1/45

Contents

Title and Copyright Information

Preface

• Audience
• Documentation Accessibility
• Related Documentation
• Conventions

Changes in This Release for Backup and Recovery User's Guide

• Changes in Oracle Database 12c Release 2 (12.2.0.1)
• Changes in Oracle Database 12c Release 1 (12.1.0.2)
  • New Features
• Changes in Oracle Database 12c Release 1 (12.1.0.1)
  • New Features

Part I Overview of Backup and Recovery

1 Introduction to Backup and Recovery

• 1.1 Purpose of Backup and Recovery
  • 1.1.1 About Data Protection
  • 1.1.2 About Failures that Require Database Recovery
  • 1.1.3 About Data Archival
  • 1.1.4 About Data Transfer
• 1.2 Oracle Backup and Recovery Solutions
• 1.3 Comparison of Oracle Backup Techniques
• 1.4 About Oracle Flashback Technology
  • 1.4.1 Logical Flashback Features
  • 1.4.2 Flashback Database
• 1.5 About Data Recovery Advisor
• 1.6 RMAN and Oracle Enterprise Manager Cloud Control
  • 1.6.1 About Oracle Enterprise Manager Cloud Control
  • 1.6.2 Accessing the Database Home Page Using Cloud Control
  • 1.6.3 Performing Backup and Recovery Tasks with Cloud Control
• 1.7 About Zero Data Loss Recovery Appliance
  • 1.7.1 Using RMAN with Recovery Appliance
• 1.8 Backup and Recovery Documentation Roadmap
  • 1.8.1 Recovery Manager Documentation Roadmap
  • 1.8.2 User-Managed Backup and Recovery Documentation Roadmap

2 Getting Started with RMAN

• 2.1 Overview of the RMAN Environment
• 2.2 Starting RMAN and Connecting to a Database: Quick Start
• 2.3 Showing the Default RMAN Configuration
• 2.4 Backing Up a Database: Quick Start
  • 2.4.1 About Typical RMAN Backup Options
  • 2.4.2 Backing Up a Database in ARCHIVELOG Mode
  • 2.4.3 Backing Up a Database in NOARCHIVELOG Mode
  • 2.4.4 Making Incremental Backups: Quick Start
  • 2.4.5 Making Incrementally Updated Backups
  • 2.4.6 Validating Database Files and Backups: Quick Start
  • 2.4.7 Scripting RMAN Operations
• 2.5 Reporting on RMAN Operations: Quick Start
  • 2.5.1 Listing Backups: Quick Start
  • 2.5.2 Reporting on Database Files and Backups: Quick Start
• 2.6 Maintaining RMAN Backups
  • 2.6.1 Cross-checking Backups: Quick Start
  • 2.6.2 Deleting Obsolete Backups: Quick Start
• 2.7 Diagnosing and Repairing Failures with Data Recovery Advisor: Quick Start
  • 2.7.1 Listing Failures and Determining Repair Options
  • 2.7.2 Repairing Failures: Quick Start
• 2.8 Rewinding a Database with Flashback Database: Quick Start
• 2.9 Restoring and Recovering Database Files: Quick Start
  • 2.9.1 Preparing to Restore and Recover Database Files: Quick Start
  • 2.9.2 Recovering the Whole Database: Quick Start
  • 2.9.3 Recovering Tablespaces: Quick Start
  • 2.9.4 Recovering Individual Data Blocks: Quick Start

Part II Starting and Configuring RMAN and Flashback Database

3 Recovery Manager Architecture

• 3.1 About the RMAN Environment
• 3.2 About RMAN Command-Line Client
• 3.3 About RMAN Channels
  • 3.3.1 About RMAN Channels and Devices
  • 3.3.2 About RMAN Automatic and Manual Channels
• 3.4 About the RMAN Repository
• 3.5 About Media Management Using RMAN
  • 3.5.1 About RMAN Interaction with a Media Manager
  • 3.5.2 About RMAN and Oracle Secure Backup
  • 3.5.3 About the Backup Solutions Program
• 3.6 About the Fast Recovery Area
• 3.7 About RMAN in a Data Guard Environment
  • 3.7.1 About RMAN Configuration in a Data Guard Environment
  • 3.7.2 About RMAN File Management in a Data Guard Environment
    • 3.7.2.1 About Interchangeability of Backups in a Data Guard Environment
    • 3.7.2.2 About Association of Backups in a Data Guard Environment
    • 3.7.2.3 About Accessibility of Backups in a Data Guard Environment
• 3.8 About RMAN in a Recovery Appliance Environment
  • 3.8.1 Creating RMAN Backups to Recovery Appliance

4 Starting and Interacting with the RMAN Client

• 4.1 Starting and Exiting RMAN
• 4.2 Making Database Connections with RMAN
  • 4.2.1 About RMAN Database Connection Types
  • 4.2.2 About Authentication for RMAN Database Connections
    • 4.2.2.1 Authentication Using the Operating System
    • 4.2.2.2 Authentication Using a Password File
  • 4.2.3 Making Database Connections from the RMAN Prompt
  • 4.2.4 Making RMAN Database Connections from the Operating System Command Line
  • 4.2.5 Making RMAN Connections to a CDB
    • 4.2.5.1 About Performing Operations on CDBs and PDBs
    • 4.2.5.2 Restrictions When Connected to a PDB
    • 4.2.5.3 Connecting as Target to the Root
    • 4.2.5.4 Connecting as Target to a PDB
  • 4.2.6 Making RMAN Database Connections Within Command Files
  • 4.2.7 Connecting RMAN to an Auxiliary Database
  • 4.2.8 Diagnosing RMAN Connection Problems
    • 4.2.8.1 Diagnosing Target and Auxiliary Database Connection Problems
    • 4.2.8.2 Diagnosing Recovery Catalog Connection Problems
• 4.3 Specifying the Location of RMAN Output
• 4.4 Setting Globalization Support Environment Variables for RMAN
• 4.5 Entering RMAN Commands
  • 4.5.1 Entering RMAN Commands at the RMAN Prompt
  • 4.5.2 Using Command Files with RMAN
  • 4.5.3 Entering Comments in RMAN Command Files
  • 4.5.4 Using Substitution Variables in Command Files
  • 4.5.5 Checking RMAN Syntax
    • 4.5.5.1 Checking RMAN Syntax at the Command Line
    • 4.5.5.2 Checking RMAN Syntax in Command Files
• 4.6 Using the RMAN Pipe Interface
  • 4.6.1 Executing Multiple RMAN Commands in Succession Through a Pipe: Example
  • 4.6.2 Executing RMAN Commands in a Single Job Through a Pipe: Example

5 Configuring the RMAN Environment

• 5.1 About Configuring the Environment for RMAN Backups
  • 5.1.1 Showing and Clearing Persistent RMAN Configurations
  • 5.1.2 Configuring the Default Device for Backups: Disk or SBT
  • 5.1.3 Configuring the Default Type for Backups: Backup Sets or Copies
  • 5.1.4 Configuring Channels
    • 5.1.4.1 About Channel Configuration
    • 5.1.4.2 Configuring Channels for Disk
    • 5.1.4.3 Configuring Parallel Channels for Disk and SBT Devices
    • 5.1.4.4 Manually Overriding Configured Channels
  • 5.1.5 Configuring Control File and Server Parameter File Autobackups
    • 5.1.5.1 Configuring the Control File Autobackup Format
    • 5.1.5.2 Overriding the Configured Control File Autobackup Format
• 5.2 Configuring RMAN to Make Backups to a Media Manager
  • 5.2.1 Prerequisites for Using a Media Manager with RMAN
  • 5.2.2 Determining the Location of the Media Management Library
  • 5.2.3 Configuring Media Management Software for RMAN Backups
  • 5.2.4 Testing Whether the Media Manager Library Is Integrated Correctly
    • 5.2.4.1 Testing ALLOCATE CHANNEL on the Media Manager
    • 5.2.4.2 Testing Backup and Restore Operations on the Media Manager
  • 5.2.5 Configuring SBT Channels for Use with a Media Manager
    • 5.2.5.1 About Media Manager Backup Piece Names
    • 5.2.5.2 Configuring Automatic SBT Channels
• 5.3 Configuring RMAN to Make Backups to Recovery Appliance
  • 5.3.1 Prerequisites for Using Recovery Appliance
  • 5.3.2 Steps to Configure RMAN for Backups to Recovery Appliance
  • 5.3.3 Determining the Location of the Recovery Appliance Backup Module
  • 5.3.4 Specifying Recovery Appliance Configuration Settings for RMAN Backups
• 5.4 Configuring the Fast Recovery Area
  • 5.4.1 Overview of Files in the Fast Recovery Area
    • 5.4.1.1 Fast Recovery Area with Oracle Managed Files and Automatic Storage Management
    • 5.4.1.2 How Oracle Manages Disk Space in the Fast Recovery Area
  • 5.4.2 Enabling the Fast Recovery Area
    • 5.4.2.1 Considerations When Setting the Size of the Fast Recovery Area
    • 5.4.2.2 Considerations When Setting the Location of the Fast Recovery Area
    • 5.4.2.3 Setting the Fast Recovery Area Location and Initial Size
  • 5.4.3 Disabling the Fast Recovery Area
  • 5.4.4 Configuring Locations for Control Files and Redo Logs
    • 5.4.4.1 Configuring Online Redo Log Locations
    • 5.4.4.2 Configuring Control File Locations
    • 5.4.4.3 Configuring Archived Redo Log Locations
  • 5.4.5 Configuring RMAN File Creation in the Fast Recovery Area
• 5.5 Configuring the Backup Retention Policy
  • 5.5.1 Configuring a Redundancy-Based Retention Policy
  • 5.5.2 Configuring a Recovery Window-Based Retention Policy
  • 5.5.3 Disabling the Retention Policy
• 5.6 Backup Optimization and the CONFIGURE command
  • 5.6.1 Overview of Backup Optimization
  • 5.6.2 Effect of Retention Policies on Backup Optimization for SBT Backups
    • 5.6.2.1 About Backup Optimization for SBT Backups with Recovery Window Retention Policy
    • 5.6.2.2 About Backup Optimization for SBT Backups With Redundancy Retention Policy
  • 5.6.3 Configuring Backup Optimization
• 5.7 Configuring an Archived Redo Log Deletion Policy
  • 5.7.1 About Archived Redo Log Deletion Policies
    • 5.7.1.1 When the Archived Redo Log Deletion Policy Is Disabled
    • 5.7.1.2 When the Archived Redo Log Deletion Policy Is Enabled
  • 5.7.2 Enabling an Archived Redo Log Deletion Policy
• 5.8 Configuring RMAN in a Data Guard Environment

