Patent ID: 7734596

Claim:
An automatic failover configuration comprising: participants that are implemented in a processor and a memory device accessible to the processor, the participants including a primary database system that processes transactions and produces redo data therefor, a standby database system that receives the redo data via a redo communications link, and an active observer that exchanges first control messages with the primary database system and the standby database system; one or more redundant observers; one or more non-redo communications links that are not redo communications links and that link the active observer and the redundant observers to the primary database system and the standby database system, the active observer and the redundant observers operating on non-database system entities which are coupled to the non-redo communication link and having hardware and/or operating system platforms that are different from the hardware and/or operating system platforms used in the primary and standby database systems; and an active observer monitor that detects absence of the active observer by monitoring the primary database system and the standby database system via the non-redo communications links for receipt of control messages from the active observer and replaces the absent active observer with an observer of the redundant observers.