Active dataguard - oracle 11g !!

Oracle 11g dataguard has this nice feature called Active dataguard, where you can have your standby database open read only and still have the redologs being applied to the standby database. This is definitely a huge improvement to standby functionality, 'cos you can leverage all your select queries to the standby database, while using the primary for all DDL/DML activity.

Here are the steps to follow.

1. Disable the redolog apply.
2. Alter database open readonly; (on standby database)
3. Enable the redolog apply.

and you are done.

-- Vish.