How to create static listener for Data Guard in Grid Infrastructure Standby environment

My environment has Grid Infrastructure installed and hence two separate homes. Please note that this server works as Data Guard node with the intention to be used as Active Data Guard -mode.

GRID_HOME = /oracle/app/11.2.0/grid
DB_HOME = /oracle/app/oracle/product/11.2.0/dbhome_1/

Primary Database = primsid
Primary SERVICE_NAME = PRIMARYSVC
Data Guard database instance name = DGSID
Data Guard database unique name = primsiddg
Data Guard SERVICE_NAME = DGSVC

What I wanted:

I wanted to create static listener for my Data Guard database, because I wanted to create the Data Guard -database from using the 'Active duplicate' -mode. This requires the standby database can be connected using listener connection even though the database is in NOMOUNT -state.

How to achieve this;

1) Do no create listener.ora in the GRID_HOME. Leave it empty.
2) Create listener.ora in the DB_HOME. These are my settings. Please note ORACLE_HOME and ADR_BASE_LISTENER - values.

SID_LIST_LISTENER =
  (SID_LIST =
    (SID_DESC =
      (GLOBAL_DBNAME = DGSVC)
      (ORACLE_HOME = /oracle/app/oracle/product/11.2.0/dbhome_1)
      (SID_NAME = DGSID)
    )
  )

LISTENER =
  (DESCRIPTION_LIST =
    (DESCRIPTION =
      (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = dg-server.domain.com)(PORT = 1521))
    )
    (DESCRIPTION =
      (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = IPC)(KEY = EXTPROC1521))
    )
  )

ADR_BASE_LISTENER = /oracle/app/oracle/product/11.2.0/dbhome_1

3) Start the listener GRID_HOME with grid environment variables on

4) Check listener status

oracle@dg-server:/oracle/app/oracle/product/11.2.0/dbhome_1/network/admin$ listener status

LSNRCTL for Solaris: Version 11.2.0.4.0 - Production on 14-DEC-2014 17:34:58

Copyright (c) 1991, 2013, Oracle.  All rights reserved.

Connecting to (DESCRIPTION=(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=TCP)(HOST=dg-server.domain.com)(PORT=1521)))

STATUS of the LISTENER

------------------------

Alias                     LISTENER

Version                   TNSLSNR for Solaris: Version 11.2.0.4.0 - Production

Start Date                14-DEC-2014 17:33:42

Uptime                    0 days 0 hr. 1 min. 15 sec

Trace Level               off

Security                  ON: Local OS Authentication

SNMP                      ON

Listener Parameter File   /oracle/app/oracle/product/11.2.0/dbhome_1/network/admin/listener.ora

Listener Log File         /oracle/app/oracle/product/11.2.0/dbhome_1/diag/tnslsnr/dg-server/listener/alert/log.xml

Listening Endpoints Summary...

  (DESCRIPTION=(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=tcp)(HOST=dg-server)(PORT=1521)))

  (DESCRIPTION=(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=ipc)(KEY=EXTPROC1521)))

Services Summary...

Service "+ASM" has 1 instance(s).

  Instance "+ASM", status READY, has 1 handler(s) for this service...

Service "DGSVC" has 2 instance(s).

  Instance "DGSID", status UNKNOWN, has 1 handler(s) for this service...

  Instance "DGSID", status BLOCKED, has 1 handler(s) for this service...

The command completed successfully

In case you see double services like this "BLOCKED" -- check your local_listener -value at database and clear the value.

SQL> alter system set local_listener = '';

Jarjestelma on muutettu.

SQL> alter system register;


Jarjestelma on muutettu.

5) If you have instance with UNKNOWN -status, you're ok. UNKNOWN is the status which we want.
6) Start database with pfile on nomout -state
SQL> startup nomount pfile = 'initPRIMSID.ora';
ORACLE instance started.

Total System Global Area 6415736832 bytes
Fixed Size                  2239440 bytes
Variable Size            1136661552 bytes
Database Buffers         5272240128 bytes

Redo Buffers                4595712 bytes
7) Restore controlfiles
RMAN> restore controlfile from 'PRIMSID_stby.ctl';

8) Start active duplication
oracle@dg-server:/oracle/app/oracle/product/11.2.0/dbhome_1/network/admin$ rman TARGET sys/pw@PRIMARYSVC AUXILIARY sys/pw@DGSVC

Recovery Manager: Release 11.2.0.4.0 - Production on Sun Dec 14 17:46:34 2014

Copyright (c) 1982, 2011, Oracle and/or its affiliates.  All rights reserved.

connected to target database: PRIMSID (DBID=1185966409)
connected to auxiliary database: DGSID (not mounted)