6 Configuring the RMAN Environment: Advanced Topics

• 6.1 Configuring Advanced Channel Options
  • 6.1.1 About Channel Control Options
  • 6.1.2 Configuring Specific Channel Parameters
    • 6.1.2.1 Configuring Specific Channels: Examples
    • 6.1.2.2 Relationship Between CONFIGURE CHANNEL and Parallelism Setting
• 6.2 Configuring Advanced Backup Options
  • 6.2.1 Configuring the Maximum Size of Backup Sets
  • 6.2.2 Configuring the Maximum Size of Backup Pieces
  • 6.2.3 Configuring Backup Duplexing
  • 6.2.4 Configuring Tablespaces for Exclusion from Whole Database Backups
  • 6.2.5 Configuring Compression Options
    • 6.2.5.1 About RMAN Precompression Block Processing
    • 6.2.5.2 About RMAN Supported Compression Levels
      • 6.2.5.2.1 About RMAN Default Compression
      • 6.2.5.2.2 About Oracle Advanced Compression Option
  • 6.2.6 Configuring Backup Encryption
    • 6.2.6.1 About Backup Encryption
      • 6.2.6.1.1 Transparent Encryption of Backups
      • 6.2.6.1.2 Password Encryption of Backups
      • 6.2.6.1.3 Dual Mode Encryption of Backups
    • 6.2.6.2 Configuring RMAN Backup Encryption Modes
    • 6.2.6.3 Configuring the Backup Encryption Algorithm
• 6.3 Configuring Auxiliary Instance Data File Names
• 6.4 Configuring the Snapshot Control File Location
  • 6.4.1 Viewing the Configured Location of the Snapshot Control File
  • 6.4.2 Setting the Location of the Snapshot Control File
• 6.5 Configuring RMAN for Use with a Shared Server
• 6.6 Enabling Lost Write Detection

7 Using Flashback Database and Restore Points

• 7.1 Overview of Flashback Database, Restore Points and Guaranteed Restore Points
  • 7.1.1 About Flashback Database
  • 7.1.2 About Flashback Database Window
  • 7.1.3 Limitations of Flashback Database
  • 7.1.4 About Normal Restore Points
  • 7.1.5 About Guaranteed Restore Points
    • 7.1.5.1 Guaranteed Restore Points versus Storage Snapshots
  • 7.1.6 Overview of Restore Points in a Multitenant Environment
    • 7.1.6.1 About CDB Restore Points
    • 7.1.6.2 About Restore Points in PDBs
    • 7.1.6.3 About the Namespace for PDB Restore Points
• 7.2 About Logging for Flashback Database and Guaranteed Restore Points
  • 7.2.1 Guaranteed Restore Points and Fast Recovery Area Space Usage
  • 7.2.2 About Logging for Guaranteed Restore Points with Flashback Logging Disabled
  • 7.2.3 About Logging for Flashback Database with Guaranteed Restore Points Defined
• 7.3 Prerequisites for Flashback Database and Restore Points
• 7.4 Using Normal and Guaranteed Restore Points
  • 7.4.1 Creating Normal and Guaranteed Restore Points in non-CDBs
  • 7.4.2 Creating CDB Restore Points
  • 7.4.3 Creating PDB Restore Points
  • 7.4.4 Listing Restore Points Using the LIST Command
  • 7.4.5 Listing Restore Points Using the V$RESTORE_POINT View
  • 7.4.6 Dropping Restore Points
• 7.5 Using Flashback Database
  • 7.5.1 Enabling Flashback Database
  • 7.5.2 Disabling Flashback Database Logging
  • 7.5.3 Configuring the Environment for Optimal Flashback Database Performance
  • 7.5.4 Monitoring the Effect of Flashback Database on Performance
  • 7.5.5 About Flashback Writer (RVWR) Behavior with I/O Errors

Part III Backing Up and Archiving Data

8 RMAN Backup Concepts

• 8.1 About Consistent and Inconsistent RMAN Backups
  • 8.1.1 About Consistent RMAN Backups
  • 8.1.2 About Inconsistent RMAN Backups
• 8.2 About Online Backups and Backup Mode
• 8.3 About Backup Sets
  • 8.3.1 About Backup Sets and Backup Pieces
  • 8.3.2 About RMAN Block Compression for Backup Sets
    • 8.3.2.1 About Unused Block Compression
    • 8.3.2.2 About Null Block Compression
  • 8.3.3 About Binary Compression for RMAN Backup Sets
  • 8.3.4 About RMAN Backup Undo Optimization
  • 8.3.5 About Encryption for RMAN Backup Sets
  • 8.3.6 About File Names for RMAN Backup Pieces
  • 8.3.7 About Number and Size of RMAN Backup Pieces
  • 8.3.8 About Number and Size of RMAN Backup Sets
  • 8.3.9 About Multiplexed RMAN Backup Sets
  • 8.3.10 About RMAN Proxy Copies
• 8.4 About RMAN Image Copies
  • 8.4.1 About RMAN-Created Image Copies
  • 8.4.2 About User-Managed Image Copies
• 8.5 About Sparse Backups
• 8.6 About Multiple Copies of RMAN Backups
  • 8.6.1 About Duplexed Backup Sets
  • 8.6.2 About Backups of RMAN Backups
    • 8.6.2.1 Backups of Backup Sets
    • 8.6.2.2 Backups of Image Copies
• 8.7 About RMAN Control File and Server Parameter File Autobackups
  • 8.7.1 When RMAN Performs Control File Autobackups
  • 8.7.2 How RMAN Performs Control File Autobackups
• 8.8 About RMAN Incremental Backups
  • 8.8.1 About Multilevel Incremental Backups
    • 8.8.1.1 About Differential Incremental Backups
    • 8.8.1.2 About Cumulative Incremental Backups
  • 8.8.2 About Block Change Tracking
  • 8.8.3 About the Incremental Backup Algorithm
  • 8.8.4 About Recovery with Incremental Backups
  • 8.8.5 About the Incremental-Forever Backup Strategy for Recovery Appliance
• 8.9 About Backup Retention Policies
  • 8.9.1 About the Recovery Window
  • 8.9.2 About Backup Redundancy
  • 8.9.3 About Batch Deletes of Obsolete Backups
  • 8.9.4 About Backup Retention Policy and Fast Recovery Area Deletion Rules

