How an incorrect password file format can stop the redo apply process (MRP0) on standby database

Error in dgmgrl shows:

DGMGRL> show configuration;

Configuration - DGConfig1

  Protection Mode: MaxPerformance
  Members:
  proddb01   - Primary database
    stby02- Physical standby database
    stby01 - Physical standby database
      Error: ORA-16810: multiple errors or warnings detected for the member

Fast-Start Failover: DISABLED

Configuration Status:
ERROR   (status updated 36 seconds ago)

Checking the database throwing error:

DGMGRL> show database stby01

Database - stby01

  Role:               PHYSICAL STANDBY
  Intended State:     APPLY-ON
  Transport Lag:      0 seconds (computed 0 seconds ago)
  Apply Lag:          21 hours 43 minutes 37 seconds (computed 0 seconds ago)
  Average Apply Rate: 5.00 KByte/s
  Real Time Query:    OFF
  Instance(s):
    pipat

  Database Error(s):
    ORA-16766: Redo Apply is stopped

  Database Warning(s):
    ORA-16853: apply lag has exceeded specified threshold

Try restarting redo apply:

DGMGRL>  edit database 'stby01'  set state='APPLY-OFF';
Succeeded.
DGMGRL>  edit database 'stby01'  set state='APPLY-ON';
Succeeded.

The alert log reports:

2019-12-03T11:33:22.214114+01:00
ALTER DATABASE RECOVER MANAGED STANDBY DATABASE DISCONNECT  NODELAY
2019-12-03T11:33:22.270642+01:00
Attempt to start background Managed Standby Recovery process (proddb01)
Starting background process MRP0
2019-12-03T11:33:22.312794+01:00
MRP0 started with pid=105, OS id=20354
2019-12-03T11:33:22.333315+01:00
MRP0: Background Managed Standby Recovery process started (proddb01)
2019-12-03T11:33:27.472196+01:00
 Started logmerger process
2019-12-03T11:33:27.599549+01:00
Managed Standby Recovery starting Real Time Apply
2019-12-03T11:33:27.801888+01:00
Parallel Media Recovery started with 4 slaves
2019-12-03T11:33:28.279378+01:00
Media Recovery Log /u04/fra/STBY01/archivelog/2019_12_02/o1_mf_1_121201__y2thfwyz_.arc
2019-12-03T11:33:28.318586+01:00
Completed: ALTER DATABASE RECOVER MANAGED STANDBY DATABASE DISCONNECT  NODELAY
MRP0: Background Media Recovery terminated with error 46952
2019-12-03T11:33:28.372536+01:00
Errors in file /orasoft/diag/rdbms/stby01/proddb01/trace/proddb01_pr00_20395.trc:
 ORA-46952: standby database format mismatch for password file '/orasoft/product/122/dbs/orapwproddb01'
Managed Standby Recovery not using Real Time Apply
Recovery interrupted!
Recovered data files to a consistent state at change 826857150
2019-12-03T11:33:28.447080+01:00
2019-12-03T11:33:28.554534+01:00
MRP0: Background Media Recovery process shutdown (proddb01)

The password file is of an older version and should be recreated in order to ressume log apply. How to do this is outlined in one of my previous posts, available here.

After you have done this, restart redo apply again with

DGMGRL>  edit database 'stby01'  set state='APPLY-ON';
Succeeded.

Put a tail on the standby database's alert log and you'll see that the outstanding logs are cherned through quicly.

Update, 04.11.2024

I have also seen situations where recreation of the password file does not help. In such cases:

On the standby, start the archiving process manually

  SQL> ALTER DATABASE RECOVER MANAGED STANDBY DATABASE DISCONNECT FROM SESSION;

Copy the password file from primary node 1 to standby node

Source: Standby Database MRP Fails With ORA-46952: Standby Database Format Mismatch For Password (Doc ID 2503352.1)