backup control file and standby control file

[Christ Follower]

I noticed that the ALTER DATABASE command supports BACKUP CONTROLFILE
and CREATE STANDBY CONTROLFILE AS clauses. What is the difference
between a backup control file and a standby control file? Thanks.

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Before you buy.

[Erwin Dondorp]

[BACKUP CONTROLFILE]
This control file is marked as a backup controlefile.
It does not contain any SCN's, this is the reason that there is no
difference between
taking a backup controlfile before or after the real backup.
This controlfile only tells something about the database structure.
If you do a recovery the the SCN's are copied from the datafiles to the
controlfile.
After a recovery the backup controlfile becomes an ordinary controlfile.

[STANDBY CONTROLFILE]
This control file is marked as a standby controlefile.
A database that uses this controlfile is a standby database.
A standby database does not allow the statement ALTER DATABASE OPEN.
This prevents an otherwise common mistake by which the standby database
becomes
active and a roll forward is no longer possible.
You need a specific statement to open this database [ALTER DATABASE OPEN
STANDBY DATABASE?]
After opening the database the standby controlfile becomes an ordinary
controlfile.

Erwin

--
Erwin Dondorp
<http://www.dondorp.com/>