Oracle® Database: Backup and Recovery Reference 10g Release 2 (10.2)

Oracle Database
Backup and Recovery Reference

10g Release 2 (10.2)
B14194-03
November 2005
This book provides complete reference information on the
Recovery Manager client, including command syntax, a
compatibility matrix, and recovery catalog views.
Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Reference, 10g Release 2 (10.2)

B14194-03
Copyright 1996, 2005, Oracle. All rights reserved.
Primary Author:
Antonio Romero
Contributing Author:
Lance Ashdown
Contributors: Tammy Bednar, Anand Beldalker, Timothy Chien, Raymond Guzman, Alex Hwang, Ashok
Joshi, J. William Lee, Valarie Moore, Muthu Olagappan, Samitha Samaranayake, Francisco Sanchez, Steven
Wertheimer, Wanli Yang
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Contents
Preface ............................................................................................................................................................... vii
Audience...................................................................................................................................................... vii
Documentation Accessibility .................................................................................................................... vii
Related Documentation ............................................................................................................................ viii
Conventions ............................................................................................................................................... viii
About RMAN Commands

Conventions Used in this Reference ....................................................................................................
RMAN Text Conventions..................................................................................................................
RMAN Command Format, Syntax Diagrams and Notation ......................................................
Format of RMAN Commands...................................................................................................
Syntax Diagrams .........................................................................................................................
Keywords ..............................................................................................................................
Placeholders..........................................................................................................................
RMAN Reserved Words ............................................................................................................
RMAN Command Entries.......................................................................................................................
RMAN Code Examples ....................................................................................................................
1-1
1-1
1-1
1-1
1-2
1-2
1-2
1-3
1-5
1-5
RMAN Commands
Summary of RMAN Commands ........................................................................................................... 2-1
@................................................................................................................................................................... 2-5
@@ ................................................................................................................................................................ 2-6
ALLOCATE CHANNEL .......................................................................................................................... 2-7
ALLOCATE CHANNEL FOR MAINTENANCE ............................................................................ 2-10
allocOperandList ................................................................................................................................... 2-13
ALTER DATABASE .............................................................................................................................. 2-16
archivelogRecordSpecifier .................................................................................................................. 2-18
BACKUP.................................................................................................................................................. 2-22
BLOCKRECOVER ................................................................................................................................ 2-48
CATALOG............................................................................................................................................... 2-51
CHANGE ................................................................................................................................................ 2-54
cmdLine................................................................................................................................................... 2-57
completedTimeSpec.............................................................................................................................. 2-61
CONFIGURE.......................................................................................................................................... 2-63
CONNECT .............................................................................................................................................. 2-75
iii
connectStringSpec .................................................................................................................................
CONVERT ..............................................................................................................................................
CREATE CATALOG..............................................................................................................................
CREATE SCRIPT ...................................................................................................................................
CROSSCHECK ......................................................................................................................................
datafileSpec ............................................................................................................................................
DELETE ...................................................................................................................................................
DELETE SCRIPT .................................................................................................................................
deviceSpecifier.....................................................................................................................................
DROP CATALOG................................................................................................................................
DROP DATABASE..............................................................................................................................
DUPLICATE .........................................................................................................................................
EXECUTE SCRIPT...............................................................................................................................
EXIT........................................................................................................................................................
fileNameConversionSpec ..................................................................................................................
FLASHBACK........................................................................................................................................
formatSpec ............................................................................................................................................
HOST .....................................................................................................................................................
keepOption...........................................................................................................................................
LIST........................................................................................................................................................
listObjList .............................................................................................................................................
maintQualifier .....................................................................................................................................
maintSpec..............................................................................................................................................
obsOperandList ...................................................................................................................................
PRINT SCRIPT ....................................................................................................................................
QUIT ......................................................................................................................................................
recordSpec.............................................................................................................................................
RECOVER .............................................................................................................................................
REGISTER ............................................................................................................................................
RELEASE CHANNEL.........................................................................................................................
releaseForMaint ...................................................................................................................................
REPLACE SCRIPT...............................................................................................................................
REPORT ................................................................................................................................................
RESET DATABASE.............................................................................................................................
RESTORE..............................................................................................................................................
RESYNC ................................................................................................................................................
RUN........................................................................................................................................................
SEND .....................................................................................................................................................
SET .........................................................................................................................................................
SHOW....................................................................................................................................................
SHUTDOWN .......................................................................................................................................
SPOOL...................................................................................................................................................
SQL.........................................................................................................................................................
STARTUP ..............................................................................................................................................
SWITCH ................................................................................................................................................
tempfileSpec.........................................................................................................................................
TRANSPORT TABLESPACE ............................................................................................................
iv
2-77
2-79
2-89
2-91
2-93
2-95
2-96
2-100
2-101
2-102
2-103
2-104
2-112
2-113
2-114
2-117
2-122
2-125
2-126
2-128
2-144
2-146
2-148
2-150
2-151
2-152
2-153
2-155
2-164
2-166
2-167
2-168
2-170
2-176
2-179
2-193
2-195
2-198
2-199
2-207
2-210
2-212
2-213
2-215
2-217
2-220
2-222
UNREGISTER DATABASE...............................................................................................................
untilClause............................................................................................................................................
UPGRADE CATALOG .......................................................................................................................
VALIDATE ............................................................................................................................................
2-226
2-228
2-230
2-231
Recovery Catalog Views

Summary of RMAN Recovery Catalog Views.................................................................................... 3-1
RC_ARCHIVED_LOG ............................................................................................................................ 3-4
RC_BACKUP_ARCHIVELOG_DETAILS........................................................................................... 3-6
RC_BACKUP_ARCHIVELOG_SUMMARY ...................................................................................... 3-7
RC_BACKUP_CONTROLFILE ............................................................................................................. 3-8
RC_BACKUP_CONTROLFILE_DETAILS....................................................................................... 3-10
RC_BACKUP_CONTROLFILE_SUMMARY .................................................................................. 3-11
RC_BACKUP_COPY_DETAILS......................................................................................................... 3-12
RC_BACKUP_COPY_SUMMARY .................................................................................................... 3-13
RC_BACKUP_CORRUPTION............................................................................................................ 3-14
RC_BACKUP_DATAFILE.................................................................................................................... 3-15
RC_BACKUP_DATAFILE_DETAILS ................................................................................................ 3-17
RC_BACKUP_DATAFILE_SUMMARY............................................................................................ 3-18
RC_BACKUP_FILES............................................................................................................................. 3-19
RC_BACKUP_PIECE ............................................................................................................................ 3-22
RC_BACKUP_PIECE_DETAILS ........................................................................................................ 3-23
RC_BACKUP_REDOLOG................................................................................................................... 3-25
RC_BACKUP_SET ................................................................................................................................ 3-27
RC_BACKUP_SET_DETAILS............................................................................................................. 3-29
RC_BACKUP_SET_SUMMARY ........................................................................................................ 3-31
RC_BACKUP_SPFILE .......................................................................................................................... 3-32
RC_BACKUP_SPFILE_DETAILS....................................................................................................... 3-33
RC_BACKUP_SPFILE_SUMMARY .................................................................................................. 3-34
RC_CHECKPOINT ............................................................................................................................... 3-35
RC_CONTROLFILE_COPY ................................................................................................................ 3-36
RC_COPY_CORRUPTION.................................................................................................................. 3-37
RC_DATABASE ..................................................................................................................................... 3-38
RC_DATABASE_BLOCK_CORRUPTION ...................................................................................... 3-39
RC_DATABASE_INCARNATION .................................................................................................... 3-40
RC_DATAFILE ....................................................................................................................................... 3-41
RC_DATAFILE_COPY.......................................................................................................................... 3-42
RC_LOG_HISTORY ............................................................................................................................. 3-44
RC_OFFLINE_RANGE ........................................................................................................................ 3-45
RC_RMAN_OUTPUT .......................................................................................................................... 3-46
RC_PROXY_ARCHIVEDLOG ........................................................................................................... 3-47
RC_PROXY_ARCHIVELOG_DETAILS ........................................................................................... 3-48
RC_PROXY_ARCHIVELOG_SUMMARY....................................................................................... 3-49
RC_PROXY_CONTROLFILE.............................................................................................................. 3-50
RC_PROXY_COPY_DETAILS ............................................................................................................ 3-52
RC_PROXY_COPY_SUMMARY........................................................................................................ 3-53
RC_PROXY_DATAFILE ....................................................................................................................... 3-54
RC_REDO_LOG ....................................................................................................................................
RC_REDO_THREAD ...........................................................................................................................
RC_RESYNC ..........................................................................................................................................
RC_RMAN_BACKUP_JOB_DETAILS .............................................................................................
RC_RMAN_BACKUP_SUBJOB_DETAILS .....................................................................................
RC_RMAN_BACKUP_TYPE ..............................................................................................................
RC_RMAN_CONFIGURATION .......................................................................................................
RC_RMAN_STATUS ............................................................................................................................
RC_STORED_SCRIPT .........................................................................................................................
RC_STORED_SCRIPT_LINE..............................................................................................................
RC_TABLESPACE .................................................................................................................................
RC_TEMPFILE.......................................................................................................................................
RC_UNUSABLE_BACKUPFILE_DETAILS.....................................................................................
Deprecated RMAN Commands
RMAN Compatibility
About RMAN Compatibility ................................................................................................................
Determination of Catalog Schema Version ...................................................................................
RMAN Compatibility Matrix................................................................................................................
Cross-Version Compatibility of Recovery Catalog Exports and Imports.................................
RMAN Compatibility: Scenario ...........................................................................................................
Index
vi
3-56
3-57
3-58
3-59
3-61
3-62
3-63
3-64
3-66
3-67
3-68
3-69
3-70
B-1
B-1
B-2
B-3
B-3
Preface
This preface contains these topics:
Audience
Documentation Accessibility
Related Documentation
Conventions
Audience
Backup and Recovery Reference is intended for database administrators who perform
the following tasks:
Back up, restore, and recover Oracle databases
Perform maintenance on backups and copies of database files
To use this document, you need to know the following:
Relational database concepts and basic database administration as described in

Oracle Database Concepts and the Oracle Database Administrator's Guide
Basic RMAN concepts and tasks as described in Oracle Database Backup and
Recovery Basics
The operating system environment under which you are running Oracle
Documentation Accessibility
Our goal is to make Oracle products, services, and supporting documentation
accessible, with good usability, to the disabled community. To that end, our
documentation includes features that make information available to users of assistive
technology. This documentation is available in HTML format, and contains markup to
facilitate access by the disabled community. Accessibility standards will continue to
evolve over time, and Oracle is actively engaged with other market-leading
technology vendors to address technical obstacles so that our documentation can be
accessible to all of our customers. For more information, visit the Oracle Accessibility
Program Web site at
http://www.oracle.com/accessibility/
Accessibility of Code Examples in Documentation
Screen readers may not always correctly read the code examples in this document. The
conventions for writing code require that closing braces should appear on an
vii
otherwise empty line; however, some screen readers may not always read a line of text
that consists solely of a bracket or brace.
Accessibility of Links to External Web Sites in Documentation
This documentation may contain links to Web sites of other companies or
organizations that Oracle does not own or control. Oracle neither evaluates nor makes
any representations regarding the accessibility of these Web sites.
TTY Access to Oracle Support Services
Oracle provides dedicated Text Telephone (TTY) access to Oracle Support Services
within the United States of America 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For TTY
support, call 800.446.2398.
Related Documentation
For more information, see these Oracle resources:
Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Basics
Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Advanced User's Guide
Oracle Database Reference
Oracle Database Utilities
Many of the examples in this book use the sample schemas of the seed database, which
is installed by default when you install Oracle. Refer to Oracle Database Sample Schemas
for information on how these schemas were created and how you can use them
yourself.
Conventions
The following text conventions are used in this document:
viii
Convention
Meaning
boldface
Boldface type indicates graphical user interface elements associated

with an action, or terms defined in text or the glossary.
italic
Italic type indicates book titles, emphasis, or placeholder variables for

which you supply particular values.
monospace
Monospace type indicates commands within a paragraph, URLs, code

in examples, text that appears on the screen, or text that you enter.
1
About RMAN Commands
This chapter describes the basic elements of RMAN syntax. It includes the following
sections:
Conventions Used in this Reference
RMAN Command Entries

This section explains the conventions used in this chapter including:
RMAN Text Conventions
RMAN Command Format, Syntax Diagrams and Notation
RMAN Code Examples
RMAN Text Conventions

The text in this reference adheres to the following conventions:
UPPERCASE monospace : Calls attention to RMAN keywords, SQL keywords,

column headings in tables and views, and initialization parameters.
lowercase monospace : Calls attention to variable text in RMAN examples.
italics : Calls attention to RMAN or SQL placeholders, that is, text that should
not be entered as-is but represents a value to be entered by the user.
RMAN Command Format, Syntax Diagrams and Notation

This section describes the conventions for RMAN command syntax.
Format of RMAN Commands

The RMAN language is free-form. Keywords must be separated by at least one white
space character (such as a space, tab, or line break). An RMAN command starts with a
keyword corresponding to one of the commands described in Chapter 2, "RMAN
Commands", followed by arguments and ending with a semicolon, as shown in the
syntax diagrams. A command can span multiple lines.
A comment can be inserted by using a # character at any point in a line. After the #
character, the remainder of the line is ignored. For example:
# run this command once each day
BACKUP INCREMENTAL LEVEL 1
FOR RECOVER OF COPY
# using incrementally updated backups
About RMAN Commands
1-1
WITH TAG "DAILY_BACKUP"

DATABASE;
# daily backup routine
Syntax Diagrams
This reference uses syntax diagrams to show Recovery Manager commands. These
syntax diagrams use lines and arrows to show syntactic structure, as shown in the
following example for the RMAN CATALOG command.
lcatalog::=
ARCHIVELOG
BACKUPPIECE
filename
CONTROLFILECOPY
=
LEVEL
CATALOG
,
DATAFILECOPY
filename
integer
TAG
tag_name
RECOVERY AREA
NOPROMPT
DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST
START WITH
string_pattern
This section describes the components of syntax diagrams and gives examples of how
to write RMAN commands. Syntax diagrams are made up of these items:
Keywords
Placeholders
Keywords Keywords have special meanings in Recovery Manager syntax. In the syntax
diagrams, keywords appear in rectangular boxes and an uppercase font, like the word
CATALOG in the example diagram. When used in text and code examples, RMAN
keywords appear in uppercase, monospace font, for example, CATALOG
DATAFILECOPY. You must use keywords in RMAN statements exactly as they appear
in the syntax diagram, except that they can be either uppercase or lowercase.
Placeholders Placeholders in syntax diagrams indicate non-keywords. In the syntax
diagrams, they appear in ovals, as in the word integer in the example diagram. When
described in text, RMAN placeholders appear in lowercase italic, for example,
'filename'. Placeholders are usually:
Names of database objects (tablespace_name)
Oracle datatype names (date_string)
Subclauses (datafileSpec)
When you see a placeholder in a syntax diagram, substitute an object or expression of

the appropriate type in the RMAN statement. For example, to write a DUPLICATE
TARGET DATABASE TO 'database_name' command, use the name of the duplicate
database you want to create, such as dupdb, in place of the database_name placeholder
in the diagram.
Some placeholder values are enclosed in required or optional quotes. The syntax
diagrams show single quotes, though in all cases double quotes are also legal in
RMAN syntax. For example, you specify either 'filename' or "filename". For the SQL
command, it is recommended that you use double quotes because the SQL statement
1-2 Backup and Recovery Reference
itself may also contain a quote, and the most common type of quote in a SQL
statement is a single quote. Single and double quotes do not mean the same in SQL as
they do in RMAN.
The only system-independent, legal environment variables in RMAN quoted strings
are ? for the Oracle home and @ for the SID. However, you can use operating system
specific environment variables on the target system within quoted strings. The
environment variables are interpreted by the database server and not the RMAN
client.
The following table shows placeholders that appear in the syntax diagrams and
provides examples of the values you might substitute for them in your statements.
Placeholder
Description
Examples
Quoted strings such as

'filename', 'tablespace_
name', 'channel_name',
'channel_parms'
A string of characters
contained in either single or
double quotes. A quoted
string may contain white
space, punctuation, and
RMAN and SQL keywords.
"?/dbs/cf.f"
Nonquoted strings such as

channel_id, tag_name,
date_string
A sequence of characters
containing no white space
and no punctuation
characters and starting with
an alphabetic character.
ch1
integer
Any sequence of only

number characters.
67843
'dev1'
RMAN Reserved Words

The RMAN language contains a number of reserved words, which are or have been in
the past used in RMAN commands. The following table lists all of the current reserved
words.
Reserved
Word
Reserved Word
Reserved
Word
Reserved Word
Reserved
Word
Reserved
Word
ABORT
CONSISTENT
FORMAT
MAXPIECESIZE
PLSQL
SETLIMIT
AFFINITY
CONTROLFILE
FROM
MAXSEQ
PLUS
SETSIZE
AFTER
CONTROLFILECO
PY
FULL
MAXSETSIZE
POLICY
SHOW
ALL
COPIES
MAXSIZE
POOL
SHUTDOWN
ALLOCATE
COPY
GET
MISC
PRINT
SINCE
ALTER
CORRUPTION
GROUP
MOUNT
PROXY
SIZE
AND
CREATE
HIGH
MSGLOG
PUT
SKIP
APPEND
CROSSCHECK
HOST
MSGNO
QUIT
SLAXDEBUG
ARCHIVELOG
CUMULATIVE
ID
NAME
RATE
SNAPSHOT
AT
CURRENT
IDENTIFIER
NEED
RCVCAT
SPFILE
ATALL
DATABASE
IMMEDIATE
NEW
RCVMAN
SPOOL
AUTOBACKUP
DATAFILE
INACCESSIB
LE
NEW-LINE
READONLY
SQL
About RMAN Commands
1-3
Reserved
Word
Reserved Word
AUTOLOCATE
DATAFILECOPY
AUXILIARY
Reserved
Word
Reserved Word
Reserved
Word
Reserved
Word
INCARNATIO
N
NEWNAME
READRATE
STANDBY
DAYS
INCLUDE
NOCATALOG
RECOVER
STARTUP
AUXNAME
DBA
INCREMENTA
L
NOCFAU
RECOVERABL STEP
E
AVAILABLE
DBID
INPUT
NOCHECKSUM
RECOVERY
BACKED
DEBUG
IO
NOEXCLUDE
REDUNDANCY SWITCH
BACKUP
DEFAULT
JOB
NOFILENAMECHE
CK
REGISTER
TABLESPACE
BACKUPPIEC
E
DEFINE
NOFILEUPDATE
RELEASE
TAG
BACKUPSET
DELETE
KBYTES
NOKEEP
RELOAD
TARGET
BEFORE
DESTINATION
KEEP
NOLOGS
REMOVE
TEST
BETWEEN
DEVICE
LEVEL
NOMOUNT
RENORMALIZ THREAD
E
BLOCK
DISK
LIBNAME
NONE
REPLACE
TIME
BLOCKRECOV
ER
DISKRATIO
LIBPARM
NOPROMPT
REPLICATE
TIMEOUT
BLOCKS
DISPLAY
LIBRARY
NOREDO
REPORT
TIMES
BY
DORECOVER
LIBTEXT
NORMAL
RESET
TO
CANCEL
DROP
LIKE
NOT
RESETLOGS
TRACE
CATALOG
DUMP
LIMIT
NULL
RESTART
TRANSACTION
AL
CHANGE
DUPLEX
LIST
OBSOLETE
RESTORE
TXT
CHANNEL
DUPLICATE
LOG
OF
RESYNC
TYPE
CHARSET
ECHO
LOGFILE
OFF
RETENTION
UNAVAILABLE
CHECK
EXCLUDE
LOGICAL
OFFLINE
REUSE
UNCATALOG
CLEAR
EXECUTE
LOGS
ON
RPC
UNLIMITED
CLONE
EXIT
LOGSCN
ONLY
RPCTEST
UNRECOVERAB
LE
CLONENAME
EXPIRED
LOGSEQ
OPEN
RUN
UNTIL
CLONE_CF
FILE
LOW
OPTIMIZATION
SAVE
UNUSED
CMDFILE
FILES
ORPHAN
SCHEMA
UP
COMMAND
FILESPERSET
MAINTENANC
E
PACKAGES
SCN
UPGRADE
COMPATIBLE
FINAL
MASK
PARALLELISM
COMPLETED
FOR
MAXCORRUPT
PARMS
SEND
VERBOSE
CONFIGURE
FORCE
MAXDAYS
PFILE
SEQUENCE
WINDOW
CONNECT
FOREVER
MAXOPENFIL
ES
PIPE
SET
SUMMARY
VALIDATE
If you must use one of the reserved words as an argument to an RMAN command (for
example, as a filename, tablespace name, tag name, and so on), surround it with
quotes. Otherwise, RMAN cannot parse your command correctly and generates an
error. These are examples of correct and incorrect commands that use RMAN reserved
words with quotes:
ALLOCATE CHANNEL backup DEVICE TYPE DISK;
ALLOCATE CHANNEL 'backup' DEVICE TYPE DISK;
BACKUP DATABASE TAG full;
BACKUP DATABASE TAG 'full';
#
#
#
#
incorrect
correct
incorrect
correct
In general, you should avoid using reserved words in ways that conflict with their
primary meaning in the RMAN command language.

The description of each command or subclause contains the following sections:
Table 11
Sections of a Command Description
Section
Content
Syntax
Shows the keywords and parameters that make up the

statement. Note: Not all keywords and parameters are valid in
all circumstances. Be sure to refer to the "Keywords and
Parameters" section of each statement to learn about any
restrictions on the syntax.
Purpose
Describes the basic uses of the statement.
Restrictions and Usage

Notes
Lists requirements, restrictions, and guidelines for proper use

of the command.
Keywords and
Parameters
Describes the purpose of each keyword and parameter.

Restrictions and usage notes can also appear in this section.
Examples
Shows how to use various clauses and options of the

statement.
Note: Optional sections following the examples provide more information on how and
when to use the statement.
RMAN Code Examples

The command entries in this reference include many examples of RMAN commands,
which illustrate how to use the different elements of each RMAN command for
common tasks. These examples are generally set off from the text and appear in a
monospace font, as in the following example:
BACKUP DATABASE;
About RMAN Commands
1-5
2
RMAN Commands
This chapter describes, in alphabetical order, Recovery Manager commands and
subclauses. For a summary of the RMAN commands and command-line options, refer
to "Summary of RMAN Commands" on page 2-1.
Summary of RMAN Commands

Table 21 provides a functional summary of RMAN commands that you can execute at
the RMAN prompt, within a RUN command, or both. All commands from previous
RMAN releases work with the current release.
For command line options for the RMAN client, refer to "cmdLine" on page 2-57.
Table 21
Recovery Manager Commands
Command
Purpose
"@" on page 2-5
Run a command file.
"@@" on page 2-6
Run a command file in the same directory as another command file that is
currently running. The @@ command differs from the @ command only when
run from within a command file.
"ALLOCATE CHANNEL" on
page 2-7
Establish a channel, which is a connection between RMAN and a database

instance.
"ALLOCATE CHANNEL FOR

MAINTENANCE" on page 2-10
Allocate a channel in preparation for issuing maintenance commands such

as DELETE.
"allocOperandList" on page 2-13
A subclause that specifies channel control options such as PARMS and

FORMAT.
"ALTER DATABASE" on
page 2-16
Mount or open a database.
"archivelogRecordSpecifier" on
page 2-18
Specify a range of archived redo logs files.
"BACKUP" on page 2-22
Back up database files, copies of database files, archived logs, or backup sets.
"BLOCKRECOVER" on
page 2-48
Recover an individual data block or set of data blocks within one or more
datafiles.
"CATALOG" on page 2-51
Add information about file copies and user-managed backups to the

repository.
"CHANGE" on page 2-54
Mark a backup piece, image copy, or archived redo log as having the status
UNAVAILABLE or AVAILABLE; remove the repository record for a backup or
copy; override the retention policy for a backup or copy.
"completedTimeSpec" on
page 2-61
Specify a time range during which the backup or copy completed.
RMAN Commands 2-1
Table 21 (Cont.) Recovery Manager Commands

Command
Purpose
"CONFIGURE" on page 2-63
Configure persistent RMAN settings. These settings apply to all RMAN

sessions until explicitly changed or disabled.
"CONNECT" on page 2-75
Establish a connection between RMAN and a target, auxiliary, or recovery

catalog database.
"connectStringSpec" on
page 2-77
Specify the username, password, and net service name for connecting to a
target, recovery catalog, or auxiliary database. The connection is necessary to
authenticate the user and identify the database.
"CONVERT" on page 2-79
Converts datafile formats for transporting tablespaces and databases across

platforms.
"CREATE CATALOG" on
page 2-89
Create the schema for the recovery catalog.
"CREATE SCRIPT" on page 2-91
Create a stored script and store it in the recovery catalog.
"CROSSCHECK" on page 2-93
Determine whether files managed by RMAN, such as archived logs, datafile

copies, and backup pieces, still exist on disk or tape.
"datafileSpec" on page 2-95
Specify a datafile by filename or absolute file number.
"DELETE" on page 2-96
Delete backups and copies, remove references to them from the recovery
catalog, and update their control file records to status DELETED.
"DELETE SCRIPT" on page 2-100 Delete a stored script from the recovery catalog.
"deviceSpecifier" on page 2-101
Specify the type of storage device for a backup or copy.
"DROP CATALOG" on
page 2-102
Remove the schema from the recovery catalog.
"DROP DATABASE" on
page 2-103
Deletes the target database from disk and unregisters it.
"DUPLICATE" on page 2-104
Use backups of the target database to create a duplicate database that you
can use for testing purposes or to create a standby database.
"EXECUTE SCRIPT" on
page 2-112
Run an RMAN stored script.
"EXIT" on page 2-113
Quit the RMAN executable.
"fileNameConversionSpec" on
page 2-114
Specify patterns to transform source to target filenames during BACKUP AS

COPY, CONVERT and DUPLICATE.
"FLASHBACK" on page 2-117
Returns the database to its state at a previous time or SCN.
"formatSpec" on page 2-122
Specify a filename format for a backup or copy.
"HOST" on page 2-125
Invoke an operating system command-line subshell from within RMAN or

run a specific operating system command.
"keepOption" on page 2-126
Specify that a backup or copy should or should not be exempt from the
current retention policy.
"LIST" on page 2-128
Produce a detailed listing of backup sets or copies.
"listObjList" on page 2-144
A subclause used to specify which items will be displayed by the LIST

command.
"maintQualifier" on page 2-146
A subclause used to specify additional options for maintenance commands

such as DELETE and CHANGE.
"maintSpec" on page 2-148
A subclause used to specify the files operated on by maintenance commands

such as CHANGE, CROSSCHECK, and DELETE.
"obsOperandList" on page 2-150
A subclause used to determine which backups and copies are obsolete.

Command
Purpose
"PRINT SCRIPT" on page 2-151
Display a stored script.
"QUIT" on page 2-152
Exit the RMAN executable.
"recordSpec" on page 2-153
A subclause used to specify which objects the maintenance commands

should operate on.
"RECOVER" on page 2-155
Apply redo logs and incremental backups to datafiles restored from backup
or datafile copies, in order to update them to a specified time.
"REGISTER" on page 2-164
Register the target database in the recovery catalog.
"RELEASE CHANNEL" on
page 2-166
Release a channel that was allocated with an ALLOCATE CHANNEL

command.
"releaseForMaint" on page 2-167
Release a channel allocated with an ALLOCATE CHANNEL FOR

MAINTENANCE command.
"REPLACE SCRIPT" on
page 2-168
Replace an existing script stored in the recovery catalog. If the script does
not exist, then REPLACE SCRIPT creates it.
"REPORT" on page 2-170
Perform detailed analyses of the content of the recovery catalog.
"RESET DATABASE" on
page 2-176
Inform RMAN that the SQL statement ALTER DATABASE OPEN RESETLOGS
has been executed and that a new incarnation of the target database has been
created, or reset the target database to a prior incarnation.
"RESTORE" on page 2-179
Restore files from backup sets or from disk copies to the default or a new
location.
"RESYNC" on page 2-193
Perform a full resynchronization, which creates a snapshot control file and

then copies any new or changed information from that snapshot control file
to the recovery catalog.
"RUN" on page 2-195
Execute a sequence of one or more RMAN commands, which are one or

more statements executed within the braces of RUN.
"SEND" on page 2-198
Send a vendor-specific quoted string to one or more specific channels.
"SET" on page 2-199
Sets the value of various attributes that affect RMAN behavior for the
duration of a RUN block or a session.
"SHOW" on page 2-207
Displays the current CONFIGURE settings.
"SHUTDOWN" on page 2-210
Shut down the target database. This command is equivalent to the SQL*Plus
SHUTDOWN command.
"SPOOL" on page 2-212
Write RMAN output to a log file.
"SQL" on page 2-213
Execute a SQL statement from within Recovery Manager.
"STARTUP" on page 2-215
Start up the target database. This command is equivalent to the SQL*Plus

STARTUP command.
"SWITCH" on page 2-217
Specify that a datafile copy is now the current datafile, that is, the datafile
pointed to by the control file. This command is equivalent to the SQL
statement ALTER DATABASE RENAME FILE as it applies to datafiles.
"tempfileSpec" on page 2-220
Specifies a tempfile by path or by file number.
"TRANSPORT TABLESPACE"
on page 2-222
Creates transportable tablespace sets from backup for one or more

tablespaces.
"UNREGISTER DATABASE" on
page 2-226
Unregisters a database from the recovery catalog.
RMAN Commands 2-3

Command
Purpose
untilClause on page 2-228
A subclause specifying an upper limit by time, SCN, or log sequence

number. This clause is usually used to specify the desired point in time for
an incomplete recovery.
"UPGRADE CATALOG" on
page 2-230
Upgrade the recovery catalog schema from an older version to the version
required by the RMAN executable.
"VALIDATE" on page 2-231
Examine a backup set and report whether its data is intact. RMAN scans all
of the backup pieces in the specified backup sets and looks at the checksums
to verify that the contents can be successfully restored.
@
Syntax
at::=
@
filename
Purpose
To execute a series of RMAN commands stored in an operating system file with the
specified full path name, for example, @/oracle/dbs/cmd/cmd1.rman. If you do
not specify the full path name, then the current working directory is assumed, for
example, @cmd1.rman. Do not use quotes around the string or leave whitespace
between the @ and filename. RMAN processes the specified file as if its contents had
appeared in place of the @ command.
The file must contain complete RMAN commands; partial
commands generate syntax errors.
Note:
Restrictions and Usage Notes

None.
Example
Running a Command File from the Command Line: Example This example creates a
command file and then runs it from the operating system command line:
echo "BACKUP DATABASE;" > backup_db.rman
rman TARGET / @backup_db.rman
Running a Command File Within RMAN: Example This example runs a command file
from the RMAN prompt and from within a RUN command:
@backup_db.rman
RUN { @backup_db.rman }
RMAN Commands 2-5
@@
@@
Syntax
atat::=
@@
filename
Purpose
To execute a series of RMAN commands stored in an operating system file with the
specified filename, for example, @@cmd2.rman. If @@ is contained in a command file,
then @@filename directs RMAN to look for the specified filename in the same
directory as the command file from which it was called. If not used within a command
file, the @@ command is identical to the @ command. For example, assume that you
invoke RMAN as follows:
% rman @$ORACLE_HOME/rdbms/admin/dba/scripts/cmd1.rman
Assume that the command @@cmd2.rman appears inside the cmd1.rman script. In
this case, the @@ command directs RMAN to look for the file cmd2.rman in the
directory $ORACLE_HOME/rdbms/admin/dba/scripts/. Note that the file must
contain complete RMAN commands.