9 Backing Up the Database

• 9.1 Overview of RMAN Backups
  • 9.1.1 Purpose of RMAN Backups
  • 9.1.2 Basic Concepts of RMAN Backups
• 9.2 Specifying Backup Output Options
  • 9.2.1 Specifying the Device Type for an RMAN Backup
  • 9.2.2 Specifying Backup Set or Copy for an RMAN Backup to Disk
  • 9.2.3 Specifying a Format for RMAN Backups
    • 9.2.3.1 Specifying Multiple Formats for Disk Backups
  • 9.2.4 Specifying Tags for an RMAN Backup
    • 9.2.4.1 About Backup Tags
    • 9.2.4.2 Specifying Tags for Backup Sets and Image Copies
  • 9.2.5 Making Compressed Backups
  • 9.2.6 Specifying Multisection Incremental Backups
  • 9.2.7 Making Multisection Backups Using Image Copies
• 9.3 Backing Up Database Files with RMAN
  • 9.3.1 Backing Up a Whole Database with RMAN
  • 9.3.2 Backing Up Tablespaces and Data Files with RMAN
  • 9.3.3 Backing Up Control Files with RMAN
    • 9.3.3.1 About Manual Backups of the Control File
    • 9.3.3.2 Making a Manual Backup of the Control File
  • 9.3.4 Backing Up Server Parameter Files with RMAN
  • 9.3.5 Backing Up a Database in NOARCHIVELOG Mode
• 9.4 Backing Up CDBs and PDBs
  • 9.4.1 About Backing Up CDBs and PDBs
  • 9.4.2 Backing Up a Whole CDB
  • 9.4.3 Backing Up the Root with RMAN
  • 9.4.4 Backing Up the Root with Oracle Enterprise Manager Cloud Control
  • 9.4.5 Backing Up PDBs with RMAN
  • 9.4.6 Backing Up PDBs with Oracle Enterprise Manager Cloud Control
  • 9.4.7 Backing Up Tablespaces and Data Files in a PDB
• 9.5 Backing Up Application Containers
  • 9.5.1 About Backing Up Application Containers
  • 9.5.2 Backing Up the Application Root
  • 9.5.3 Backing Up the Application Root and its Application PDBs
  • 9.5.4 Backing Up Application PDBs
• 9.6 Backing Up Sparse Databases with RMAN
  • 9.6.1 Backing Up a Sparse Database with RMAN
  • 9.6.2 Backing Up Sparse Tablespaces and Data Files with RMAN
  • 9.6.3 Backing Up a Sparse CDB with RMAN
  • 9.6.4 Backing Up a Sparse PDB with RMAN
• 9.7 Backing Up Archived Redo Logs with RMAN
  • 9.7.1 About Backups of Archived Redo Logs for non-CDBs
    • 9.7.1.1 About Archived Redo Log Failover
    • 9.7.1.2 About Online Redo Log Switching
  • 9.7.2 About Backup of Archived Redo Logs in CDBs
  • 9.7.3 Backing Up Archived Redo Log Files in non-CDBs
  • 9.7.4 Backing Up Only Archived Redo Logs That Need Backups in non-CDBs
  • 9.7.5 Backing Up Archived Redo Logs in CDBs
  • 9.7.6 Deleting Archived Redo Logs After Backups in non-CDBs
  • 9.7.7 Deleting Archived Redo Logs After Backups in CDBs
• 9.8 Making and Updating RMAN Incremental Backups
  • 9.8.1 Purpose of RMAN Incremental Backups
  • 9.8.2 Planning an Incremental Backup Strategy
  • 9.8.3 Making Incremental Backups
    • 9.8.3.1 Making Incremental Backups of a VSS Snapshot
  • 9.8.4 Incrementally Updating Backups
    • 9.8.4.1 Incrementally Updating Backups: Basic Example
    • 9.8.4.2 Incrementally Updated Backups: Advanced Example
  • 9.8.5 Using Block Change Tracking to Improve Incremental Backup Performance
    • 9.8.5.1 About Block Change Tracking
      • 9.8.5.1.1 About Space Management in the Block Change Tracking File
      • 9.8.5.1.2 Location of the Block Change Tracking File
      • 9.8.5.1.3 About the Size of the Block Change Tracking File
    • 9.8.5.2 Enabling and Disabling Block Change Tracking
    • 9.8.5.3 Disabling Block Change Tracking
    • 9.8.5.4 Checking Whether Change Tracking Is Enabled
    • 9.8.5.5 Changing the Location of the Block Change Tracking File
• 9.9 Making Database Backups for Long-Term Storage
  • 9.9.1 Purpose of Archival Backups
  • 9.9.2 Basic Concepts of Archival Backups
  • 9.9.3 Making an Archival Backup for Long-Term Storage
    • 9.9.3.1 Making an Archival Backup
  • 9.9.4 Making a Temporary Archival Backup
• 9.10 Backing Up RMAN Backups
  • 9.10.1 About Backups of RMAN Backups
    • 9.10.1.1 About Multiple Copies of RMAN Backup Sets
    • 9.10.1.2 Viewing the Effect of a Backup Retention Policy on Backups of Backups
  • 9.10.2 Backing Up Backup Sets with RMAN
  • 9.10.3 Backing Up Image Copy Backups with RMAN

10 Backing Up the Database: Advanced Topics

• 10.1 Limiting the Size of RMAN Backup Sets
  • 10.1.1 About Backup Set Size
  • 10.1.2 Limiting the Size of Backup Sets with BACKUP ... MAXSETSIZE
  • 10.1.3 Dividing the Backup of a Large Data File into Sections
• 10.2 Using Backup Optimization to Skip Files
  • 10.2.1 Optimizing a Daily Archived Log Backup to a Single Tape: Scenario
  • 10.2.2 Optimizing a Daily Archived Log Backup to Multiple Media Families: Scenario
  • 10.2.3 Creating a Weekly Secondary Backup of Archived Logs: Example
• 10.3 Skipping Offline, Read-Only, and Inaccessible Files
• 10.4 Duplexing Backup Sets
  • 10.4.1 Duplexing Backup Sets with CONFIGURE BACKUP COPIES
  • 10.4.2 Duplexing Backup Sets with BACKUP ... COPIES
• 10.5 Making Split Mirror Backups with RMAN
• 10.6 Encrypting RMAN Backups
  • 10.6.1 About RMAN Backup Encryption Settings
  • 10.6.2 Making Transparent-Mode Encrypted Backups
  • 10.6.3 Making Password-Mode Encrypted Backups
  • 10.6.4 Making Dual-Mode Encrypted Backups
• 10.7 Restarting RMAN Backups
  • 10.7.1 About Restartable Backups
  • 10.7.2 Restarting a Backup After It Partially Completes
• 10.8 Managing Backup Windows
  • 10.8.1 About Backup Windows
  • 10.8.2 Specifying a Backup Duration
  • 10.8.3 Permitting Partial Backups in a Backup Window
  • 10.8.4 Minimizing Backup Load and Duration

Part IV Managing RMAN Backups

11 Reporting on RMAN Operations

• 11.1 Overview of RMAN Reporting
  • 11.1.1 Purpose of RMAN Reporting
  • 11.1.2 Basic Concepts of RMAN Reporting
  • 11.1.3 Reporting in a Data Guard Environment
• 11.2 Listing Backups and Recovery-Related Objects
  • 11.2.1 About the LIST Command
  • 11.2.2 Listing All Backups and Copies
  • 11.2.3 Listing Selected Backups and Copies
  • 11.2.4 Listing Database Incarnations
• 11.3 Reporting on Backups and Database Schema
  • 11.3.1 About Reports of RMAN Backups
  • 11.3.2 Reporting on Files Needing a Backup Under a Retention Policy
    • 11.3.2.1 Using RMAN REPORT NEED BACKUP with Different Retention Policies
    • 11.3.2.2 Using RMAN REPORT NEED BACKUP with Tablespaces and Data Files
    • 11.3.2.3 Using REPORT NEED BACKUP with Backups on Tape or Disk Only
  • 11.3.3 Reporting on Data Files Affected by Unrecoverable Operations
  • 11.3.4 Reporting on Obsolete Backups
  • 11.3.5 Reporting on the Database Schema
• 11.4 Reporting in CDBs and PDBs
  • 11.4.1 Reporting in CDBs
  • 11.4.2 Reporting in PDBs
    • 11.4.2.1 Listing Backups of Dropped PDBs
• 11.5 Using V$ Views to Query Backup Metadata
  • 11.5.1 Querying Details of Past and Current RMAN Jobs
  • 11.5.2 Determining the Encryption Status of Backup Pieces
• 11.6 Querying Recovery Catalog Views
  • 11.6.1 About Recovery Catalog Views
    • 11.6.1.1 About Unique Identifiers for Registered Databases
    • 11.6.1.2 About Unique Identifiers in a Data Guard Environment
  • 11.6.2 Querying Catalog Views for the Target DB_KEY or DBID Values
  • 11.6.3 Querying RC_BACKUP_FILES

12 Maintaining RMAN Backups and Repository Records

• 12.1 Overview of RMAN Backup and Repository Maintenance
  • 12.1.1 Purpose of Backup and Repository Maintenance
  • 12.1.2 Basic Concepts of Backup and Repository Maintenance
    • 12.1.2.1 About Maintenance Commands and RMAN Repository Metadata
    • 12.1.2.2 About Maintenance Commands in a Data Guard Environment
      • 12.1.2.2.1 About Crosschecks in a Data Guard Environment
      • 12.1.2.2.2 About Deletion in a Data Guard Environment
      • 12.1.2.2.3 About Updates to RMAN Metadata in a Data Guard Environment
      • 12.1.2.2.4 About Files Not Associated with a Database
• 12.2 Maintaining the Control File Repository
  • 12.2.1 About Control File Records
    • 12.2.1.1 About Fast Recovery Area and Control File Records
  • 12.2.2 Preventing the Loss of Control File Records
  • 12.2.3 Protecting the Control File
• 12.3 Maintaining the Fast Recovery Area
  • 12.3.1 Deletion Rules for the Fast Recovery Area
  • 12.3.2 Monitoring Fast Recovery Area Space Usage
  • 12.3.3 Managing Space for Flashback Logs in the Fast Recovery Area
  • 12.3.4 Responding to a Full Fast Recovery Area
  • 12.3.5 Changing the Fast Recovery Area to a New Location
  • 12.3.6 Disabling the Fast Recovery Area
  • 12.3.7 Responding to an Instance Crash During File Creation
• 12.4 Updating the RMAN Repository
  • 12.4.1 Crosschecking the RMAN Repository
    • 12.4.1.1 About RMAN Crosschecks
    • 12.4.1.2 Crosschecking All Backups and Copies
    • 12.4.1.3 Crosschecking Specific Backup Sets and Copies
  • 12.4.2 Changing the Repository Status of Backups and Copies
    • 12.4.2.1 Updating a Backup to Status AVAILABLE or UNAVAILABLE
    • 12.4.2.2 Changing the Status of an Archival Backup
    • 12.4.2.3 Changing the Status of Backups for Dropped PDBs
  • 12.4.3 Adding Backup Records to the RMAN Repository
    • 12.4.3.1 About Cataloging Operations
    • 12.4.3.2 Cataloging User-Managed Data File Copies
    • 12.4.3.3 Cataloging Backup Pieces
    • 12.4.3.4 Cataloging All Files in a Disk Location
  • 12.4.4 Removing Records from the RMAN Repository
    • 12.4.4.1 About Uncataloging Operations in the RMAN Repository
    • 12.4.4.2 Removing Records for Files Deleted with Operating System Utilities
• 12.5 Deleting RMAN Backups and Archived Redo Logs
  • 12.5.1 Overview of Deleting RMAN Backups
    • 12.5.1.1 About RMAN Deletion Commands
    • 12.5.1.2 About Deletion of Archived Redo Logs
  • 12.5.2 Deleting All Backups and Copies
  • 12.5.3 Deleting Specified Backups and Copies
    • 12.5.3.1 Deleting Specified Files with BACKUP ... DELETE
  • 12.5.4 Deleting Expired RMAN Backups and Copies
  • 12.5.5 Deleting Obsolete RMAN Backups Based on Retention Policies
    • 12.5.5.1 DELETE OBSOLETE Behavior When KEEP UNTIL TIME Expires
  • 12.5.6 Deleting Backups of Dropped PDBs
• 12.6 Dropping a Database

