A current minimum memory requirement for each memory consumer of one or more memory consumers of a primary database system is received. A current memory allocation for a standby database system is received. A set of benefit-to-cost metrics is received. A benefit-to-cost metric is a measure of whether each memory consumer would benefit or would not benefit from additional memory. The set of benefit-to-cost metrics is applied to the standby database system to define an upper bound memory allocation of the standby database system to function in the event of a failover from the primary database system. A scaling factor is determined. In response to receiving an indication of a failover of the primary database system to the standby database system, a ramp up of the standby database system is monitored. The ramp up of the standby database system uses the set of benefit-to-cost metrics and the determined scaling factor.