None.
Example
Assume that you
create command files called backup_logs.rman and backup_db.rman as in the
following example. Then, you execute bkup_db.rman from the command line, which
specifies that RMAN should look for the bkup_logs.rman script in the Oracle home
directory:
Calling a Command File Within Another Command File: Example
echo
echo
echo
rman
"BACKUP ARCHIVELOG ALL;" > $ORACLE_HOME/bkup_logs.rman

"BACKUP DATABASE;" > $ORACLE_HOME/bkup_db.rman
"@@bkup_logs.rman" >> $ORACLE_HOME/bkup_db.rman
TARGET / @$ORACLE_HOME/bkup_db.rman
ALLOCATE CHANNEL
ALLOCATE CHANNEL
Syntax
allocate::=
AUXILIARY
ALLOCATE
=
DEVICE TYPE
CHANNEL
channel_id
allocOperandList
deviceSpecifier
Purpose
To manually allocate a channel, which is a connection between RMAN and a database
instance. Each connection initiates an database server session on the target or auxiliary
instance: this server session performs the work of backing up, restoring, or recovering
RMAN backups.
Manually allocated channels (allocated by using ALLOCATE) should be distinguished
from automatically allocated channels (specified by using CONFIGURE). Manually
allocated channels apply only to the RUN job in which you issue the command.
Automatic channels apply to any RMAN job in which you do not manually allocate
channels. You can always override automatic channel configurations by manually
allocating channels within a RUN command.
Each channel operates on one backup set or image copy at a time. RMAN
automatically releases the channel at the end of the job.
You can control the degree of parallelism within a job by allocating the desired number
of channels. Allocating multiple channels simultaneously allows a single job to read or
write multiple backup sets or disk copies in parallel. If you establish multiple
connections, then each connection operates on a separate backup set or disk copy.
Whether ALLOCATE CHANNEL causes operating system resources to be allocated
immediately depends on the operating system. On some platforms, operating system
resources are allocated at the time the command is issued. On other platforms,
operating system resources are not allocated until you open a file for reading or
writing.
Note: When you specify DEVICE TYPE DISK, no operating
system resources are allocated other than for the creation of the
server session.
You can only use ALLOCATE CHANNEL within a RUN block.
The target instance must be started.
You cannot make a connection to a shared server session.
You must either allocate a channel manually or configure a channel for automatic
allocation before executing a BACKUP, DUPLICATE, CREATE CATALOG,
RESTORE, RECOVER, or VALIDATE command.
You cannot use BACKUP DEVICE TYPE or RESTORE DEVICE TYPE to use
automatic channels after specifying manual channels with ALLOCATE CHANNEL.
RMAN Commands 2-7
ALLOCATE CHANNEL
You must use a recovery catalog when backing up a standby database.

You cannot prefix ORA_ to a channel name. RMAN reserves channel names
beginning with the ORA_ prefix for its own use.
Keywords and Parameters

Syntax Element
Description
AUXILIARY
Specifies a connection between RMAN and an auxiliary database instance. An

auxiliary instance is used when executing the DUPLICATE or TRANSPORT
TABLESPACE command, and when performing TSPITR with RECOVER
TABLESPACE. An auxiliary database can reside on the same host as its parent
or on a different host. When specifying this option, the auxiliary database
must be mounted but not open.
See Also: "DUPLICATE" on page 2-104 to learn how to duplicate a database,
and "CONNECT" on page 2-75 to learn how to connect to a duplicate database
CHANNEL 'channel_id'
Specifies a connection between RMAN and the target database instance. Each
connection initiates a server session on the database instance: this server
session performs the work of backing up, restoring, and recovering backups
and copies.
Specify a channel id, which is the case-sensitive name of the channel, after the
CHANNEL keyword. The database uses the channel_id to report I/O errors.
DEVICE TYPE = deviceSpecifier
Specifies the type of storage device.

See Also: "deviceSpecifier" on page 2-101
Note: If you do not specify the DEVICE TYPE parameter, then you must
specify the NAME parameter to identify a particular sequential I/O device.
Query the V$BACKUP_DEVICE view for information about available device
types and names.
allocOperandList
Specifies control options for the allocated channel.

See Also: "allocOperandList" on page 2-13
Examples
This command allocates a tape
channel for a whole database and archived redo log backup:
Allocating a Single Channel for a Backup: Example

RUN
{
ALLOCATE CHANNEL c1 DEVICE TYPE sbt;
BACKUP DATABASE PLUS ARCHIVELOG;
Spreading a Backup Across Multiple Disks: Example When backing up to disk, you
can spread the backup across several disk drives. Allocate one DEVICE TYPE DISK
channel for each disk drive and specify the format string so that the filenames are on
different disks:
RUN
{
ALLOCATE CHANNEL disk1 DEVICE TYPE DISK FORMAT '/disk1/backups/%U';
ALLOCATE CHANNEL disk2 DEVICE TYPE DISK FORMAT '/disk2/backups/%U';
BACKUP DATABASE PLUS ARCHIVELOG; # AS COPY is default when backing up to disk
}
Creating Multiple Copies of a Backup: Example When creating multiple copies of a

backup, you can specify the SET BACKUP COPIES command. The following example
ALLOCATE CHANNEL
generates a single backup of the database to disk, and then creates two identical
backups of datafile 1 to two different file systems:
RUN
{
ALLOCATE CHANNEL c1 DEVICE TYPE DISK MAXPIECESIZE 5M;
BACKUP DATABASE PLUS ARCHIVELOG; # AS COPY is the default, so RMAN creates image copies
SET BACKUP COPIES = 2;
BACKUP DATAFILE 1 FORMAT '/disk1/backups/%U', '/disk2/backups/%U';
}
Allocating an Auxiliary Channel for Database Duplication: Example When creating a
duplicate database, allocate a channel by using the AUXILIARY option:

RUN
{
ALLOCATE AUXILIARY CHANNEL c1 DEVICE
ALLOCATE AUXILIARY CHANNEL c2 DEVICE
DUPLICATE TARGET DATABASE TO ndbnewh
LOGFILE
'?/oradata/aux1/redo01.log' SIZE
SKIP READONLY
NOFILENAMECHECK;
}
TYPE sbt;
TYPE sbt;
200K,
200K
200K
RMAN Commands 2-9
ALLOCATE CHANNEL FOR MAINTENANCE

Syntax
allocateForMaint::=
=
DEVICE TYPE
allocOperandList
deviceSpecifier
Purpose
To manually allocate a channel in preparation for issuing a CHANGE, DELETE, or
CROSSCHECK command.
If you CONFIGURE at least one channel for each device type
you use in your configuration, then you do not need to use ALLOCATE
CHANNEL FOR MAINTENANCE at all.
Note:
Oracle recommends that you use configured channels instead of

maintenance channels. Configured channels can be used for all
RMAN I/O to the specified device, not just the maintenance tasks
supported by maintenance channels, and they persist across RMAN
sessions.
Execute this command only at the RMAN prompt. This command cannot be used
within a RUN block.
Do not specify a channel ID.
You cannot allocate a maintenance channel to a shared session.
You cannot prefix ORA_ to a channel name. RMAN reserves channel names
beginning with the ORA_ prefix for its own use.
Manually allocated channels (maintenance or normal channels) and automatic
channels based on configured settings are never mixed. To perform maintenance
on both disk and SBT simultaneously using manually allocated maintenance
channels, you must allocate both SBT and DISK channels explicitly.
If you use ALLOCATE CHANNEL FOR MAINTENANCE, then RMAN uses the
following convention for channel naming: ORA_MAINT_devicetype_n, where
devicetype refers to DISK or sbt and n refers to the channel number. For
example, RMAN uses these names for two manually allocated disk channels:
ORA_MAINT_DISK_1
ORA_MAINT_DISK_2
You can allocate multiple maintenance channels for a single job, but you should
only use this feature in these situations:
To allow crosschecking or deletion of all backup pieces or proxy copies, both

on disk and tape, with a single command
To make crosschecking and deleting work correctly in an Oracle Real

Application Clusters configuration in which each backup piece or proxy copy
exists only on one node
See Also: Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Advanced User's
Guide to learn how to crosscheck and delete on multiple channels

Syntax Element
Description
DEVICE TYPE = deviceSpecifier
Specifies the type of storage device.

Note: If you do not specify the DEVICE TYPE parameter, then you must
specify the NAME parameter to identify a particular sequential I/O device.
Query the V$BACKUP_DEVICE view for information about available device
types and names.
allocOperandList
Specifies control options for the allocated channel.

Examples
Deleting a Backup Set: Example
This example deletes backup sets from tape created
more than a week ago:

ALLOCATE CHANNEL FOR MAINTENANCE DEVICE TYPE sbt;
DELETE NOPROMPT BACKUP OF DATABASE COMPLETED BEFORE 'SYSDATE-7';
This example crosschecks all archived logs

on disk and tape. For disk, the preconfigured disk channel is used; for tape, an SBT
channel is allocated manually. If the logs are not found, then RMAN marks them as
EXPIRED in the repository:
Crosschecking Archived Logs: Example

CROSSCHECK ARCHIVELOG ALL;
Crosschecking on Multiple Nodes of an Oracle Real Application Clusters

Configuration: Example In this example, you perform a crosscheck of backups on
two nodes of an Oracle Real Application Clusters configuration, where each node has
access to a subset of backups. It is assumed here that all backups are accessible by at
least one of the two nodes used in the crosscheck. Any backups not accessible from at
least one of the nodes are marked EXPIRED after the crosscheck.
ALLOCATE CHANNEL FOR MAINTENANCE DEVICE TYPE DISK CONNECT 'SYS/change_on_install@inst1';
ALLOCATE CHANNEL FOR MAINTENANCE DEVICE TYPE DISK CONNECT 'SYS/change_on_install@inst2';
CROSSCHECK BACKUP;
Oracle recommends that all nodes in a Real Application

Clusters configuration have the same access to all backups on all
storage devices.
Note:
Deleting on Disk and sbt Channels with One Command: Example In this example,
you delete a backup from both disk and tape:
# back up datafile to disk and tape
BACKUP DEVICE TYPE DISK DATAFILE 1 TAG "weekly_bkup";
BACKUP DEVICE TYPE sbt DATAFILE 1 TAG "weekly_bkup";
RMAN Commands 2-11
# manually allocate gsbt channel and disk channel

ALLOCATE CHANNEL FOR MAINTENANCE DEVICE TYPE DISK;
DELETE BACKUPSET TAG "weekly_bkup";
allocOperandList
allocOperandList
Syntax
allocOperandList::=
=
CONNECT
connect_string
=
FORMAT
formatSpec
=
MAXOPENFILES
integer
=
MAXPIECESIZE
sizeSpec
=
PARMS
channel_parms
=
RATE
sizeSpec
=
SEND
command
Purpose
A subclause specifying control options on a channel, which is a connection between
RMAN and a database instance. Specify this clause on the following commands:
ALLOCATE CHANNEL
CONFIGURE

Syntax Element
Description
CONNECT = connectStringSpec
Specifies a connect string to the database instance where RMAN should

conduct the backup or restore operations. Use this parameter to spread the
work of backup or restore operations across different instances in an Oracle
Real Application Clusters configuration.
If you do not specify this parameter, and if you did not specify the
AUXILIARY option, then RMAN conducts all operations on the target
database instance specified by the command-line CONNECT parameter or the
instance connected to when you issued the CONNECT command. Typically,
you should not use the CONNECT parameter in conjunction with the
AUXILIARY option.
See Also: "connectStringSpec" on page 2-77 and "cmdLine" on page 2-57
RMAN Commands 2-13
allocOperandList
Syntax Element
Description
FORMAT = formatSpec
Specifies the format to use for the names of backup pieces that are created on
this channel.
If you do not specify FORMAT, RMAN uses %U by default, which guarantees a
unique identifier. If the flash recovery area is configured, then the files are
created in the default disk location. Otherwise, the default disk location is
operating system specific (for example, ?/dbs on Solaris).
Because the channels correspond to server sessions on the target database,
the FORMAT string must use the conventions of the target host, not the client
host. For example, if the RMAN client runs on a Windows machine and the
target database runs on a UNIX machine, then the FORMAT string must
adhere to the naming conventions of a UNIX file system or raw device.
You can specify up to four FORMAT strings. RMAN uses the second, third,
and fourth values only when BACKUP COPIES, SET BACKUP COPIES, or
CONFIGURE ... BACKUP COPIES is in effect. When choosing which format
to use for each backup piece, RMAN uses the first format value for copy 1,
the second format value for copy 2, and so forth. If the number of format
values exceeds the number of copies, then the extra formats are not used. If
the number of format values is less than the number of copies, then RMAN
reuses the format values, starting with the first one.
This parameter is useful if you allocate multiple disk channels and want each
channel to write to a different directory. If you specify the FORMAT parameter
in the BACKUP command, then it overrides the FORMAT parameter specified
in CONFIGURE CHANNEL or ALLOCATE CHANNEL.
See Also: "formatSpec" on page 2-122 for available FORMAT parameters
MAXOPENFILES = integer
Controls the maximum number of input files that a BACKUP command can
have open at any given time (the default is 8). Use this parameter to prevent
"Too many open files" error messages when backing up a large number of
files into a single backup set.
MAXPIECESIZE = integer
Specifies the maximum size of each backup piece created on this channel.
Specify the size in bytes, kilobytes (K), megabytes (M), or gigabytes (G). The
default setting is in bytes and is rounded down into kilobytes. For example,
if you set MAXPIECESIZE to 5000, RMAN sets the maximum piece size at 4
kilobytes, which is the lower kilobyte boundary of 5000 bytes.
PARMS = 'channel_parms'
Specifies parameters for the device to allocate. Do not use this port-specific
string if you have specified DEVICE TYPE DISK.
See Also: Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Advanced User's Guide to learn
how to integrate media management libraries
'ENV=(var1=val1,
var2=val2,...)'
Specifies one or more environment variables required by the media

management vendor in the server session corresponding to this RMAN
client. Because RMAN is a client program, the ENV parameter can be used to
set server session specific variables that perform backup and restore
operations on behalf of the RMAN client. For example:
PARMS="ENV=(TAPE_SERVER=srv1)"
'SBT_LIBRARY = lib_name' Specifies which media library should be used on this sbt channel. The
default library is operating system specific (for example, libobk.so in the
Solaris Operating Environment and ORASBT.DLL on Windows). For
example:
PARMS="SBT_LIBRARY=/oracle/lib/mmv.so"
RATE = integer
Sets the maximum number of bytes (default), kilobytes (K), megabytes (M), or
gigabytes (G) that RMAN reads each second on this channel. This parameter
sets an upper limit for bytes read so that RMAN does not consume too much
disk bandwidth and degrade performance.
SEND 'command'
Sends a vendor-specific command string to all allocated channels.

See Also: Your media manager documentation to see whether this feature is
supported and when it should be used.
allocOperandList
Examples
Configuring an Automatic Channel: Example This example configures a persistent
disk channel:
CONFIGURE CHANNEL DEVICE TYPE DISK FORMAT = '?/oradata/bkup_%U';
Configuring a Channel for a Backup: Example This example manually allocates an

sbt channel and then runs a whole database backup:
RUN
{
ALLOCATE CHANNEL c1 DEVICE TYPE sbt MAXPIECESIZE 800M;
BACKUP DATABASE;
}
Allocating a Channel for a Backup: Example This example configures a default
media management library, then makes a database backup by using this library. Then,
the example backs up the database again using a different library, then finally makes a
third backup using the default library:
CONFIGURE DEFAULT DEVICE TYPE TO sbt;
CONFIGURE CHANNEL DEVICE TYPE sbt PARMS="SBT_LIBRARY=/mediavendor/lib/mm_lib1.so";
BACKUP DATABASE;
RUN
{
ALLOCATE CHANNEL c1 DEVICE TYPE sbt PARMS="SBT_LIBRARY=/mediavendor/lib/mm_lib2.so";
BACKUP DATABASE;
}
BACKUP ARCHIVELOG ALL;
RMAN Commands 2-15
ALTER DATABASE
ALTER DATABASE
Syntax
alterDatabase::=
MOUNT
ALTER DATABASE
RESETLOGS
OPEN
Purpose
To mount or open a database.
See Also:
syntax
Oracle Database SQL Reference for ALTER DATABASE
Execute this command either within the braces of a RUN command or at the
RMAN prompt.

Syntax Element
Description
MOUNT
Mounts the database without opening it. This option is equivalent to the SQL
statement ALTER DATABASE MOUNT.
OPEN
Opens the database.
RESETLOGS
Archives the current online redo logs (or up to the last redo record before redo
corruption if corruption is found), clears the contents of the online redo logs,
and resets the online redo logs to log sequence 1. The RMAN RESETLOGS
option is equivalent to the SQL statement ALTER DATABASE OPEN
RESETLOGS.
If you use a recovery catalog, then RMAN performs an implicit RESET
DATABASE after the database is opened to make this new incarnation the
current one in the catalog. If you execute the SQL statement ALTER DATABASE
OPEN RESETLOGS (not the RMAN command of the same name), then you
must manually run the RESET DATABASE command.
Examples
Opening the Database After a Backup: Example This example mounts the database,
takes a whole database backup, then opens the database. At the RMAN prompt enter:
STARTUP MOUNT;
BACKUP DATABASE;
# now that the backup is complete, open the database.
ALTER DATABASE OPEN;
Mounting the Database After Restoring the Control File: Example To restore the
control file to its default location when connected to a recovery catalog, enter the
following:
STARTUP NOMOUNT;
ALTER DATABASE
RESTORE CONTROLFILE;
ALTER DATABASE MOUNT;
# you must run the RECOVER command after restoring a control file even if no datafiles
# require recovery
RECOVER DATABASE;
ALTER DATABASE OPEN RESETLOGS;
Performing RESETLOGS After Incomplete Recovery: Example This example uses a

manually allocated channel to perform incomplete recovery and then resets the online
redo logs:
RUN
{
ALLOCATE CHANNEL ch1 DEVICE TYPE sbt;
SET UNTIL SCN 1024;
RESTORE DATABASE;
RECOVER DATABASE;
}
RMAN Commands 2-17
archivelogRecordSpecifier
Syntax
archivelogRecordSpecifier::=
ALL
=
THREAD
ARCHIVELOG
LIKE
string_pattern
integer
archlogRange
LIKE
string_pattern
archlogRange::=
=
FROM SCN
integer
SCN BETWEEN
integer
AND
integer
=
UNTIL SCN
integer
=
FROM SEQUENCE
integer
=
=
SEQUENCE
THREAD
integer
SEQUENCE BETWEEN
integer
AND
integer
integer
=
UNTIL SEQUENCE
integer
=
FROM TIME
TIME BETWEEN
date_string
date_string
AND
date_string
=
UNTIL TIME
date_string
Purpose
A subclause used to specify an archived log or range of archived redo logs files for use
in backup, restore, recovery, and maintenance operations.
When backing up archived redo logs, RMAN can perform archived log failover
automatically. RMAN backs up the log when at least one archived log corresponding
to a given log sequence number and thread is available. Also, if the copy that RMAN is
backing up contains corrupt blocks, then it searches for good copies of these blocks in
other copies of the same archived logs.
Specifying a range of archived redo logs does not guarantee that RMAN includes all
redo data in the range: for example, the last available archived log file may end before
the end of the range, or an archived log file in the range may be missing from all
archiving destinations. RMAN includes the archived redo logs it finds and does not
issue a warning for missing files.
Note: Query the V$ARCHIVED_LOG view or RC_ARCHIVED_LOG
recovery catalog view to determine the time stamps, SCNs, and log
sequence numbers for an archived log. For information on how to
use the NLS_LANG and NLS_DATE_FORMAT environment variables
to specify the format for the time, see Oracle Database Reference.

Syntax Element
Description
ALL
Specifies all available archived logs.
LIKE 'string_pattern'
Specifies all archived logs that match the specified string_pattern. The
same pattern matching characters that are valid in the LIKE operator in the
SQL language can be used to match multiple files.
See Also: Oracle Database Oracle Clusterware and Oracle Real Application Clusters
Administration and Deployment Guide to learn about using RMAN in a RAC
configuration
archlogRange
Syntax Element
Description
FROM SCN = integer
Specifies the beginning SCN for a sequence of archived redo log files. If you
do not specify the UNTIL SCN parameter, RMAN will include all available log
files beginning with SCN specified in the from SCN parameter.
SCN BETWEEN integer AND

integer
Specifies a range of SCNs. SCN BETWEEN integer1 AND integer2 is exactly

equivalent to FROM SCN integer1 UNTIL SCN integer2.
UNTIL SCN = integer
Specifies the ending SCN for a sequence of archived redo log files. If you do
not specify the FROM SCN parameter, then RMAN will start with the earliest
available archived log.
If the database is open when you run BACKUP ARCHIVELOG, and if the UNTIL
clause is specified, then RMAN does not run ALTER SYSTEM ARCHIVE LOG
CURRENT.
FROM SEQUENCE integer
Specifies the beginning log sequence number for a sequence of archived redo
log files. If you do not specify the UNTIL SEQUENCE parameter, RMAN will
include all available log files beginning with log sequence number specified in
the FROM SEQUENCE parameter.
Note: You can specify all log sequence numbers in a thread by using the
following syntax, where thread_number is an integer referring to the thread:
... ARCHIVELOG FROM SEQUENCE 0 THREAD thread_number
SEQUENCE
Specifies either a single log sequence number or a range of sequence numbers.

If the database is open when you run BACKUP ARCHIVELOG, and if the
SEQUENCE keyword is specified, then RMAN does not run ALTER SYSTEM
ARCHIVE LOG CURRENT.
integer
Specifies a single log sequence number.
BETWEEN integer AND

integer
Specifies a range of log sequence numbers. SEQUENCE BETWEEN integer1

AND integer2 is exactly equivalent to FROM SEQUENCE integer1 UNTIL
SEQUENCE integer2.
UNTIL SEQUENCE = integer
Specifies the terminating log sequence number for a sequence of archived

redo log files. If you do not specify the FROM SEQUENCE parameter, RMAN
uses the lowest available log sequence number to begin the sequence.
CURRENT.
RMAN Commands 2-19
Syntax Element
Description
FROM TIME = 'date_string'
Specifies the beginning date for a sequence of archived redo log files. The
clause specifies those logs that could be used in a recovery starting at the
indicated time.
The time specified in the string must be formatted according to the
Globalization Technology date format specification currently in effect, but can
also be any SQL expression with the DATE datatype, such as SYSDATE. The
TO_DATE function can be used to specify hard-coded dates that work
regardless of the current Globalization Technology settings.
If you do not specify the UNTIL TIME parameter, RMAN will include all
available log files beginning with the date specified in the FROM TIME
parameter. Use the V$ARCHIVED_LOG data dictionary view to determine the
time stamps for the first and last entries in a log file.
Note: The FROM TIME clause is not the same as the COMPLETED AFTER clause.
FROM TIME specifies logs that could be used to recover starting at the indicated
time, whereas COMPLETED AFTER specifies logs that were created after the
indicated time (refer to "completedTimeSpec" on page 2-61).
See Also: Oracle Database Reference for information on how to use the
NLS_LANG and NLS_DATE_FORMAT environment variables to specify the
format for the time
TIME BETWEEN
'date_string' AND
'date_string'
Specifies a range of times. Note that TIME BETWEEN

'date_string'AND'date_string' is exactly equivalent to FROM
TIME'date_string' UNTIL TIME 'date_string'.
UNTIL TIME =
'date_string'
Specifies the end date for a sequence of archived redo log files. The clause
specifies those logs that could be used to recover to the indicated time.
The time specified in the string must be formatted according to the
Globalization Technology date format specification currently in effect, but can
also be any SQL expression with the DATE datatype, such as SYSDATE. The
TO_DATE function can be used to specify hard-coded dates that work
regardless of the current Globalization Technology settings.
If you do not specify the FROM TIME parameter, then the beginning time for
the sequence will be the earliest available archived redo log.
CURRENT.
Note: The UNTIL TIME clause is not the same as the COMPLETED BEFORE
clause. UNTIL TIME specifies logs that could be used to recover to the
indicated time, whereas COMPLETED BEFORE specifies logs that were created
before the indicated time (refer to "completedTimeSpec" on page 2-61).
See Also: Oracle Database Reference for information on how to use the
NLS_LANG and NLS_DATE_FORMAT environment variables to specify the
format for the time
THREAD = integer
Specifies the thread containing the archived redo log files you wish to include.
You only need to specify this parameter when running the database in an
Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC) configuration.
THREAD is only valid when SEQUENCE is also specified. Although the
SEQUENCE parameter does not require that THREAD be specified, a given log
sequence always implies a thread. The thread defaults to 1 if not specified.
Query V$ARCHIVED_LOG to check the thread number for a log.
Examples
This example deletes all archived
redo logs that were created more than two weeks ago:
Specifying Records by Completion Time: Example

DELETE ARCHIVELOG ALL COMPLETED BEFORE 'SYSDATE-14';
Specifying Records by Recovery Point-in-Time : Example This example backs up all

logs that could be used to recover to a point one week ago:
BACKUP ARCHIVELOG UNTIL TIME 'SYSDATE-7';
Specifying Records by SCN: Example This example restores backup archived redo
log files from tape that fall within a range of SCNs:
RESTORE ARCHIVELOG SCN BETWEEN 94097 AND 106245;
Specifying a Single Log Sequence Number: Example This example backs up only
archived log 30 of thread 1 and then deletes it.

BACKUP ARCHIVELOG SEQUENCE 30 DELETE INPUT;
This example
backs up all archived logs from sequence 431 to sequence 440 on thread 1 and deletes
the archived logs after the backup is complete. If the backup fails, the logs are not
deleted.
Specifying a Range of Records by Log Sequence Number: Example
RUN
{
ALLOCATE CHANNEL dev1 DEVICE TYPE sbt;
BACKUP ARCHIVELOG
SEQUENCE BETWEEN 31 AND 40 THREAD 1
# delete original archived redo logs after backup completes
DELETE INPUT;
}
Specifying All Log Sequence Numbers in a Thread This example crosschecks all
archived redo logs in thread 1:
CROSSCHECK ARCHIVELOG FROM SEQUENCE 0 THREAD 1;
RMAN Commands 2-21
BACKUP
BACKUP
Syntax
backup::=
backupOperand
BACKUP
backupSpec
backupSpecOperand
PLUS ARCHIVELOG
;
backupOperand::=
BACKUP
backupTypeSpec
=
CHANNEL
channel_id
CHECK LOGICAL
=
COPIES
integer
CUMULATIVE
=
DEVICE TYPE
deviceSpecifier
=
DISKRATIO
integer
duration
fileNameConversionSpec
=
FILESPERSET
integer
FORCE
,
=
FORMAT
formatSpec
forRecoveryOfSpec
FULL
=
LEVEL
INCREMENTAL
integer
=
FROM SCN
integer
keepOption
=
MAXSETSIZE
sizeSpec
notBackedUpSpec
NOCHECKSUM
NOEXCLUDE
=
POOL
integer
ONLY
PROXY
REUSE
skipSpec
=
TAG
tag_name
VALIDATE
backupSpec::=
RMAN Commands 2-23
BACKUP
ALL
completedTimeSpec
BACKUPSET
,
primaryKey
CONTROLFILECOPY
filename
ALL
LIKE
string_pattern
copyOfSpec
(
FOR STANDBY
backupSpecOperand
CURRENT CONTROLFILE
DATABASE
datafileCopySpec
,
DATAFILE
datafileSpec
RECOVERY AREA
RECOVERY FILES
SPFILE
,
TABLESPACE
tablespace_name
backupSpecOperand::=
=
CHANNEL
channel_id
ALL
DELETE
INPUT
=
DISKRATIO
integer
=
FILESPERSET
integer
FORCE
,
=
FORMAT
formatSpec
=
FROM TAG
tag_name
FOR STANDBY
INCLUDE CURRENT CONTROLFILE

keepOption
=
MAXSETSIZE
sizeSpec
notBackedUpSpec
NOEXCLUDE
=
POOL
integer
REUSE
skipSpec
=
TAG
tag_name
BACKUP
backupTypeSpec::=
COMPRESSED
AS
BACKUPSET
COPY
copyOfSpec::=
DATABASE
,
DATAFILE
COPY OF
datafileSpec
,
TABLESPACE
tablespace_name
datafileCopySpec::=
,
filename
ALL
DATAFILECOPY
LIKE
string_pattern
NODUPLICATES
,
FROM TAG
tag_name
duration::=
LOAD
MINIMIZE
TIME
PARTIAL
DURATION
integer
integer
forRecoveryOfSpec::=
=
DATAFILECOPY FORMAT
=
formatSpec
WITH TAG
tag_name
COPY
FOR RECOVER OF
TAG
tag_name
notBackedUpSpec::=
integer
TIMES
UP
NOT BACKED
=
UP SINCE TIME
date_string
sizeSpec::=
G
K
M
integer
RMAN Commands 2-25
BACKUP
skipSpec::=
INACCESSIBLE
SKIP
OFFLINE
READONLY
Purpose
To back up a database, tablespace, datafile (current or copy), control file (current or
copy), SPFILE, archived log, or backup set.
RMAN can only back up datafiles, controlfiles, SPFILEs,
archived redo log files, as well as backups of these files created by
RMAN.
Note:
Although the database depends on other types of files for operation,

such as network configuration files, password files, and the contents
of the Oracle home, these files cannot be backed up with RMAN.
Likewise, some features of Oracle, such as external tables or the BFILE
datatype, store data in files other than those listed above. RMAN
cannot back up those files. You must use some non-RMAN backup
solution for any files not in the preceding list.
RMAN can back up a target or standby database. The term backup refers to the files
created by an RMAN BACKUP command.
Backup Sets, Backup Pieces, Image Copies, and Proxy Copies

When the AS BACKUPSET option is used, RMAN generates one or more backup sets,
which are RMAN-specific logical structures. The backup set is the smallest unit of a
backup. By default, each backup set contains 4 or fewer datafiles or 16 or fewer
archived logs.
RMAN only records complete backup sets in the RMAN
repository. There are no partial backup sets. When a BACKUP
command creates backup pieces but does not produce a complete
backup set for any reason, the backup pieces are discarded.
Note:
Each backup set contains at least one backup piece, which is an RMAN-specific
physical file containing the backed up data. You can also use the BACKUP command to
generate a proxy copy, which is a backup to a third-party medium in which the entire
data transfer is conducted by a media manager.
Backup sets can be created on disk, or on media manager devices such as tape drives.
When the AS COPY option is used, RMAN generates image copies of the input files.
An image copy is a byte-for-byte identical copy of the original file. You can create
image copy backups of datafiles, datafile copies, and archived redo log files. Image
copy files can only exist on disk.
You can create and restore image copy backups with RMAN, or with a native
operating system command for copying files. However, when you use RMAN to
create image copies, they are recorded in the RMAN repository, and are more easily
available for use in restore and recovery operations. Otherwise, you must use the
BACKUP
CATALOG command to add the image copies to the RMAN repository before RMAN
can use them.
By default, RMAN creates all backups as backup sets, on tape or on disk. You can
change the default backup type for disk backups to be image copies using the
CONFIGURE command. Backups to tape can only be backup sets.
Incremental Backups
Incremental backups copy only those blocks that have changed since a previous
backup. A level 0 incremental backup captures all data blocks in a datafile. Level 1
incremental backups capture changes since a previous backup. Level 1 backups can be
cumulative, in which case they capture changes since the last level 0 incremental
backup, or differential, in which case they capture changes since the last level 0 or level
1 incremental backup.
Block Change Tracking for Incremental Backups

You can improve incremental backup performance by enabling block change tracking,
in which case RMAN keeps a record of which blocks have changed, and uses this
record whenever possible to avoid scanning entire datafiles.
For details on block change tracking, including how to enable and disable it, see Oracle
Database Backup and Recovery Basics.
Incrementally Updated Backups: Rolling Forward Datafile Image Copies

By using the BACKUP INCREMENTAL... FOR RECOVER OF COPY WITH TAG... syntax
you can create level 1 incremental backups suitable for rolling forward a level 0
incremetal image copy backup of your database. RECOVER COPY OF... WITH
TAG... is used to perform incremental update of a backup.
This technique is used in Enterprise Manager's
Oracle-suggested Strategy for backups to disk.
Note:
For more details on incrementally updated backups, see Oracle Database Backup and
Recovery Basics.
Incremental Roll Forward of Database Copy: Updating Standby Databases

RMAN's Incremental Roll Forward of Database Copy feature enables you to
synchronize a standby database with a source database by creating an incremental
backup at the source database containing all changed blocks since the standby was
created or last synchronized, and then applying that incremental backup at the
standby.
The incremental backup is created at the source database using the BACKUP
INCREMENTALFROM SCN =n form of the BACKUP command. All blocks changed at
SCNs greater than or equal to the specified SCN are included in the incremental
created by this BACKUP command.
The resulting backup is not considered to be part of any
backup strategy at the source database. It is not suitable for use in a
normal RECOVER DATABASE operation at the source database.
Note:
At the standby database, the RECOVER command is used with the NOREDO option to
apply the incremental backup to the standby. All changed blocks captured in the
RMAN Commands 2-27
BACKUP
incremental backup are updated at the standby, bringing it up to date with the
original.
Encryption of Backup Sets

RMAN can transparently encrypt data written to backup sets and decrypt those
backup sets when they are needed in a RESTORE operation, based upon several
different encryption algorithms (listed in V$RMAN_ENCRYPTION_ALGORITHMS).
RMAN offers three modes of encryption:
Transparent encryption, in which RMAN can create and restore encrypted

backups with no special DBA intervention, as long as the required Oracle key
management infrastructure is available
Password-based encryption, where a password is specified during the backup,
and the same password must be supplied to restore the backup.
Dual-mode encryption, where backups can be created using either as with
transparent encryption or password-based encryption, and where decryption can
be performed based upon either the Oracle Encryption Wallet, or a password the
DBA supplies at decryption time.
For an overview of the encrypted backups mechanism, a guide to its use and
information on choosing among the different modes of encryption, see Oracle Database
Backup and Recovery Advanced User's Guide. The RMAN CONFIGURE, SET and SHOW
commands are used to manage the encryption settings for your database backups. See
the reference entries for those commands for more details.
Binary Compression of Backup Sets

RMAN can apply a binary compression algorithm as it writes data to backup sets. This
compression is similar to the compression provided by many tape vendors when
backing up data to tape. (The two types of compression should not be used together;
see the discussion of BACKUP AS BACKUPSET below for details on choosing between
using RMAN compression and the tape compression for backup sets.)
Unused Block Compression Of Datafile Backups to Backup Sets

When backing up datafiles into backup sets, RMAN does not back up the contents of
data blocks that have never been allocated. (In previous releases, this behavior was
referred to as NULL compression.)
RMAN also skips other datafile blocks that do not currently contain data, if all of the
following conditions apply:
The COMPATIBLE initialization parameter is set to 10.2
There are currently no guaranteed restore points defined for the database
The datafile is locally managed
The datafile is being backed up to a backup set as part of a full backup or a level 0
incremental backup
The backup set is being created on disk.
Skipping unused data blocks where possible enables RMAN to back up datafiles using
less space, and can make I/O more efficient.
Backup Optimization
The BACKUP command optimizes backups, that is, does not back up files that are
identical to files that are already backed up, when the following conditions are met:
BACKUP
The CONFIGURE BACKUP OPTIMIZATION ON command has been run.