13 Managing a Recovery Catalog

• 13.1 Overview of the RMAN Recovery Catalog
  • 13.1.1 Purpose of the RMAN Recovery Catalog
  • 13.1.2 Basic Concepts for the RMAN Recovery Catalog
    • 13.1.2.1 About Database Registration in an RMAN Recovery Catalog
    • 13.1.2.2 About Centralization of Metadata in a Base RMAN Recovery Catalog
    • 13.1.2.3 About RMAN Recovery Catalog Resynchronization
    • 13.1.2.4 About Stored Scripts
    • 13.1.2.5 Recovery Catalog in a Data Guard Environment
  • 13.1.3 Basic Steps of Managing a Recovery Catalog
• 13.2 Creating a Recovery Catalog
  • 13.2.1 Configuring the Recovery Catalog Database
    • 13.2.1.1 Planning the Size of the Recovery Catalog Schema
    • 13.2.1.2 Allocating Disk Space for the Recovery Catalog Database
  • 13.2.2 Creating the Recovery Catalog Schema Owner
  • 13.2.3 Executing the CREATE CATALOG Command
• 13.3 Registering a Database in the Recovery Catalog
  • 13.3.1 About Registration of a Database in the Recovery Catalog
    • 13.3.1.1 About Standby Database Registration
  • 13.3.2 Registering a Database with the REGISTER DATABASE Command
• 13.4 Cataloging Backups in the Recovery Catalog
• 13.5 Creating and Managing Virtual Private Catalogs
  • 13.5.1 Overview of Virtual Private Catalogs
  • 13.5.2 About Using the VPD Model for Virtual Private Catalogs
  • 13.5.3 Creating Virtual Private Catalogs
  • 13.5.4 Registering a Database with a Virtual Private Catalog
  • 13.5.5 Revoking Privileges from a Virtual Private Catalog Owner
  • 13.5.6 Dropping a Virtual Private Catalog
  • 13.5.7 Upgrading Virtual Private Catalogs
• 13.6 Protecting the Recovery Catalog
  • 13.6.1 Backing Up the Recovery Catalog
    • 13.6.1.1 Backing Up the Recovery Catalog Frequently
    • 13.6.1.2 Choosing the Appropriate Technique for Physical Backups
    • 13.6.1.3 Separating the Recovery Catalog from the Target Database
    • 13.6.1.4 Exporting the Recovery Catalog Data for Logical Backups
  • 13.6.2 Recovering the Recovery Catalog
• 13.7 Managing Stored Scripts
  • 13.7.1 About Stored Scripts
  • 13.7.2 Creating Stored Scripts
  • 13.7.3 Replacing Stored Scripts
  • 13.7.4 Executing Stored Scripts
  • 13.7.5 Creating and Executing Dynamic Stored Scripts
  • 13.7.6 Printing Stored Scripts
  • 13.7.7 Listing Stored Script Names
  • 13.7.8 Deleting Stored Scripts
  • 13.7.9 Executing a Stored Script at RMAN Startup
• 13.8 Maintaining a Recovery Catalog
  • 13.8.1 About Recovery Catalog Maintenance
  • 13.8.2 Resynchronizing the Recovery Catalog
    • 13.8.2.1 About Resynchronization of the Recovery Catalog
      • 13.8.2.1.1 About RMAN Recovery Catalog Resynchronization in a Data Guard Environment
    • 13.8.2.2 Deciding When to Resynchronize the Recovery Catalog
      • 13.8.2.2.1 Resynchronizing After the Recovery Catalog is Unavailable
      • 13.8.2.2.2 Resynchronizing in ARCHIVELOG Mode When You Back Up Infrequently
      • 13.8.2.2.3 Resynchronizing After Configuring a Standby Database
      • 13.8.2.2.4 Resynchronizing the Recovery Catalog Before Control File Records Age Out
    • 13.8.2.3 Manually Resynchronizing the Recovery Catalog
  • 13.8.3 Updating the Recovery Catalog After Changing a DB_UNIQUE_NAME
  • 13.8.4 Unregistering a Target Database from the Recovery Catalog
    • 13.8.4.1 Unregistering a Target Database When Not in a Data Guard Environment
    • 13.8.4.2 Unregistering a Standby Database
    • 13.8.4.3 Unregistering a Target Database in a Recovery Appliance Environment
  • 13.8.5 Resetting the Database Incarnation in the Recovery Catalog
  • 13.8.6 Upgrading the Recovery Catalog
    • 13.8.6.1 About Recovery Catalog Upgrades
      • 13.8.6.1.1 Special Considerations for Upgrading the Recovery Catalog in a Data Guard Environment
    • 13.8.6.2 Determining the Schema Version of the Recovery Catalog
    • 13.8.6.3 Using the UPGRADE CATALOG Command
  • 13.8.7 Importing and Moving a Recovery Catalog
    • 13.8.7.1 About Recovery Catalog Imports
    • 13.8.7.2 About Importing Recovery Catalogs in a Recovery Appliance Environment
    • 13.8.7.3 Prerequisites for Importing a Recovery Catalog
    • 13.8.7.4 Importing a Recovery Catalog
    • 13.8.7.5 Moving a Recovery Catalog
• 13.9 Dropping a Recovery Catalog

Part V Diagnosing and Responding to Failures

14 RMAN Data Repair Concepts

• 14.1 Overview of RMAN Data Repair
  • 14.1.1 About Problems Requiring Data Repair
    • 14.1.1.1 About User Errors
    • 14.1.1.2 About Application Errors
    • 14.1.1.3 About Media Failures
  • 14.1.2 About RMAN Data Repair Techniques
• 14.2 About RMAN Restore Operations
  • 14.2.1 About RMAN Backup Selection
  • 14.2.2 About RMAN Restore Failover
  • 14.2.3 About RMAN Restore of Encrypted Backups
  • 14.2.4 About RMAN Restore Operations and ASM
  • 14.2.5 About RMAN Restore Optimization
• 14.3 About RMAN Media Recovery
  • 14.3.1 About Selection of Incremental Backups and Archived Redo Logs
  • 14.3.2 About Database Incarnations
    • 14.3.2.1 About RMAN OPEN RESETLOGS Operations
    • 14.3.2.2 Relationship Among Database Incarnations
    • 14.3.2.3 About Incarnations of PDBs
    • 14.3.2.4 About Orphaned Backups
    • 14.3.2.5 About Orphaned PDB Backups

15 Diagnosing and Repairing Failures with Data Recovery Advisor

• 15.1 Overview of Data Recovery Advisor
  • 15.1.1 Purpose of Data Recovery Advisor
  • 15.1.2 Basic Concepts of Data Recovery Advisor
    • 15.1.2.1 User Interfaces to Data Recovery Advisor
    • 15.1.2.2 About Data Integrity Checks
    • 15.1.2.3 About Failures
      • 15.1.2.3.1 About the Failure Status
      • 15.1.2.3.2 About Failure Priority
      • 15.1.2.3.3 About Failure Grouping
    • 15.1.2.4 About Manual Actions and Automatic Repair Options
      • 15.1.2.4.1 About Consolidated Repairs
      • 15.1.2.4.2 About Repair Scripts
    • 15.1.2.5 About Supported Database Configurations for Data Recovery Advisor
      • 15.1.2.5.1 About Data Recovery Advisor and Oracle Real Application Clusters
      • 15.1.2.5.2 About Data Recovery Advisor and Oracle Data Guard
      • 15.1.2.5.3 About Data Recovery Advisor and CDBs
  • 15.1.3 Basic Steps of Diagnosing and Repairing Failures
  • 15.1.4 Diagnosing and Repairing Failures in CDBs
• 15.2 Listing Failures
  • 15.2.1 Listing All Failures
  • 15.2.2 Listing a Subset of Failures
• 15.3 Checking for Block Corruptions by Validating the Database
• 15.4 Determining Repair Options
  • 15.4.1 Determining Repair Options for All Failures
  • 15.4.2 Determining Repair Options for a Subset of Failures
• 15.5 Repairing Failures
  • 15.5.1 About Repairing Failures
  • 15.5.2 Repairing a Failure
• 15.6 Changing Failure Status and Priority

