this chapter is covering on Role Transition service of Data Guard. You learn from this chapter, necessary steps to accomplish successful switchover and failover operations on standby database.

Chapter 7, Active Data Guard, Snapshot Standby – this chapter is my favorite chapter. The chapter covering Active Data Guard (ADG) and Snapshot Standby Database (it is new features of Oracle Database 11g R2). This chapter has very nice explanation on ADG is how to integrate applications, what are benefits of ADG; also explains how to use snapshot standby, implement cascade standby databases, configure heterogeneous Data Guard setup.

Chapter 8, Integrating Data Guard with the Complete Oracle Environment – this chapter explains the Data Guard configuration with RAC; also you learn from this chapter how to integrate Data Guard with Enterprise Manager Grid Control and how to use RMAN on primary and standby databases.

Chapter 9, Data Guard Configuration Patching – this chapter explains how to apply one-off patches and patch set updates to databases in a Data Guard environment, and some best practices of patching.

Chapter 10, Common Data Guard Issues – it is very interesting chapter. You learn from this chapter, which problems occur on Data Guard configurations. This chapter gives practical information about solution for some very common issues in Data Guard .For example: redo transport authentication problems, UNNAMED data files on standby database.    

Chapter 11, Data Guard Best Practices – this chapter covering how to make a Data Guard configuration perfect and take maximum advantage of Data Guard properties. In this chapter you learn about the important connection failover terms – Transparent Application Failover (TAF), Fast Connection Failover (FCF), and Fast Application Notification (FAN); Also rolling upgrade using transient logical standby and corruption detection, and prevention and automatic repair with Oracle Active Data Guard you learn from this chapter

I want to thank my friends Emre and Nassyam very much for this book and my special thanks to Packt Publications team for sending me this e-book for review.

The link to buy this book from Packt Publishing :http://www.packtpub.com/oracle-data-guard-11gr2-administration-beginners-guide/book

Regards. 

Mahir M. Quluzade