You run BACKUP DATABASE, BACKUP ARCHIVELOG with ALL or LIKE options, or
BACKUP BACKUPSET ALL.
You specify a channel of only one device type, that is, you do not mix channels
that use different device types.
Channel Failover
A BACKUP command is decomposed into multiple independent backup steps by
RMAN. Each independent step can be executed on any channel allocated for a specific
device. If you have multiple channels allocated, and one channel fails or encounters a
problem during a backup step, then RMAN attempts to complete the work on another
channel. RMAN reports a message in V$RMAN_OUTPUT and in the output to the
interactive session or log file when channel failover occurs.
Control File Autobackups

If CONFIGURE CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP is set to ON, then RMAN automatically
backs up the control file after BACKUP commands. "CONFIGURE" on page 2-63
describes the complete set of circumstances in which autobackups occur.
Although the database depends on other types of files for operation, such as
network configuration files, password files, and the contents of the Oracle home,
these files cannot be backed up with RMAN. Likewise, some features of Oracle,
such as external tables or the BFILE datatype, store data in files other than those
listed above. RMAN cannot back up those files. You must use some non-RMAN
backup solution for any files not in the preceding list.
The target database must be mounted or open when using the RMAN BACKUP
command.
RMAN can make an inconsistent backup when the database is in ARCHIVELOG
mode, but you must apply redo logs after restoring such a backup, to make the
database consistent.
You must use a current control file when using the BACKUP command.
If no automatic channel is configured for the specified device type, then you must
manually allocate a channel for each execution of the BACKUP command. If no
manual channel is allocated, then RMAN uses the default channels (as set using
the CONFIGURE command). RMAN comes with a DISK channel preconfigured
but no preconfigured channels for sbt devices.
Backups that use the disk test API are not supported for
production backups. Instead, use the preconfigured DISK channel
or manually allocate a DISK channel.
Note:
Backup pieces must have unique names.

When backing up Oracle files to DISK, the logical block size of the Oracle file to be
backed up must be an even multiple of the physical block size of the destination
device. For example, a DISK device with a block size of 2K can only be used as a
destination for backups of Oracle files with logical block sizes of 2K, 4K, 6K and so
on. In practice, most disk drives have physical block sizes of 512 bytes, so this
limitation rarely affects backup. However, you can encounter this limitation when
RMAN Commands 2-29
BACKUP
using BACKUP ... DEVICE TYPE DISK to back your database up to a writeable CD
or DVD, or some other device which has a larger physical block size.
You must back up files onto valid media. If you specify DEVICE TYPE DISK, then
RMAN will back up to random access disks. You can make a backup on any
device that can store a datafile: in other words, if the statement CREATE
TABLESPACE tablespace_name DATAFILE 'filename' works, then
'filename' is a valid backup path name. If you specify DEVICE TYPE sbt, then
you can back up to any media supported by the media manager.
You can only backup a database running in NOARCHIVELOG mode after a
consistent shutdown. You cannot make a backup (either normal or incremental) in
NOARCHIVELOG mode when the database is open or is closed after an instance
failure or SHUTDOWN ABORT.
You cannot stripe a single backup set across multiple channels.
You cannot stripe a single input file across multiple backup sets.
Archived redo log files and datafiles are never combined into a single backup set.
When using encrypted backups, datafiles from tablespaces with different

encryption settings are never written into the same backup set.
There is no persistent configuration that controls whether archivelog backups as
backupsets are encrypted. Backup sets containing archived logs are encrypted if
any of the following are true:
SET ENCRYPTION ON is in effect at the time that the archive log backup is
being created.
Encryption is configured for backups of the whole database or at least one
tablespace.
You cannot specify multiple, identical FORMAT strings within a single

backupSpec (for example, BACKUP DATAFILE 3 TO '/tmp/foo', DATAFILE 4
TO '/tmp/foo'). However, RMAN permits a single FORMAT string to exist in
multiple backupSpec clauses.
You canot back up files with different block sizes into the same backup set. RMAN
can back up tablespaces with different block sizes, but puts each differently sized
datafile into its own backup set.
You cannot back up locally-managed temporary tablespaces (although you can
back up dictionary-managed tablespaces)
You cannot back up transportable tablespaces that were not made read-write after
being transported.
You cannot use the DELETE INPUT option when backing up objects other than
datafile copies, archived redo logs, or backup sets.
You cannot specify the number of backup pieces that should go in a backup set.
You cannot create image copies (that is, use BACKUP AS COPY) on a nondisk media
device.
You cannot back up a backup set from tape to disk, or from one tape to another
tape.
You cannot make an image copy of a backup set, although you can make an image
copy of an image copy. To backup a backupset, use BACKUP BACKUPSET.
You cannot specify the PLUS ARCHIVELOG clause on the BACKUP ARCHIVELOG
command.
BACKUP
Do not open a NOARCHIVELOG mode database while it is being backed up. If you
do, and some data blocks in the files being backed up are modified before being
read by the backup session, then the backup is not usable after being restored
because it requires recovery.
The maximum length of a backup piece filename is platform-specific. For SBT
backups using a media manager, the length is also limited by the limit in the
supported version of the media management API. Vendors supporting SBT 1.1
must support filenames up to 14 characters. Some SBT1.1 vendors may support
longer filenames. Vendors supporting SBT 2.0 must support filenames up to 512
characters. Some SBT2.0 vendors may support longer filenames.
You cannot use the DEVICE TYPE option for a device other than DISK if you have
not already run CONFIGURE DEVICE TYPE for this device.
You cannot allocate channels and run BACKUP with the DEVICE TYPE option.
You cannot validate the backup of backup sets.
You cannot specify DEVICE TYPE DISK when running the BACKUP RECOVERY
AREA command.
You cannot back up the change tracking file with RMAN.

backup
Syntax Element
Description
backupOperand
Specifies various options for the BACKUP command.
backupSpec
A BACKUP specification list contains a list of one or more backupSpec

clauses. A backupSpec clause minimally contains a list of one or more
objects to be backed up.
Each backupSpec clause generates one or more backup sets (AS BACKUPSET)
or image copies (AS COPY). For AS BACKUPSET, the backupSpec clause
generates multiple backup sets if the number of datafiles specified in or
implied by its list of objects exceeds the default limit of 4 datafiles or 16
archived logs in each backup set.
When you specify PLUS ARCHIVELOG, RMAN performs these steps:
PLUS ARCHIVELOG
backupSpecOperand
1.
Runs an ALTER SYSTEM ARCHIVE LOG CURRENT statement.
2.
Runs the BACKUP ARCHIVELOG ALL command. Note that if backup

optimization is enabled, then RMAN only backs up logs that have not yet
been backed up.
3.
Backs up the files specified in the BACKUP command.
4.
Runs an ALTER SYSTEM ARCHIVE LOG CURRENT statement.
5.
Backs up any remaining archived redo logs.
Specifies a variety of options and parameters that affect the backupSpec

clause.
backupOperand
Syntax Element
Description
backupOperand
Specifies various options for the BACKUP command.
RMAN Commands 2-31
BACKUP
Syntax Element
Description
backupTypeSpec
Specifies the type of backup being created, either backup sets or image copies.
See "backupTypeSpec" on page 2-41 for details.
CHANNEL channel_id
Specifies the case-sensitive name of a channel to use when creating backups.

Use any name that is meaningful, for example ch1 or dev1. The database
uses the channel ID to report I/O errors. If you do not set this parameter, then
RMAN dynamically assigns the backup sets to any available channels during
execution.
Note: You can also specify this parameter in the backupSpec clause.
CHECK LOGICAL
Tests data and index blocks that pass physical corruption checks for logical
corruption, for example, corruption of a row piece or index entry. If RMAN
finds logical corruption, then it logs the block in the alert.log and server
session trace file.
If the sum of physical and logical corruptions detected for a file is no more
than its MAXCORRUPT setting, then the backup command completes, and
V$DATABASE_BLOCK_CORRUPTION is populated with any corrupt block
ranges. If there are more thanMAXCORRUPT corrupt blocks, then the command
terminates without updating the view and no output file is created for the
backup.
If the initialization parameter DB_BLOCK_CHECKSUM=TRUE, and if
MAXCORRUPT and NOCHECKSUM are not set, then specifying CHECK LOGICAL
detects all types of corruption that are possible to detect.
Note: The MAXCORRUPT setting specifies the total number of physical and
logical corruptions permitted on a file.
COPIES = integer
Sets the number of identical backups (1 - 4) that RMAN should create. The
default value is 1. You can specify duplexing on more than one command. The
order of precedence is as follows, with settings higher on the list overriding
lower settings:
1.
BACKUP COPIES
2.
SET BACKUP COPIES
3.
CONFIGURE ... BACKUP COPIES
Note: This option does not apply with AS COPY and results in an error
message.
Note: Duplexing cannot be used when creating files in the flash recovery area.
CUMULATIVE
Copies the data blocks used since the most recent backup at level 0 or lower,
where n is 1. For example, in a cumulative level 1 backup RMAN backs up all
blocks used since the most recent level 0 backup.
message.
DEVICE TYPE deviceSpecifier
Allocates automatic channels for the specified device type only. This option is
valid only if you have configured channels and have not manually allocated
channels. For example, if you configure disk and tape channels, then configure
sbt as the default device type, this command allocates disk channels only:
BACKUP DEVICE TYPE DISK DATABASE;
BACKUP
Syntax Element
Description
DISKRATIO [=] integer
Directs RMAN to populate each backup set with datafiles from at least integer
disks. This parameter is only enabled when you are backing up datafiles or
control files, and when the operating system can give RMAN disk contention
and node affinity information. To manually disable this feature, set
DISKRATIO = 0.
For example, assume that datafiles are distributed across 10 disks. If the disks
supply data at 10 bytes/second, and if the tape drive requires 50 bytes/second
to keep streaming, then set DISKRATIO = 5 to direct RMAN to include
datafiles from at least 5 disks in each backup set.
If you set FILESPERSET but not DISKRATIO, then DISKRATIO defaults to
the same value as FILESPERSET. If you specify neither parameter, then
DISKRATIO defaults to 4. RMAN compares the DISKRATIO value to the
actual number of devices involved in the backup and uses the lowest value.
For example, if DISKRATIO is 4 and the datafiles are located on three disks,
then RMAN attempts to include datafiles from three disks in each backup set.
The DISKRATIO parameter is easier for datafile backups when the datafiles
are striped or reside on separate disk spindles and you either:
Use a high-bandwidth tape drive that requires several datafiles to be

multiplexed in order to keep the tape drive streaming
Make backups while the database is open and you need to spread the I/O
load across several disk spindles to leave bandwidth for online operations
.
Note: Do not spread I/O over more than the minimum number of disks
required to keep the tape streaming. Otherwise, you increase restore time for a
file without increasing performance.
duration
Specifies options related to the maximum time for a backup command to run.
See Also: "duration" on page 2-43
filenameConversionSpec
This option is valid only when BACKUP is creating image copies. Files being
copied are renamed according to the specified patterns. If a file being backed
up has a name that does not match any of the specified rename patterns, then
RMAN uses FORMAT to name the output image copies. If no FORMAT was
specified, then RMAN uses the default format %U.
See "fileNameConversionSpec" on page 2-114 for details about file renaming
patterns.
FILESPERSET [=] integer
When used with commands that create backupsets, specifies the maximum
number of files to include in each backupset created.
By default, RMAN divides files among backupsets in order to make optimal
use of channel resources. The number of files to be backed up is divided by
the number of channels. If the result is less than 64, then it is the number of
files placed in each backupset. Otherwise, 64 files will be placed in each
backupset.
FORCE
Causes RMAN to ignore backup optimization. In other words, even if

CONFIGURE BACKUP OPTIMIZATION is set to ON, RMAN backs up all
specified files.
Note: You can also specify this option in the backupSpecOperand clause.
FORMAT = formatSpec
Specifies a pattern to use in creating a filename for the backup pieces or image
copies created by this command. For AS COPY, if one or more of the directories
mentioned in the specified format do not exist, then RMAN signals an error.
See Also: "formatSpec" on page 2-122 for legal substitution variables
forRecoveryOfSpec
Identifies the backup being created as an incremental backup to be used in

rolling forward an image copy. See "forRecoveryOfSpec" on page 2-43 for
details.
RMAN Commands 2-33
BACKUP
Syntax Element
Description
FULL
Creates a backup of all blocks of datafiles included in the backup. FULL is the
opposite of INCREMENTAL.
RMAN makes full backups by default if neither FULL nor INCREMENTAL is
specified.
A full backup has no effect on subsequent incremental backups, and is not
considered a part of any incremental backup strategy (though a full image
copy backup can be incrementally updated by applying incremental backups
with the RECOVER command).
Note:Backup Unused Space Compression, described in "Unused Block
Compression Of Datafile Backups to Backup Sets" on page 2-28, causes some
datafile blocks to be skipped during full backups of datafiles as backup sets.
INCREMENTAL LEVEL [=]

integer
Copies only those data blocks that have changed since the last incremental
integer backup, where integer is 0 or 1. An incremental backup at level 0
backs up all data blocks in datafiles being backed up. An incremental backup
at level 1 backs up only changed blocks. An incremental backup can be either
differential or cumulative.In a cumulative level 1 incremental backup, RMAN
backs up all blocks changed since the most recent level 0 backup. In a
differential level 1 incremental backup, RMAN backs up blocks updated since
the last level 0 or level 1 incremental backup.
Incremental backups at level 0 can be either backup sets or image copies.
Incremental backups at level 1 can only be backup sets.
A level 0 backup must exist as the base backup for an incremental strategy. An
incremental backup at level 0 is identical in content to a full backup, but
unlike a full backup the level 0 backup is considered a part of the incremental
strategy. If no level 0 backup exists when you run a level 1 backup, then
RMAN makes a level 0 backup automatically.
The database performs checks when attempting to create a level 1 incremental
backup, to ensure that the incremental backup is usable by a subsequent
RECOVER command. Among the checks performed are:
A level 0 backup must exist for each datafile in the BACKUP command.
These backups must not have status UNAVAILABLE. If no level 0 backup
exists, then RMAN makes one.
Sufficient incremental backups taken since the level 0 must exist and be
available such that the incremental backup to be created is usable.
If you specify INCREMENTAL, then in the backupSpec clause you must set
one of the following parameters: DATAFILE, DATAFILECOPY, TABLESPACE,
or DATABASE. RMAN does not support incremental backups of control files,
archived redo logs, or backup sets.
Note: You cannot make inconsistent incremental backups when the database
is in NOARCHIVELOG mode. Hence, you cannot generate incremental backups
when a NOARCHIVELOG database is open and in use.
Note: When creating an incremental backup, RMAN considers backups from
parent incarnations as valid. For example, assume you make a level 0 backup
and then OPEN RESETLOGS. If you make a level 1 incremental backup, then
RMAN backs up all blocks changed since the pre-RESETLOGS level 0 backup.
See Also: "CHANGE" on page 2-54
BACKUP
Syntax Element
Description
INCREMENTAL FROM SCN=

integer
Creates an incremental backup of all specified datafiles which includes all

datafile blocks changed at SCNs greater than or equal to the specified SCN.
The expected use of this feature is in refreshing a standby database with
changes from a primary database. See Oracle Database Backup and Recovery
Advanced User's Guide for details.
Note:
keepOption
The default location of the incremental is the dbs subdirectory under the
Oracle home.
The incremental backup created by BACKUP INCREMENTAL FROM SCN is
not part of any incremental strategy at the primary database. It can only
be used to refresh a standby with the changes at the primary. In the
RMAN repository, this backup is not marked with an incremental level
when it is recorded in the RMAN repository. The algorithms that control
which backups RMAN selects for use in a restore and recovery do not
select incremental backups created using FROM SCN.
Overrides any configured retention policy for this backup so that the backup
is not considered obsolete. You can use CHANGE to alter the keep status.
Note that you must be connected to a recovery catalog when you specify
KEEP FOREVER.
See Also: "keepOption" on page 2-126
MAXSETSIZE =
integer [ K | M | G ]
Specifies a maximum size for a backup set.RMAN limits all backup sets to this
size. Use MAXSETSIZE to configure backup sets so that each fits on one tape
rather than spanning multiple tapes. Otherwise, if one tape of a multivolume
backup set fails, then you lose the data on all the tapes rather than just one.
Specify size in bytes (default), kilobytes (K), megabytes (M), or gigabytes (G).
Thus, to limit a backup set to 3 MB, specify MAXSETSIZE = 3M. The default
size is in bytes, rounded down from kilobytes. For example, MAXSETSIZE =
3000 is rounded down to 2 KB (2048 bytes). The minimum value must be
greater than or equal to the database block size.
The default number of files in each backup set is 4 for datafiles and 16 for
archived logs. When you specify MAsXSETSIZE, RMAN attempts to limit the
size in bytes of the backup sets according to the MAXSETSIZE parameter. The
limit on the number of files in a backup set will apply even if the total size of
the resulting backup set is less than MAXSETSIZEs.
Note: This option cannot be used with BACKUP AS COPY and results in an
error message. If you run BACKUP AS COPY on a channel that has
MAXSETSIZE set, then MAXSETSIZE is silently ignored.
NOCHECKSUM
Suppresses block checksums. A checksum is a number that is computed from

the contents of a data block. If the DB_BLOCK_CHECKSUM initialization
parameter is true, then the database computes a checksum for each block
during normal operations and stores it in the block before writing the block to
disk. When the database reads the block from disk later, it recomputes the
checksum and compares it to the stored value. If they do not match, then the
block is damaged.
By default, the database also computes a checksum for each block and stores it
in the backup. The checksum is verified when restoring from the backup and
written to the datafile when restored.
If the database is already maintaining block checksums, then this flag has no
effect. The checksum is always verified and stored in the backup in this case.
If you wish to prevent the use of block checksums in your backup, use the
NOCHECKSUM option.
See Also: Oracle Database Reference for more information about the
DB_BLOCK_CHECKSUM initialization parameter
RMAN Commands 2-35
BACKUP
Syntax Element
Description
notBackedUpSpec
Limits the set of files to be backed up according to whether a specified

number of backups are already present (and not obsolete), or whether the files
have been backed up since a specified date. See "notBackedUpSpec" on
page 2-43 for details.
NOEXCLUDE
When specified on BACKUP DATABASE or BACKUP COPY OF DATABASE

command, RMAN backs up all tablespaces, including any for which a
CONFIGURE EXCLUDE command has been entered. This option does not
override SKIP OFFLINE or SKIP READONLY.
POOL = integer
Specifies the media pool in which the backup should be stored. Consult your
media management documentation to see whether the POOL option is
supported.
message.
PROXY
Backs up the specified files by means of the proxy copy functionality, which
gives the media management software control over the data transfer between
storage devices and the datafiles on disk. The media managernot
RMANdecides how and when to move data.
When you run BACKUP with the PROXY option, RMAN performs these steps:
1.
Searches for a channel of the specified device type that is proxy-capable.

If no such channel is found, then RMAN issues a warning and attempts a
a conventional (that is, non-proxy) backup of the specified files.
2.
If RMAN locates a proxy-capable channel, it calls the media manager to

check if it can proxy copy the files. If the media manager cannot proxy
copy, then RMAN uses conventional backup sets to back up the files.
If you do not want RMAN to try a conventional copy when a proxy copy fails,
use the ONLY option.
Note: If you specify PROXY, then the %p variable must be included in the
FORMAT string either explicitly or implicitly within %U.
Note: This option cannot be used with BACKUP AS COPY and results in an
error message.
ONLY
Causes the database to issue an error message when it cannot proxy copy
rather than creating conventional backup sets.
REUSE
Enables RMAN to overwrite an already existing backup or copy with the

same filename as the file that BACKUP is currently creating.
skipSpec
Excludes datafiles or archived redo logs from the backup if they are
inaccessible, offline or read-only. See "skipSpec" on page 2-44 for details.
BACKUP
Syntax Element
Description
TAG tag_name
Creates a user-specified tag name for a backup. The tag is not case sensitive.
If you do not specify a tag name, then by default RMAN creates a tag for
backups (except for control file autobackups) in the format
TAGYYYYMMDDTHHMMSS, where YYYY is the year, MM is the month, DD is the
day, HH is the hour (in 24-hour format), MM is the minutes, and SS is the
seconds. For example, a backup of datafile 1 can receive the tag
TAG20020208T133437. The date and time refer to when RMAN started the
backup. If multiple backup sets are created by one BACKUP AS BACKUPSET
command, then each backup piece is assigned the same default tag.
A tag applies to each backup piece in a given copy of a backup set (for AS
BACKUPSET) or each image copy (for AS COPY). For example, if you run
BACKUP AS BACKUPSET COPIES 1 DATABASE TAG TUE_PM, then only one
copy of the backup set exists and each piece in the backup set has tag TUE_PM.
Assume that this backup set has primary key 1234. If you then run BACKUP
BACKUPSET 1234 TAG WED_PM, then the first copy of the backup set has tag
TUE_PM and the second copy of the backup set has tag WED_PM.
Typically, a tag is a meaningful name such as MONDAY_EVENING_BACKUP or
WEEKLY_FULL_BACKUP. Tags are reusable, so that backup set 100 can have
the tag MONDAY_EVENING_BACKUP one week while backup set 105 has the
same tag the next week.
Tags must be 30 characters or less. The characters used in a tag must be
limited to the characters that are legal in filenames on the target filesystem.
For example, ASM does not support the use of the - character in the filenames
it uses interally, so a tag including a - (for example, weekly-incremental)
is not a legal tag name if you are storing backups in ASM disk groups.
You can also specify the tag at the backupSpec level. If you specify the tag at:
VALIDATE
The command level, then all backup sets created by the command have
the tag.
The backupSpec level, then backup sets created as a result of different
backup specifications can have different tags.
Both levels, then the tag in the backupSpec takes precedence.
Causes RMAN to scan the specified files and verify their contents, testing
whether this file can be backed up. RMAN creates no output files. Use this
command periodically to check for physical and logical errors in database
files.
Note: You cannot validate backups of backup sets.
backupSpec
Syntax Element
Description
backupSpec
A BACKUP specification list contains a list of one or more backupSpec

clauses. A backupSpec clause contains, at a minimum, a list of one or more
objects to be backed up.
Each backupSpec clause generates one or more backup sets (AS BACKUPSET)
or image copies (AS COPY). For AS BACKUPSET, the backupSpec clause
generates multiple backup sets if the number of datafiles specified in or
implied by its list of objects exceeds the default limit of 4 datafiles or 16
archived logs in each backup set.
RMAN Commands 2-37
BACKUP
Syntax Element
Description
Specifies a range of archived redo logs to be backed up. RMAN does not
signal an error if the command finds no logs to back up, because this situation
probably exists because no new logs were generated after the previous
BACKUP ARCHIVELOG ALL DELETE INPUT command.
If you specify BACKUP ARCHIVELOG ALL, then RMAN backs up exactly one
copy of each distinct log sequence number. For example, if you archive to
multiple destinations, RMAN backs up one copy of each log sequence
numbernot each copy of each log sequence number. For other commands,
such as DELETE, ALL does refer to every log, even duplicate log sequences.
clause or SEQUENCE parameter is not specified, then RMAN runs ALTER
SYSTEM ARCHIVE LOG CURRENT.
Note: If you run BACKUP ARCHIVELOG ALL, or if the specified log range
includes logs from prior incarnations, then RMAN backs up logs from prior
incarnations to ensure availability of all logs that may be required for recovery
through an OPEN RESETLOGS.
See Also: "archivelogRecordSpecifier" on page 2-18 for syntax, and Oracle
Database Backup and Recovery Advanced User's Guide explanations of backup
failover for logs and automatic log switching
BACKUPSET {
ALL
| completedTimeSpec
|
primaryKey
[, primaryKey
]
}
Backs up either ALL backup sets or backup sets specified by primary_key or

completion time. Use this parameter in conjunction with the DEVICE TYPE
sbt clause to back up all backups on disk to tape. You cannot back up from
tape to tape or from tape to disk: only from disk to disk or disk to tape.
Note if you specify the DELETE INPUT option, then RMAN deletes all copies
of the backup set that exist on disk. For example, if you duplexed a backup to
4 locations, then RMAN deletes all 4 backup sets. The ALL option is
redundant, that is, it does not add any functionality.
RMAN performs backup set failover when backing up backup sets. RMAN
searches for all available backup copies when the copy that it is trying to back
up is corrupted or missing. This behavior is similar to RMAN's behavior when
backing up archived logs that exist in multiple archiving destinations.
Note: You can duplex backups of backup sets by using BACKUP COPIES and
SET BACKUP COPIES.
See Also: "completedTimeSpec" on page 2-61
CONTROLFILECOPY {
'filename'
| ALL
| LIKE
'string_pattern' }
Specifies a control file copy in one of the following ways:
'filename' specifies a control file copy by filename
ALL specifies that all control file copies should be backed up
LIKE 'pattern' specifies a filename pattern. The percent sign (%) as a

wildcard meaning 0 o r more characters; an underscore (_) is a wildcard
meaning 1 character.
The control file copy can be:
A copy of a normal control file (that is, not a standby control file) created
with the BACKUP AS COPY CURRENT CONTROLFILE command or the SQL
statement ALTER DATABASE BACKUP CONTROLFILE TO '...'
A standby control file copy created with the BACKUP AS COPY STANDBY
CONTROLFILE command or the SQL statement ALTER DATABASE
CREATE STANDBY CONTROLFILE
RMAN inspects the header of the control file copy to determine whether it is a
standby or nonstandby control file.
copyOfSpec
Makes a backup of previous image copies of datafiles and possibly control

files. See "copyOfSpec" on page 2-42 for details.
BACKUP
Syntax Element
Description
CURRENT CONTROLFILE
[FOR STANDBY]
Specifies the current control file.

If you specify FOR STANDBY, then RMAN generates a backup of the control
file that is usable during creation of a standby database. The backup contains
only the standby control file.
Note: You cannot assign a tag to a backup of the current control file.
DATABASE
Creates a backup set (AS BACKUPSET) or group of image copies (AS COPY) for
all datafiles in the database. If generating a backup set, then RMAN can
include only datafiles and control files: it cannot include archived redo logs.
If the backupSpec includes datafile 1, and if CONFIGURE CONTROLFILE
AUTOBACKUP is OFF, then RMAN automatically includes the control file in the
backup. If the instance is started with a server parameter file, then RMAN also
includes this parameter file in the backup.
If the backupSpec includes datafile 1, and if CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP is
ON, then RMAN does not automatically include the control file in the output.
Instead, RMAN generates a separate control file autobackup piece. If the
instance is started with a server parameter file, then RMAN includes this
parameter file in the autobackup piece.
Note: To force RMAN to include the current control file in the backup when
CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP is ON, specify the INCLUDE CURRENT
CONTROLFILE clause.
datafileCopySpec
Specifies the filenames of one or more datafile image copies. See

"datafileCopySpec" on page 2-42 for details.
DATAFILE datafileSpec
Specifies a list of one or more datafiles. Refer to description of BACKUP

DATABASE for RMAN behavior when datafile 1 is backed up.
See Also: "datafileSpec" on page 2-95
RECOVERY AREA
| DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST
Backs up recovery files created in the current and all previous flash recovery
area destinations. Recovery files are full and incremental backup sets, control
file autobackups, archived logs, and datafile copies. Flashback logs, the
current control file, and online redo logs are not backed up.
RECOVERY AREA and DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST are synonyms.
Backup optimization is always ON for this option. The backup must go to sbt,
so RMAN issues an error if no sbt channels are allocated or configured.
Note: If the flash recovery area is not enabled but has been enabled in the past,
then files that were created in the previous flash recovery area location are
backed up.
RECOVERY FILES
Backs up all recovery files on disk, whether they are stored in the flash
recovery area or another locations on disk. Recovery files include full and
incremental backup sets, control file autobackups, archived logs, and datafile
copies. Backup optimization is always ON for this option. The backup must go
to sbt, so RMAN issues an error if no sbt channels are allocated or
configured.
SPFILE
Backs up the server parameter file currently used by the database. RMAN
cannot back up other copies of the server parameter file, and cannot back up
the server parameter file when the instance was started with an initialization
parameter file. RMAN cannot make incremental backups of the SPFILE.
TABLESPACE
tablespace_name
[, tablespace_name]
Specifies the names of one or more tablespaces. RMAN backs up all datafiles
that are currently part of the tablespaces. If the SYSTEM tablespace (and thus
datafile 1) is included in the backup, and if CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP is
not configured, then RMAN creates a copy of the control file.
The TABLESPACE keyword is merely a convenience; tablespace names are
translated internally into a list of datafiles. If you rename a tablespace (for
example, from users to customers), then RMAN detects that the tablespace
has changed its name and updates the recovery catalog on the next
resynchronization.
RMAN Commands 2-39
BACKUP
Syntax Element
Description
backupSpecOperand
The backupSpecOperand that follows a backupSpec specifies options that

apply to the backupSpec.
backupSpecOperand
Syntax Element
Description
backupSpecOperand
Specifies a variety of options and parameters that affect the backupSpec

clause. Many subclauses of backupSpecOperand are also used with
backupOperand. For those, see the description of "backupOperand" on
page 2-31. Those which are not shared in common with backupOperand are
listed here.
DELETE [ALL] INPUT
Deletes the input files upon successful creation of the backup. Specify this
option only when backing up archived logs, datafile copies (COPY OF or
DATAFILECOPY), or backup sets. It is equivalent to issuing DELETE for the
input files.
The ALL option applies only to archived logs. If you run DELETE ALL INPUT,
then the command deletes all copies of corresponding archived redo logs or
datafile copies that match the selection criteria. For example, if you specify the
SEQUENCE n clause, then RMAN deletes all archive logs with same sequence
number n, including duplicate archived logs (that is, logs with same log
sequence number and thread).
Note: The BACKUP ARCHIVELOG command only backs up one copy of each
distinct log sequence number, so if the DELETE INPUT option is used without
the ALL keyword, RMAN only deletes the copy of the file that it backs up.
See Also: "CONNECT" on page 2-75 for information on the effect of recovery
catalog compatibility on this command
FROM TAG = 'tag_name'
Allows specifying a backup by tag. Defined in context with several other

commands.
INCLUDE CURRENT
CONTROLFILE
[FOR STANDBY]
Creates a snapshot of the current control file and places it into each backup set
produced by this clause.
If you specify FOR STANDBY, then RMAN creates a backup of the control file
usable for creation of a standby database. The backup set includes the standby
control file and the object backed up.
message.
BACKUP
backupTypeSpec
Syntax Element
Description
AS [ COMPRESSED ]
BACKUPSET
Creates backup sets (rather than image copies) on the specified device type.
AS BACKUPSET is the only possibility when backing up to tape, and for
creating level 1 incremental backups to any destination.
When backing up datafiles into backup sets, RMAN only backs up blocks that
are currently in use.
With the COMPRESSED option, binary compression is used. The data written
into the backup set is compressed to reduce the overall size of the backup set.
All backups that create backup sets can create compressed backup sets.
Restoring compressed backup sets is no different from restoring
uncompressed backup sets.
Note:
AS COPY
There is some CPU overhead associated with compressing backup sets. If

the database being backed up is running at or near its maximum load,
you may find the overhead from using AS COMPRESSED BACKUPSET
unacceptable. In most other circumstances, compressing backupsets saves
enough disk space to be worth the CPU overhead.
When backing up to a locally attached tape device, compression provided
by the media management vendor is usually preferable to the binary
compression provided by BACKUP AS COMPRESSED BACKUPSET.
Therefore, use uncompressed backup sets and turn on the compression
provided by the media management vendor when backing up to locally
attached tape devices. In any case, you should not use both forms of
compression together.
When using incrementally updated backups, the level 0 incremental
must be an image copy backup.
Full database backups should usually be either image copies or
compressed backupsets. Image copies are more flexible than backup sets
for some purposes (such as use in an incrementally updated backups
strategy), and compressed backupsets make more efficient use of storage
space, if the CPU overhead involved in creating them is tolerable.
Creates image copies (rather than backup sets). Can only be used with
backups created on disk.
Note:
When using BACKUP AS COPY, if you do not specify the destination for the
image copies, RMAN will choose a location according to the following rules:
If the channel used for output has a default CONFIGURE... FORMAT

setting, that setting is used to generate output file names
If a flash recovery area is configured, the backups are placed in the flash
recovery area
Otherwise a platform-specific default FORMAT (which includes a %U for
generating a unique filename) is used.
RMAN Commands 2-41
BACKUP
copyOfSpec
Syntax Element
Description
COPY OF DATABASE
Makes a backup of previous image copies of all datafiles and control files in
the database. All datafiles that would normally be included by BACKUP
DATABASE are expected to have copies: if not, then RMAN signals an error. It
is not necessary for all copies to have been produced by a single BACKUP
command. If multiple copies exist of datafile, then RMAN backs up the latest.
Optionally, specify the copies by tag name (for example, FULL_COLD_COPY).
Note: The output of this command can be image copies or backup sets.
COPY OF TABLESPACE
tablespace_name
Makes a backup of previous image copies of the datafiles in one or more

specified tablespaces. All datafiles that would normally be included by
BACKUP TABLESPACE should have copies: if not, then RMAN signals an error.
It is not necessary for all copies to have been produced by a single BACKUP
command. If multiple copies exist of datafile, then RMAN backs up the latest.
Specify the tablespaces in the list by tablespace name (for example, users) or
specify a particular copy by tag name (for example, 0403_CPY_OF_USERS). If
you do not specify TAG, then RMAN backs up the most recent datafile copy
for each datafile in the tablespace.
COPY OF DATAFILE datafileSpec
Makes a backup of a previous image copy of one or more datafiles. Specify the
datafile by file number (DATAFILE 3) or filename (DATAFILE
'?/oradata/trgt/users01.dbf'). You specify the datafile filename and
not the filename of the copy of the datafile. If more than one copy exists of a
given datafile, then RMAN backs up the most recent copy.
Note: It is not necessary for the image copies that you are backing up to have
been created by a single BACKUP command.
datafileCopySpec
Syntax Element
Description
Specifies the filenames of one or more datafile image copies. You can use the
DATAFILECOPY {
filename [,filename...] following parameters:
|{ ALL
'filename' specifies an image copy by filename

| LIKE 'string_pattern'
ALL specifies that all datafile image copies should be backed up

| FROM TAG 'tag_name'
}
LIKE 'pattern' specifies a filename pattern. The percent sign (%) is a