16 Validating Database Files and Backups

• 16.1 Overview of RMAN Validation
  • 16.1.1 Purpose of RMAN Validation
  • 16.1.2 Basic Concepts of RMAN Validation
    • 16.1.2.1 About Checksums and Corrupt Blocks
    • 16.1.2.2 About Physical and Logical Block Corruption
    • 16.1.2.3 About Limits for Corrupt Blocks in RMAN Backups
    • 16.1.2.4 About Detecting Block Corruption
• 16.2 Checking for Block Corruption with the VALIDATE Command
• 16.3 Validating Database Files with BACKUP VALIDATE
• 16.4 Validating Backups Before Restoring Them
• 16.5 Validating CDBs and PDBs
  • 16.5.1 Validating a Whole CDB
  • 16.5.2 Validating PDBs

17 Performing Complete Database Recovery

• 17.1 Overview of Complete Database Recovery
  • 17.1.1 Purpose of Complete Database Recovery
  • 17.1.2 Scope of This Chapter
  • 17.1.3 About Real-Time Redo Transport for Recovery Appliance
• 17.2 Preparing for Complete Database Recovery
  • 17.2.1 Identifying the Database Files to Restore or Recover
    • 17.2.1.1 Identifying a Lost Control File
    • 17.2.1.2 Identifying Data Files Requiring Media Recovery
      • 17.2.1.2.1 Identifying Data Files with RMAN
      • 17.2.1.2.2 Identifying Data Files with SQL
  • 17.2.2 Determining the DBID of the Database
  • 17.2.3 Previewing Backups Used in Restore Operations
    • 17.2.3.1 Recalling Off-site Backups
  • 17.2.4 Validating Backups Before Restoring Them
  • 17.2.5 Restoring Archived Redo Logs Needed for Recovery
    • 17.2.5.1 Restoring Archived Redo Logs to a New Location
    • 17.2.5.2 Restoring Archived Redo Logs to Multiple Locations
  • 17.2.6 Providing the Password Required to Decrypt Encrypted Backups
• 17.3 Performing Complete Database Recovery
  • 17.3.1 About Complete Database Recovery
    • 17.3.1.1 About Restoring Data Files to a Nondefault Location
  • 17.3.2 Performing Complete Recovery of the Whole Database
  • 17.3.3 Performing Complete Recovery of a Tablespace
  • 17.3.4 Performing Complete Recovery After Switching to a Copy
    • 17.3.4.1 Switching to a Data File Copy
    • 17.3.4.2 Switching to a Database Copy
• 17.4 Performing Complete Recovery of CDBs
  • 17.4.1 Performing Complete Recovery of a Whole CDB
  • 17.4.2 Performing Complete Recovery of the Root
  • 17.4.3 Performing Complete Recovery of PDBs with RMAN
  • 17.4.4 Performing Complete Recovery of PDBs with Cloud Control
  • 17.4.5 Performing Complete Recovery of Tablespaces or Data Files in a PDB with RMAN
  • 17.4.6 Performing Complete Recovery of Tablespaces in a PDB with Cloud Control
  • 17.4.7 Performing Complete Recovering of CDBs After Switching to a Copy
• 17.5 Performing Complete Recovery of Application Containers
  • 17.5.1 Performing Complete Recovery of the Application Root
  • 17.5.2 Performing Complete Recovery of the Application Root and Application PDBs
  • 17.5.3 Performing Complete Recovery of Application PDBs
• 17.6 Performing Complete Recovery of Sparse Databases with RMAN
  • 17.6.1 Performing Complete Recovery of a Sparse Database
  • 17.6.2 Performing Complete Recovery of a Sparse CDB
  • 17.6.3 Performing Recovery of a Sparse PDB with RMAN

18 Performing Flashback and Database Point-in-Time Recovery

• 18.1 Overview of Oracle Flashback Technology and Database Point-in-Time Recovery
  • 18.1.1 Purpose of Flashback and Database Point-in-Time Recovery
  • 18.1.2 Basic Concepts of Point-in-Time Recovery and Flashback Features
    • 18.1.2.1 Basic Concepts of Database Point-in-Time Recovery for non-CDBs
    • 18.1.2.2 Basic Concepts of Point-in-Time Recovery for PDBs
    • 18.1.2.3 Basic Concepts of Flashback Technology
      • 18.1.2.3.1 About Physical Flashback Features Useful in Backup and Recovery
      • 18.1.2.3.2 About Logical Flashback Features Useful in Backup and Recovery
  • 18.1.3 Basic Concepts of Performing Flashback Database for CDBs and PDBs
    • 18.1.3.1 About Flashback Database and PITR for PDBs
    • 18.1.3.2 About Undo and Flashback Database Operations for PDBs
    • 18.1.3.3 About Managing Redo Corruption in CDBs
• 18.2 Rewinding a Table with Flashback Table
  • 18.2.1 Prerequisites for Flashback Table
  • 18.2.2 Performing a Flashback Table Operation
    • 18.2.2.1 Keeping Triggers Enabled During Flashback Table
• 18.3 Rewinding a DROP TABLE Operation with Flashback Drop
  • 18.3.1 About Flashback Drop
  • 18.3.2 Prerequisites of Flashback Drop
  • 18.3.3 Performing a Flashback Drop Operation
    • 18.3.3.1 Retrieving Objects Using Flashback Drop When Multiple Objects Share the Same Original Name
• 18.4 Rewinding a Database with Flashback Database
  • 18.4.1 Prerequisites of Flashback Database
  • 18.4.2 Performing a Flashback Database Operation
  • 18.4.3 Performing a Flashback Database Operation for a Whole CDB
  • 18.4.4 Performing a Flashback Database Operation for PDBs
  • 18.4.5 Monitoring Flashback Database
• 18.5 Performing Database Point-in-Time Recovery
  • 18.5.1 Prerequisites of Database Point-in-Time Recovery
  • 18.5.2 Performing Database Point-in-Time Recovery
  • 18.5.3 Performing Point-in-Time Recovery of CDBs and PDBs
    • 18.5.3.1 Performing Point-in-Time Recovery of a Whole CDB
    • 18.5.3.2 Performing Point-in-Time Recovery of PDBs
  • 18.5.4 Performing Point-in-Time Recovery of Application PDBs
  • 18.5.5 Performing Point-in-Time Recovery of Sparse Databases
• 18.6 Flashback and Database Point-in-Time Recovery Scenarios
  • 18.6.1 Rewinding an OPEN RESETLOGS Operation with Flashback Database
    • 18.6.1.1 About Undoing an OPEN RESETLOGS on Standby Databases with Flashback Database
  • 18.6.2 Rewinding the Database to an SCN in an Abandoned Incarnation Branch
  • 18.6.3 Recovering the Database to an Ancestor Incarnation

19 Performing Block Media Recovery

• 19.1 Overview of Block Media Recovery
  • 19.1.1 Purpose of Block Media Recovery
  • 19.1.2 Basic Concepts of Block Media Recovery
    • 19.1.2.1 About Identifying Corrupt Blocks
    • 19.1.2.2 About Missing Redo During Block Recovery
• 19.2 Prerequisites for Block Media Recovery
• 19.3 Recovering Individual Blocks
  • 19.3.1 Recovering Individual Blocks Using the RECOVER...BLOCK Command
  • 19.3.2 Example: Recovering Individual Blocks Using the Data Recovery Advisor
• 19.4 Recovering All Blocks in V$DATABASE_BLOCK_CORRUPTION

20 Performing RMAN Recovery: Advanced Scenarios

• 20.1 Recovering a NOARCHIVELOG Database with Incremental Backups
• 20.2 Restoring the Server Parameter File
  • 20.2.1 Restoring the Server Parameter File from a Control File Autobackup
  • 20.2.2 Creating an Initialization Parameter File with RMAN
• 20.3 Performing Recovery with a Backup Control File
  • 20.3.1 About Recovery with a Backup Control File
    • 20.3.1.1 About Control File Locations During RMAN Restore
    • 20.3.1.2 About RMAN Recovery With and Without a Recovery Catalog
    • 20.3.1.3 About RMAN Recovery When Using a Fast Recovery Area
  • 20.3.2 Performing Recovery with a Backup Control File and No Recovery Catalog
• 20.4 Performing Disaster Recovery
  • 20.4.1 Prerequisites of Disaster Recovery
  • 20.4.2 Recovering the Database After a Disaster
• 20.5 Restoring a Database on a New Host
  • 20.5.1 Preparing to Restore a Database on a New Host
  • 20.5.2 Restoring Disk Backups to a New Host
  • 20.5.3 Testing the Restore of a Database on a New Host
• 20.6 Restoring Backups Created Using Older Versions of RMAN
• 20.7 Restoring and Recovering Files Over the Network
  • 20.7.1 About Restoring Files Over the Network
  • 20.7.2 About Recovering Files Over the Network
  • 20.7.3 Scenarios for Restoring and Recovering Files Over the Network
  • 20.7.4 Restoring Data Files Over the Network
  • 20.7.5 Rolling Forward a Physical Standby Database Using the RECOVER Command
    • 20.7.5.1 Steps to Refresh a Physical Standby Database with Changes Made to the Primary Database

