Nah - just use a shared disk array such as a NAS and make sure that you have all the /dbs files (spfile, PW files, etc), redo, controlfile and the executables are all at the same patch level. Make sure that you have the same mount points and privs right on both machines. Just make sure that you don't start them both at the same time. We just used this method this week to move 3 test environments from 1 server to a second one. Steve Smith Desk: 303-231-5499 -----Original Message----- From: oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Kerber, Andrew W. Sent: Wednesday, April 11, 2007 2:58 PM To: peter.schauss@xxxxxxx; oracle-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: RE: Active/Passive "high availability" I believe this sounds like oracle dataguard or serviceguard. Probably needs a special license. -----Original Message----- From: oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Schauss, Peter Sent: Wednesday, April 11, 2007 3:25 PM To: oracle-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: Active/Passive "high availability" My manager is proposing to cluster two Solaris 5.9 servers in order to create a "high availability" solution. At this stage he is a bit unclear as to what software he would be using for the cluster, but he does not envision purchasing any additional licenses from Oracle. Our Oracle version is 8.1.7.4. His idea is to have an Oracle instance running on one box and a second Oracle home on the second box, but not running. In the event of a failure on the active box, we would start the Oracle instance on the other one to minimize down time. Aside from my questions about what this configuration actually accomplishes, my concerns would be: - Assuming that all of the data files are on the shared disk, would this approach actually work? - The password file is normally stored in $ORACLE_HOME/dbs. If we have two of them do they need to be synchronized? Is there anything else in the dbs directory which needs to be synchronized? - Would we risk corrupting our data if we accidentally started the second instance? - Are there any Oracle licensing issues? Thanks, Peter Schauss -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------ NOTICE: This electronic mail message and any attached files are confidential. The information is exclusively for the use of the individual or entity intended as the recipient. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, copying, printing, reviewing, retention, disclosure, distribution or forwarding of the message or any attached file is not authorized and is strictly prohibited. If you have received this electronic mail message in error, please advise the sender by reply electronic mail immediately and permanently delete the original transmission, any attachments and any copies of this message from your computer system. Thank you. ======================================================================== ====== -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l