}
wildcard that means zero or more characters; an underscore (_) is a
wildcard that means one character.
NODUPLICATES
FROM TAG 'tag_name' specifies a list of one or more datafile copies,

identified by the tag tag_name. If multiple datafile copies with this tag
exist, then RMAN backs up only the most current datafile copy of any
particular datafile. Tags are not case sensitive.
Prevents the inclusion of identical datafile copies in a backup operation. For

each set of duplicate datafile copies, the file with the most recent timestamp
will be selected.
BACKUP
duration
Syntax Element
Description
DURATION hh:mm
Specifies a maximum time for a backup command to run. If a backup

command does not complete in the specified duration, the backup being taken
stops.
[PARTIAL]
[MINIMIZE
(TIME|LOAD)]
With the PARTIAL option, the command is considered to have completed

successfully and no error is reported by RMAN even if the whole backup is
not completed in the specified duration.
Without the PARTIAL option, the backup command is considered to have
failed if it does not complete in the specified duration, and RMAN reports an
error. If the backup command is part of a RUN block, subsequent commands
in the RUN block do not execute.
Whether PARTIAL is used or not, all backupsets completed before the backup
is interrupted are retained and can be used in restore and recover operations.
With disk backups, you can use MINIMIZE TIME run the backup at
maximum speed (default) , or MINIMIZE LOAD to slow the rate of backup to
lessen the load on the system. With MINIMIZE LOAD the backup will take the
full specified duration.
When DURATION is used with MINIMIZE TIME, the file most recently backed
up is given the lowest priority to back up. This scheduling mechanism
provides for the eventual complete backup of the database during successive
backup windows, as different datafiles are backed up in round-robin fashion.
forRecoveryOfSpec
Syntax Element
Description
FOR RECOVER OF TAG [=]

'tag_name'
Lets you identify any tagged level 0 incremental to serve as the basis for this
level 1 incremental. Useful in strategies other than the incrementally updated
backups strategy, which uses the FOR RECOVER OF COPY clause.
FOR RECOVER OF COPY
Lets you specify that this incremental should contain all changes since the
SCN of a specified datafile copy (level 0 incremental backup) of your
database. The datafile copies should be identified with either a DATAFILE
COPY or WITH TAG clause, to keep the incremental backup strategy for which
this backup will be used separate from the rest of your backup strategies.
Otherwise, the most recent copy of each datafile will be used as the basis for
the incremental.
WITH TAG [=]

'tag_name'
Used with FOR RECOVER OF COPY, specifies a tag to identify the level 0
incremental backup to serve as the basis of the incremental. If no level 0 with
the tag specified in WITH TAG option is found, then FOR RECOVER OF COPY
option will create a level 0 datafile copy tagged with the value specified in the
WITH TAG option. BACKUP... FOR RECOVER OF COPY WITH TAG... is
key to backup strategies based on incrementally updated backups, as
described in Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Basics and used in some
Enterprise Manager backup strategies.
DATAFILE COPY [=]

formatSpec
Used with FOR RECOVER OF COPY, identifies the datafile copies to use as
the basis for this incremental.
notBackedUpSpec
Syntax Element
Description
NOT BACKED UP
Backs up only those files (of the files specified on the command) that RMAN
has never backed up. This option is a convenient way to back up new files
after adding them to the database.
RMAN Commands 2-43
BACKUP
Syntax Element
Description
SINCE TIME = 'date_string'
Specifies the date after which RMAN should back up files that have no
backups. The date_string is either a date in the current
NLS_DATE_FORMAT, or a SQL date expression such as 'SYSDATE-1'. When
calculating the number of backups for a file, RMAN only considers backups
created on the same device type as the current backup.
This option is a convenient way to back up files that were not backed up
during a previous failed backup. For example, you back up the database, but
the instance fails halfway through. You can restart the backup with the NOT
BACKED UP SINCE TIME clause and avoid backing up those files that you
already backed up. If AS BACKUPSET is set, then this feature is only useful if
RMAN generates multiple backup sets during the backup.
When determining whether a file has been backed up, the SINCE date is
compared with the completion time of the most recent backup. For BACKUP
AS BACKUPSET, the completion time for a file in a backup set is the
completion time of the entire backup set. In other words, all files in the same
backup set have the same completion time.
Backs up only those archived logs that have not been backed up at least
integer times. To determine the number of backups for a file, RMAN only
considers backups created on the same device type as the current backup.
integer TIMES
This option is a convenient way to back up archived logs on a specified media

(for example, you want to keep at least three copies of each log on tape).
sizeSpec
Syntax Element
Description
integer [K|M|G]
Specifies the size of data, such as a file, in kilobytes (K), megabytes (M) or
gigabytes (G).
skipSpec
Syntax Element
Description
SKIP
Excludes datafiles or archived redo logs from the backup according to the
criteria specified by the following keywords.
Note: You can also specify this option in the backupSpec clause.
INACCESSIBLE
Specifies that datafiles or archived redo logs that cannot be read due to I/O
errors should be excluded from the backup.
A datafile is only considered inaccessible if it cannot be read. Some offline
datafiles can still be read because they still exist on disk. Others have been
deleted or moved and so cannot be read, making them inaccessible.
OFFLINE
Specifies that offline datafiles should be excluded from the backup.
READONLY
Specifies that read-only datafiles should be excluded from the backup.
Examples
This example assumes that CONFIGURE
CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP is OFF. The command backs up all datafiles to tape, as
well as the current control file, the server parameter file, and archived logs:
Backing Up a Database: Example
BACKUP
Scripting Incremental Backups: Example This example shows a series of scripts that
you can run to make regular incremental backups of the database:
# Run once a week to back up database to disk as level 0:
BACKUP INCREMENTAL LEVEL 0 DATABASE;
# Run every day to back up blocks that have changed since most recent level 0 or 1:
BACKUP INCREMENTAL LEVEL 1 CUMULATIVE DATABASE;
BACKUP INCREMENTAL LEVEL 1 DIFFERENTIAL TABLESPACE users;
Performing a Cumulative Incremental Backup: Example This example backs up all

blocks changed in the database since the most recent level 0 backup:
BACKUP INCREMENTAL LEVEL 1 CUMULATIVE SKIP INACCESSIBLE DATABASE;
Backing Up Tablespaces and Datafiles to Disk as Backup Sets: Example This
command uses two backupSpec clauses to back up tablespaces and datafiles and lets
RMAN perform automatic parallelization of the backup:
RUN
{
ALLOCATE CHANNEL dev1 DEVICE TYPE DISK FORMAT '/disk1/%U';
BACKUP AS BACKUPSET
(TABLESPACE SYSTEM, tools, users, undotbs MAXSETSIZE 5M)
(DATAFILE 2,4,5);
}
Backing Up Tablespaces and Datafiles to Disk as Image Copies: Example This
command uses two backupSpec clauses to back up tablespaces and datafiles and lets
RMAN perform automatic parallelization of the backup:
RUN
{
BACKUP AS COPY
(TABLESPACE SYSTEM, tools, users, undotbs)
(DATAFILE 2,4,5);
}
Backing Up Datafile Copies: Example This example finds three datafile copies with
the tag LATESTCOPY, copies them to directory /copies and names the new copies by
means of subsitution variables:
BACKUP AS COPY
FROM TAG 'LATESTCOPY'
COPY OF DATAFILE 4, 6, 14
FORMAT '/copies/Datafile%f_Database%d';
This example assumes

that you have two archive destinations set: /arch1 and /arch2. The command backs
up one log for each unique sequence number and then deletes all logs from both
archiving directories.
Backing Up Archived Logs and Deleting the Input: Example
BACKUP ARCHIVELOG LIKE '/arch%' DELETE ALL INPUT;
Backing Up Backup Sets to Tape: Example In this example, the goal is to keep recent
backup sets on disk and older backup sets on tape, and to avoid keeping copies of the
same backup set on disk and tape simultaneously. This command backs up backup
sets created more than two weeks ago to tape and then deletes the backed-up backup
pieces from disk:
BACKUP DEVICE TYPE sbt BACKUPSET COMPLETED BEFORE 'SYSDATE-14'
RMAN Commands 2-45
BACKUP
DELETE INPUT;
This example
configures DISK as the default device type, then backs up the server parameter file
and all archived logs to tape:
Specifying DEVICE TYPE on the BACKUP Command: Example
# when disk is the default device and you do not specify a FORMAT parameter, then the
# default backup location is the flash recovery area (if configured) or
# a platform-specific default location (if not configured)
CONFIGURE DEFAULT DEVICE TYPE TO DISK;
BACKUP DEVICE TYPE sbt SPFILE ARCHIVELOG ALL;
This example duplexes a backup of datafile 1

(which includes the current control file and server parameter file) to separate disks:
Duplexing a Backup Set: Example
BACKUP DEVICE TYPE DISK

COPIES 2 DATAFILE 1
FORMAT '/disk1/df1_%U', '/disk2/df1_%U';
Specifying How Channels Divide Workload: Example This example explicitly

parallelizes a backup operation by specifying which channels should back up which
files and to which locations:
RUN
{
ALLOCATE CHANNEL ch1 DEVICE TYPE sbt PARMS="ENV=(NSR_SERVER=tape_server_1)";
ALLOCATE CHANNEL ch2 DEVICE TYPE DISK;
ALLOCATE CHANNEL ch3 DEVICE TYPE sbt PARMS="ENV=(NSR_SERVER=tape_server_2)";
BACKUP
(DATAFILE 1,2,3,4
# channel ch1 backs up datafiles to tape drive #1
CHANNEL ch1)
(CONTROLFILECOPY '/oracle/copy/cf.f'
CHANNEL ch2)
# channel ch2 backs up control file copy to disk
(ARCHIVELOG FROM TIME 'SYSDATE-14'
CHANNEL ch3);
# channel ch3 backs up archived redo logs to tape drive #2
}
Creating a Control File for a Standby Database: Example This example creates a
backup of the current control file that can be used to create a standby database:
BACKUP CURRENT CONTROLFILE FOR STANDBY;
Creating an Incremental Backup for Refresh of a Standby Database: Example This

example creates an incremental backup at a primary database that can be applied at a
standby database to update it with changes since the specified SCN, as described
inOracle Database Backup and Recovery Advanced User's Guide .
BACKUP DEVICE TYPE DISK INCREMENTAL FROM SCN 750983 DATABASE
FORMAT '/tmp/incr_standby_%U';
Backing Up Datafiles, Tolerating Corrupt Blocks: Example This example backs up
datafile 3 and specifies that no more than two blocks with corruption should be
tolerated:
RUN
{
SET MAXCORRUPT FOR DATAFILE 3 TO 2;
BACKUP CHECK LOGICAL
DATAFILE 3;
}
BACKUP
Making an Image Copy of a Database Copy: Example This example makes an image
copy of the database copy with tag TEST to the default destination, gives the output
copy the tag DUPTEST, and performs logical checking:
BACKUP AS COPY COPY OF DATABASE FROM TAG 'TEST' CHECK LOGICAL TAG 'DUPTEST';
Creating a Long-Term Database Backup: Example This example creates a consistent
backup of the database and server parameter file that is exempt from the retention
policy. The command instructs RMAN to keep the backup for the next year, but not to
keep the archived logs necessary to recover it:
SHUTDOWN IMMEDIATE;
STARTUP MOUNT;
BACKUP DATABASE
KEEP UNTIL TIME 'SYSDATE+365'
NOLOGS;
Exempting Copies from the Retention Policy: Example The following example
copies the control file and two datafiles and exempts them from the retention policy
forever. (Note that KEEP FOREVER requires a recovery catalog.)
rman TARGET / CATALOG rman/rman@rcat
RMAN> SHUTDOWN IMMEDIATE;
RMAN> STARTUP MOUNT;
RMAN> BACKUP AS COPY
KEEP FOREVER NOLOGS
CURRENT CONTROLFILE FORMAT '?/oradata/cf_longterm.cpy',
DATAFILE 1 FORMAT '?/oradata/df1_longterm.cpy',
DATAFILE 2 FORMAT '?/oradata/df2_longterm.cpy';
This example backs up all datafiles

that have not been backed up to tape in the last month, and then backs up all archived
logs that do not have at least two backups on tape:
Backing Up Files That Need Backups: Example
BACKUP DEVICE TYPE sbt DATABASE NOT BACKED UP SINCE TIME 'SYSDATE-31';
BACKUP DEVICE TYPE sbt ARCHIVELOG ALL NOT BACKED UP 2 TIMES;
This example creates

several duplicate datafiles, and then backs up only the most recent of the duplicates:
Using NODUPLICATES To Back Up Datafile Copies: Example

BACKUP
BACKUP
BACKUP
BACKUP
BACKUP
AS
AS
AS
AS
AS
COPY DATAFILE 10 FORMAT 'foo' TAG my_tag;

COPY DATAFILECOPY 'foo' FORMAT 'bar';
COPY DATAFILECOPY 'bar' FORMAT 'foobar';
BACKUPSET DATAFILECOPY ALL NODUPLICATES; # backs up only 'foobar'
BACKUPSET DATAFILECOPY ALL; # backs up all files
RMAN Commands 2-47
BLOCKRECOVER
BLOCKRECOVER
Syntax
blockrecover::=
,
=
DEVICE TYPE
deviceSpecifier
BLOCKRECOVER
bmrOption
bmrBlockSpec
bmrBlockSpec::=
CORRUPTION LIST
,
DATAFILE
datafileSpec
BLOCK
integer
,
TABLESPACE
tablespace_name
DBA
integer
bmrOption::=
FROM
BACKUPSET
DATAFILECOPY
=
FROM TAG
RESTORE
tag_name
untilClause
Purpose
Block media recovery recovers an individual data block or set of data blocks within a
datafile. This type of recovery is useful if the data loss or corruption applies to a small
number of blocks rather than to an entire datafile.
Typically, block corruption is reported in error messages in trace files. Block-level data
loss usually results from:
I/O errors causing minor data loss
Memory corruptions that get flushed to disk
You can either use BLOCKRECOVER CORRUPTION LIST to recover all blocks reported
in the V$DATABASE_BLOCK_CORRUPTION view, or specify the datafile number and
block number or the tablespace and data block address (DBA) when executing the
BLOCKRECOVER command.
The target database must be mounted or open. You do not have to take a datafile
offline if you are performing block media recovery on it.
You can only perform complete media recovery of individual blocks. Point-in-time
recovery of individual data blocks is not supported.
You can only perform block media recovery on corrupt blocks.
Blocks marked media corrupt are not accessible until recovery completes.
You cannot perform block media recovery when using a backup control file.
BLOCKRECOVER
You cannot use proxy backups to perform block media recovery. If the only
backups that you have are proxy backups, then you can restore them to a
nondefault location on disk, which causes RMAN to view the restored files as
datafile copies. You can then use the datafile copies for block media recovery.
You must have a full backup of the file containing the corrupt blocks: block media
recovery cannot use incremental backups.
If RMAN fails to access a specific archived redo log file needed for block media
recovery, it performs restore failover, trying all other backups listed in the RMAN
repository that are suitable for use in this operation, and only fails if no suitable
backup is available. See Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Advanced User's Guide
for details on restore failover.
Block media recovery cannot survive a missing or inaccessible archived log,
although it can sometimes survive missing or inaccessible records (Oracle Database
Backup and Recovery Advanced User's Guide).
The datafile header block (block 1) cannot be recovered.
You cannot perform block media recovery in NOARCHIVELOG mode.

blockrecover
Syntax Element
Description
Specifies the device type for the backup used in the block recovery.
bmrBlockSpec
Syntax Element
Description
bmrBlockSpec
Specifies the data blocks that require recovery.
CORRUPTION LIST
Recovers all blocks listed in the V$DATABASE_BLOCK_CORRUPTION view.

This view displays blocks marked corrupt by the most recent BACKUP (with
or without the VALIDATE option), VALIDATE, or CREATE CATALOG
command. The following types of corruption result in rows added to this
view:
Physical corruption (sometimes called media corruption). The database

does not recognize the block at all: the checksum is invalid, the block
contains all zeros, or the header and footer of the block do not match.
Physical corruption checking is on by default, and can be turned off with
the NOCHECKSUM option.
Logical corruption. The block has a valid checksum, the header and footer
match, and so forth, but the contents are logically inconsistent. Logical
corruption checking is off by default, and can be turned on with the
CHECK LOGICAL option.
Note: Logical corruption cannot be repaired using block media recovery.
To repair logical corruption, restore the datafile from backup and perform
media recovery.
Specifies a list of one or more datafiles that contain blocks requiring recovery.
BLOCK integer
Specifies the block number of the block requiring media recovery. Typically,
the block number is obtained from error message output.
RMAN Commands 2-49
BLOCKRECOVER
Syntax Element
Description
TABLESPACE
tablespace_name
Specifies the tablespace name or number containing the corrupt blocks.
DBA integer
Specifies the data block address (DBA) of the corrupt block.
bmrOption
Syntax Element
Description
bmrOption
Specifies various restore options relating to the block recovery.
FROM BACKUPSET
Indicates that only backup sets should be restored.
FROM DATAFILECOPY
Indicates that only datafile image copies should be restored.
FROM TAG=
'tag_name'
Indicates that only the copy of the backup with the specified tag should be
restored. Tag names are not case sensitive.
See Also: "BACKUP" on page 2-22 to learn how a tag is applied to a copy of a
backup.
RESTORE untilClause
Specifies that only backups and copies created before the specified time, SCN,
or log sequence number should be restored.
See Also: "untilClause" on page 2-228
Examples
Recovering a Group of Corrupt Blocks: Example This example recovers corrupt
blocks in three datafiles:
BLOCKRECOVER DATAFILE 2 BLOCK 12, 13 DATAFILE 3 BLOCK 5, 98, 99 DATAFILE 4 BLOCK 19;
Limiting Block Media Recovery by Type of Restore: Example The following example
recovers a series of blocks and restores only from datafile copies:

RUN
{
BLOCKRECOVER DATAFILE 3 BLOCK 2,3,4,5 TABLESPACE sales DBA 4194405, 4194409, 4194412
FROM DATAFILECOPY;
}
This example recovers

blocks and restores only from the backup with the tag weekly_backup:
Limiting Block Media Recovery by Backup Tag: Example
BLOCKRECOVER TABLESPACE SYSTEM DBA 4194404, 4194405 FROM TAG "weekly_backup";
The following example recovers

two blocks in the SYSTEM tablespace. It restores only from backups that could be used
to recover the database to a point two days ago:
Limiting Block Media Recovery by Time: Example
BLOCKRECOVER TABLESPACE SYSTEM DBA 4194404, 4194405 RESTORE UNTIL TIME 'SYSDATE-2';
Repairing All Block Corruption in the Database: Example The following example
runs a backup validation to populate V$DATABASE_BLOCK_CORRUPTION, then
repairs any corrupt blocks recorded in the view:
BACKUP VALIDATE DATABASE;
BLOCKRECOVER CORRUPTION LIST;
CATALOG
CATALOG
Syntax
catalog::=
ARCHIVELOG
BACKUPPIECE
filename
CONTROLFILECOPY
=
LEVEL
CATALOG
,
DATAFILECOPY
filename
integer
TAG
tag_name
RECOVERY AREA
NOPROMPT
START WITH
string_pattern
Purpose
Use the CATALOG command to do the following:
Add backup pieces and image copies on disk to the RMAN repository.
Record a datafile copy as a level 0 incremental backup in the RMAN repository,
which enables you to use it as part of an incremental backup strategy.
Record the existence of the last user-managed datafile copies made after the final
shutdown in Oracle7, before migrating the database to Oracle8.
See Also: Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Basics to learn how
to manage target database records stored in the catalog
You must be connected to the target database, which must be mounted or open.
If RMAN is connected to a recovery catalog, then the catalog database must be
open.
For a user-managed copy to be cataloged, it must be:
A datafile copy, control file copy, archived log, or backup piece.
Accessible on disk.
RMAN treats all user-managed backups as image copies. Note that during
cataloging, RMAN does not check whether the file was correctly copied by the
operating system utility: it just checks the header.
You cannot catalog any datafile copies that were created in Oracle7 unless they
were made after the final consistent shutdown in Oracle7 and before running the
migration utility, or were made of a tablespace that was offline normal or
read-only at the time of the migration. In other words, it must be possible to use
the Oracle7 datafile copies without applying any archived logs.
You cannot use CATALOG to catalog a file that belongs to a different database.
You cannot use CATALOG to catalog a backup piece that exists on an sbt device.
RMAN Commands 2-51
CATALOG

Syntax Element
Description
ARCHIVELOG 'filename'
Specifies the filename of an archived log to be added to or updated in the

RMAN repository.
BACKUPPIECE
Specifies the name of a backup piece to be added to the RMAN repository. The
backup piece must be on disk. RMAN verifies the backup piece header before
cataloging it. RMAN can catalog a backup piece from a prior incarnation.
Typically, you would catalog a backup piece in the following situations:
You have copied a backup piece with an operating system utility. In this
case, the original backup piece is cataloged but the piece copy is not.
You want to move a backup piece from one disk to another under a
different absolute filename.
You run in NOCATALOG mode and must re-create the control file, thereby
losing all RMAN repository data. Cataloging your backups makes them
avaialble again.
If you specify a list of backup pieces, RMAN attempts to catalog all pieces in
the given list even if some of them fail. Cataloging a backup piece creates a
new row in V$BACKUP_PIECE. A backup set is only usable when all backup
pieces are cataloged. Otherwise it would be in partially available state.
Note: When cataloging backup pieces from releases prior to Oracle9i,
performance improves when you catalog higher copy numbers first. For
example, if you need to catalog copies 1, 2, and 3 of a backup piece, then
specify copy 3 as the first item in the CATALOG list.
CONTROLFILECOPY
'filename'
Specifies the filename of a control file copy to be added to or updated in the

RMAN repository. The control file copy can be:
A copy of a normal control file (that is, not a standby control file) created
with the RMAN command BACKUP AS COPY CURRENT CONTROLFILE
command or the SQL statement ALTER DATABASE BACKUP
CONTROLFILE
A standby control file copy created with the RMAN command BACKUP
AS COPY STANDBY CONTROLFILE or the SQL statement ALTER
DATABASE CREATE STANDBY CONTROLFILE
DATAFILECOPY 'filename'
Specifies the filename of a datafile copy to be added to or updated in the

RMAN repository.
LEVEL = 0
For datafile copies only, indicates that the copy should be recorded as a level 0
incremental backup. You can perform incremental backups by using this
datafile copy as the base level 0 backup.
(RECOVERY AREA |
DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST)
[ NOPROMPT ]
Catalogs all valid backup sets, datafile copies, and archived redo logs in the
flash recovery area. RMAN must be connected to the target database and the
target database must be mounted or open. Specify NOPROMPT if you do not
want to be prompted after every match. The keywords RECOVERY AREA and
DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST are exact synonyms.
START WITH
'string_pattern'
Catalogs all valid backups in locations that match the string pattern, which
can be an Automatic Storage Management disk group, Oracle Managed Files
directory, or part of a filename. RMAN will report any files in the disk location
that cannot be cataloged. RMAN must be connected to the target database and
the target database must be mounted. Specify NOPROMPT if you do not want
to be prompted after every match.
[ NOPROMPT ]
If the string pattern specifies a filename, then it matches the left part of the
filename pattern. For example, /tmp/arc matches everything in directory
/tmp/arc_dest and /tmp/archive/january as well as a file
/tmp/arc.cpy.
Note: You cannot use wildcard characters in the string pattern, only a strict
prefix.
CATALOG
Examples
This example assumes that you made
operating system copies of archived logs or transferred them from another location,
and then added them to the RMAN repository:
Cataloging an Archived Redo Log: Example
CATALOG ARCHIVELOG '?/oradata/archive1_30.dbf', '?/oradata/archive1_31.dbf',

'?/oradata/archive1_32.dbf';
Cataloging a File Copy as an Incremental Backup: Example The following example

catalogs datafile copy users01.bak as an incremental level 0 backup:
CATALOG DATAFILECOPY '?/oradata/users01.bak' LEVEL 0;
Note that you can create datafile copies either using the RMAN BACKUP AS COPY
command, or by using operating system utilities in conjunction with ALTER
TABLESPACE BEGIN/END BACKUP.
Cataloging Multiple Copies in a Directory: Example The following example catalogs
a directory full of archived logs that were copied into the /tmp/arch_logs
directory with an operating system utility:
CATALOG START WITH '/tmp/arch_logs';
The following example

catalogs all files in the currently enabled flash recovery area without prompting the
user for each one:
Cataloging Files in the Flash Recovery Area: Example
CATALOG RECOVERY AREA NOPROMPT;
Cataloging Backup Pieces: Example The following example catalogs a backup piece
that was copied with an operating system utility:
CATALOG BACKUPPIECE '?/oradata/01dmsbj4_1_1.bcp';
RMAN Commands 2-53
CHANGE
CHANGE
Syntax
change::=
AVAILABLE
CHANGE
keepOption
maintSpec
=
DEVICE TYPE
,
deviceSpecifier
;
UNAVAILABLE
UNCATALOG
maintSpec::=
OF
listObjList
BACKUP
maintQualifier
OF
listObjList
COPY
=
DEVICE TYPE
,
deviceSpecifier
recordSpec
Purpose
To make the following changes:
To change the status of backups, copies, and archived logs in the repository to
AVAILABLE or UNAVAILABLE. This feature is useful when a previously
unavailable file is made available again, or you do not want a specific backup or
copy to be eligible to be restored but also do not want to delete it.
To alter the repository status of usable backups and copies from prior incarnations.
To remove catalog records for backups and copies, and update the corresponding
records in the target control file to status DELETED. This feature is useful when
you remove a file by using an operating system command rather than the RMAN
CHANGE command, and want to remove its repository record as well.
To specify that a backup or copy should either abide by the currently configured
retention policy or be exempt from it.
See Also: Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Basics to change the
availability status of a backup or copy
The KEEP FOREVER clause requires use of a recovery catalog.
You cannot use CHANGE... UNAVAILABLE or KEEP attributes for files stored in
the flash recovery area.
The only CHANGE command that requires either a manual or automatic
maintenance channel is the CHANGE ... AVAILABLE command. However, a
maintenance channel is not required when CHANGE ... AVAILABLE is used with
a file that is disk only (that is, an ARCHIVELOG, DATAFILECOPY, or
CONTROLFILECOPY).
CHANGE
If you use CHANGE ... AVAILABLE on files that are not disk-only, and have
objects created on device types that are not configured for automatic channels,
then issue manual maintenance commands on these channels. For example, if you
created a backup on an sbt channel, but have only a DISK channel automatically
configured, then you must manually allocate an sbt channel before CHANGE ...
AVAILABLE can operate on the backup.

To obtain the primary keys of the records whose status you want to change, run a LIST
command or query the recovery catalog views.
Syntax Element
Description
maintSpec
Specifies which files you want to CHANGE. Refer to "maintSpec" on page 2-148
for descriptions of the options in this caluse.
AVAILABLE
Changes the status of a backup or copy to AVAILABLE in the repository. View

the status in the LIST output or recovery catalog views.
keepOption
Changes the exemption status of a backup or copy in relation to the

configured retention policy. For example, specify CHANGE ... NOKEEP to
make a backup that is currently exempt from the retention policy eligible for
OBSOLETE status.
You can also specify KEEP in the backupSpec clause.
Note: You cannot use keepOption with flash recovery area files.
See Also: "keepOption" on page 2-126
UNAVAILABLE
Changes the status of a backup or copy to UNAVAILABLE in the repository.

View the status in the LIST output or recovery catalog views. This option is
provided for cases when the file cannot be found or has migrated offsite.
RMAN does not use a file that is marked UNAVAILABLE in a RESTORE or
RECOVER command. If the file is later found or returns to the main site, then
use the AVAILABLE option to update its status.
UNCATALOG
Removes references to a datafile copy, backup piece, or archived redo log from
the recovery catalog, and updates records in the target control file to status
DELETED. The CHANGE ... UNCATALOG command does not touch physical
backups and copies. Use this command to notify RMAN when a file is deleted
by some means other than a DELETE command.
Caution: If you resynchronize from a backup control file, or upgrade the
recovery catalog, then records previously removed from the RMAN repository
with CHANGE... UNCATALOG may reappear in the recovery catalog.
Executes the CHANGE for the specified device type only (see "deviceSpecifier"
on page 2-101). This option is valid only if you have configured automatic
channels and have not manually allocated channels. For example, if you run
CHANGE UNCATALOG...DEVICE TYPE DISK, then RMAN only uncatalogs
files on disk.
Examples
This example changes the
status of backup set 100 as well as all backups of server parameter files created more
than a day ago to UNAVAILABLE:
Updating Backups to Status UNAVAILABLE: Example
CHANGE BACKUPSET 100 UNAVAILABLE;

CHANGE BACKUP OF SPFILE COMPLETED BEFORE 'SYSDATE-1' UNAVAILABLE;
You do not need to allocate a maintenance channel.
RMAN Commands 2-55
CHANGE
Uncataloging and Cataloging Archived Logs: Example In this example, you move
all archived logs to a new directory, uncatalog them, and then recatalog them in the
new location:
HOST 'mv $ORACLE_HOME/oradata/trgt/arch/* /fs2/arch';
CHANGE ARCHIVELOG ALL UNCATALOG;
CATALOG START WITH '/fs2/arch';
This example, which

requires a recovery catalog, changes an ordinary backup into a long-term backup:
Changing the Retention Status of a Backupset: Example

CHANGE BACKUP TAG 'consistent_db_bkup'
KEEP FOREVER NOLOGS;
cmdLine
cmdLine
Syntax
cmdLine::=
APPEND
CHECKSYNTAX
=
AUXILIARY
connectStringSpec
=
CATALOG
connectStringSpec
=
CMDFILE
filename
=
LOG
MSGNO
NOCATALOG
=
SEND
command
PIPE
pipe_name
=
SCRIPT
script_name
=
TARGET
connectStringSpec
=
TIMEOUT
integer
RMAN
Purpose
To start RMAN from the operating system command line. Use these arguments to:
Connect to the target, recovery catalog, or auxiliary database.