21 Performing RMAN Tablespace Point-in-Time Recovery (TSPITR)

• 21.1 Overview of RMAN TSPITR
  • 21.1.1 Purpose of RMAN TSPITR
  • 21.1.2 Basic Concepts of RMAN TSPITR
    • 21.1.2.1 Common Terms for RMAN TSPITR
    • 21.1.2.2 Modes of RMAN TSPITR
    • 21.1.2.3 How RMAN TSPITR Works With an RMAN-Managed Auxiliary Database
• 21.2 TSPITR Restrictions, Special Cases, and Limitations
  • 21.2.1 Limitations of TSPITR
  • 21.2.2 About Special Considerations When Not Using a Recovery Catalog
• 21.3 Planning and Preparing for TSPITR
  • 21.3.1 Selecting the Right Target Time for TSPITR
  • 21.3.2 Determining the Recovery Set
    • 21.3.2.1 Identify and Resolve Dependencies on the Primary Database
  • 21.3.3 Identifying and Preserving Objects That Are Lost After TSPITR
• 21.4 Performing Fully Automated RMAN TSPITR
• 21.5 Overriding Defaults for RMAN TSPITR with an RMAN-Managed Auxiliary Database
  • 21.5.1 Renaming TSPITR Recovery Set Data Files with SET NEWNAME
  • 21.5.2 Naming TSPITR Auxiliary Set Data Files
    • 21.5.2.1 Considerations When Renaming OMF Auxiliary Set Files in TSPITR
      • 21.5.2.1.1 Using ASM Storage
      • 21.5.2.1.2 Using Non-ASM Storage
    • 21.5.2.2 Using SET NEWNAME to Name Auxiliary Set Data Files During TSPITR
    • 21.5.2.3 Using DB_FILE_NAME_CONVERT to Name Auxiliary Set Data Files During TSPITR
      • 21.5.2.3.1 Renaming Temp Files During TSPITR
  • 21.5.3 Using Image Copies for Faster RMAN TSPITR Performance
    • 21.5.3.1 Using SET NEWNAME with Recovery Set Image Copies
    • 21.5.3.2 Using SET NEWNAME and CONFIGURE AUXNAME with Auxiliary Set Image Copies
    • 21.5.3.3 Performing TSPITR with CONFIGURE AUXNAME and Image Copies: Scenario
  • 21.5.4 Customizing Initialization Parameters for the Automatic Auxiliary Database in TSPITR
    • 21.5.4.1 Specifying the Auxiliary Database Control File Location in TSPITR
    • 21.5.4.2 Specifying the Auxiliary Database Archived Logs in TSPITR
    • 21.5.4.3 Specifying the Auxiliary Database Online Log Location in TSPITR
• 21.6 Performing RMAN TSPITR Using Your Own Auxiliary Database
  • 21.6.1 Preparing Your Own Auxiliary Database for RMAN TSPITR
    • 21.6.1.1 Step 1: Create an Oracle Password File for the Auxiliary Database
    • 21.6.1.2 Step 2: Create an Initialization Parameter File for the Auxiliary Database
    • 21.6.1.3 Step 3: Check Oracle Net Connectivity to the Auxiliary Database
  • 21.6.2 Preparing RMAN Commands for TSPITR with Your Own Auxiliary Database
    • 21.6.2.1 Planning Channels for TSPITR with Your Own Auxiliary Database
    • 21.6.2.2 Planning Data File Names with Your Own Auxiliary Database: SET NEWNAME
  • 21.6.3 Executing TSPITR with Your Own Auxiliary Database
    • 21.6.3.1 Step 1: Start the Auxiliary Database in NOMOUNT Mode
    • 21.6.3.2 Step 2: Connect the RMAN Client to Target and Auxiliary Databases
    • 21.6.3.3 Step 3: Execute the RECOVER TABLESPACE Command
  • 21.6.4 Performing TSPITR with Your Own Auxiliary Database: Scenario
• 21.7 Troubleshooting RMAN TSPITR
  • 21.7.1 Troubleshooting File Name Conflicts During TSPITR
  • 21.7.2 Troubleshooting the Identification of Tablespaces with Undo Segments During TSPITR
  • 21.7.3 Troubleshooting the Restart of a Manual Auxiliary Database After TSPITR Failure

22 Recovering Tables and Table Partitions

• 22.1 Overview of Recovering Tables and Table Partitions
  • 22.1.1 Purpose of Recovering Tables and Table Partitions from RMAN Backups
  • 22.1.2 RMAN Backups Required to Recover Tables and Table Partitions
  • 22.1.3 Basic Concepts of Recovering Tables and Table Partitions from RMAN Backups
    • 22.1.3.1 Steps Performed By RMAN to Recover Tables and Table Partitions
    • 22.1.3.2 About the Location of Auxiliary Database Files During RMAN Table Recovery
    • 22.1.3.3 About the Data Pump Export Dump File Used During RMAN Table Recovery
    • 22.1.3.4 About Importing Recovered Tables and Table Partitions into the Target Database
    • 22.1.3.5 About Renaming Recovered Tables and Table Partitions During RMAN Recovery
    • 22.1.3.6 About Recovering Tables and Partitions Into a New Schema
  • 22.1.4 Limitations of Recovering Tables and Table Partitions from RMAN Backups
• 22.2 Preparing to Recover Tables and Table Partitions
  • 22.2.1 Prerequisites for Recovering Tables and Table Partitions from RMAN Backups
  • 22.2.2 Determining the Point-in-time to Which Tables and Table Partitions Must be Recovered
• 22.3 Recovering Tables and Table Partitions
• 22.4 Recovering Tables and Table Partitions in PDBs
• 22.5 Examples: Recovering Tables and Table Partitions From RMAN Backups
  • 22.5.1 Example: Recovering Tables to a Specified Point in Time
  • 22.5.2 Example: Recovering Table Partitions to a Specified Log Sequence Number
  • 22.5.3 Example: Recovering a Table into a New Schema

Part VI Tuning and Troubleshooting

23 Tuning RMAN Performance

• 23.1 Purpose of RMAN Performance Tuning
• 23.2 Basic Concepts of RMAN Performance Tuning
  • 23.2.1 Read Phase
    • 23.2.1.1 Allocation of Input Disk Buffers
    • 23.2.1.2 Synchronous and Asynchronous Disk I/O
    • 23.2.1.3 Disk I/O Slaves
    • 23.2.1.4 RATE Channel Parameter
  • 23.2.2 Copy Phase
  • 23.2.3 Write Phase for System Backup Tape (SBT)
    • 23.2.3.1 RMAN Component of the Write Phase for SBT
      • 23.2.3.1.1 Allocation of Tape Buffers
      • 23.2.3.1.2 Tape I/O Slaves
      • 23.2.3.1.3 Synchronous and Asynchronous I/O
    • 23.2.3.2 Media Manager Component of the Write Phase for SBT
      • 23.2.3.2.1 Network Throughput
      • 23.2.3.2.2 Native Transfer Rate
      • 23.2.3.2.3 Tape Compression
      • 23.2.3.2.4 Tape Streaming
      • 23.2.3.2.5 Physical Tape Block Size
  • 23.2.4 Write Phase for Disk
• 23.3 Using V$ Views to Diagnose RMAN Performance Problems
  • 23.3.1 Monitoring RMAN Job Progress with V$SESSION_LONGOPS
  • 23.3.2 Identifying Bottlenecks with V$BACKUP_SYNC_IO and V$BACKUP_ASYNC_IO
    • 23.3.2.1 Identifying Bottlenecks with Synchronous I/O
    • 23.3.2.2 Identifying Bottlenecks with Asynchronous I/O
• 23.4 Tuning RMAN Backup Performance
  • 23.4.1 Removing the RATE Parameter from Channel Settings
  • 23.4.2 Setting DBWR_IO_SLAVES to Simulate Asynchronous I/O
  • 23.4.3 Setting LARGE_POOL_SIZE to Resolve Shared Memory Issues
  • 23.4.4 Tuning the Read, Write, and Copy Phases
    • 23.4.4.1 Using Backup Validation To Distinguish Between Read and Write Bottlenecks
    • 23.4.4.2 Tuning the Read Phase
    • 23.4.4.3 Tuning the Copy and Write Phases

24 Troubleshooting RMAN Operations

• 24.1 Interpreting RMAN Message Output
  • 24.1.1 Identifying Types of RMAN Message Output
  • 24.1.2 Recognizing RMAN Error Message Stacks
  • 24.1.3 Identifying RMAN Error Codes
    • 24.1.3.1 RMAN Error Message Numbers
    • 24.1.3.2 ORA-19511: Media Manager Errors
  • 24.1.4 Interpreting RMAN Error Stacks
    • 24.1.4.1 Interpreting RMAN Errors: Example
    • 24.1.4.2 Interpreting Server Errors: Example
    • 24.1.4.3 Interpreting SBT 2.0 Media Management Errors: Example
    • 24.1.4.4 Interpreting SBT 1.1 Media Management Errors: Example
  • 24.1.5 Identifying RMAN Return Codes
• 24.2 Using V$ Views for RMAN Troubleshooting
  • 24.2.1 Monitoring RMAN Interaction with the Media Manager
  • 24.2.2 Correlating Server Sessions with RMAN Channels
    • 24.2.2.1 Matching Server Sessions with Channels When One RMAN Session Is Active
    • 24.2.2.2 Matching Server Sessions with Channels in Multiple RMAN Sessions
      • 24.2.2.2.1 Obtaining the Channel ID from the RMAN Output
      • 24.2.2.2.2 Correlating Server Sessions with Channels by Using SET COMMAND ID
• 24.3 Testing the Media Management API
  • 24.3.1 Obtaining the sbttest Utility
  • 24.3.2 Obtaining Online Documentation for the sbttest Utility
  • 24.3.3 Using the sbttest Utility
• 24.4 Terminating an RMAN Command
  • 24.4.1 Terminating the Session with ALTER SYSTEM KILL SESSION
  • 24.4.2 Terminating the Session at the Operating System Level
  • 24.4.3 Terminating an RMAN Session That Is Not Responding in the Media Manager
    • 24.4.3.1 Components of an RMAN Session
    • 24.4.3.2 Process Behavior During a Suspended Job
    • 24.4.3.3 Terminating an RMAN Session: Basic Steps

