This Oracle database error typically occurs in a distributed database environment (Real Application Clusters – RAC). It indicates a communication breakdown between database instances. A database instance attempts to retrieve data or a processing result from another instance within the cluster but fails. This could be due to network issues, problems with the interconnect between nodes, or issues with the remote instance itself, such as instance failure or excessive load.
Addressing this error is critical for maintaining the integrity and availability of a RAC database. A failure to quickly resolve the underlying problem can lead to application downtime and data inconsistency. Understanding the potential causes, ranging from transient network hiccups to more serious hardware failures, allows for faster diagnosis and remediation. This directly impacts business continuity and service level agreements. The increasing complexity of modern applications and their reliance on distributed databases makes robust error handling essential.