On some platforms, you may not want to connect at the
operating system command line because the credentials can be
visible to other users on the system. For example, on many Unix
systems the output of the ps command can show the complete
command line used to start RMAN, including any credentials
provided on the command line. The CONNECT command is an
alternative method that avoids this problem.
Note:
Specify whether you are using RMAN without a recovery catalog.

Run a command file (text file containing commands) or stored script (from the
recovery catalog) on startup, and exit on completion, instead of starting an
interactive session.
Start an interactive session which only checks commands entered for correct
syntax, or perform a syntax check on the contents of a command file.
Specify the file in which RMAN records the results of processed commands.
RMAN Commands 2-57
cmdLine
Append output to the existing RMAN log file.
Send a command to the media manager.
Cause RMAN to print message numbers in the RMAN output.
If you start RMAN without specifying either CATALOG or NOCATALOG on the

command line, then RMAN makes no connection to a repository. If you run a
command that requires the repository, and if no CONNECT CATALOG command has
been issued yet, then RMAN automatically connects in the default NOCATALOG mode.
After that point, the CONNECT CATALOG command is not valid in the session.
to connect RMAN to database instances

Use these arguments at the operating system command line rather than at the RMAN
prompt.

Syntax Element
Description
APPEND
Causes new output to be appended to the end of the message log file. If you
do not specify this parameter, and if a file with the same name as the message
log file already exists, then RMAN overwrites it.
AUXILIARY = connectStringSpec
Specifies a connect string to an auxiliary database, for example, AUXILIARY

SYS/change_on_install@dupdb.
See Also: "connectStringSpec" on page 2-77
CATALOG = connectStringSpec
Specifies a connect string to the database containing the recovery catalog, for
example, CATALOG rman/rman@inst2.
CATALOG = connectStringSpec
Specifies a connect string to the database containing the recovery catalog, for
example, CATALOG rman/rman@inst2.
CHECKSYNTAX
Causes RMAN to start in a mode where commands entered are checked for
syntax errors, but no other processing is performed. If used with a CMDFILE
or @ argument, the RMAN client starts, checks all commands in the file, then
exits. If used without specifying a command file, then RMAN prompts the
user for input and parses each command until the user exits the RMAN client.
RMAN reports an RMAN-0558 error for each command that is not
syntactically correct.
CMDFILE = 'filename'
Parses and compiles all RMAN commands in a file and then sequentially
executes each command in the file. RMAN exits if it encounters a syntax error
during the parse phase or if it encounters a runtime error during the execution
phase. If no errors are found, then RMAN exits after the job completes.
If the first character of the filename is alphabetic, then you can omit the quotes
around the filename. The contents of the command file should be identical to
commands entered at the RMAN prompt.
Note: If you run a command file at the RMAN prompt rather than as an
option on the operating system command line, then RMAN does not run the
file as a single job. RMAN reads each line sequentially and executes it, only
exiting when it reaches the last line of the script.
@filename
Equivalent to CMDFILE.
cmdLine
Syntax Element
Description
LOG = 'filename'
Specifies the file where RMAN records its output, that is, the commands that
were processed and their results. If you do not specify this argument, then
RMAN writes its message log file to standard output. The RMAN output is
also stored in the V$RMAN_OUTPUT view (a memory-only view for jobs in
progress) and in V$RMAN_STATUS (a control file view for completed jobs and
jobs in progress).
The LOG parameter does not cause RMAN to terminate if the specified file
cannot be opened. Instead, RMAN writes to standard output.
MSGNO
Causes RMAN to print message numbers, that is, RMAN-xxxx, for the output
of all commands. By default, RMAN does not print the RMAN-xxxx prefix.
NOCATALOG
Indicates that you are using RMAN without a recovery catalog.

Note: If you do not specify either CATALOG or NOCATALOG on the command
line, then RMAN defaults to NOCATALOG mode when it requires a repository
connection (assuming that you have not issued CONNECT CATALOG).
SEND = 'command'
Sends a vendor-specific command string to all allocated channels.

See Also: Your media management documentation to determine whether this
feature is supported, and "SEND" on page 2-198
PIPE = 'pipe_name'
Invokes the RMAN pipe interface. RMAN uses two public pipes: one for
receiving commands and the other for sending output. The names of the pipes
are derived from the value of the PIPE parameter. For example, you can
invoke the RMAN pipe interface with the following options: PIPE rpi
TARGET SYS/pwd@tdb.
RMAN opens the following pipes in the target database:
ORA$RMAN_RPI_IN, which RMAN uses to receive user commands
ORA$RMAN_RPI_OUT, which RMAN uses to send all output
All messages on both the input and output pipes are of type VARCHAR2.
how to pass commands to RMAN through a pipe
SCRIPT = 'script_name'
Once connected to the target database and recovery catalog (which must be
specified using the TARGET and CATALOG options), RMAN will run the
named stored script from the recovery catalog against the target database. If
there are both a global script.and a local stored script on the target database
with the name script_name, RMAN will run the local script.
The single-quotes around the stored script name are required when the script
name either begins with a number or is an RMAN reserved word. You should
avoid creating script names that begin with a number or that match RMAN
reserved words.
See "CREATE SCRIPT" on page 2-91 for more details about stored scripts.
TARGET = connectStringSpec
Specifies a connect string to the target database, for example, TARGET

SYS/mypassword@inst1.
TIMEOUT = integer
Causes RMAN to exit automatically if it does not receive input from an input
pipe within integer seconds. The PIPE parameter must be specified when
using TIMEOUT.
how to pass commands to RMAN through a pipe
Examples
Connecting Without a Recovery Catalog: Example
This example connects to the
target database prod1 without a recovery catalog:
RMAN Commands 2-59
cmdLine
% rman TARGET SYS/oracle@inst1 NOCATALOG
Connecting in Default NOCATALOG Mode: Example This example connects to the

target database prod1 without specifying catalog options. Because CONNECT
CATALOG is not run at the RMAN prompt, RMAN connects in default NOCATALOG
mode when the first command requiring a repository connection is run:
% rman
RMAN> CONNECT TARGET
RMAN> BACKUP DATABASE;
Connecting to an Auxiliary Instance: Example This example connects to target

database prod1, recovery catalog database rcat, and auxiliary instance aux1:
% rman TARGET SYS/sys_pwd@prod1 CATALOG rman/rman@rcat AUXILIARY sys/aux_pwd@aux1
Specifying a Command File: Example This example connects to the target database
prod1 and the recovery catalog database rcat, and then runs the command file
b_whole_10.rcv:
% rman TARGET SYS/sys_pwd@prod1 CATALOG rman/rman@rcat @'/oracle/dbs/b_whole_l0.rcv'
Syntax Check of a Command File: Example This example checks syntax of the
contents of a command file b_whole_10.rcv:

% rman CHECKSYNTAX @'b_whole_l0.rcv'
Syntax Check in an Interactive Session: Example
This example starts an interactive
session to perform syntax checking:

% rman CHECKSYNTAX
Specifying a Stored Script: Example This example connects to the target database
prod1 and the recovery catalog database rcat, and then runs the stored script
full_backup:
% rman TARGET SYS/sys_pwd@prod1 CATALOG rman/rman@rcat SCRIPT full_backup
Specifying a Message Log in Append Mode: Example This example connects to the
target database prod1 without a recovery catalog and then specifies that RMAN
should append messages to the message log:
% rman TARGET / NOCATALOG LOG = $ORACLE_HOME/dbs/log/msglog.f APPEND
Invoking the RMAN Pipe Interface: Example This example invokes the RMAN pipe
newpipe with a 90 second timeout option:
% rman PIPE newpipe TARGET SYS/oracle@inst1 TIMEOUT = 90
completedTimeSpec
completedTimeSpec
Syntax
completedTimeSpec::=
=
AFTER
date_string
COMPLETED
BEFORE
BETWEEN
date_string
date_string
AND
date_string
Purpose
A subclause that specifies when a backup or copy completed.

All date strings must be either:
Formatted according to the Global Technology date format specification currently

in effect.
Created by a SQL expression that returns a DATE value, as in the following
examples:
'SYSDATE-30'
TO_DATE('09/30/2000 08:00:00','MM/DD/YY HH24:MI:SS').
The TO_DATE technique specifies dates independently of the current Global

Technology environment variable settings.
Note: In Oracle8i, the FROM/UNTIL ... TIME syntax in the LIST,
CROSSCHECK, and DELETE commands was replaced with
completedTimeSpec. If you are adapting an RMAN script from
before Oracle8i for use in the current release, then you must update
these commands for the script to work correctly.

Syntax Element
Description
AFTER 'date_string'
Specifies the time after which the backup was completed.
BEFORE 'date_string'
Specifies the time before which the backup was completed.
BETWEEN 'date_string' AND

'date_string'
Specifies a time range during which the backup was completed. Note that
BETWEEN 'date1' AND 'date2' is exactly equivalent to AFTER
'date1' BEFORE 'date2'.
Examples
Crosschecking Backups Within a Time Range: Example
This example crosschecks
the backup sets of the database made last month:

CROSSCHECK BACKUP OF DATABASE COMPLETED BETWEEN 'SYSDATE-62' AND 'SYSDATE-31';
RMAN Commands 2-61
completedTimeSpec
Deleting Expired Backups: Example This example deletes expired backup sets of
datafile 1 made in the last two weeks:
DELETE EXPIRED BACKUP OF DATAFILE 1 COMPLETED AFTER 'SYSDATE-14';
Listing Copies: Example This example lists image copies of datafile

?/oradata/trgt/users01.dbf made before September 27, 2001:
LIST COPY OF DATAFILE '?/oradata/trgt/users01.dbf'
COMPLETED BEFORE '27-SEP-01';
CONFIGURE
CONFIGURE
Syntax
configure::=
CLEAR
ARCHIVELOG DELETION POLICY
APPLIED ON STANDBY
TO
AUXNAME FOR DATAFILE
NONE
CLEAR
datafileSpec
TO
filename
backupConf
cfauConf
CONFIGURE
deviceConf
;
ALGORITHM CLEAR
ENCRYPTION
FOR
ON
DATABASE
TABLESPACE
ALGORITHM
SNAPSHOT CONTROLFILE NAME
tablespace_name
OFF
CLEAR
quoted_string
CLEAR
TO
filename
backupConf::=
ARCHIVELOG
DATAFILE
=
BACKUP COPIES FOR DEVICE TYPE
deviceSpecifier
CLEAR
TO
integer
CLEAR
BACKUP OPTIMIZATION
OFF
ON
CLEAR
EXCLUDE FOR TABLESPACE
tablespace_name
CLEAR
MAXSETSIZE
TO
sizeSpec
UNLIMITED
CLEAR
NONE
RETENTION POLICY
TO
RECOVERY WINDOW OF
integer
DAYS
=
REDUNDANCY
integer
cfauConf::=
CLEAR
=
CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP
FORMAT FOR DEVICE TYPE
deviceSpecifier
CLEAR
TO
formatSpec
OFF
ON
RMAN Commands 2-63
CONFIGURE
deviceConf::=
AUXILIARY
integer
CHANNEL
DEFAULT DEVICE TYPE
=
DEVICE TYPE
deviceSpecifier
allocOperandList
CLEAR
CLEAR
TO
deviceSpecifier
CLEAR
=
DEVICE TYPE
COMPRESSED
deviceSpecifier
BACKUP TYPE TO
PARALLELISM
BACKUPSET
COPY
integer
Purpose
To configure persistent settings affecting RMAN backup, restore, duplication, and
maintenance jobs. These configurations are in effect for any RMAN session until the
configuration is cleared or changed.
Use CONFIGURE to set the following:
An ongoing retention policy that automatically determines which backups and

copies are eligible for deletion because they are no longer needed
The device type (for example, DISK or sbt) for RMAN jobs
The default number of channels of each device type that RMAN should allocate
for automated backup and restore jobs
The settings for automatic channels for a specified device type
The maximum size of backup pieces and sets created on automatic channels
Backup optimization either ON or OFF
The exclusion policy for tablespaces in whole database backups
The filename of the snapshot control file
Filenames for files in an auxiliary database
The control file autobackup feature to ON or OFF
The default format for the control file autobackup output files
RMAN uses default settings for CONFIGURE options. You can return to the default
value for any CONFIGURE command by running the same command with the CLEAR
option.
to configure the RMAN environment
Execute this command at the RMAN prompt. CONFIGURE cannot be used within a
RUN block.
The target database must be mounted or open, because configuration settings are
stored in the control file.
Channels allocated with ALLOCATE CHANNEL override any configured
automatic channels.
CONFIGURE
RMAN does not simultaneously allocate automatic channels for multiple device
types in BACKUP command.
To direct backups or restores to specific channels, use the RMAN-generated
channel names. If you specify channel numbers in the CONFIGURE CHANNEL
command, then RMAN uses the same numbers in the system-generated channel
names.
If you configure channels by using the nondefault CONNECT or PARMS options to
create backups or copies, then you must either use the same configured channels
or manually allocate channels with the same options to restore or crosscheck these
backups.
You cannot exclude the SYSTEM tablespace from whole database backups.
The REDUNDANCY and RECOVERY WINDOW options are mutually exclusive. Only
one type of retention policy can be in effect at any time.
You cannot clear individual parameters when running CONFIGURE ... CLEAR.
For example, you can run CONFIGURE CHANNEL DEVICE TYPE sbt CLEAR but
not CONFIGURE CHANNEL DEVICE TYPE sbt MAXPIECESIZE 5M CLEAR.
The channel number in a manually numbered channel must be less than 255.
You must specify at least one channel option when running CONFIGURE CHANNEL.
In other words, you cannot issue a command such as CONFIGURE CHANNEL 2
DEVICE TYPE DISK, but you can issue a command such as CONFIGURE CHANNEL
2 DEVICE TYPE DISK MAXPIECESIZE 2500K.
The CONFIGURE CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP FORMAT format string must include
the %F substitution variable. It cannot contain any other substitution variable.
With Oracle Database Release 10g in a Data Guard environment, configurations
can be set for standby databases as well as primary databases. All configurations
except for retention policy, tablespace exclude and auxiliary names can be set to
node-specific values. This means that the primary and standby databases can have
different channel configurations, autobackup locations, and so on.

configure
Syntax Element
Description
ARCHIVELOG
DELETIONPOLICYTO (
APPLIED ON STANDBY |
NONE |
CLEAR
)
Governs archived redo log deletion policy for the flash recovery area. Possible
settings are:
APPLIED ON STANDBY - enables flash recovery area to delete

archivelogs that are applied on mandatory standby. See Oracle Data Guard
Concepts and Administration for details.
NONE - enables flash recovery area to delete archivelogs that are backed
up to tertiary device and that are obsolete based on the configured
backup retention policy. This is the default configuration.
CLEAR - clears the deletion policy and returns the specified configuration
to default value. The default value is NONE.
RMAN Commands 2-65
CONFIGURE
Syntax Element
Description
AUXNAME FOR DATAFILE

datafileSpec TO 'filename'
Configures the auxiliary filename for the specified target datafile to

'filename'. For example, you can set the auxiliary name for datafile 2 to
/df2.f, and then unspecify this auxiliary name by running CONFIGURE
AUXNAME FOR DATAFILE 2 CLEAR.
If you are performing TSPITR or running the DUPLICATE command, then by
setting AUXNAME you can preconfigure the filenames for use on the auxiliary
database without manually specifying the auxiliary filenames during the
procedure.
For example, use this command during TSPITR if the datafiles are on raw disk
and you need to restore auxiliary datafiles to raw disk for performance
reasons. Typically, you set the AUXNAME parameter in TSPITR for the datafiles
of the SYSTEM tablespace and the tablespaces containing rollback segments.
Do not overlay files which are in use by the production database and can be
discarded after TSPITR completes. In essence, the AUXNAME of a datafile is the
location where TSPITR can create a temporary copy of it.
When renaming files with the DUPLICATE command, CONFIGURE AUXNAME
is an alternative to SET NEWNAME. The difference is that after you set the
AUXNAME the first time, you do not need to reset the filename when you issue
another DUPLICATE command: the AUXNAME setting remains in effect until
you issue CONFIGURE AUXNAME...CLEAR. In contrast, you must reissue the
SET NEWNAME command every time you rename files.
how to perform RMAN TSPITR, and Oracle Database Backup and Recovery
Advanced User's Guide to learn how to duplicate a database with RMAN
backupConf
Configures default backup options such as duplexing, optimization, excluding

tablespaces, backup set sizes, and retention policies.
cfauConf
Configures control file autobackup settings
deviceConf
Configures default backup settings for devices, such as the default backup
device, channel configurations for devices, default backup types for each
device, and parallelism.
ENCRYPTION
Used to specify encryption settings for the database or tablespaces within the
database, which apply unless overridden using the SET command. Options
specified for an individual tablespace take precedence over options specified
for the whole database.
ALGORITHM
{ algorithm_name |
CLEAR }
Specifies the default algorithm to use for encryption, when writing encrypted
backup sets. Possible values are listed in
V$RMAN_ENCRYPTION_ALGORITHMS. With CLEAR, resets the database to the
default algorithm, which is AES128.
CONFIGURE
Syntax Element
Description
Specifies whether to use encryption for the database or specified tablespaces.
With FOR DATABASE, the effect is as follows:
FOR
{ DATABASE |
ON enables encryption for all database files,
TABLESPACE
tablespace_name }
{ ON | OFF | CLEAR }
OFF turns off encryption for all database files

CLEAR restores the default setting of OFF.
Configured settings for a tablespace always override configuration set at the
database level. With FOR TABLESPACE tablespace_name, the effect is as
follows:
ON means encryption is on for that tablespace, unless SET ENCRYPTION OFF
FOR ALL TABLESPACES is used.
OFF means encryption is off for that tablespace, unless SET ENCRYPTION ON
FOR ALL TABLESPACES is used.
CLEAR means that encryption for that tablespace is determined by the current
default for the whole database.
With ON, turns on encryption for the specified tablespaces or the whole
database. With OFF turns off encryption for the specified tablespaces or the
whole database. With CLEAR, returns the database or tablespaces to the
default setting of OFF.
SNAPSHOT CONTROLFILE NAME Configures the snapshot control file filename to 'filename'. If you run
[ TO 'filename' | CLEAR ] CONFIGURE SNAPSHOT CONTROLFILE NAME CLEAR, then RMAN sets the
snapshot control file name to its default.
The default value for the snapshot control file name is platform-specific and
dependent on the Oracle home. For example, the default on some UNIX
system is ?/dbs/[email protected]. If you clear the control file name, and you
change the Oracle home, then the default location of the snapshot control file
changes as well.
See Also: Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Advanced User's Guide for more
information about snapshot control files
backupConf
Syntax Element
Description
{ARCHIVELOG | DATAFILE}
BACKUP COPIES
FOR DEVICE TYPE [=]
deviceSpecifier
[CLEAR |TO integer]
Specifies the number of copies of each backup set for DATAFILE (both
datafiles and control files) or ARCHIVELOG files on the specified device type,
from 1 (default) to 4. If duplexing is specified in the BACKUP command or in
a SET BACKUP COPIES command, then the CONFIGURE setting is overridden.
Note: Control file autobackups on disk are a special case and are never
duplexed. RMAN always writes one and only copy.
Note: RMAN raises an error if you try to duplex backups to the flash recovery
area. You cannot duplex backups to the flash recovery area.
RMAN Commands 2-67
CONFIGURE
Syntax Element
Description
BACKUP OPTIMIZATION
[CLEAR | OFF | ON ]
Toggles backup optimization ON or OFF (default). Specify CLEAR to return

optimization to its default value of OFF.
Optimization does not back up a file to a device type if the identical file is
already backed up on the device type. For two files to be identical, their
content must be exactly the same. You can override backup optimization by
using the FORCE option of the BACKUP command.
RMAN does not signal an error if optimization causes all files to be skipped
during a backup. Note that BACKUP ... DELETE INPUT deletes all specified
files whether or not optimization would skip these files during a backup.
Backup optimization is enabled when all of the following conditions are met:
The CONFIGURE BACKUP OPTIMIZATION ON command has been run.

You run BACKUP DATABASE, BACKUP ARCHIVELOG with ALL or LIKE
options, or BACKUP BACKUPSET ALL.
The RMAN job uses a channel of only one device type.
The retention policy has an effect on which files backup optimization skips.
See Also: Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Advanced User's Guide for a
description of how RMAN determines that it can skip the backup of a file
EXCLUDE FOR TABLESPACE
tablespace_name
[ CLEAR ]
Excludes the specified tablespace from BACKUP DATABASE commands. Note

that you cannot exclude the SYSTEM tablespace. By default, each tablespace is
not excluded, that is, the exclude functionality is disabled. The exclusion is
stored as an attribute of the tablespace, not the individual datafiles, so the
exclusion applies to any files that are added to this tablespace in the future. If
you run CONFIGURE ... CLEAR on a tablespace after excluding it, then it
returns to the default configuration of "not excluded."
You can still back up the configured tablespace by explicitly specifying it in a
BACKUP command or by specifying the NOEXCLUDE option on a BACKUP
DATABASE command.
MAXSETSIZE [
CLEAR | TO
[ sizeSpec |
UNLIMITED ]
Specifies the maximum size of each backup set created on a channel. By

default MAXSETSIZE is set to UNLIMITED, meaning that it is disabled.
RETENTION POLICY
Specifies a persistent, ongoing policy for datafile and control file backups and
copies that RMAN marks as obsolete, that is, not needed and eligible for
deletion. As time passes, RMAN marks backups and copies as obsolete
according to the criteria you specify in the retention policy. RMAN does not
automatically delete any backups or copies: manually run the DELETE
OBSOLETE command to remove obsolete files. By default, RETENTION
POLICY is configured to REDUNDANCY 1.
Note: This option is ignored by BACKUP AS COPY.
For backups, the basic unit of the retention policy is a backup set (not a
backup piece) or image copy. For example, BACKUP AS BACKUPSET COPIES 4
TABLESPACE users generates a single backup set that is duplexed into four
identical backup pieces. The retention policy considers this as one backup, not
four separate backups.
CLEAR
Resets the retention policy to its default (REDUNDANCY = 1).
TO RECOVERY WINDOW OF
integer DAYS
Specifies a time window in which RMAN should be able to recover the

database. The window stretches from the current time (SYSDATE) to the point
of recoverability, which is the earliest date to which you want to recover. The
point of recoverability is SYSDATE - integer days in the past.
CONFIGURE
Syntax Element
Description
TO REDUNDANCY integer
Specifies that RMAN should retain integer backups or copies of each

datafile and control file. If more than integer backups or copies exist,
RMAN marks these extra files as obsolete. Then, RMAN determines the oldest
of the retained backups and copies, and marks all archived logs and log
backups older than this backup or copy as obsolete. The DELETE OBSOLETE
command removes obsolete backups and copies as well as archived log
backups and copies.
TO NONE
Disables the retention policy feature. RMAN does not consider any backups or
copies as obsolete.
cfauConf
Syntax Element
Description
Controls the control file autobackup feature. By default, this feature is not
enabled.
CLEAR
Returns the feature to its default setting of OFF.

deviceSpecifier [
CLEAR |
TO formatSpec
]
Configures the default filename format for the control file autobackup on the
specified device type. If a flash recovery area is enabled, then RMAN creates
the disk autobackup in the flash recovery area. Otherwise, RMAN creates it in
an operating system specific location (?/dbs on Unix and Windows).
By default, the initial format is %F for all devices. Any default format string
specified with CONFIGURE must include the %F substitution variable.
%F is the only legal substitution variable for use in a control file autobackup
format. Use of any other substitution variable is an error.
Specify CLEAR to return the format to the default %F.
The formatSpec can specify an Automatic Storage Management disk group.
The following example configures a channel for an ASM disk group:
CONFIGURE CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP FOR DEVICE TYPE DISK TO
'+dgroup1';
See Also: "formatSpec" on page 2-122, for the semantics of the %F substitution
variable.
OFF
Disables the autobackup feature. (OFF is the default value.) When this
command is OFF, any BACKUP command that includes datafile 1 (including
BACKUP DATABASE) automatically includes the current control file and server
parameter file in the backup set. Otherwise, RMAN does not include these
files.
RMAN Commands 2-69
CONFIGURE
Syntax Element
Description
ON
If CONFIGURE CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP is ON (by default it is OFF), then

RMAN performs a control file autobackup in the following circumstances:
After every BACKUP or CREATE CATALOG command issued at the

RMAN prompt.
Whenever a BACKUP command within a RUN block is followed by a
command that is not BACKUP.
At the end of every RUN block if the last command in the block was
BACKUP.
After database structural changes such as adding a new tablespace,
altering the state of a tablespace or datafile (for example, bringing it
online), adding a new online redo log, renaming a file, adding a new redo
thread, and so forth. This type of autobackup, unlike autobackups that
occur in the preceding circumstances, goes only to disk. You can run
CONFIGURE CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP FOR DEVICE TYPE DISK to set
a nondefault disk location.
The first channel allocated during the backup or copy job creates the
autobackup and places it into its own backup set; for post-structural
autobackups, the default disk channel makes the backup. RMAN writes the
control file and the server parameter file to the same backup piece. After the
control file autobackup completes, the database writes a message containing
the complete path of the backup piece and the device type to the alert log.
The default location for the autobackup on disk is the flash recovery area (if
configured) or a platform-specific location (if not configured). RMAN
automatically backs up the current control file using the default format of %F
(refer to entry for CONFIGURE CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP FORMAT for an
explanation of this substitution variable). You can change the location and
filename format with the CONFIGURE CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP FORMAT
and SET CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP FORMAT commands.
deviceConf
Syntax Element
Description
[AUXILIARY] CHANNEL
[ integer ] DEVICE TYPE
deviceSpecifier
Specifies the standard or AUXILIARY channel that you are configuring or

clearing, as well as the device type (DISK or sbt) of the channel. Either
configure a generic channel or specify a channel number, where integer is
less than 255.
If you configure a generic channel (that is, if you do not specify a channel
number), then RMAN uses the generic settings for every parallelized channel
except any channel number that you have explicitly configured. A generic
channel setting specifies options for all channels not configured explicitly.
For generic channels of a specified device type, a new command erases
previous settings for this device type. Assume that you run these commands:
CONFIGURE CHANNEL DEVICE TYPE sbt MAXPIECESIZE 1G;
CONFIGURE CHANNEL DEVICE TYPE sbt FORMAT 'bkup_%U';
The second command erases the MAXPIECESIZE setting of the first command.
If AUXILIARY is specified, then this configuration is used only for channels
allocated at the auxiliary instance. Specify configuration information for
auxiliary channels if they require different parameters from the channels
allocated at the target instance. If no auxiliary device configuration is
specified, then RMAN configures any auxiliary channels using the target
database device configuration.
how configure automatic channels specified by channel number
CONFIGURE
Syntax Element
Description
allocOperandList
Specifies control options for the allocated channel. Note that the FORMAT
parameter can specify an Automatic Storage Management disk group. The
following example configures a channel for an ASM disk group:
CONFIGURE CHANNEL DEVICE TYPE DISK FORMAT '+dgroup1';

CLEAR
Clears the specified channel. For example, CONFIGURE CHANNEL 1 DEVICE

TYPE DISK CLEAR returns only channel 1 to its default, whereas CONFIGURE
CHANNEL DEVICE TYPE DISK CLEAR returns the generic disk channel to its
default. Note that you cannot specify any other channel options (for example,
PARMS) when you specify CLEAR.
DEFAULT DEVICE TYPE [

TO deviceSpecifier |
CLEAR
]
Specifies the default device type for automatic channels. By default, DISK is
the default device type. CLEAR returns the default device type to DISK.
By default, the BACKUP command only allocates channels of the default device
type. For example, if you configure automatic channels for DISK and sbt and
set the default device type to DISK, then RMAN only allocates disk channels
when you run the BACKUP DATABASE command. You can override this
behavior either by manually allocating channels in a RUN command, or by
specifying DEVICE TYPE on the BACKUP command itself.
The RESTORE command allocates automatic channels of all configured device
types, regardless of the default device type. The RESTORE command obeys the
PARALLELISM setting for each configured device type.
DEVICE TYPE [ = ]
deviceSpecifier
Specifies the device type (disk or sbt) to which to apply the settings specified
in this CONFIGURE command.
CLEAR
Resets backup type and parallelism settings for this device to their defaults..
BACKUP TYPE TO [
COPY |
[ COMPRESSED ]
BACKUPSET]
Configures the default backup type for disk or tape backups to either
BACKUPSET, COMPRESSED BACKUPSET or COPY.
For sbt devices the COPY option is not supported.
The default for DISK is BACKUPSET.
If the backup type is set to BACKUPSET, the BACKUP command always
produces backup sets regardless of which media the backup is produced on.
With the COMPRESSED option, the backupsets produced will use binary
compression.
The default location for disk backups is the flash recovery area, if one is
configured; otherwise, backups are stored in a platform-specific location (for
Unix and Windows, this is $ORACLE_HOME/dbs). The default format for
backup filenames is %U.
RMAN Commands 2-71
CONFIGURE
Syntax Element
Description
PARALLELISM integer
Configures the device types that are eligible for use in jobs that use automatic
channels and sets the degree of channel parallelism (DISK is the default).
The PARALLELISM parameter sets the number of automatic channels of the
specified device type allocated for RMAN jobs. RMAN always allocates the
number of channels set by PARALLELISM, although it may use only a subset
of these channels.
By default, PARALLELISM = 1. Specifying CLEAR for a device type resets its
settings to the default. For example, you can set PARALLELISM for disk
backups to 3. If you configure automatic channels of type disk and tape, and
set the default device type as disk, then RMAN allocates three disk channels
when you run BACKUP DATABASE at the RMAN prompt.
To change the parallelism for a device type to n, run a new CONFIGURE
DEVICE TYPE ... PARALLELISM n command. For example, you can change
configure PARALLELISM to 3 for sbt and then change it to 2 as follows:
CONFIGURE DEVICE TYPE sbt PARALLELISM 3;
Note: If you configure n manually numbered channels, the PARALLELISM

setting can be greater than or less than n. For example, you can manually
number 10 automatic channels and configure PARALLELISM to 2 or 12.
Examples
Configuring Backup Optimization: Example This example configures RMAN so that
the BACKUP command does not back up files to a device type if the identical file has
already been backed up to the device type:
CONFIGURE BACKUP OPTIMIZATION ON;
This example configures a retention policy

with a recovery window of 2 weeks, and then resets the retention policy to its default
value of REDUNDANCY = 1:
Configuring a Retention Policy: Example
CONFIGURE RETENTION POLICY TO RECOVERY WINDOW OF 14 DAYS;

CONFIGURE RETENTION POLICY CLEAR;
This example configures

generic DISK and sbt channels, sets the default device type to sbt, and sets
PARALLELISM to 3:
Configuring Automatic Disk and Tape Channels: Example
CONFIGURE
CONFIGURE
CONFIGURE
CONFIGURE
CHANNEL DEVICE TYPE DISK FORMAT '/?/%U';

CHANNEL DEVICE TYPE sbt PARMS 'ENV=(NSR_SERVER=bksrv1)';
DEFAULT DEVICE TYPE TO sbt;
DEVICE TYPE sbt PARALLELISM 3;
Overriding the Default Device Type: Example This example configures the default
device type to sbt, backs up the archived logs on the default sbt channel, and then
backs up the database to disk on the default disk channel:
CONFIGURE CHANNEL DEVICE TYPE sbt PARMS 'ENV=(NSR_SERVER=bksrv1)';
Configuring Automatic Channels Across File Systems: Example This example

configures automatic disk channels across three file systems:
CONFIGURE DEVICE TYPE DISK PARALLELISM 3;
CONFIGURE CHANNEL 1 DEVICE TYPE DISK FORMAT '/disk1/backup/%U';
CONFIGURE

BACKUP DEVICE TYPE DISK DATABASE PLUS ARCHIVELOG;
Configuring Automatic Channels in an Oracle Real Application Clusters

Configuration: Example This example allocates automatic sbt channels for two
nodes of an Oracle Real Application Clusters database:

CONFIGURE CHANNEL 1 DEVICE TYPE sbt CONNECT 'SYS/change_on_install@node1'
PARMS 'ENV=(NSR_SERVER=bkserv1)';
CONFIGURE CHANNEL 2 DEVICE TYPE sbt CONNECT 'SYS/change_on_install@node2'
PARMS ENV=(NSR_SERVER=bkserv2)';
Clearing Automatic Channels: Example This example clears manually numbered

DISK channels 2 and 3 and the generic sbt channel:
CONFIGURE CHANNEL 2 DEVICE TYPE DISK CLEAR;
CONFIGURE CHANNEL 3 DEVICE TYPE DISK CLEAR;
CONFIGURE CHANNEL DEVICE TYPE sbt CLEAR;
Configuring and Clearing Parallelism: Example This example sets DISK parallelism
to 2, then changes it to 3, then returns it to the default parallelism of 1:

CONFIGURE DEVICE TYPE DISK CLEAR;
Configuring Backup Copies: Example This example configures duplexing to 3 for

DISK backups of datafiles and control files (control file autobackups on disk are a
special case and are never duplexed) and then runs a database backup, specifying
three different file systems for the copies:
CONFIGURE DATAFILE BACKUP COPIES FOR DEVICE TYPE DISK TO 3;
BACKUP DEVICE TYPE DISK DATABASE
FORMAT '/disk1/backup/%U', '/disk2/backup/%U', '/disk3/backup/%U';
This example configures a

new location for the snapshot control file and then resynchronizes the recovery
catalog.
Configuring the Snapshot Control File Location: Example
CONFIGURE SNAPSHOT CONTROLFILE NAME TO '?/oradata/snap.cf';
Excluding a Tablespace from a Whole Database Backup: Example This example
excludes the example tablespace from whole database backups, then returns the
tablespace to its default value of "not excluded":
CONFIGURE EXCLUDE FOR TABLESPACE example;
CONFIGURE EXCLUDE CLEAR;
Specifying Auxiliary Filenames: Example This example duplicates a database to a

remote host with a different directory structure, by using CONFIGURE AUXNAME to
specify new filenames for the datafiles:
# set auxiliary names
CONFIGURE AUXNAME FOR
for the datafiles

DATAFILE 1 TO '/oracle/auxfiles/aux_1.f';
RUN
{
ALLOCATE AUXILIARY CHANNEL dupdb1 TYPE DISK;
DUPLICATE TARGET DATABASE TO dupdb
RMAN Commands 2-73
CONFIGURE
LOGFILE
GROUP 1 ('?/dbs/dupdb_log_1_1.f',
'?/dbs/dupdb_log_1_2.f') SIZE 200K,
GROUP 2 ('?/dbs/dupdb_log_2_1.f',
'?/dbs/dupdb_log_2_2.f') SIZE 200K REUSE;
}
# Un-specify the auxiliary names
# by mistake:
CONFIGURE AUXNAME FOR DATAFILE 1
for the datafiles so that they are not overwritten

CLEAR;
CLEAR;
CLEAR;
CLEAR;
Specifying the Default Format for the Control File Autobackup: Example This
example turns on the autobackup feature, then changes the default format for the
DISK and sbt devices, then clears the autobackup setting:
CONFIGURE
CONFIGURE
CONFIGURE
CONFIGURE
CONTROLFILE
CONTROLFILE
CONTROLFILE
CONTROLFILE
AUTOBACKUP
AUTOBACKUP
AUTOBACKUP
AUTOBACKUP
ON;
FORMAT FOR DEVICE TYPE DISK TO '?/oradata/%F';
FORMAT FOR DEVICE TYPE sbt TO 'cf_auto_%F';
CLEAR;
# returns to default setting of OFF
CONNECT
CONNECT
Syntax
connect::=
CONNECT AUXILIARY
CONNECT CATALOG
connectStringSpec
connectStringSpec
CONNECT TARGET
Purpose
To establish a connection between RMAN and a target, auxiliary, or recovery catalog
database.
When connecting from the command line, the password
may be visible to other users on the system. The CONNECT
command used from within RMAN avoids this problem.
Note:
See Also: "cmdLine" on page 2-57 for command line connection

options
You can only run the CONNECT TARGET, CONNECT CATALOG, and CONNECT
AUXILIARY commands if you are at the RMAN prompt and if you are not already
connected to the specified databases.
If you need to connect to a different target, catalog, or auxiliary database, then you
must start a new RMAN session.
You cannot use the CONNECT CATALOG command when RMAN is in the default
NOCATALOG mode, that is, when these conditions are met:
You started RMAN without specifying either CATALOG or NOCATALOG.
You have already run a command such as BACKUP that requires a repository
connection.

