Oracle Database - Enterprise Edition - Version 11.2.0.1 to 11.2.0.3 [Release 11.2]
Oracle Database - Enterprise Edition - Version 12.1.0.2 to 12.1.0.2 [Release 12.1]
Information in this document applies to any platform.
PURPOSE
Instance Name changes during RAC One NODE Failover / Switchover
SCOPE
Instance Name changes
DETAILS
INSTANCE / NODE CRASH (FAILOVER):
When the node goes down due to abnormal termination ( kill -9 or due to unknow reasons) Grid Infrastructure performs the following:
First cluster tries to restart the instance in same node.
If it is unsuccessful then it will start the instance in other node.
If the instance name is orcl_1, when it failover to node 2 it will be still orcl_1.
INSTANCE RELOCATE MANUALLY(SWITCHOVER):
When Manually switchover is performed for relocating orcl_1 from Node1 to Node 2 (Instance Relocation) Grid Infrastructure performs the following:
It will first create pfile( init.ora) automatically in node 2.
In node 2 it will use the new pfile and start instance with a new name, i.e. orcl_2, this is due to both instances are required to be up and running for active sessions on the original node to complete or time out.
Post switchover, it uses new instance name i.e. orcl_2