Starting up a physical standby database

Below are the steps to a physical standby database with  read only state.

1. startup nomount with pfile:

   SQL> STARTUP NOMOUNT='/export/home/oracle/pfile.ora';
    ORACLE instance started.
    Total System Global Area 7.5162E+10 bytes
   Fixed Size                  5282712 bytes
   Variable Size            1.3153E+10 bytes
   Database Buffers         6.1740E+10 bytes
   Redo Buffers              263151616 bytes

2. Mount the standby database:

   SQL> ALTER DATABASE MOUNT STANDBY DATABASE;
    Database altered.

3. Find out if the standby database is performing managed recovery. If the MRP0 or MRP process exists, then the standby database is performing managed recovery.

   SQL> SELECT PROCESS, STATUS FROM V$MANAGED_STANDBY;
    PROCESS   STATUS
   --------- ------------
   ARCH      CONNECTED
   ARCH      CONNECTED
   ARCH      CONNECTED
   ARCH      CONNECTED
   RFS       IDLE
   RFS       IDLE
   MRP0      WAIT_FOR_LOG

4. Cancel log apply services:

   SQL> ALTER DATABASE RECOVER MANAGED STANDBY DATABASE CANCEL;
    Database altered.

5. Open the database for read only access:

   SQL> alter database open read only;
    Database altered.

6. Start the managed recovery operation( redo apply):

   SQL> ALTER DATABASE RECOVER MANAGED STANDBY DATABASE DISCONNECT FROM SESSION;
    Database altered.

7. Finally check the open mode of the database:

   SQL> select open_mode from v$database;
    OPEN_MODE
   --------------------
   READ ONLY WITH APPLY

And the following steps show you how to shut down a standby database:

1. Find out if the standby database is performing managed recovery. If the MRP0 or MRP process exists, then the standby database is performing managed recovery:

   SQL> SELECT PROCESS, STATUS FROM V$MANAGED_STANDBY;
    PROCESS   STATUS
   --------- ------------
   ARCH      CONNECTED
   ARCH      CONNECTED
   ARCH      CONNECTED
   ARCH      CONNECTED
   RFS       IDLE
   RFS       IDLE
   MRP0      WAIT_FOR_LOG

2. Cancel managed recovery operations:

   SQL> ALTER DATABASE RECOVER MANAGED STANDBY DATABASE CANCEL;
    Database altered.

3. Finally shut down the standby database:

   SQL> SHUTDOWN IMMEDIATE;