Active Data Guard 

The Active Data Guard Option is an evolution of Data Guard technology, it is designed for a specific purpose:

-To improve production database performance for critical transactions.
-Active Data Guard enables read-only access to a physical standby database while Redo Apply is active.
-Queries and reports can be offloaded from the production system to a synchronized physical standby database
-All queries at the standby database return up-to-date results.
-Unique corruption detection and automatic repair
-Offload read-only workloads to an up-to-date standby database
-Database rolling upgrades and standby-first patching using physical standby
-Zero data loss protection across any distance
-Enable incremental backups on an active standby
-Load balancing and service management across replicated databases
-An Active Data Guard Option license must be purchased in addition to Oracle Enterprise Edition in order to utilize these new capabilities

Benefits:

-Absolutely the best protection for Oracle Database
-Highest performance data recovery protection without compromises
-Zero data loss data recovery protection across any distance without impacting performance
-Comprehensive protection against planned and unplanned outages