Syntax Element
Description
CONNECT AUXILIARY
connectStringSpec
Establishes a connection between RMAN and an auxiliary instance. Auxiliary

instances are used with the TRANSPORT TABLESPACE and DUPLICATE
commands, and during RMAN TSPITR.
CONNECT CATALOG
connectStringSpec
Establishes a connection between RMAN and the recovery catalog database.

You must run this command before running any command that requires a
repository. Otherwise, RMAN defaults to NOCATALOG mode and invalidates
the use of CONNECT CATALOG in the session.
CONNECT TARGET
connectStringSpec
Establishes a connection between RMAN and the target database.
RMAN Commands 2-75
CONNECT
Examples
This example starts RMAN and
then connects to the target database with an Oracle Net service name prod1:
Connecting Without a Recovery Catalog: Example

% rman NOCATALOG
RMAN> CONNECT TARGET sys/change_on_install@prod1;
This example starts RMAN

and then connects to the target through Oracle Net. Because BACKUP is run and no
CONNECT CATALOG has been run, RMAN defaults to NOCATALOG mode:
Connecting in the Default NOCATALOG Mode: Example
% rman
RMAN> CONNECT TARGET sys/change_on_install@prod1;
RMAN> BACKUP DATAFILE 7;
# You cannot run CONNECT CATALOG after this point because RMAN has defaulted to NOCATALOG
Connecting with a Recovery Catalog: Example This example starts RMAN and then
connects to the target database prod1 by using operating system authentication and
the recovery catalog database rcat by using a password file:
% rman
RMAN> CONNECT TARGET / ;
RMAN> CONNECT CATALOG rman/rman@rcat;
Connecting to Target, Recovery Catalog, and Auxiliary Databases: Example This
example connects to three databases specifying a username and password for each:
% rman
RMAN> CONNECT TARGET SYS/sysdba@prod1;
RMAN> CONNECT CATALOG rman/rman@rcat;
RMAN> CONNECT AUXILIARY SYS/sysdba@dupdb;
connectStringSpec
connectStringSpec
Syntax
connectStringSpec::=
password
userid
net_service_name
Purpose
A subclause specifying the username, password, and net service name for connecting
to a target, recovery catalog, or auxiliary database. The connection is necessary to
authenticate the user and identify the database.
You must have SYSDBA privileges to connect to a target or auxiliary database.
Do not connect to the recovery catalog database as user SYS.

Syntax Element
Description
If you do not specify a user ID or password when connecting to the target

database, then a forward slash establishes a connection as user SYS by using
operating system authentication. For example, enter the following to connect
to the target database:
% rman TARGET /
Note: The forward slash depends on platform-specific environment variables.

Establishes a connection to the database for the specified user. If you do not
specify a password, RMAN obtains the password interactively by displaying a
prompt. The characters will not be echoed to the terminal.
userid
You must have SYSDBA authority when connecting to the target or auxiliary
database, but must not connect as SYS to the recovery catalog database.
Note: The connect string must not contain any white space, but it can contain
punctuation characters such as a forward slash (/) and an at sign (@).
/password
Establishes a connection for the specified user by using a password. If the

target database is not open, then a password file must exist.
@net_service_name
Establishes a connection to the database through an optional Oracle Net net

service name.
Examples
Connecting to a Target Database Without a Recovery Catalog: Example This
example connects to the target database by using a password and the Oracle Net
service name prod1 in the default NOCATALOG mode:
% rman TARGET SYS/change_on_install@prod1
Connecting to a Target Database and Entering the Password Interactively: Example
This example connects to the target database as user SYS but without specifying a
password at the command line. Note that you are prompted for a password.
RMAN Commands 2-77
connectStringSpec
% rman TARGET SYS

Recovery Manager: Release 10.1.0.2.0 - Production
Copyright (c) 1995, 2003, Oracle.
All rights reserved.
target database Password:
Connecting with Operating System Authentication: Example This example starts

RMAN and then connects to the target database prod1 by using operating system
authentication and the recovery catalog database rcat using a net service name:
% rman
RMAN> CONNECT TARGET /
RMAN> CONNECT CATALOG rman/rman@inst1
Connecting to a Target Database, Recovery Catalog, and Auxiliary Instance:

Example This example connects to three different databases from the command line,
specifying a username, password, and net service name for each:

% rman TARGET SYS/pwd1@prod1 CATALOG rman/rman@rcat AUXILIARY SYS/pwd2@dupdb
CONVERT
CONVERT
Syntax
convert::=
,
DATAFILE
filename
TABLESPACE
tablespace_name
NEW DATABASE
CONVERT
database_name
convertOptionList
TRANSPORT SCRIPT
script_name
CONVERT SCRIPT
script_name
ON TARGET PLATFORM
skipSpec
DATABASE
convertOptionList::=
=
FORMAT
formatSpec
=
FROM PLATFORM
platform
=
PARALLELISM
integer
=
TO PLATFORM
platform
Purpose
To convert a datafile, tablespace or database to the format of a destination platform, in
preparation for transport across different platforms.
CONVERT TABLESPACE is used at the source database to produce datafiles for the
specified tablespaces in the format of a different destination platform. The
converted files can then be transported to the destination platform.
CONVERT DATAFILE is used on the destination database to convert datafiles that
are in the format of a different source platform. Once all of the datafiles required
for a tablespace have been converted, the datafiles can be transported into the
destination database.
CONVERT DATABASE is used to transport an entire database from a source
platform to a destination platform, converting the datafiles to the format of the
destination platform and ensuring the creation of other required database files.
Depending upon the requirements of your situation, CONVERT DATABASE on
either the source or destination platform.
The following list describes some situations in which CONVERT TABLESPACE and
CONVERT DATAFILE can be useful:
RMAN Commands 2-79
CONVERT
Content providers can publish structured data as transportable tablespaces and

distribute it to customers who can easily and efficiently integrate this data into
their Oracle databases, regardless of their chosen platform.
Data from a large data warehouse server can be distributed to data marts on
smaller computers such as Windows-based workstations or servers.
Read-only tablespaces can be shared across a heterogeneous cluster.
Note: The CONVERT TABLESPACE and CONVERT DATAFILE
commands are only one part of a multiple-step process for
transporting datafiles and tablespaces across platforms. You can
transport datafiles and tablespaces using your live datafiles with
the process described in Oracle Database Administrator's Guide or
from backups using the process described in Oracle Database Backup
and Recovery Advanced User's Guide. You should refer to that
document before attempting to transport a tablespace across
platforms.
See Also: Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Advanced User's Guide
for a complete discussion of the use of CONVERT DATAFILE,
CONVERT TABLESPACE and CONVERT DATABASE
CONVERT DATAFILE and CONVERT TABLESPACE can also be used to move files into
and out of Automated Storage Management (ASM) disk groups. This capability is
needed because native operating system file manipulation commands like Unix cp
and Windows COPY cannot read from or write to ASM disk groups.

This discussion includes the following sections:
Restrictions and Usage Notes on All Forms of RMAN CONVERT

Restrictions and Usage Notes on CONVERT DATAFILE and CONVERT
TABLESPACE
Restrictions on CONVERT DATABASE
Restrictions and Usage Notes on All Forms of RMAN CONVERT

The following restrictions apply to CONVERT DATAFILE, CONVERT TABLESPACE and
CONVERT DATABASE:
The input files are not altered by the CONVERT process. The conversion is not
performed in place. Instead, converted files are written to a specified output
destination.
Both source and destination databases must be running with initialization
parameter COMPATIBLE set to 10.0 or higher.
Prior to Release 10g, CLOBs were created in a variable width character set and
stored in an endian-dependent format. The CONVERT command does not perform
conversions on these CLOBs. Instead, RMAN captures the endian format of each
LOB column and propagates it to the target database. Subsequent reads of this
data by the SQL layer will interpret the data correctly based on either endian
format and write it out in an endian- independent way if the tablespace is
writeable. CLOBs created in Oracle Database Release 10gare stored in character set
AL16UTF16, which is platform independent.
CONVERT
CONVERT does not process user datatypes that require endian conversions. If you
need to transport objects between databases that are built on underlying types that
store data in a platform-specific format, then use the Data Pump Import and
Export utilities.
A tablespace must have been made read-write at least once in Release 10g before it
can be transported to another platform. Hence, any read-only tablespaces (or
currently existing transported tablespaces) that exist from an earlier release must
be first made read-write at least once before they can be transported to a different
platform. (It is sufficient to open the tablespace read-write and then immediately
make it read-only again.)
Restrictions and Usage Notes on CONVERT DATAFILE and CONVERT

TABLESPACE
The following usage notes apply to CONVERT DATAFILE and CONVERT TABLESPACE:
To convert the datafiles of a tablespace on the source host, use CONVERT

TABLESPACE... TO and identify the tablespace to be converted and the
destination platform. You cannot convert individual datafiles on the source
platform using CONVERT DATAFILE.
When converting on the destination host, use CONVERT DATAFILE... FROM to
identify the source platform (and the destination platform is, implicitly, the
platform of the destination host). You must use CONVERT DATAFILE, rather than
CONVERT TABLESPACE, on the destination, because the destination database does
not have any information to associate the datafiles being converted with
tablespaces during the conversion process.
You can use either the FORMAT or fileNameConversionSpec arguments to

control the names of the output files generated by the CONVERT command. If you
do not specify either, the rules governing the location of the output files are the
same as those governing the output files from a BACKUP AS COPY operation.
These rules are described in the "backupTypeSpec" reference entry on page 2-41.
Not all platforms support the use of CONVERT. Query
V$TRANSPORTABLE_PLATFORM to determine the platforms supported by the
CONVERT command. Cross-platform tablespace transport is only supported when
both the source and destination platforms are contained in this view.
The database has a list of its own internal names for each platform it runs on. You
may need the exact name of the source or target platform as a parameter to the
CONVERT command. Query V$TRANSPORTABLE_PLATFORM to get the platform
name from SQL*Plus as follows:
SQL> SELECT PLATFORM_ID, PLATFORM_NAME, ENDIAN_FORMAT
FROM V$TRANSPORTABLE_PLATFORM
WHERE UPPER(PLATFORM_NAME) LIKE 'LINUX%';
RMAN Commands 2-81
CONVERT
Note: In Release 10g, the CONVERT DATAFILE or CONVERT

TABLESPACE command is required when transporting datafiles
between platforms for which the value in
V$TRANSPORTABLE_PLATFORM.ENDIAN_FORMAT is different.
When transporting between platforms for which the ENDIAN_FORMAT

column is the same, you do not need to use either CONVERT
DATAFILE or CONVERT TABLESPACE command to convert the files.
You can move or copy the file from the source to the destination with
operating system utilities.
Because you cannot use operating system utilities to move files into ASM, you
may want to use CONVERT TABLESPACE or CONVERT DATAFILE to move files into
ASM even if no change in endian format is required. Using CONVERT in this
manner provides the equivalent of an operating system-level file copy command
for copying files into ASM. BACKUP AS COPY provides similar functionality but
catalogs the file copies created in the RMAN repository, which is only desirable if
the file copies created in ASM are intended for use as backups at the target
database.
Restrictions on CONVERT DATABASE

Because CONVERT DATABASE uses the same mechanism as CONVERT TABLESPACE
and CONVERT DATAFILE to convert the datafiles of the database, the usage notes and
restrictions in "Restrictions and Usage Notes on CONVERT DATAFILE and CONVERT
TABLESPACE" on page 2-81 also apply to the conversion of databases.
The primary additional restriction on transporting entire databases is that the source
and target platform must share the same endian format. For example, while you can
transport a database from Microsoft Windows to Linux for x86 (both little-endian), or
from HP-UX to AIX (both big-endian), you cannot transport a whole database from
Solaris to Linux to x86 using this feature. You can, however, create a new database on a
target platform manually, and transport individual tablespaces from the source
database using the RMAN CONVERT TABLESPACE or CONVERT DATAFILE
commands.
In spite of the fact that the endian formats for the source and
destination platform are the same, the datafiles for a transportable
database must undergo a conversion process, on either the source or
destination host. Unlike transporting tablespaces across platforms,
where conversion is not necessary if the endian formats are the same,
transporting an entire database requires that certain types of blocks,
such as blocks in undo segments, be reformatted to ensure
compatibility with the destination platform.
Note:
Also note that some parts of the database are not transported directly:
Redo log files and control files from the source database are not transported. New
control files and redo log files are created for the target database during the
transport process, and an OPEN RESETLOGS is performed once the new database
is created.
CONVERT
The control file for the converted database does not contain a
copy of the RMAN repository information from the source database.
Backups from the source database cannot be used with the converted
database.
Note:
BFILEs are not transported. RMAN provides a list of objects using the BFILE
datatype in the output for the CONVERT DATABASE command, but users must
copy the BFILEs themselves and fix their locations on the target platform.
Datafiles for locally managed temporary tablespaces are not transported. The
temporary tablespaces are re-created at the target platform by running the
transport script.
External tables and directories are not transported. RMAN provides a list of
affected objects as part of the output of the CONVERT DATABASE command, but
users must redefine these on the target platform. See Oracle Database
Administrator's Guide for more information on managing external tables and
directories.
Password files are not transported. If a password file was used with the source
database, the output of CONVERT DATABASE includes a list of all usernames and
their associated privileges. Create a new password file on the target database
using this information. See Oracle Database Security Guide for more information on
managing password files.

convert
Syntax Element
Description
DATABASE
Used to transport entire databases across platforms (where the source and
destination platforms have the same endian format).
NEW DATABASE
database_name
ON TARGET PLATFORM
CONVERT SCRIPT
'script_name'
Specifies the DB_NAME for the new database produced by the CONVERT
DATABASE command.
Specifies that any CONVERT commands required for datafiles should be
performed on the destination platform rather than the source database. Useful
if you do not want the overhead of the conversion on the source platform, or if
you do not know the destination platform (for example, if you are publishing
a transportable tablespace to be used by recipients with many different target
platforms).
Specifies the location of the file to contain the convert script generated by
CONVERT DATABASE... ON TARGET PLATFORM. If not specified, the convert
script is not generated.
skipSpec
Specifies that CONVERT DATABASE should skip inaccessible, offline or

read-only files during the conversion process.
TRANSPORT SCRIPT
Specifies the location of the file to contain the transport script generated by
CONVERT DATABASE. If omitted, the transport script is not generated.
script_name'
DATAFILE
datafile_name
Specifies the name of a datafile that you want to transport into the destination
database.
CONVERT DATAFILE can only be used at the destination database.
RMAN Commands 2-83
CONVERT
Syntax Element
Description
TABLESPACE
Specifies the name of a tablespace in the source database that you want to
transport into the destination database on a different platform. CONVERT
TABLESPACE can only be used when connected to the source database and
converting on the source platform.
tablespace_name
convertOptionList
Syntax Element
Description
A set of string pairs. Whenever any of the input filenames contains one of the
first halves of a pair, anywhere in the filename, it will be replaced with the
second half of the same pair.You can use as many pairs of replacement strings
as required. You can use single or double quotation marks.
FORMAT formatSpec
Specifies the name template for the output file(s). See the BACKUP AS COPY
command for the format values that are valid here.
FROM PLATFORM =
platform_name
Specifies the name of the source platform. This must be one of the platforms
listed in the PLATFORM_NAME column of the V$TRANSPORTABLE_PLATFORM
view.
PARALLELISM [=] integer
Specifies the number of channels to be used to performing the operation. If

not used, then channels allocated or configured for disk determine the
number of channels.
TO PLATFORM =
platform_name
Specifies the name of the destination platform as displayed in the

V$TRANSPORTABLE_PLATFORM.PLATFORM_NAME output. If used on the
destination platform, then this must be the value for the destination platform
in V$TRANSPORTABLE_PLATFORM.PLATFORM_NAME.
Examples
Examples for Creating Transportable Tablespace Sets
The procedure for creating and using a transportable tablespace set is documented at
length in Oracle Database Administrator's Guide. RMAN's CONVERT command is only
required in cases where you are moving transportable tablespaces between platforms
with different byte ordering. If your platforms have the same byte ordering, then you
can either use CONVERT or copy the files directly.
The basic outline of the process is as follows:
1.
Identify the tablespaces that will be transported. Depending on relations between

objects in the tablespaces you want to transport and objects in other tablespaces,
this may require careful planning.
2.
Make the tablespaces to be moved read-only.
3.
Use the Original Export utility to generate a file containing structural information
from the data dictionary for the tablespaces to be transported. This file will be
used when plugging the tablespaces into the destination database.
4.
If you need to convert your datafiles for transport and you wish to use the source
system's resources for the conversion, then use the RMAN CONVERT
TABLESPACE command at this point on the source platform to convert the
tablespaces for the target platform. See the first example following this outline. (If
you prefer to use the destination system's resources for the conversion, do nothing
in this step.)
CONVERT
5.
Copy the datafiles (converted, if necessary) and the export dump file to the target
database. You may move these by any means that is convenient: an operating
system copy, ftp, or even distribution on removable media like CDs or tapes.
6.
If you are transporting across platforms where endian conversion is required, and
you did not perform the conversion on the source platform, then perform the
conversion on the destination platform. See the second example following this
outline.
7.
Invoke the Original Import utility to plug the set of tablespaces into the target
database.
For more details on this process, see Oracle Database Administrator's Guide. Read that
discussion in its entirety before attempting any part of the tablespace transport process.
The discussion in this document will focus on the specifics of using the CONVERT
TABLESPACE and CONVERT DATAFILE commands.
Suppose you need to
convert tablespaces finance (datafiles '/orahome/fin/fin01.dbf' and
'/orahome/fin/fin02.dbf') and hr (datafiles '/orahome/fin/hr01.dbf' and
'/orahome/fin/hr02.dbf') from a source database running on a Sun Solaris host to
a destination database running on an Linux PC. You plan to store the converted
datafiles in the temporary directory /tmp/transport_linux/ on the source host.
Converting Tablespaces on the Source Platform: Example
The example assumes that you have carried out the following steps in preparation for
the tablespace transport:
You have set the tablespaces to be transported to be read-only.

You have looked up the name for the destination platform in
V$TRANSPORTABLE_PLATFORM.
The PLATFORM_NAME for Linux on a PC is 'Linux IA (32-bit)'.
Now use RMAN to convert the datafiles to be transported to the destination host's
format on the source host. The FORMAT argument controls the name and location of
the converted datafiles.
% rman TARGET /
RMAN> CONVERT TABLESPACE finance,hr
TO PLATFORM 'Linux IA (32-bit)'
FORMAT='/tmp/transport_linux/%U';
The result is a set of converted datafiles in the /tmp/transport_linux/ directory,

with data in the right endian-order for the Linux IA (32-bit) platform.
From this point, you follow the rest of the general outline for tablespace transport. Use
the export utility to create the file of structural information, if you have not already,
move the structural information file and the converted datafiles from
/tmp/transport_linux/ to the desired directories on the destination host, and
plug the tablespace into the new database with the Import utility.
Converting Datafiles on the Target Platform: Example Suppose you need to
transport tablespaces finance (datafiles '/orahome/fin/fin01.dbf' and

'/orahome/fin/fin02.dbf') and hr (datafiles '/orahome/hr/hr01.dbf' and
'/orahome/hr/hr02.dbf') from a source database running on a Sun Solaris host to a
destination database running on an Linux PC host. You plan to perform conversion on
the target host. You will temporarily store the unconverted datafiles in the directory
/tmp/transport_solaris/ on the target host. When the datafiles are plugged into
the destination database, they will be stored in /orahome/dbs.
RMAN Commands 2-85
CONVERT
The example assumes that you have carried out the following steps in preparation for
the tablespace transport:
You have set the source tablespaces to be transported to be read-only, used the
Original Export utility to create the structural information file (named, in our
example, expdat.dmp), gathered expdat.dmp and the unconverted tablespace
datafiles to be transported, and copied these files to the destination host, in the
/tmp/transport_solaris/' directory. You have preserved the subdirectory
structure from the files' original location, that is, the datafiles are stored as:
/tmp/transport_solaris/fin/fin01.dbf
/tmp/transport_solaris/fin/fin02.dbf
/tmp/transport_solaris/hr/hr01.dbf
/tmp/transport_solaris/hr/hr02.dbf
Now use RMAN's CONVERT command to convert the datafiles to be transported to the
destination host's format and deposit the results in /orahome/dbs.
Note the following:
You have to identify the datafiles by filename, not by tablespace name. Until the
datafiles are plugged in, the local instance has no way of knowing the desired
tablespace names.
The FORMAT argument controls the name and location of the converted datafiles.
When converting on the destination host, you must specify the source platform
using the FROM argument. Otherwise, RMAN will assume that the source
platform is the same as the platform of the host performing the conversion.
% rman TARGET /
RMAN> CONVERT DATAFILE
/tmp/transport_solaris/fin/fin01.dbf',
/tmp/transport_solaris/fin/fin02.dbf',
/tmp/transport_solaris/hr/hr01.dbf',
/tmp/transport_solaris/hr/hr02.dbf'
DB_FILE_NAME_CONVERT
'/tmp/transport_solaris/fin','/orahome/dbs/fin',
'/tmp/transport_solaris/hr','/orahome/dbs/hr'
;
The result is a set of converted datafiles in the /orahome/dbs/ directory, named

thus:
/orahome/dbs/fin/fin01.dbf
/orahome/dbs/fin/fin02.dbf
/orahome/dbs/hr/hr01.dbf
/orahome/dbs/hr/hr02.dbf
From this point, follow the rest of the general outline for tablespace transport. Use
Import to plug the converted tablespaces into the new database with the import utility,
and make the tablespaces read-write if applicable.
Copying Datafiles To and From ASM Using CONVERT DATAFILE: Examples
The following example illustrates copying datafiles into ASM from normal storage.
Use CONVERT DATAFILE without specifying a source or destination platform, and
specifying ASM disk group +DATAFILE for the output location, as shown here:
RMAN>
convert datafile '/disk1/oracle/dbs/my_tbs_f1.df',
CONVERT
'/disk1/oracle/dbs/t_ax1.f'
format '+datafile';
Starting backup at 29-MAY-05
using channel ORA_DISK_1
channel ORA_DISK_1: starting datafile conversion
input filename=/disk1/oracle/dbs/t_ax1.f
converted datafile=+DATAFILE/asmv/datafile/sysaux.280.559534477
channel ORA_DISK_1: datafile conversion complete, elapsed time: 00:00:16
input filename=/disk1/oracle/dbs/my_tbs_f1.df
converted datafile=+DATAFILE/asmv/datafile/my_tbs.281.559534493
Finished backup at 29-MAY-05
The following example illustrates copying the datafiles of a tablespace out of ASM
storage, to directory /tmp, with uniquely generated filenames.
RMAN> convert tablespace tbs_2 format '/tmp/tbs_2_%U.df';
Starting backup at 03-JUN-05
using target database control file instead of recovery catalog
allocated channel: ORA_DISK_1
channel ORA_DISK_1: sid=20 devtype=DISK
input datafile fno=00006 name=+DATAFILE/tbs_21.f
converted datafile=/tmp/tbs_2_data_D-L2_I-2786301554_TS-TBS_2_FNO-6_11gm2fq9.df
converted datafile=/tmp/tbs_2_data_D-L2_I-2786301554_TS-TBS_2_FNO-7_12gm2fqa.df
converted datafile=/tmp/tbs_2_data_D-L2_I-2786301554_TS-TBS_2_FNO-19_13gm2fqb.df
converted datafile=/tmp/tbs_2_data_D-L2_I-2786301554_TS-TBS_2_FNO-9_14gm2fqc.df
converted datafile=/tmp/tbs_2_data_D-L2_I-2786301554_TS-TBS_2_FNO-10_15gm2fqd.df
Finished backup at 03-JUN-05
Transporting Databases: Examples

Transporting databases is documented in Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Advanced
User's Guide. Read that discussion in its entirety before attempting any part of the
process of transporting a database. The discussion in this document will focus on the
specifics of using the CONVERT DATABASE command.
The arguments to CONVERT DATABASE vary depending upon whether the conversion
of the datafiles is performed on the source or destination platform. For a description of
the conversion process on source and destination platforms and extended examples,
refer to Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Advanced User's Guide.
The following example illustrates using the CONVERT DATABASE command and
converting the datafiles to the destination platform format on the source host:
RMAN Commands 2-87
CONVERT
RMAN> CONVERT DATABASE NEW DATABASE 'newdb'

transport script '/tmp/convertdb/transportscript'
to platform 'Microsoft Windows IA (32-bit)'
db_file_name_convert '/disk1/oracle/dbs' '/tmp/convertdb'
;
The following example illustrates using the CONVERT DATABASE command and
converting the datafiles to the destination platform format on the destination host:
CONVERT DATABASE ON TARGET PLATFORM
CONVERT SCRIPT '/tmp/convertdb/convertscript.rman'
TRANSPORT SCRIPT '/tmp/convertdb/transportscript.sql'
new database 'newdb'
FORMAT '/tmp/convertdb/%U'
CREATE CATALOG
CREATE CATALOG
Syntax
createCatalog::=
;
CREATE CATALOG
Purpose
To create a schema for the recovery catalog. Typically, you create this schema in a
separate recovery catalog database. The catalog is created in the default tablespace of
the recovery catalog owner.
In releases prior to 8.1.5, you created the recovery catalog

schema by connecting to the recovery catalog database and
executing the catrman.sql script.
Note:

Guide to learn how to create the recovery catalog
Execute this command only at the RMAN prompt.

RMAN must be connected to the recovery catalog either through the CATALOG
command-line option or the CONNECT CATALOG command, and the catalog
database must be open. A connection to the target database is not required.
The recovery catalog owner must be granted the RECOVERY_CATALOG_OWNER
role, and also be granted space privileges in the tablespace where the recovery
catalog tables will reside.
If you specify the tablespace name in the CREATE CATALOG command, and if the
tablespace name is an RMAN reserved word (as listed in "RMAN Reserved
Words" on page 1-3), then it must be uppercase and enclosed in quotes.
Do not create the recovery catalog in the SYS schema.
See Also:
Oracle Database Administrator's Guide for more information

about the RECOVERY_CATALOG_OWNER role
"cmdLine" on page 2-57 for information about RMAN
command-line options

None
Example
Creating a Catalog Schema: Example
RMAN Commands 2-89
CREATE CATALOG
The following example creates a user rman, grants rman the

RECOVERY_CATALOG_OWNER role, then creates the recovery catalog in the schema
rman.cattbs of the database rcat:
#!/usr/bin/tcsh
# create user rman in recovery catalog database as catalog owner
% sqlplus 'SYS/change_on_install@rcat AS SYSDBA'
SQL> CREATE USER rman IDENTIFIED BY rman
DEFAULT TABLESPACE cattbs
QUOTA UNLIMITED ON cattbs;
SQL> GRANT recovery_catalog_owner TO rman;
SQL> EXIT
# connect to database as catalog owner and create catalog
% rman CATALOG rman/rman@rcat
RMAN> CREATE CATALOG;
CREATE SCRIPT
CREATE SCRIPT
Syntax
createScript::=
=
GLOBAL
CREATE
SCRIPT
COMMENT
comment
script_name
backupCommands
{
maintenanceCommands
miscellaneousCommands
restoreCommands
;
FROM FILE
filename
Purpose
To create a stored script in the recovery catalog.
A stored script is a sequence of RMAN commands, given a name and stored in the
recovery catalog for later execution. A stored script may be local (that is, associated
with one target database) or global (available for use with any database registered in
the recovery catalog).
Any command that is legal within a RUN command is permitted in the stored script.
Several other commands are used with stored scripts:
The PRINT SCRIPT command is used to view the contents of a stored script.
The REPLACE SCRIPT command is used to update the contents of a stored script.
The EXECUTE SCRIPT command is used to execute the commands in the stored
script.
The SCRIPT command line arguments for RMAN (described in "cmdLine" on
page 2-57) runs a stored script automatically when starting RMAN.
The LIST SCRIPT NAMES command is used to find out what stored scripts are
defined for the current target database and recovery catalog.
The DELETE SCRIPT command is used to delete a stored script from the recovery
catalog.
Guide to learn how to use stored scripts

Note the following restrictions:
Execute CREATE SCRIPT only at the RMAN prompt, not within a RUN block.
When creating a script, RMAN must be connected to a target database and a
recovery catalog, and the catalog database must be open.
You cannot run CREATE SCRIPT once to create a local script, and then use this
same script on multiple target databases. If you want to create a global script, you
RMAN Commands 2-91
CREATE SCRIPT
must connect to some target database (as well as a recovery catalog) and then use
CREATE GLOBAL SCRIPT instead of CREATE SCRIPT.
You cannot execute a RUN command within a stored script.
The @ and @@ commands do not work within CREATE SCRIPT.
Quotes must be used around the script name when the name contains either
spaces or reserved words.
RMAN returns an error RMAN-20401: script already exists if you try to
create a local script when another local script already exists for the same target
database with the same name. The same error is returned if you try to create a
global script and a global script already exists with the same name in the recovery
catalog. If the script already exists, you must use REPLACE SCRIPT to update its
contents.