Part VII Transferring Data with RMAN

25 Duplicating Databases

• 25.1 Overview of RMAN Database Duplication
  • 25.1.1 Purpose of Database Duplication
  • 25.1.2 Basic Concepts of Database Duplication
    • 25.1.2.1 Initialization Parameters for the Auxiliary Instance
    • 25.1.2.2 About Parallelizing Backup Set Creation During Active Database Duplication
    • 25.1.2.3 About Encrypting Backup Sets During Active Database Duplication
    • 25.1.2.4 About Compressing Backup Sets During Active Database Duplication
  • 25.1.3 Types of Database Duplication
    • 25.1.3.1 Overview of Backup-Based Duplication
    • 25.1.3.2 Techniques for Performing Backup-Based Duplication
      • 25.1.3.2.1 Backup-Based Duplication with a Target Connection
      • 25.1.3.2.2 Backup-Based Duplication Without a Target Connection
      • 25.1.3.2.3 Backup-Based Duplication Without a Target Database and Recovery Catalog Connection
    • 25.1.3.3 Overview of Active Database Duplication
    • 25.1.3.4 Techniques for Performing Active Database Duplication
      • 25.1.3.4.1 Active Database Duplication Using Image Copies
      • 25.1.3.4.2 Active Database Duplication Using Backup Sets
    • 25.1.3.5 Factors that Determine Whether Backup Sets or Image Copies Are Used for Active Database Duplication
  • 25.1.4 How RMAN Duplicates a Database
  • 25.1.5 Contents of a Duplicate Database
    • 25.1.5.1 About Duplicating a Subset of the Source Database
  • 25.1.6 About the Destination Host for Database Duplication
  • 25.1.7 About Duplicate Database File Names
  • 25.1.8 About Duplicating a Database to a Past Point-in-Time
  • 25.1.9 Prerequisites for Duplicating a Database
• 25.2 Planning to Duplicate a Database
  • 25.2.1 Choosing a Duplication Technique
  • 25.2.2 Choosing a Strategy for Naming Duplicate Database Files
    • 25.2.2.1 Using the Same Names for Database Files in the Source Database and Duplicate Database
    • 25.2.2.2 Using Different Names for the Database Files in the Source Database and Duplicate Database
    • 25.2.2.3 Methods of Generating Database File Names for the Duplicate Database
  • 25.2.3 Installing the Oracle Database Software on the Destination Host
  • 25.2.4 Deciding the State of the Duplicate Database
  • 25.2.5 Making Backups Accessible to the Duplicate Instance
    • 25.2.5.1 Making SBT Backups Accessible to the Auxiliary Instance
    • 25.2.5.2 Making Disk Backups Accessible to the Auxiliary Instance
• 25.3 Preparing the Auxiliary Instance
  • 25.3.1 Creating Directories for the Duplicate Database
  • 25.3.2 Creating an Initialization Parameter File for the Auxiliary Instance
    • 25.3.2.1 Steps to Create an Initialization Parameter File for the Auxiliary Instance
    • 25.3.2.2 Copying the Server Parameter File from the Source Database
  • 25.3.3 Creating a Password File for the Auxiliary Instance
  • 25.3.4 Establishing Oracle Net Connectivity Between the Source Database and Auxiliary Instance
  • 25.3.5 Starting the Auxiliary Instance
  • 25.3.6 Making the Oracle Keystore Available to the Destination Host
• 25.4 Duplicating a Database
  • 25.4.1 Duplicating the Whole Database
  • 25.4.2 Duplicating a Subset of the Source Database Tablespaces
  • 25.4.3 Duplicating an Oracle RAC Database
  • 25.4.4 Duplicating Sparse Databases
  • 25.4.5 Configuring RMAN Channels for Use in Duplication
    • 25.4.5.1 Configuring Channels for Backup-based Duplication
    • 25.4.5.2 Configuring Channels for Active Database Duplication
  • 25.4.6 Placing the Source Database in the Proper State
  • 25.4.7 Starting RMAN and Connecting to Databases
  • 25.4.8 Using the DUPLICATE Command to Duplicate Databases
• 25.5 Duplicating CDBs and PDBs
  • 25.5.1 Duplicating CDBs
  • 25.5.2 Duplicating Sparse CDBs
  • 25.5.3 Duplicating PDBs
  • 25.5.4 Duplicating Sparse PDBs
  • 25.5.5 Duplicating Tablespaces Within a PDB
• 25.6 Restarting DUPLICATE After a Failure
• 25.7 Examples: Duplicating Databases
  • 25.7.1 Example: Duplicating a Database to a Remote ASM Host Using Active Database Duplication with Backup Sets
  • 25.7.2 Example: Duplicating a Database to a Remote Host Using Active Database Duplication with Image Copies
  • 25.7.3 Example: Duplicating a Database to a Remote Host by Using Backup-based Duplication without a Target Connection or Recovery Catalog
  • 25.7.4 Example: Duplicating a Database to a Remote Host by Using Backup-Based Duplication with a Recovery Catalog
  • 25.7.5 Example: Duplicating a Database to a Remote Host by Using Backup-based Duplication with a Target Connection
  • 25.7.6 Example: Performing Backup-based Duplication Using Encrypted Backups
• 25.8 Example: Script to Duplicate a Database Using Backup-based Duplication

26 Duplicating Databases: Advanced Topics

• 26.1 Specifying Alternative Names for Duplicate Database Files
  • 26.1.1 Specifying Non-OMF or Non-ASM Alternative Names for Duplicate Database Files
    • 26.1.1.1 Using SET NEWNAME to Name File System Data Files and Temp Files
    • 26.1.1.2 Using CONFIGURE AUXNAME to Name File System Data Files and OMF/ASM Target Data Files
  • 26.1.2 Specifying OMF or ASM Alternative Names for Duplicate Database Files
    • 26.1.2.1 Settings and Restrictions for OMF Initialization Parameters
    • 26.1.2.2 Setting Initialization Parameters for ASM
    • 26.1.2.3 Examples: Duplicating Databases to ASM
    • 26.1.2.4 Using SET NEWNAME to Create OMF or ASM Files
    • 26.1.2.5 Using DB_FILE_NAME_CONVERT to Generate Names for Non-OMF or ASM Data Files
    • 26.1.2.6 Using LOG_FILE_NAME_CONVERT to Generate Names for Non-OMF or ASM Log Files
• 26.2 Making Disk Backups Accessible Without Shared Disk

27 Creating Transportable Tablespace Sets

• 27.1 Overview of Creating Transportable Tablespace Sets
  • 27.1.1 Purpose of Creating Transportable Tablespace Sets
  • 27.1.2 Basic Concepts of Transportable Tablespace Sets
  • 27.1.3 Basic Steps of Creating Transportable Tablespace Sets
• 27.2 Customizing Initialization Parameters for the Auxiliary Instance
  • 27.2.1 About Setting Initialization Parameters for the RMAN Auxiliary Instance
  • 27.2.2 Setting the Location of the Auxiliary Instance Parameter File
• 27.3 Creating a Transportable Tablespace Set
• 27.4 Troubleshooting the Creation of Transportable Tablespace Sets
• 27.5 Transportable Tablespace Set Scenarios
  • 27.5.1 Creating a Transportable Tablespace Set at a Specified Time or SCN
  • 27.5.2 Specifying Locations for Data Pump Files
  • 27.5.3 Specifying Auxiliary File Locations with Transportable Tablespaces
    • 27.5.3.1 Using SET NEWNAME for Auxiliary Data Files
    • 27.5.3.2 Using CONFIGURE AUXNAME for Auxiliary Data Files
    • 27.5.3.3 Using AUXILIARY DESTINATION to Specify a Location for Auxiliary Files
    • 27.5.3.4 Using Initialization Parameters to Name Auxiliary Files

