How to set up, maintain, and bring online a standby server (Enterprise Manager)

How to set up, maintain, and bring online a standby server (Enterprise Manager)

Setting up a standby server generally involves creating database backups and periodic transaction log backups at the primary server, and then applying those backups, in sequence, to the standby server. The standby server is left in a read-only state between restore operations. When the standby server must be made available for use, any outstanding transaction log backups from the primary server, including the backup of the active transaction log, are applied to the standby server; then the database is recovered.

To create backups on the primary server

How to create a database backup

How to create a transaction log backup

To set up and maintain a backup (standby) server

1. Expand a server group, and then expand a server.
   
   
2. Expand Databases, right-click the database, point to All Tasks, and then click Restore Database.
   
   
3. In Restore as database, type or select the name of the database to restore, if different from the default. To restore the database with a new name, type the new name of the database.
   
   
4. Under Restore, click From device, and then click Select devices.
   
   
5. Under Restore from, click Tape or Disk, and then select a device from which to restore.

   If no devices appear, click Add to add an existing backup device or to create a new one. The backup device must reference the backup device files created at the primary server.

6. In the Restore Database dialog box, click View contents. Select the backup set to restore.

   Note  This option scans the backup set for the backup content information and can be time consuming, especially when using tape devices. If you already know the backup set to restore, type the backup set number in Backup number instead.

7. Under Restore backup set, do one of the following:
   • Click Database - complete to restore the initial database backup created on the primary server. The initial database backup must be restored before any transaction log backups can be applied.
     
     
   • Click Transaction log to apply a transaction log backup created on the primary server.
8. On the Options tab, click Leave database read-only and able to restore additional transaction logs, and then in the Undo file box, type the name of the undo file that contains the contents of data pages before uncommitted transactions affecting those pages were rolled back.
   
   
9. Repeat this procedure for each transaction log backup applied to the standby server.

To bring the standby server online (primary server failed)

1. Back up the active transaction log on the primary server, if possible.

   For more information, see How to create a backup of the currently active transaction log.

2. Apply all transaction log backups, including the active transaction log backup created in Step 1, which have not yet been applied to the standby server.

   For more information, see How to apply a transaction log backup.

3. Recover the database.

   For more information, see How to recover a database without restoring.

See Also

Using Standby Servers