Syntax Element
Description
GLOBAL
Identifies the script being created as global. If omitted, RMAN creates a local
stored script script_name defined on the current target database. If no such
script is defined on the target database, RMAN creates for a global stored
script script_name.
'script_name'
The name of the script to create.
COMMENT [=] 'comment'
Associates an explanatory comment with the stored script in the catalog.
FROM FILE 'filename'
Reads the sequence of commands to define the script from the specified file.
The file should look like the body of a valid stored script. The first line of the
file must be a '{' and the last line must contain a '}'. The RMAN commands in
the file must be valid in a stored script.
backupCommands
maintenanceCommands
Commands valid in a stored script. The statements allowable within the

brackets of the CREATE SCRIPT 'script_name' {...} command are the
same commands supported within a RUN block. See "RUN" on page 2-195 for
more details.
restoreCommands
Example
Creating a Local Stored Script: Example This example creates a stored script called
backup_whole that backs up the database and archived redo logs:
# creates recovery catalog script to back up database and archived logs
CREATE SCRIPT backup_whole
COMMENT "backup whole database and logs"
{
BACKUP INCREMENTAL LEVEL 0 TAG b_whole_l0
DATABASE PLUS ARCHIVELOG;
}
Creating a Global Stored Script: Example This example creates a stored script called
backup_whole that backs up the database and archived redo logs:
# creates recovery catalog script to back up database and archived logs
CREATE GLOBAL SCRIPT global_backup_db
COMMENT "backup any database from the recovery catalog, with logs"
{
}
CROSSCHECK
CROSSCHECK
Syntax
crosscheck::=
CROSSCHECK
maintSpec
maintSpec::=
OF
listObjList
BACKUP
maintQualifier
OF
listObjList
COPY
=
DEVICE TYPE
,
deviceSpecifier
recordSpec
Purpose
To verify the status of backups and copies recorded in the RMAN repository against
media such as disk or tape. The CROSSCHECK command only processes files created
on the same device type as the channels running the crosscheck.
Status of RMAN Backups

The CROSSCHECK command checks only objects marked AVAILABLE or EXPIRED by
examining the files on disk for DISK channels or by querying the media manager for
sbt channels. Table 22 describes the meaning of each status.
Table 22
Meaning of Crosscheck Status
Status
Description
EXPIRED
Object is not found either in file system (for DISK) or in the media
manager (for sbt). Note that for a backup set to be EXPIRED, all backup
pieces in the set must be EXPIRED.
Note: EXPIRED does not mean the same as OBSOLETE.
AVAILABLE
Object is available for use by RMAN. For a backup set to be AVAILABLE,

all backup pieces in the set must have the status AVAILABLE.
UNAVAILABLE
Object is not available for use by RMAN. For a backup set to be

UNAVAILABLE, all backup pieces in the set must have the status
UNAVAILABLE.
The CROSSCHECK command does not delete any files that it is unable to find, but
updates their repository records to EXPIRED. Then, you can run DELETE EXPIRED to
remove the repository records for all expired files as well as any existing physical files
whose records show the status EXPIRED.
If some backup pieces or copies were erroneously marked as EXPIRED, for example,
because the media manager was misconfigured, then after ensuring that the files really
do exist in the media manager, run the CROSSCHECK BACKUP command again to
restore those files to AVAILABLE status.
RMAN Commands 2-93
CROSSCHECK
to manage target database records in the catalog

A maintenance channel is not required when CROSSCHECK is used with a file that
is on disk. However, if you run CROSSCHECK on files stored on a media manager,
and you have not configured automatic channels for the media manager, then you
must manually allocate maintenance channels for these objects. For example, if
you created a backup on an sbt channel, but have not configured automatic
channels for your sbt device, then you must manually allocate an sbt channel
before the CROSSCHECK command can check the backup.
Crosscheck validates all specified backups and copies, even if they were created in
prior incarnations (that is, before the most recent OPEN RESETLOGS).

Syntax Element
Description
maintSpec
Crosschecks files output by the BACKUP command. For maintSpec options,

refer to the parameter descriptions in "maintSpec" on page 2-148.
Examples
Crosschecking All Backups and Copies: Example The following example, which
assumes that the default configured channel is DEVICE TYPE sbt, queries the status of
all backups and copies on tape and disk. Because RMAN preconfigures a disk channel,
you do not need to manually allocate a disk channel:
CROSSCHECK BACKUP; # crosschecks backup sets and image copies
Crosschecking Within a Range of Dates: Example The following example queries

the media manager for the status of the backup sets in a given six month range. Note
that RMAN uses the date format specified in the NLS_DATE_FORMAT parameter,
which is 'DD-MON-YY' in this example:
# if you manually allocate an sbt channel, then RMAN does not crosscheck disk
CROSSCHECK BACKUP
COMPLETED BETWEEN '01-JAN-01' AND '01-SEP-01';
RELEASE CHANNEL;
# to crosscheck only disk, specify CROSSCHECK DEVICE TYPE DISK
CROSSCHECK BACKUP DEVICE TYPE DISK
COMPLETED BETWEEN '01-JAN-01' AND '01-SEP-01';
# assuming that the default channel is sbt, you can crosscheck on both disk
# and sbt backups by simply running CROSSCHECK with the default channels
CROSSCHECK BACKUP COMPLETED BETWEEN '01-JAN-01' AND '01-SEP-01';
datafileSpec
datafileSpec
Syntax
datafileSpec::=
filename
integer
Purpose
A subclause that specifies a datafile by filename or absolute file number.
You can specify the relative or absolute path name.

Double and single quotes are both legal (although only single quotes are shown in
the diagram). Double quotes are recommended in the SQL command.
Use ? to represent the Oracle home and @ for the Oracle SID.
See Also: "Placeholders" on page 1-2 to learn about the difference
between single and double quotes, as well as the behavior of
environment variables in RMAN quoted strings

Syntax Element
Description
'filename'
Specifies the datafile by using either the full path or a relative filename. If you
specify a relative filename, the filename is qualified in a port-specific manner
by the target database.
integer
Specifies the datafile by using its absolute file number. Obtain the file number
from the V$DATAFILE, V$DATAFILE_COPY, or V$DATAFILE_HEADER views
or REPORT SCHEMA command output.
Examples
Specifying a Datafile by Filename: Example This example copies datafile
?/oradata/trgt/users01.dbf to disk, specifying it by filename:

BACKUP AS COPY
DATAFILE '?/oradata/trgt/users01.dbf'
FORMAT '?/oradata/users01.cpy';
Specifying a Datafile by Absolute File Number: Example This example copies

datafiles 3 and 4 to disk, specifying them by file number:
BACKUP AS COPY
DATAFILE 3 FORMAT '?/oradata/df3.cpy',
DATAFILE 4 FORMAT '?/oradata/df4.cpy';
RMAN Commands 2-95
DELETE
DELETE
Syntax
delete::=
EXPIRED
FORCE
maintSpec
NOPROMPT
DELETE
=
obsOperandList
DEVICE TYPE
deviceSpecifier
OBSOLETE
maintSpec::=
OF
listObjList
BACKUP
maintQualifier
OF
listObjList
COPY
,
=
DEVICE TYPE
deviceSpecifier
recordSpec
Purpose
To delete physical backups and copies as well as do the following:
Update their repository records in the target control file to status DELETED
Remove their repository records from the recovery catalog (if you use a catalog)
When running RMAN interactively, DELETE displays a list of the files and prompts
you for confirmation before deleting any file in the list. When reading commands from
a command file, RMAN will not prompt for confirmation.
Relationship Between Repository and Media

The repository record for a backup can sometimes fail to reflect the physical status of
the backup. For example, files backed up to disk can be deleted using an operating
system utility. The record in the RMAN repository is not updated by the operating
system utility, so the RMAN repository still shows the object as available even though
it has been deleted. If you do not run the CROSSCHECK command to update the
repository, and if you then run DELETE against the backup, then the repository shows
that the object is AVAILABLE while the object is in fact missing. The following table
indicates the behavior of DELETE in such situations.
Repository Status
Physical Status
Behavior of DELETE Command
AVAILABLE
Not found on
media
Does not delete the object and reports the list of

mismatched objects at the end of the job. RMAN
does not update the repository status.
EXPIRED
Found on media
Does not delete the object and reports the list of

mismatched objects at the end of the job. RMAN
does not update the repository status.
UNAVAILABLE
Any
Removes repository record and deletes object if it

exists. All I/O errors are ignored.
DELETE
Repository Status
Physical Status
Behavior of DELETE Command
FORCE
Any
Removes repository record and deletes object if it

exists. All I/O errors are ignored. RMAN displays
the number of objects deleted at the end of the job.
"BACKUP" on page 2-22 to learn about the BACKUP ...

DELETE INPUT command
See Also:

The DELETE command can delete usable backups and copies from prior
incarnations.
A maintenance channel is not required when DELETE is used with a file that is
disk-only (that is, an ARCHIVELOG, DATAFILECOPY, CONTROLFILECOPY).
Otherwise, you must use a manual or automatic maintenance channel.
If you use DELETE on files that are not disk-only, and if you have objects created
on device types that are not configured for automatic channels, then run manual
maintenance commands on these channels. For example, if you created a backup
using an sbt channel, but have only a DISK channel automatically configured,
you must manually allocate an sbt channel for DELETE.

Syntax Element
Description
FORCE
Deletes specified files (whether or not they exist on the media) and removes
repository records. RMAN ignores any I/O errors for the deleted objects.
RMAN displays the number of deleted objects at the end of the job.
NOPROMPT
Deletes specified files without first listing the files or prompting for
confirmation. The DELETE NOPROMPT command still displays each item as it
is deleted.
By default, DELETE displays a list of files to be deleted and prompts for
confirmation. If the user confirms, then RMAN shows each item as it is
deleted. If you are running commands from a command file, then NOPROMPT
is the default.
EXPIRED
Removes only files whose status in the repository is EXPIRED. RMAN marks
backups and copies as expired when you run a CROSSCHECK command and
the files are absent or inaccessible. To determine which files are expired, run a
LIST EXPIRED command.
If for some reason a backup or copy marked EXPIRED exists when you run
the DELETE EXPIRED command, then RMAN deletes the physical files.
maintSpec
Deletes files output by the BACKUP command. For maintSpec options, refer to
the parameter descriptions in "maintSpec" on page 2-148.
RMAN Commands 2-97
DELETE
Syntax Element
Description
OBSOLETE
Deletes backups and datafile copies recorded in the RMAN repository that are
obsolete, that is, no longer needed. In addition to obsolete datafile backups,
RMAN deletes obsolete archived logs and archived log backups. RMAN
determines which backups and copies of datafiles are no longer needed,
which in turn determines when logs (and backups of logs) are no longer
needed. RMAN considers the creation of a datafile as a backup when deciding
which logs to keep.
RMAN first uses the options that you specify with obsOperandList to
determine what is obsolete. If you do not specify options in obsOperandList,
then RMAN uses the options specified in CONFIGURE RETENTION POLICY.
Note: Even if you use a KEEP UNTIL clause to specify a time after which a
backup is to be considered obsolete, RMAN does not consider that backup
obsolete if it is needed to satisfy the specified retention policy. A KEEP UNTIL
clause can cause a backup to be kept longer than the retention policy requires,
but never a shorter time.
obsOperandList
Specifies the criteria for determining which backups and copies are obsolete.
See Also: "obsOperandList" on page 2-150
Restricts the deletion to obsolete backups and copies created on the specified
device type only.
Examples
Deleting Expired Backups: Example The following example uses a configured sbt
channel to check the media manager for expired backups of the tablespace users that
are more than one month old and removes their catalog records:
CROSSCHECK BACKUPSET OF TABLESPACE users
DEVICE TYPE sbt COMPLETED BEFORE 'SYSDATE-31';
DELETE NOPROMPT EXPIRED BACKUPSET OF TABLESPACE users
DEVICE TYPE sbt COMPLETED BEFORE 'SYSDATE-31';
Deleting Obsolete Backups: Example The following example deletes backups and
copies that are not needed to recover the database to a random point within the last
week. RMAN also deletes archived redo logs that are no longer needed:
DELETE NOPROMPT OBSOLETE RECOVERY WINDOW OF 7 DAYS;
Deleting Files That Have Already Been Backed Up: Example The following example
deletes backups and copies (including archived redo logs) that have already been
backed up at least twice to tape:
DELETE NOPROMPT BACKUP BACKED UP 2 TIMES TO DEVICE TYPE sbt;
DELETE NOPROMPT COPY BACKED UP 2 TIMES TO DEVICE TYPE sbt;
Forcing the Deletion of a Backup Set: Example The following example attempts to
delete the backup set copy with tag weekly_bkup:
DELETE NOPROMPT BACKUPSET TAG weekly_bkup;
However, RMAN displays a warning because the repository shows the backup set as
available, but the object is not actually available on the media:
RMAN-06207: WARNING: 1 objects could not be deleted for SBT_TAPE channel(s) due
RMAN-06208:
to mismatched status. Use CROSSCHECK command to fix status
List of Mismatched objects
==========================
Object Type
Filename/Handle
DELETE
--------------- --------------------------------------------------Backup Piece

0id270ud_1_1
The following command forces RMAN to delete the backup set:

DELETE FORCE NOPROMPT BACKUPSET TAG weekly_bkup;
RMAN Commands 2-99
DELETE SCRIPT
DELETE SCRIPT
Syntax
deleteScript::=
GLOBAL
DELETE
SCRIPT
script_name
Purpose
To delete a local or global stored script from the recovery catalog.
Execute DELETE SCRIPT only at the RMAN prompt.

RMAN must be connected to a recovery catalog and target database, and the
catalog database must be open.
To delete a local script, you must be connected to the target database for which the
local script is defined.
Quotes must be used around the script name when the name contains either
spaces or reserved words.

Syntax Element
Description
GLOBAL
Specifies that the script to delete is a global stored script. Otherwise, RMAN
will look for a local stored script called script_name defined on the current
target database. (If no such script is defined on the target database, RMAN
will check for a global stored script named script_name and delete that
script if it exists.)
'script_name'
Specifies the name of the script to delete.

See Also: "CREATE SCRIPT" on page 2-91, "EXECUTE SCRIPT" on page 2-112,
"REPLACE SCRIPT" on page 2-168, and "LIST" on page 2-91 for LIST SCRIPT
NAMES.
Example
The following example deletes a stored script
b_whole_10 from the recovery catalog:
Deleting a Script: Example
rman TARGET / CATALOG rman/cat@catdb

RMAN> DELETE SCRIPT b_whole_10;
If a local stored script b_whole_10 is defined, it is deleted. If no local stored script

b_whole_10 is defined but a global stored script b_whole_10 is defined, the global
script is deleted.
deviceSpecifier
deviceSpecifier
Syntax
deviceSpecifier::=
DISK
media_device
Purpose
A subclause specifying the type of storage for a backup or copy.

Syntax Element
Description
DISK
Specifies disk storage device.
'media_device'
Specifies a sequential I/O device or access method for storage. The syntax and
semantics of sequential I/O device types are platform-specific. Example
values are sbt and sbt_tape (with or without quotes). These values are
synonymous.
The media_device variable specifies a media manager. Media device names
are case insensitive. The sbt variable is legal as input, but RMAN output
always displays its synonym sbt_tape. It is stored in the catalog as
sbt_tape for backward compatibility.
Examples
Allocating a Tape Channel: Example This example allocates a maintenance channel
for a media management device:
Backing Up to Disk: Example This example backs up the database to disk:

Restoring from Tape: Example This example restores archived logs from tape:
RESTORE DEVICE TYPE sbt ARCHIVELOG ALL;
RMAN Commands 2-101
DROP CATALOG
DROP CATALOG
Syntax
dropCatalog::=
;
DROP CATALOG
Purpose
To remove the schema from the recovery catalog.
Caution: This command deletes all RMAN repository data from
the recovery catalog. If you have no backups of the catalog, then all
backups of all databases managed by this recovery catalog become
unusable.

Guide to learn how to drop the recovery catalog schema

You must be connected to the recovery catalog database through the CATALOG
command-line option or the CONNECT CATALOG command. The catalog
database must be open. You do not have to be connected to the target database.
Enter the command twice to confirm that you want to drop the schema.
Example
Deleting the Catalog: Example This example drops the schema from the recovery
catalog (you must enter the command twice to confirm):
RMAN> DROP CATALOG
recovery catalog owner is RMAN
enter DROP CATALOG command again to confirm catalog removal
RMAN> DROP CATALOG
DROP DATABASE
DROP DATABASE
Syntax
dropDatabase::=
INCLUDING BACKUPS
DROP DATABASE
NOPROMPT
;
Purpose
Deletes the target database and, if RMAN is connected to a recovery catalog,
unregisters it. RMAN removes all datafiles, online logs, and control files belonging to
the target database.

You must be connected to the target database, which must mounted exclusive and
not open, and started in RESTRICT mode.
If you want RMAN to delete archived logs, copies, and backups belonging to the
database, then you must use the DROP DATABASE INCLUDING BACKUPS form of
the command.

Syntax Element
Description
INCLUDING BACKUPS
Deletes backup sets, proxy copies, image copies, and archived logs associated
with the target database from all configured device types.
Note: If you have been using a recovery catalog but run RMAN in
NOCATALOG mode when you drop the database, then RMAN will not delete
any backups which are known to the recovery catalog but no longer exist in
the target database control file.
NOPROMPT
Specifies that you do not want RMAN to prompt you for confirmation before
deleting the database. By default, RMAN prompts for confirmation.
Example
In this example, you want to delete a test database
called test1 that is registered in the recovery catalog. You connect to test1 which is
started in RESTRICT mode, and delete the database files, as well as all backups,
copies, and archived logs associated with the database:
Deleting a Database: Example
% sqlplus SYS/oracle@test1 AS SYSDBA;

SQL> ALTER SYSTEM ENABLE RESTRICTED SESSION;
SQL> QUIT;
% rman TARGET SYS/oracle@test1 CATALOG test1/test1@catdb
RMAN> DROP DATABASE INCLUDING BACKUPS NOPROMPT;
RMAN Commands 2-103
DUPLICATE
DUPLICATE
Syntax
duplicate::=
dupsbyOptionList
FOR STANDBY
DUPLICATE TARGET DATABASE
TO
dupOptionList
database_name
dupOptionList::=
,
=
DEVICE TYPE
deviceSpecifier
,
LOGFILE
logSpec
NOFILENAMECHECK
OPEN RESTRICTED
=
PFILE
filename
SKIP READONLY
,
SKIP TABLESPACE
tablespace_name
untilClause
dupsbyOptionList::=
DORECOVER
NOFILENAMECHECK
logSpec::=
REUSE
filename
SIZE
sizeSpec
,
GROUP
integer
filename
REUSE
SIZE
sizeSpec
sizeSpec::=
G
K
M
integer
Purpose
To use backups (backup sets or image copies) of the target database to create either of
the following:
DUPLICATE
A duplicate database, which is a copy of the target database (or a subset of the
target database) with a unique DBID. Because a duplicate database has a unique
DBID, it is entirely independent of the primary database and can be registered in
the same recovery catalog as the primary database. Typically, duplicate databases
are used for testing.
A standby database, which is a special copy of the primary database that is
updated by applying archived redo logs from the primary database. A standby
database does not get a new DBID.
To create a standby database with the DUPLICATE command you must specify the FOR
STANDBY option. The DUPLICATE ... FOR STANDBY command creates the standby
database by restoring a standby control file, mounting the standby control file, and
then restoring and recovering backups of the target datafiles. The standby database is
left mounted after duplication is complete. Note that backups of the standby database
are interchangeable with backups of the primary database.
When duplicating a database that is currently in NOARCHIVELOG mode, recovery
occurs with the NOREDO option. Hence, if incremental backups exist, RMAN applies
only these backups to the restored files during recovery. For databases in ARCHIVELOG
mode, DUPLICATE recovers by default up to the last archived redo log generated at
the time the command was executed, or until a time specified with a SET UNTIL
clause.
See Also:
Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Advanced User's Guide to learn

how to create a duplicate database with the DUPLICATE command
Oracle Data Guard Concepts and Administration to learn how to
create, manage, and back up a standby database

These restrictions apply to all uses of the DUPLICATE command (both for creation of a
standby database and creation of a nonstandby duplicate database):
The target SCN for a DUPLICATE command cannot be before the most recent
OPENRESETLOGS. DUPLICATE to previous incarnations is not supported.
Issue one or more ALLOCATE AUXILIARY CHANNEL commands before executing
the DUPLICATE command, or CONFIGURE automatic auxiliary channels. RMAN
uses the channel configuration from the target for auxiliary channels in the
following circumstances:
You have not manually allocated auxiliary channels.
You have not configured auxiliary channels.
The automatic target channels do not have CONNECT strings.
The DUPLICATE command does not require non-AUXILIARY channels (that is,
normal target database channels).
You must be connected to both the target database and auxiliary instance. The
auxiliary instance must be started with the NOMOUNT option, and the target
database must be mounted or open. The target database cannot be a standby
database.
If you need to duplicate a database when some backups of the target database do
not exist then you must specify SKIP TABLESPACE. If you do not specify SKIP
TABLESPACE, then RMAN attempts to duplicate the following:
RMAN Commands 2-105
DUPLICATE
All datafiles in online tablespaces, whether or not the datafiles are online.
All tablespaces taken offline with an option other than NORMAL. For example,
RMAN attempts to duplicate tablespaces taken offline with the IMMEDIATE
option. You cannot duplicate OFFLINE NORMAL tablespaces, although you can
add these tablespaces manually after duplication.
If no valid backups exist of any tablespace or datafile, then the DUPLICATE

command fails.
You can skip all tablespaces in the target database except the SYSTEM tablespace,
undo tablespaces, and tablespaces containing rollback segments. RMAN does not
check for completeness. For example, you can duplicate a data tablespace but not
the tablespace containing the index for the data, or duplicate a tablespace that
contains only one partition of a partitioned table.
If the target and duplicate databases reside on the same host, set the
CONTROL_FILES parameter appropriately so that the DUPLICATE command does
not generate an error because the target control file is in use.
If the target and duplicate databases share the same host, set all *_PATH and
*_DEST initialization parameters appropriately so that the target database files are
not overwritten by the duplicate database files.
You cannot set the DB_NAME parameter in the duplicate parameter file to a value
different from the database name specified in the DUPLICATE command.
You cannot use the same database name for the target and duplicate databases
when the duplicate database resides in the same Oracle home as the target. Note
that if the duplicate database resides in a different Oracle home from the target,
then its database name just has to differ from other database names in that same
Oracle home.
If the target and duplicate databases reside on different hosts, then you must do
one of the following tasks for duplication to be successful:
Move backups and disk copies from the target host to the duplicate host to the
same location as the target host so that the path names are identical
Move backups and disk copies from the target host to the duplicate host to a
new location (so that the path names are different), and then CATALOG them.
Make sure that all backups and copies (disk or sbt) on the target host are
remotely accessible from the duplicate host. Make sure that the archived redo
logs are available in the expected location in the new host.
Duplication must be done to the same platform as the source datababse.

You cannot recover the duplicate database to the current point in time, that is, the
most recent SCN. RMAN recovers the duplicate database up to or before the most
recent available archived log: it cannot recover into the online redo logs.
Specify new filenames or convert target filenames for the datafiles and online redo
logs when the duplicate filenames must be different from the target filenames (as
when duplicating to the same host as the primary). If you do not specify filenames
for duplicate online redo logs and datafiles, then RMAN reuses the target datafile
names.
If you want the duplicate filenames to be the same as the target filenames, and if
the databases are in different hosts, then you must specify NOFILENAMECHECK.
If duplicating a database on the same host as the target database, do not specify
the NOFILENAMECHECK option. Otherwise, RMAN may signal this error:
DUPLICATE
RMAN-10035: exception raised in RPC: ORA-19504: failed to create file

"/oracle/dbs/tbs_01.f"
ORA-27086: skgfglk: unable to lock file - already in use
SVR4 Error: 11: Resource temporarily unavailable
Additional information: 8
RMAN-10031: ORA-19624 occurred during call to
DBMS_BACKUP_RESTORE.RESTOREBACKUPPIECE
The following restrictions and notes apply when you use the DUPLICATE command
with the FOR STANDBY option:
All backups and copies located on disk must be available at the standby host with
the same path names as in the target host.
Backups on tape must be accessible from the standby host.
If archived logs have not been backed up, then archived logs must be available at
the standby host with the same path names as in the target host.
If RMAN recovers the standby database, then the checkpoint SCN of the control
file must be included in an archived redo log that is either available at the standby
site or included in an RMAN backup. For example, assume that you create the
standby control file and then immediately afterward archive the current log,
which has a sequence of 100. In this case, you must recover the standby database
up to at least log sequence 100, or the database signals an ORA-1152 error
message because the standby control file backup or copy was taken after the point
in time.
You cannot use SET NEWNAME or CONFIGURE AUXNAME to transform the
filenames for the online redo logs on the standby database.
You cannot use the DUPLICATE command to activate a standby database.
You cannot connect to the standby database and then DUPLICATE ... FOR
STANDBY to create an additional standby database. To create additional standby
databases, connect to the original primary database and run DUPLICATE ... FOR
STANDBY.
Do not attempt to register the standby database in the primary database
repository.
The DB_FILE_NAME_CONVERT and LOG_FILE_NAME_CONVERT initialization
parameters cannot be used to control generation of new names for files at the
duplicate which are Oracle Managed Files (OMF) at the target database. When
using Oracle Managed Files at the target instance, it is not generally possible to
generate valid OMF filenames for the duplicate instance by replacing a substring
of the target instance OMF filename. When duplicating Oracle Managed Files and
storing the duplicates in an ASM disk group, RMAN uses
DB_FILE_NAME_CONVERT or LOG_FILE_NAME_CONVERT to convert the disk
group name, and then generates a new, valid filename based on the converted disk
group name.
You can avoid this issue by using one of the other supported options for naming
datafiles being duplicated from OMF:
Use SET NEWNAME to specify names for individual datafiles
Use DB_CREATE_FILE_DEST for any datafile names not specifically

renamed by SET NEWNAME, and do not specify DB_FILE_NAME_CONVERT.
The supported options for naming online logs being duplicated from OMF are to
use DB_CREATE_FILE_DEST, DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST or
RMAN Commands 2-107
DUPLICATE
DB_CREATE_ONLINE_LOG_DEST_n. Do not use the LOG_FILE_NAME_CONVERT

parameter.
When creating a standby or duplicate database and using Oracle Managed Files,
tempfiles are re-created in the current DB_CREATE_FILE_DEST, either when the
database is opened to become a primary, or when it is opened read-only. When not
using Oracle Managed Files, DB_FILE_NAME_CONVERT is used to convert the
tempfile names for the new database. When the standby or duplicate database is
opened in read-only or read/write mode, Oracle automatically creates temporary
files as needed, with the converted names based upon DB_FILE_NAME_CONVERT.
To specify different filenames for the tempfiles, see the discussion of SWITCH
TEMPFILE on page 2-217.

duplicate
Syntax Element
Description
FOR STANDBY
Specifies that database being duplicated is to be used as a standby database.

RMAN restores the most recent files, unless SET UNTIL is specified. If
DORECOVER is specified, then RMAN also recovers database. RMAN always
leaves standby database in mounted state after executing DUPLICATE
command.
dupsbyOptionList
Specifies options that only apply when creating a standby database.
DORECOVER
Specifies that RMAN should recover the database after creating it. If you
specify an untilClause, then RMAN recovers to the specified point and leaves
the database mounted.
NOFILENAMECHECK
Prevents RMAN from checking whether target datafiles sharing the same
names as the duplicated files are in use. Note that the NOFILENAMECHECK
option is required when the standby and primary datafiles and logs have
identical filenames.
See Also: The description in dupOptionList
TO 'database_name'
Specifies the name of the duplicate database. The name should match the
name in the initialization parameter file of the duplicate database or the
database signals an error when creating the control file.
dupOptionList
Syntax Element
Description
dupOptionList
Specifies options that apply when creating a duplicate database not intended
for use as a standby database.
Allocates automatic channels for the specific deviceSpecifier only (for

example, DISK or sbt). This option is valid only if you have configured
automatic channels and have not manually allocated channels. For example, if
you CONFIGURE automatic disk and tape channels, and if you run
DUPLICATE...DEVICE TYPE DISK, then RMAN allocates only disk
channels.
DUPLICATE
Syntax Element
Description
Specifies one or more patterns to map original to duplicate filenames.

Note that this parameter overrides the initialization parameter
DB_FILE_NAME_CONVERT (if it is set). If a file in the specification list is not
affected by the conversion parameter in DUPLICATE, then you must rename it
by other means, such as SET NEWNAME.
See Also: "fileNameConversionSpec" on page 2-114
LOGFILE logSpec
Specifies the online redo logs when creating a nonstandby duplicate database.
The syntax is the same used in the LOGFILE option of the CREATE DATABASE
statement.
Refer to the description of logSpec for the legal options.
NOFILENAMECHECK
names as the duplicated files are in use. The user is responsible for
determining that the duplicate operation will not overwrite useful data.
This option is necessary when you are creating a duplicate database in a
different host that has the same disk configuration, directory structure, and
filenames as the host of the target database. For example, assume that you
have a small database located in the /dbs directory of host1:
/oracle/dbs/system_prod1.dbf
/oracle/dbs/users_prod1.dbf
/oracle/dbs/tools_prod1.dbf
/oracle/dbs/rbs_prod1.dbf
Assume that you want to duplicate the database in machine host2, which has
the same file system /oracle/dbs/*, and you want to use the same
filenames in the duplicate database as in the primary. In this case, specify the
NOFILENAMECHECK option to avoid an error message. Because RMAN is not
aware of the different hosts, RMAN cannot determine automatically that it
should not check the filenames.
OPEN RESTRICTED
Enables a restricted session in the duplicate database by issuing the following

SQL statement: ALTER SYSTEM ENABLE RESTRICTED SESSION. RMAN
issues this statement immediately before the duplicate database is opened.
PFILE = 'filename'
Specifies a client-side initialization parameter used by the auxiliary instance.

RMAN automatically shuts down and restarts the auxiliary instance during
duplication. If the auxiliary does not use a server-side parameter file in the
default location, you must specify the client-side parameter file that RMAN
should use when starting the auxiliary instance. Otherwise, you do not need
to specify PFILE.
SKIP READONLY
Excludes datafiles in read-only tablespaces from the duplicate database.

