Mir Sayeed Hassan – Oracle Blog

ORA-16139: media recovery required in Oracle Database 11gR2

The Ora-16139 error occur while performing the physical standby database during switchover from physical standby database to primary database in Oracle database 11gR2(11.2.0.4)

Check the status of standby db

SQL> select switchover_status from v$database;

SWITCHOVER_STATUS
 --------------------
 NOT ALLOWED

Or

SQL> SELECT SWITCHOVER_STATUS FROM V$DATABASE;

SWITCHOVER_STATUS
 ------------------------------------------------------------
 SWITCHOVER LATENT

ERROR:

SQL> alter database commit to switchover to primary;
 alter database commit to switchover to primary
 *
 ERROR at line 1:
 ORA-16139: media recovery required

SOLUTION:

SQL> RECOVER MANAGED STANDBY DATABASE FINISH;
 Media recovery complete

SQL> alter database commit to switchover to primary with session shutdown;
 Database altered.

SQL> select status from V$instance;

STATUS
 ------------
 MOUNTED

SQL> shutdown immediate
 ORA-01109: database not open
 Database dismounted.
 ORACLE instance shut down.

SQL> startup
 ORACLE instance started.

Total System Global Area 1.0021E+10 bytes
 Fixed Size 2261848 bytes
 Variable Size 5234494632 bytes
 Database Buffers 4764729344 bytes
 Redo Buffers 19894272 bytes
 Database mounted.
 Database opened.

Verify:

SQL> select INSTANCE_NAME,DATABASE_STATUS,INSTANCE_ROLE,status from V$instance;

INSTANCE_NAME DATABASE_STATUS INSTANCE_ROLE STATUS
 ---------------- ----------------- ------------------ ------------
 standbydb ACTIVE PRIMARY_INSTANCE OPEN

=============Hence tested & verified in our production database===============