28 Transporting Data Across Platforms

• 28.1 About Cross-Platform Data Transport
  • 28.1.1 Purpose of Cross-Platform Data Transport
  • 28.1.2 Methods of Transporting Data Across Platforms
  • 28.1.3 Platforms that Support Cross-Platform Data Transport
• 28.2 Overview of Cross-Platform Data Transport Using Image Copies
  • 28.2.1 Overview of Tablespace and Data File Conversion Using Image Copies
  • 28.2.2 Overview of Database Conversion Using Image Copies
• 28.3 Performing Cross-Platform Tablespace Conversion with Image Copies
• 28.4 Performing Cross-Platform Data File Conversion with Image Copies
  • 28.4.1 About Renaming Output Files During RMAN Cross-Platform Data File Conversion
  • 28.4.2 Performing Tablespace Transportation on the Destination Host Using RMAN CONVERT DATAFILE
• 28.5 Performing Cross-Platform Database Conversion with Image Copies
  • 28.5.1 Checking the Database Before Cross-Platform Database Conversion
  • 28.5.2 Converting Data Files on the Source Host When Transporting a Database
  • 28.5.3 Converting Data Files on the Destination Host When Transporting a Database
    • 28.5.3.1 Performing Preliminary Data File Conversion Steps on the Source Host
    • 28.5.3.2 Running the Conversion Scripts on the Destination Host
• 28.6 Overview of Cross-Platform Data Transport Using Backup Sets
  • 28.6.1 Basic Terms Used in Cross-Platform Data Transport Using Backup Sets
  • 28.6.2 About Backing Up Data on the Source Database for Cross-Platform Data Transport
  • 28.6.3 About the Data Pump Export Dump File Used for Cross-Platform Tablespace Transport
  • 28.6.4 About Restoring Data on the Destination Host During Cross-Platform Data Transport
  • 28.6.5 About Selecting Objects to Be Restored from Cross-Platform Backups
  • 28.6.6 About Names and Locations for Restored Objects on the Destination Database
  • 28.6.7 About Importing the Data Pump Export Dump File Created During Cross-Platform Tablespace Transport
• 28.7 Performing Cross-Platform Database Transport with Backup Sets
  • 28.7.1 Steps to Transport a Database to a Different Platform Using Backup Sets
• 28.8 Performing Cross-Platform Transport of Read-Only Tablespaces Using Backup Sets
  • 28.8.1 Steps to Transport Read-Only Tablespaces to a Different Platform Using Backup Sets
• 28.9 Overview of Cross-Platform Transport of Tablespaces Using Inconsistent Backups
• 28.10 Performing Cross-Platform Transport of Tablespaces Using Inconsistent Backups
  • 28.10.1 Steps to Transport Inconsistent Tablespaces to a Different Platform
    • 28.10.1.1 Creating Files Required to Transport Tablespaces to a Different Platform
    • 28.10.1.2 Transferring Files Created on the Source Host to the Destination Host
    • 28.10.1.3 Restoring Tablespaces and Plugging them in to the Destination Database
  • 28.10.2 Example: Performing Cross-Platform Inconsistent Tablespace Transport Using Backup Sets
• 28.11 Performing Cross-Platform Transport of Data Files Over the Network
• 28.12 Performing Cross-Platform Data Transport in CDBs and PDBs
  • 28.12.1 About Cross-Platform Transport of PDBs
  • 28.12.2 Performing Cross-Platform Transport of a Whole CDB
  • 28.12.3 Performing Cross-Platform Transport of a Closed PDB
  • 28.12.4 Performing Cross-Platform Transport of a PDB Using Inconsistent Backups
  • 28.12.5 Performing Cross-Platform Transport of Tablespaces in a PDB
    • 28.12.5.1 Example: Transporting a Tablespace in a PDB

Part VIII Performing User-Managed Backup and Recovery

29 Making User-Managed Database Backups

• 29.1 Querying V$ Views to Obtain Backup Information
  • 29.1.1 Listing Database Files Before a Backup
  • 29.1.2 Determining Data File Status for Online Tablespace Backups
• 29.2 Making User-Managed Backups of the Whole Database
• 29.3 Making User-Managed Backups of CDBs and PDBs
• 29.4 Making User-Managed Backups of Tablespaces and Data Files
  • 29.4.1 Making User-Managed Backups of Offline Tablespaces and Data Files
  • 29.4.2 Making User-Managed Backups of Online Tablespaces and Data Files
    • 29.4.2.1 Making User-Managed Backups of Online Read/Write Tablespaces
    • 29.4.2.2 Making Multiple User-Managed Backups of Online Read/Write Tablespaces
      • 29.4.2.2.1 Backing Up Online Tablespaces in Parallel
      • 29.4.2.2.2 Backing Up Online Tablespaces Serially
    • 29.4.2.3 Ending a Backup After an Instance Failure or SHUTDOWN ABORT
      • 29.4.2.3.1 Ending Backup Mode with the ALTER DATABASE END BACKUP Statement
      • 29.4.2.3.2 Ending Backup Mode with the SQL*Plus RECOVER Command
    • 29.4.2.4 Making User-Managed Backups of Read-Only Tablespaces
• 29.5 Making User-Managed Backups of Tablespaces in CDBs
  • 29.5.1 Making User-Managed Backups of Offline Tablespaces and Data Files in CDBs
  • 29.5.2 Making User-Managed Backups of Online Tablespaces in CDBs and PDBs
• 29.6 Making User-Managed Backups of the Control File
  • 29.6.1 Backing Up the Control File to a Binary File
  • 29.6.2 Backing Up the Control File to a Trace File
• 29.7 Making User-Managed Backups of Archived Redo Logs
• 29.8 Making User-Managed Backups in SUSPEND Mode
  • 29.8.1 About the Suspend/Resume Feature
  • 29.8.2 Making Backups in a Suspended Database
• 29.9 Making User-Managed Backups to Raw Devices
  • 29.9.1 Backing Up to Raw Devices on Linux and UNIX
    • 29.9.1.1 Backing Up with the dd Utility on Linux and UNIX: Examples
  • 29.9.2 Backing Up to Raw Devices on Windows
    • 29.9.2.1 Backing Up with OCOPY: Example
    • 29.9.2.2 Specifying the -b and -r Options for OCOPY: Example
• 29.10 Making Backups with Third-Party Snapshot Technologies
• 29.11 Verifying User-Managed Data File Backups
  • 29.11.1 Testing the Restoration of Data File Backups
  • 29.11.2 Running the DBVERIFY Utility

30 Performing User-Managed Database Flashback and Recovery

• 30.1 Performing Flashback Database with SQL*Plus
  • 30.1.1 Performing Flashback Database of non-CDBs with SQL*Plus
  • 30.1.2 Performing Flashback Database of CDBs with SQL*Plus
  • 30.1.3 Performing Flashback Database of PDBs with SQL*Plus
• 30.2 Overview of User-Managed Media Recovery
  • 30.2.1 About User-Managed Restore and Recovery
  • 30.2.2 Automatic Recovery with the RECOVER Command
    • 30.2.2.1 Automatic Recovery with SET AUTORECOVERY
    • 30.2.2.2 Automatic Recovery with the AUTOMATIC Option of the RECOVER Command
  • 30.2.3 Recovery When Archived Logs Are in the Default Location
  • 30.2.4 Recovery When Archived Logs Are in a Nondefault Location
    • 30.2.4.1 Resetting the Archived Log Destination
    • 30.2.4.2 Overriding the Archived Log Destination
  • 30.2.5 Recovery Using Storage Snapshot Optimization
  • 30.2.6 Recovery Cancellation During User-Managed Recovery
  • 30.2.7 Parallel Media Recovery
• 30.3 Performing Complete Database Recovery Using SQL*Plus
  • 30.3.1 Performing Closed Database Recovery
  • 30.3.2 Performing Open Database Recovery
  • 30.3.3 Performing Crash and Instance Recovery of CDBs
• 30.4 Performing Incomplete Database Recovery
  • 30.4.1 Performing Cancel-Based Incomplete Recovery
  • 30.4.2 Performing Time-Based or Change-Based Incomplete Recovery
• 30.5 Recovering a Database in NOARCHIVELOG Mode
• 30.6 Troubleshooting Media Recovery
  • 30.6.1 About User-Managed Media Recovery Problems
  • 30.6.2 Investigating the Media Recovery Problem: Phase 1
  • 30.6.3 Trying to Fix the Recovery Problem Without Corrupting Blocks: Phase 2
  • 30.6.4 Deciding Whether to Allow Recovery to Mark as Corrupt Blocks: Phase 3
  • 30.6.5 Allowing Recovery to Corrupt Blocks: Phase 4
  • 30.6.6 Performing Trial Recovery
    • 30.6.6.1 How Trial Recovery Works
    • 30.6.6.2 Executing the RECOVER... TEST Statement

31 Performing User-Managed Recovery: Advanced Scenarios

• 31.1 Responding to the Loss of a Subset of the Current Control Files
  • 31.1.1 Copying a Multiplexed Control File to a Default Location
  • 31.1.2 Copying a Multiplexed Control File to a Nondefault Location
• 31.2 Recovering After the Loss of All Current Control Files
  • 31.2.1 Recovering with a Backup Control File in the Default Location
  • 31.2.2 Recovering with a Backup Control File in a Nondefault Location
  • 31.2.3 Recovering Through an Added Data File with a Backup Control File
  • 31.2.4 Recovering Read-Only Tablespaces with a Backup Control File
• 31.3 Re-Creating a Control File
  • 31.3.1 Recovering Through a RESETLOGS with a Created Control File
  • 31.3.2 Recovery of Read-Only Files with a Re-Created Control File
• 31.4 Re-Creating Data Files When Backups Are Unavailable
• 31.5 Recovering NOLOGGING Tables and Indexes
• 31.6 Recovering Transportable Tablespaces
• 31.7 Recovering After the Loss of Online Redo Log Files
  • 31.7.1 Recovering After Losing a Member of a Multiplexed Online Redo Log Group
  • 31.7.2 Recovering After Losing All Members of an Online Redo Log Group
    • 31.7.2.1 Losing an Inactive Online Redo Log Group
      • 31.7.2.1.1 Clearing Inactive, Archived Redo
      • 31.7.2.1.2 Clearing Inactive, Unarchived Redo
      • 31.7.2.1.3 Failure of CLEAR LOGFILE Operation
    • 31.7.2.2 Losing an Active Online Redo Log Group
      • 31.7.2.2.1 Recovering from the Loss of Active Logs in NOARCHIVELOG Mode
      • 31.7.2.2.2 Recovering from Loss of Active Logs in ARCHIVELOG Mode
    • 31.7.2.3 Loss of Multiple Redo Log Groups
• 31.8 Recovering from a Dropped Table Without Using Flashback Features
• 31.9 Dropping a Database with SQL*Plus

Glossary

Index