New Features in Oracle Data Guard Broker 11g

As 11g has two releases 11.2g and 11.1g so I will include new features into two sections.
New features in Oracle Data Guard Broker 11.1g
1. Fast start failover can be performed from a Data Guard broker if the database configuration is operating in maximum performance mode.

2. The new DBMS_DG PL/SQL package allows applications to notify the observer process to initiate a fast-start failover to the target standby database.

3. We can configure data guard broker to perform fast start failover based errors raised by the Oracle server.

4. After a failover, the observer automatically attempts to reinstate bystander standby databases.

5. Through DGMGRL CONVERT DATABASE command, you can convert physical standby database to a snapshot standby database, or reverts the snapshot standby database back to a physical standby database.

6. You can specify a connect identifier for Redo Transport Services as you want.

7. No need to shutdown database when changing the protection mode to and from maximum availability and maximum performance.

8. Support for Redo Apply on physical standby databases opened for read.

9. Allow a primary or logical standby database in a Data Guard Broker configuration to be mounted without having to be opened automatically.

10. The DGMGRL client ADD DATABASE command can import a pre-configured service attribute from a LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_n parameter when adding a standby database to the configuration. So we can only issue "ADD DATABASE {DATABASE_NAME}" command instead of specifying any connect identifier.

11. A primary database can be in either the TRANSPORT-OFF or TRANSPORT-ON state. A standby database can be in either the APPLY-OFF or APPLY-ON state. In this way, database states become simpler.

12. In 11.1g the network bandwidth utilization in a Data Guard configuration is done efficiently by compressing archived redo logs as they are transmitted over the network to standby databases, when the log is sent to satisfy a gap at a standby database.

13. You can now specify USE_DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST as the value for the AlternateLocation and StandbyArchiveLocation instance-specific properties.

14. The following new Data Guard command-line interface (DGMGRL) commands are available:

CONVERT DATABASE TO SNAPSHOT STANDBY

CONVERT DATABASE TO PHYSICAL STANDBY

DISABLE FAST_START FAILOVER CONDITION

ENABLE FAST_START FAILOVER CONDITION

SHOW FAST_START FAILOVER

15. The following new database properties are available:

DGConnectIdentifier (replaces InitialConnectIdentifier)

ObserverConnectIdentifier

RedoCompression

16. The following new configuration properties are available:

FastStartFailoverAutoReinstate

FastStartFailoverLagLimit

FastStartFailoverPmyShutdown

17. The LsbyTxnConsistency database property has been renamed to LsbyPreserveCommitOrder.

18. New default of ASYNC for the LogXptMode database property.


New features in Oracle Data Guard Broker 11.2g
1. Now the broker configuration consist of 1 primary database and up to 30 standby databases.

2. The value of an instance-specific property can be changed for all instances in one command.

3. In 11.1g redo transport compression was limited to compressing redo data only when a redo gap is being resolved. In 11.2g when compression is enabled for a destination, all redo data sent to that destination is compressed.

4. Improved status and error reporting for the SHOW CONFIGURATION and SHOW DATABASE commands.

5. The SHOW DATABASE command displays the apply lag and transport lag of a standby database.

6. Shutting down all instances but one on a target physical standby for role changes is no longer required.

7. FAN/ONS (Fast Application Notification/Oracle Notification Services) notification is sent after a failover for databases configured with Oracle Clusterware and for single-instance databases registered with Oracle Restart.

8. FAN/AQ (Fast Application Notification/Advanced Queueing) notification is sent after a failover to a logical standby database.

9. Integration with Active Data Guard (automatic stop and restart of apply) when an apply instance is opened.

10. Reinstatement of the old (original) primary database after an immediate failover.

11. Improved hang detection and resolution for broker network communications. In addition, a new configuration property, CommunicationTimeout, enables the user to select an appropriate timeout value for their environment.

12. New database property, StaticConnectIdentifier, which allows the user to specify a static connect identifier that the DGMGRL client will use to start database instances.

13. Protection mode upgrades from maximum availability to maximum protection no longer require a restart of the primary database. This means that when upgrading from maximum performance mode to maximum protection mode, you can avoid a restart of the primary database by first upgrading to maximum availability. Once in maximum availability mode, you can then upgrade to maximum protection mode.

14. Data Recovery Adviser now uses Data Guard to suggest viable repair options for a primary database that cannot be repaired in a timely manner.