Note: A record for the skipped read-only tablespace still appears in
DBA_TABLESPACES. By using this feature, you can activate the read-only
tablespace later. For example, you can store the read-only tablespace data on a
CD-ROM, then mount the CD-ROM later and view the data.
SKIP TABLESPACE
'tablespace_name'
Excludes the specified tablespace from the duplicate database. Note that you
cannot exclude the SYSTEM tablespace, undo tablespaces, and tablespaces
with rollback segments.
untilClause
Sets the end point for incomplete recovery of the duplicate database. You can
achieve the same result by running SET UNTIL before the DUPLICATE
command.
RMAN Commands 2-109
DUPLICATE
logSpec
Syntax Element
Description
logSpec
Specifies the online redo logs when creating a nonstandby duplicate database.
If you do not specify LOGFILE, then RMAN uses LOG_FILE_NAME_CONVERT
if it is set. If neither LOGFILE nor LOG_FILE_NAME_CONVERT is set, then
RMAN uses the original target log filenames for the duplicate files. You must
specify the NOFILENAMECHECK option in this case.
See Also: Oracle Database SQL Reference for CREATE DATABASE syntax
'filename' SIZE integer
Specifies the filename of the online redo log member and the size of the file in
kilobytes (K) or megabytes (M). The default is in bytes.
REUSE
Allows the database to reuse an existing file. If the file already exists, then the
database verifies that its size matches the value of the SIZE parameter. If the
file does not exist, then it is created.
GROUP integer
Specifies the group containing the online redo log members.
dupsbyOptionList
Syntax Element
Description
dupsbyOptionList
Specifies options that only apply when creating a standby database.
DORECOVER
Specifies that RMAN should recover the database after creating it. If you
specify an untilClause, then RMAN recovers to the specified point and leaves
the database mounted.
Specifies how to convert original datafile names to new datafile names in the
standby database.
See Also:"fileNameConversionSpec" on page 2-114
NOFILENAMECHECK
names as the duplicated files are in use. Note that the NOFILENAMECHECK
option is required when the standby and primary datafiles and logs have
identical filenames.
See Also: The description in dupOptionList on page 2-108
Examples
Setting New Filenames Manually: Example This example assumes that the target
datafiles are on host1 in directory /h1/oracle/dbs/trgt. You wish to duplicate
the database to newdb on host2 in the directory /h2/oracle/oradata/newdb. The
DUPLICATE command uses backup sets stored on tape to duplicate the target database
to database newdb, and recovers it to a point 24 hours ago:
RUN
{
ALLOCATE AUXILIARY CHANNEL newdb1 DEVICE TYPE sbt;
DUPLICATE TARGET DATABASE TO newdb
DB_FILE_NAME_CONVERT=('/h1/oracle/dbs/trgt/','/h2/oracle/oradata/newdb/')
UNTIL TIME 'SYSDATE-1' # specifies incomplete recovery
SKIP TABLESPACE cmwlite, drsys, example
# skip desired tablespaces
PFILE = ?/dbs/initNEWDB.ora
lOGFILE
GROUP 1 ('?/oradata/newdb/redo01_1.f',
'?/oradata/newdb/redo01_2.f') SIZE 200K,
'?/oradata/newdb/redo02_2.f') SIZE 200K
DUPLICATE
'?/oradata/newdb/redo03_2.f') SIZE 200K REUSE;

}
Reusing the Target Filenames: Example This example assumes the following:
You are restoring to a new host without a catalog.
You have configured automatic channels.
The target host and duplicate host have the same file structure.
You wish to name the duplicate files exactly like the target database files.
You do not want to duplicate read-only tablespaces.
You want to prevent RMAN from checking whether files on the target database
that have the same names as the duplicated files are in use.
CONNECT TARGET
CONNECT AUXILIARY SYS/aux_pwd@newdb
DUPLICATE TARGET DATABASE TO ndbnewh
LOGFILE
'?/dbs/log_1.f' SIZE 200K,
'?/dbs/log_2.f' SIZE 200K
SKIP READONLY
NOFILENAMECHECK;
Creating a Standby Database: Example This example creates a standby database on

a remote host with the same directory structure as the primary host. In this example,
the NOFILENAMECHECK option is specified because the standby and primary datafiles
and logs have the same names. Note that an automatic auxiliary channel is already
configured, so you do not need to manually allocate a channel:
DUPLICATE TARGET DATABASE FOR STANDBY
NOFILENAMECHECK;
RMAN Commands 2-111
EXECUTE SCRIPT
EXECUTE SCRIPT
Syntax
executeScript::=
GLOBAL
EXECUTE
SCRIPT
script_name
Purpose
To run a local or global RMAN script stored in the recovery catalog.
See Also: "CREATE SCRIPT" on page 2-91 and Oracle Database
Backup and Recovery Advanced User's Guide for more details about
stored scripts
Use EXECUTE SCRIPT only within the braces of a RUN command.

RMAN must be connected to the catalog with the CATALOG command-line option
or the CONNECT CATALOG command, and the catalog must be open.
For a local script, RMAN must be connected to the target database for which the
local script is created.
When you run an EXECUTE SCRIPT command within a RUN block, RMAN places
the contents of the script in the context of that RUN block. For this reason, you
should not allocate a channel within the RUN block if you also allocate it in the
script.

Syntax Element
Description
GLOBAL
Specifies the execution of a global stored script instead of a local one.
'script_name'
The name of the stored script to execute.

If no local stored script defined for the current target database is found with
the name specified, RMAN searches for a global script by the same name and
executes it if one is found.
See Also: "LIST" on page 2-128 for more information about listing the scripts
stored in the recovery catalog, and "CREATE SCRIPT" on page 2-91 for
information about creating scripts
Example
Executing a Script: Example
This example runs a stored script called
backup_whole_10:
RUN { EXECUTE script backup_whole_10; }
EXIT
EXIT
Syntax
exit::=
EXIT
Purpose
To shut down the Recovery Manager utility.

Execute only at the RMAN prompt.
Example
Exiting RMAN: Example
This example starts RMAN and then shuts it down:
% rman
RMAN> EXIT
RMAN Commands 2-113
Syntax
fileNameConversionSpec::=
,
=
DB_FILE_NAME_CONVERT
string_pattern
Purpose
A subclause that specifies one or more patterns to be used in generating new database
file names based on old ones. Used with BACKUP , CONVERT and DUPLICATE as
one way of generating output file names.

The rules for these patterns and how they affect file naming are the same as those for
the initialization parameter DB_FILE_NAME_CONVERT. In parentheses, provide an
even number of string patterns.
When a new filename is generated based on an old one, the original filename is
compared to the first member of each pair of string patterns. The first time a pattern is
found which is a substring of the original filename, the new filename is generated by
substituting the second member of the pair for the substring that matched.
Set the string_pattern to a value such as:
DB_FILE_NAME_CONVERT = ('string1' , 'string2' , 'string3' , 'string4' ...)
where:
string1 is a pattern matching the orignal filename
string2 is the pattern replacing string1 in the generated filename
string3 is a pattern matching the orignal filename
string4 is the pattern replacing string3 in the generated filename
You can use as many pairs of primary and standby replacement strings as required.
For example, when making image copy backups of tablespaces users (with datafiles
in directory /disk1/dbs/users) and tools (with datafiles in
/disk1/dbs/tools/), to direct the converted datafiles to /newdisk/users and
/newdisk/tools respectively, use the DB_FILE_NAME_CONVERT pattern shown
here:
BACKUP AS COPY TABLESPACE users, tools
DB_FILE_NAME_CONVERT = ('disk1/dbs','newdisk');
For each datafile to be converted where 'disk1/dbs' is a substring of the filename, the
new filename is created by replacing 'disk1/dbs' with 'newdisk'. For example, the
converted datafile corresponding to /disk1/dbs/users/users01.dbf is stored in
/newdisk/users/users01.dbf, the converted datafile corresponding to
/disk1/dbs/tools/tools01.dbf is stored in /newdisk/tools/tools.dbf,
and so on.
Be aware of the following details:
The pattern does not have to match at the beginning of the filename. In the
previous example, the match of the pattern to the original filename began at the
second character. The command
BACKUP AS COPY TABLESPACE users
DB_FILE_NAME_CONVERT = ('dbs','newdbs');
would direct the image copies to /disk1/newdbs/users and

/disk1/newdbs/tools.
When there are multiple possible matches for a given filename being converted,
the first match in the list of patterns is used to generate the new filename. The
command
BACKUP AS COPY TABLESPACE users
DB_FILE_NAME_CONVERT = ('dbs','newdbs','/disk1','/newdisk');
would have the same effect as the previous example, because the pattern 'dbs'
matches the filename and therefore the filename is never compared to the second
pattern '/disk1'.
For the CONVERT TABLESPACE, CONVERT DATABASE, and BACKUP AS

COPY commands, if the source files for these operations are Oracle Managed Files,
then fileNameConversionSpec cannot be used to convert the source filenames
into new output filenames. For Oracle Managed Files, either in Automated Storage
Management (ASM) or in ordinary filesystem storage, the database must be
allowed to generate the filenames for the output files.
For example, an OMF filename for a datafile in non-ASM storage might be of the
form:
/private/boston/datafile/01_mf_system_ab12554_.dbf
An OMF filename from ASM storage might be of the form:

+DISK/boston/datafile/system.256.4543080
Only the database can generate and manage specific OMF filenames, and
substituting the name of a different disk group or a different OMF location into an
OMF filename generally does not produce a valid filename in the new destination.
To convert OMF filenames for storage in another OMF location, use an alternative
such as a FORMAT clause with these commands to specify the new output
location and allow the database to manage the specific output filenames.

Syntax Element
Description
'string_pattern'
Specifies the pattern, consisting of the pairs of strings used to convert the
filenames..
Examples
Using DB_FILE_NAME_CONVERT with Multiple String Patterns: Example This
example shows the use of DB_FILE_NAME_CONVERT with BACKUP AS COPY to
create image copies of the users and tools tablespaces from the previous discussion,
directing users to /newdisk1 and tools to /newdisk2:
BACKUP AS COPY DEVICE TYPE DISK
DB_FILE_NAME_CONVERT=('/disk1/dbs/users','/newdisk1',
RMAN Commands 2-115
'/disk1/dbs/tools','/newdisk2')
TABLESPACE tools, users;
"BACKUP" on page 2-22, "CONVERT" on page 2-79,

and "DUPLICATE" on page 2-104 for commands that use
See Also:
FLASHBACK
FLASHBACK
Syntax
flashback::=
,
=
DEVICE TYPE
deviceSpecifier
FLASHBACK
DATABASE
=
TO BEFORE SCN
integer
=
=
THREAD
TO BEFORE SEQUENCE
integer
integer
TO BEFORE RESETLOGS
=
TO BEFORE TIME
date_string
=
TO SCN
integer
=
=
THREAD
TO SEQUENCE
integer
integer
TO RESTORE POINT
restore_point_name
=
TO TIME
date_string
Purpose
Performs a Flashback Database operation, returning the database to (or to just before)
target time, as specified by time, SCN or log sequence number.
The result of using flashback database is generally similar to a database point-in-time
recovery performed with RECOVER, except for the following principal differences:
You do not need to restore a backup.

RMAN uses flashback logs to undo changes to a point before the target time or
SCN, and then uses archived redo logs to recover the database forward to make it
consistent. RMAN automatically restores from backup any archived logs that are
needed. (Flashback logs are stored as Oracle-managed files in the flash recovery
area, and cannot be created if no flash recovery area is configured.)
Some NOLOGGING changes may be reflected in the flashback which would not be
reflected in the results of a point-in-time recovery, because flashback database uses
backed-up block images as the basis for undoing changes to your current datafiles
instead of relying on full and incremental backups and redo logs.
Because FLASHBACK DATABASE does not require you to restore a backup, it is usually
much faster than incomplete recovery.
Flashback Database also has a number of applications in the context of standby
databases, including providing functionality comparable to storage snapshots for
reporting and testing databases, more flexibility in testing disaster recovery, and
recovery from unwanted changes at a standby such as application of corrupted or
erroneous updates at the standby database. These uses are discussed in more detail in
Oracle Data Guard Concepts and Administration.
RMAN Commands 2-117
FLASHBACK
You can run this command from the RMAN prompt or from within a RUN
command.
The target database must be in ARCHIVELOG mode.
The target database must be a Release 10g database.
You must be connected to the target database.
You must have enabled the flashback logging functionality before the target time
for flashback, using the SQL statement ALTER DATABASE ... FLASHBACK ON.
You can check V$DATABASE.FLASHBACK_ON to determine whether flashback
logging has been enabled.
The target database must be mounted with a current control file, that is, the
control file cannot be a backup or have been re-created.
The flash recovery area must be enabled to enable logging for Flashback Database
(that is, DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST and DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST_SIZE must
be set). Flashback logs can only be stored in the flash recovery area.
The FLASHBACK command does not start modifying the database until it has
made sure that it has all the files and resources that it needs. A Flashback Database
operation should never fail due to missing datafiles, redo log files or flashback
logs.
RMAN performs restore failover when unable to restore an archvied redo log file
for use in a Flashback Database operation. See Oracle Database Backup and Recovery
Advanced User's Guide for details on restore failover.
The earliest SCN that can be used for a Flashback Database operation depends on
the setting of the DB_FLASHBACK_RETENTION_TARGET initialization parameter,
and upon the actual retention of flashback logs permitted by available disk space
If the FLASHBACK command does not have enough flashback data to return the
database to the requested SCN or time, then RMAN issues an error and does not
modify the database.
Flashback logs may be deleted if disk space in the flash recovery area is low. If
there is not enough space in the flash recovery area for the retention of other files,
then the database may delete an archived redo log file that is eligible for deletion
because it is backed up to another location, or because it is obsolete. In such a case,
flashback logs that cannot be used without that redo log file are also deleted. To
ensure that this does not occur, make sure the flash recovery area is large enough
to accomodate your flashback logs and other backups.
FLASHBACK DATABASE can be used to return your database to a point prior to the
most recent OPEN RESETLOGS operation, if your database has been upgraded to
10g Relase 2.
If the database has not retained enough flashback logs to allow a Flashback
Database operation on all of your datafiles, then you can identify the datafiles for
which there are not enough flashback logs, and take these datafiles offline. You can
then run FLASHBACK DATABASE on the database and only the datafiles that are
online will be affected. Then, you can perform point-in-time recovery on those
files where there was not sufficient flashback log data.
RMAN issues an error if you attempt to perform Flashback Database on online
tablespaces on which flashback was disabled using the SQL statement ALTER
TABLESPACE ... FLASHBACK OFF.
FLASHBACK
RMAN never flashes back data for temporary tablespaces.

If a datafile has changed status between the current SCN and the SCN to which
you are flashing back, then the FLASHBACK command behaves differently
depending on the nature of the status change. Refer to Table 23 for details.
If the FLASHBACK DATABASE command fails or is interrupted, then the database
is left mounted. At that point you can issue another FLASHBACK DATABASE
command ouse the RECOVER to perform complete recovery, returning the database
to its original state.
When performing a FLASHBACK DATABASE operation, your database may not be
left at the SCN most immediately before the target time you specify. There are
events other than transactions which cause the SCN for your database to be
updated. If you use the FLASHBACK DATABASE TO form of the command and
there is a transaction associated with your specified SCN, the database after the
flashback operation will include all changes up to and including that transaction.
Otherwise, all changes up to but not including that transaction will be included in
your datafiles, whether you use the FLASHBACK DATBASE TO or FLASHBACK
DATABASE TO BEFORE form of the command. Changes after the specified target
time or SCN are never applied as a result of a FLASHBACK DATBASEoperation.
After the FLASHBACK DATABASE operation is complete, you may wish to open
the database read-only and run some queries to see if you have achieved the
desired result. If you are not satisfied with your flashback operation, you can
perform RECOVER DATABASE to re-apply all changes and bring the database back
to its state when you started the flashback operation. You can then attempt flashb
ack again. If you are satisfied, you can either perform an OPEN RESETLOGS to
abandon all changes after the target time for the flashback, or you can export lost
data, use RECOVER DATABASE to return your database to its state before the
flashback database operation, and then re-import the lost data.
If you perform a FLASHBACK DATABASE operation, and some datafiles are not
flashed back because they are offline, then you may encounter an error when you
attempt to open the database with an OPEN RESETLOGS. In such a case you must
do one of the following:
Use FLASHBACK DATABASE to bring the affected datafiles to the same time or
SCN as the other datafiles.
Run RESTORE and then RECOVER to bring the affected datafiles to the same
time or SCN as the rest of the database.
Take the affected datafiles offline and then drop them.
Table 23
How FLASHBACK Responds to Datafile Operations
If this datafile operation occurred

during the flashback window ...
Then the FLASHBACK command ...
Added
Removes the datafile record from the control file.
Dropped
Adds the datafile to the control file, but marks it as

offline and does not flash it back. You can then
restore and recover the datafile to the same time or
SCN.
Renamed
Ignores the renaming. The datafile retains its current

name.
RMAN Commands 2-119
FLASHBACK
Table 23 (Cont.) How FLASHBACK Responds to Datafile Operations

If this datafile operation occurred
during the flashback window ...
Then the FLASHBACK command ...
Resized
May fail. You can take the datafile offline and then
rerun the FLASHBACK command. The datafile will
not be flashed back. You can then restore and recover
the datafile to the same time or SCN.
Taken offline
Ignores the operation. The datafile retains its current

online status.
Brought online
Ignores the operation. The datafile retains its current

offline status.
Made read-only or read-write
Changes the status of the datafile in the control file.

Syntax Element
Description
Allocates automatic channels for the specified device type only. For example,
if you configure automatic disk and tape channels, and issue
FLASHBACK...DEVICE TYPE DISK, then RMAN allocates only disk
channels. RMAN may need to restore redo logs from backup during the
flashback database process. Changes between the last flashback log and the
target time must be re-created based on the archived redo log. If no automatic
channels are allocated for tape and a needed redo log is on tape, the
FLASHBACK operation will fail.
DATABASE
Returns the database to the specified point. Query OLDEST_FLASHBACK_SCN

and OLDEST_FLASHBACK_TIME in V$FLASHBACK_DATABASE_LOG to
display the approximate lowest SCN and time to which you can flash back.
View the current database SCN in V$DATABASE.CURRENT_SCN.
TO RESTORE POINT =
restore_point_name
Returns the database to the SCN associated with the specified restore point.
This can be an ordinary restore point or a guaranteed restore point.
TO SCN = integer
Returns the database to the point up to (and including) the specified SCN. By
default, the provided SCN resolves to the current or ancestor incarnation. The
DBA can override the default by using the RMAN RESET DATABASE
INCARNATION command to set the recovery target incarnation.
TO BEFORE SCN = integer
Returns the database to its state just before the specified SCN. Any changes at
an SCN lower than that specified are applied, but if there is a change
associated with the specified SCN it is not applied. By default, the provided
SCN resolves to the current or ancestor incarnation. The DBA can override
the default by using the RMAN RESET DATABASE INCARNATIONcommand
to set the recovery target incarnation.
TO SEQUENCE = integer
THREAD = integer
Specifies a redo log sequence number and thread as an upper limit. RMAN
applies changes up to (and including) the last change in the log with the
specified sequence and thread number.
TO BEFORE SEQUENCE =
integer [THREAD =
integer]
applies changes up to (but not including) the last change in the log with the
specified sequence and thread number.
TO TIME = 'date_string'
Returns the database to its state at the specified time. You can use any SQL
DATE expressions to convert the time to the current format, for example,
FLASHBACK DATABASE UNTIL TIME 'SYSDATE-7'.
TO BEFORE TIME =
'date_string'
Similar to the TO TIME clause, but returns the database to its state including
all changes up to but not including changes at the specified time.
FLASHBACK
Syntax Element
Description
TO BEFORE RESETLOGS
Returns the database to its state including all changes up to the SCN of the
lastOPEN RESETLOGS.
Examples
FLASHBACK DATABASE to a Specific SCN: Example The following command uses
Flashback Database to return the database to the specified SCN:
RMAN> FLASHBACK DATABASE TO SCN 46963;
FLASHBACK DATABASE to One Hour Ago: Example The following command uses
Flashback Database to return the database to 1/24 of a day (one hour) in the past:
RMAN> FLASHBACK DATABASE TO TIMESTAMP (SYSDATE-1/24);
The following command uses

SQL date conversion functions to specify the target time:
FLASHBACK DATABASE to a Specific Time: Example
RMAN> FLASHBACK DATABASE TO TIMESTAMP

TO_TIMESTAMP('2002-03-11 16:00:00', 'YYYY-MM-DD HH24:MI:SS');
FLASHBACK DATABASE to a Restore Point: Example The following command uses

a restore point to identify the target time for a Flashback Database operation:
RMAN> FLASHBACK DATABASE TO RESTORE POINT "before_batch";
The following
command returns the database to immediately before the most recent OPEN
RESETLOGS:
FLASHBACK DATABASE to Before the Last Resetlogs: Example
RMAN> FLASHBACK DATABASE TO BEFORE RESETLOGS;
RMAN Commands 2-121
formatSpec
formatSpec
Syntax
formatSpec::=
format_string
Purpose
To specify a filename format or an Automatic Storage Management disk group for a
backup piece or image copy. If you do not specify a value for the FORMAT parameter,
then RMAN either creates the backup in the flash recovery area if it is enabled, or in a
port-specific directory (for example, ?/dbs on UNIX) if a flash recovery area is not
enabled. In either case, RMAN uses the variable %U to name the backup.
The entire format_string is processed in a port-specific manner by the target
instance to derive the final backup piece name. The substitution variables listed in
"Keywords and Parameters" are available in FORMAT strings to aid in generating
unique filenames. The formatting of this information varies by platform.
Order of Precedence for Multiple Format Strings

You can specify up to four FORMAT strings. RMAN uses the second, third, and fourth
values only when BACKUP COPIES, SET BACKUP COPIES, or CONFIGURE ...
BACKUP COPIES is in effect. When choosing the format for each backup piece, RMAN
uses the first format value for copy 1, the second format value for copy 2, and so on. If
the number of format values exceeds the number of copies, then the extra formats are
not used. If the number of format values is less than the number of copies, then RMAN
reuses the format values, starting with the first one.
Specify format_string in any of these places, listed in order of precedence:
1.
The backupSpec clause
2.
The BACKUP command
3.
The ALLOCATE CHANNEL command
4.
The CONFIGURE CHANNEL command
If specified in more than one of these places, then RMAN searches for the FORMAT
parameter in the order shown.

Any name that is legal as a sequential filename on the platform is allowed, so long as
each backup piece or copy has a unique name. If backing up to disk, then any legal
disk filename is allowed, provided it is unique.

Syntax Element
Description
%a
Specifies the activation ID of the database.
%c
Specifies the copy number of the backup piece within a set of duplexed
backup pieces. If you did not duplex a backup, then this variable is 1 for
backup sets and 0 for proxy copies. If one of these commands is enabled, then
the variable shows the copy number. The maximum value for %c is 256.
formatSpec
Syntax Element
Description
%d
Specifies the name of the database.
%D
Specifies the current day of the month from the Gregorian calendar in format
DD.
%e
Specifies the archived log sequence number.
%f
Specifies the absolute file number.
%F
Combines the DBID, day, month, year, and sequence into a unique and
repeatable generated name. This variable translates into
c-IIIIIIIIII-YYYYMMDD-QQ, where:
IIIIIIIIII stands for the DBID. The DBID is printed in decimal so that
it can be easily associated with the target database.
YYYYMMDD is a time stamp in the Gregorian calendar of the day the
backup is generated
QQ is the sequence in hexadecimal number that starts with 00 and has a
maximum of 'FF' (256)
%h
Specifies the archived redo log thread number.
%I
Specifies the DBID.
%M
Specifies the month in the Gregorian calendar in format MM.
%N
Specifies the tablespace name.
%n
Specifies the name of the database, padded on the right with x characters to a
total length of eight characters. For example, if the prod1 is the database
name, then the padded name is prod1xxx.
%p
Specifies the piece number within the backup set. This value starts at 1 for
each backup set and is incremented by 1 as each backup piece is created.
Note: If you specify PROXY, then the %p variable must be included in the
FORMAT string either explicitly or implicitly within %U.
%s
Specifies the backup set number. This number is a counter in the control file
that is incremented for each backup set. The counter value starts at 1 and is
unique for the lifetime of the control file. If you restore a backup control file,
then duplicate values can result. Also, CREATE CONTROLFILE initializes the
counter back to 1.
%t
Specifies the backup set time stamp, which is a 4-byte value derived as the
number of seconds elapsed since a fixed reference time. The combination of
%s and %t can be used to form a unique name for the backup set.
%T
Specifies the year, month, and day in the Gregorian calendar in this format:
YYYYMMDD.
%u
Specifies an 8-character name constituted by compressed representations of

the backup set or image copy number and the time the backup set or image
copy was created.
RMAN Commands 2-123
formatSpec
Syntax Element
Description
%U
Specifies a system-generated unique filename (default). The meaning of %U is

different for image copies and backup pieces.
For a backup piece, %U specifies a convenient shorthand for %u_%p_%c that
guarantees uniqueness in generated backup filenames. If you do not specify a
format when making a backup, then RMAN uses %U by default.
For an image copy of a datafile, %U means the following:
data-D-%d_id-%I_TS-%N_FNO-%f_%u
For an image copy of an archived redo velog, %U means the following:
arch-D_%d-id-%I_S-%e_T-%h_A-%a_%u
For an image copy of a control file, %U means the following:
cf-D_%d-id-%I_%u
%Y
Specifies the year in this format: YYYY.
%%
Specifies the literal '%' character. For example, %%Y translates to the string %Y.
Example
Specifying an ASM Disk Group: Example This example copies the database to ASM
disk group disk1:
BACKUP AS COPY DATABASE FORMAT '+disk1;
This example creates copies of

three datafiles with tag 'LATESTCOPY' to directory /copies:
Specifying a Format for Datafile Copies: Example
# Create copies of 3 datafiles with tag 'LATESTCOPY' to directory /copies

BACKUP AS COPY
FROM TAG 'LATESCOPY'
COPY OF DATAFILE 4, 6, 14
FORMAT '/copies/Datafile%f_Database%d';
This example
creates an image copy of the database to instantiate a physical standby in /stby:
Creating a Database Copy for Use as a Standby Database: Example
# Create an image copy of the database to instantiate physical standby in /stby

BACKUP AS COPY
DATABASE
FORMAT '/stby/standby_file_%f_of_db_%I';
HOST
HOST
Syntax
host::=
command
HOST
Purpose
To invoke an operating system command-line sub-shell from within RMAN.

Execute this command at the RMAN prompt or within the braces of a RUN command.

Syntax Element
Description
HOST
Enables you to execute an operating system command. Use this parameter:
With a 'command', in which case RMAN runs the command in the

specified string and then continues.
Without a 'command', in which case RMAN displays a command
prompt and resumes after you exit the subshell.
Examples
This example shuts
down the database, makes a backup of datafile system01.dbf, then executes the
UNIX ls command to display all backed up datafiles:
Executing an Operating System Copy Within RMAN: Example
SHUTDOWN IMMEDIATE;
STARTUP MOUNT;
BACKUP DATAFILE '?/oradata/trgt/system01.dbf'
FORMAT '/tmp/system01.dbf';
HOST 'ls -l /tmp/*dbf';
Hosting to the Operating System Within a Backup: Example This example makes an
image copy of datafile 3, hosts out to the UNIX prompt to check that the copy is in
the directory (the UNIX session output is indented and displayed in bold), then
resumes the RMAN session:
RMAN> BACKUP DATAFILE 3 FORMAT '?/oradata/df3.cpy';
RMAN> HOST;
% ls $ORACLE_HOME/oradata/df3.cpy
/net/oracle/oradata/df3.cpy
% exit
RMAN> LIST COPY;
RMAN Commands 2-125
keepOption
keepOption
Syntax
keepOption::=
FOREVER
KEEP
LOGS
=
UNTIL TIME
date_string
NOLOGS
NOKEEP
Purpose
A subclause specifying the status of a backup or copy in relation to a retention policy.
The KEEP option marks the backup or copy as exempt from the retention policy (that
is, not obsolete), and the NOKEEP option undoes any existing exemptions.
Limitations and Restrictions
This option cannot be used to override the retention politcy for files stored in the
flash recovery area.
The KEEP UNTIL clause never causes RMAN to consider a backup obsolete, if it is
still required to satisfy the retention policy. KEEP UNTIL can cause backups to be
kept longer than the retention policy would otherwise require, but never causes a
backup to become obsolete sooner than the retention policy requires.

Syntax Element
Description
KEEP
Overrides any configured retention policy for this backup or copy so that the
backup is not obsolete. The BACKUP ... KEEP command specifies a new
retention time for this backup. Use this option to create a long-term backup,
that is, a backup that want you to archive.
FOREVER
Specifies that the backup or copy never expires. You must use a recovery
catalog when FOREVER is specified, because the backup records eventually
age out of the control file.
UNTIL TIME = 'date_string' Specifies the date until which the backup or copy must be kept. You can either
specify a specific time by using the current NLS_DATE_FORMAT, or a SQL date
expression, such as 'SYSDATE+365'.
LOGS
Specifies that all of the archived logs required to recover this backup or copy
must remain available as long as this backup or copy is available.
NOLOGS
Specifies that this backup or copy cannot be recovered because the archived
logs needed to recover this backup will not be kept. The only use for this
backup or copy is to restore the database to the point in time that the backup
or copy was taken. This is the only valid recoverability option when the
database operates in NOARCHIVELOG mode. This option is not valid if the
backup or copy is inconsistent.
NOKEEP
Specifies that the backup or copy expires according to the user's retention
policy. This is the default behavior if no KEEP option is specified.
keepOption
Examples
Making a Long-Term Backup: Example This example makes a long-term backup of
the database and specifies that it should never become obsolete and that the logs
required to recover it should not be retained:
SHUTDOWN IMMEDIATE;
STARTUP MOUNT;
BACKUP DATABASE
KEEP FOREVER NOLOGS;
Changing the Status of a Copy: Example This example specifies that any long-term
image copies of datafiles and control files should lose their exempt status and so
become eligible to be obsolete according to the existing retention policy:
CHANGE COPY OF DATABASE CONTROLFILE NOKEEP;
RMAN Commands 2-127
LIST
LIST
Syntax
list::=
maintQualifier
untilClause
RECOVERABLE
listObjectSpec
EXPIRED
recordSpec
database_name
OF DATABASE
INCARNATION
maintQualifier
LIST
untilClause
RECOVERABLE
listObjectSpec
recordSpec
ALL
GLOBAL
SCRIPT NAMES
listObjectSpec::=
OF
listObjList
listBackupOption
BACKUP
OF
listObjList
COPY
listBackupOption::=
BY FILE
SUMMARY
Purpose
To display information about backup sets, proxy copies, and image copies recorded in
the repository. The LIST command displays the files against which you can run
CROSSCHECK and DELETE commands. Use this command to list:
Backups and copies that do not have the status AVAILABLE in the RMAN
repository
Backups and copies of datafiles that are available and can possibly be used in a
restore operation
Specified archived logs, backup sets, backup pieces, control file copies, datafile
copies, and proxy copies
Backups and copies restricted by tag, completion time, recoverability, or device
Incarnations of a specified database or of all databases known to the repository
Stored scripts in the recovery catalog
LIST
RMAN records the output to either standard output or the message log, but not to
both at the same time. You can control how the output is organized (BY BACKUP or BY
FILE) as well as the level of detail in the output (VERBOSE or SUMMARY).
to make lists and reports, and "cmdLine" on page 2-57
Execute LIST only at the RMAN prompt.

RMAN must be connected to the target database. If RMAN is connected in
NOCATALOG mode, then the database must be mounted. If RMAN is connected to
a recovery catalog, then the target instance must be started but the target database
does not need to be mounted.

list
Syntax Element
Description
EXPIRED
Displays backup sets, proxy copies, and image copies marked in the
repository as EXPIRED, that is, "not found."
To ensure that LIST EXPIRED shows up-to-date output, issue a
CROSSCHECK command periodically. When you issue a CROSSCHECK
command, RMAN searches on disk and tape for the backups and copies
recorded in the repository. If it does not find them, then it updates their
repository records to status EXPIRED.
RECOVERABLE
Specifies datafile backups or copies whose status in the repository is

AVAILABLE and which can be used for restore and recovery in the target
database's current incarnation. This list includes all backups and copies except
the incremental backups that have no valid parent to which the incremental
can be applied.
untilClause
Specifies an end time, SCN, or log sequence number. See "untilClause" on

page 2-228.
recordSpec
Specifies the object or objects that you are listing. Refer to "recordSpec" on
page 2-153.
INCARNATION
Displays information about the incarnations of a database. Whenever you

open a database with the RESETLOGS option, then you create a new
incarnation of the database. So, if LIST INCARNATION displays n incarnations
of a database, then you have reset the online logs for this database n-1 times.
The LIST output includes the primary keys of all database incarnation
records for the specified database name (in the column "Inc Key," short for
"incarnation key"). Use the key in a RESET DATABASE command to change
the incarnation that RMAN considers to be current to a previous incarnation.
See Also: Table 219 for an explanation of the column headings of the LIST
INCARNATION output table
OF DATABASE
'database_name'
Specifies the name of the database. If you do not specify the OF DATABASE
option, then the command lists all databases registered in the recovery
catalog.
maintQualifier
Restricts the range of the listing. Refer to "maintQualifier" on page 2-146.
RMAN Commands 2-129
LIST
Syntax Element
Description
SCRIPT NAMES
Lists names of RMAN stored scripts in the currently connected recovery

catalog, along with any descriptive comments.
Without ALL or GLOBAL options, lists local and global scripts that can be
executed on the current target database. You must be connected to a target
database and a recovery catalog to use this form of the command.
You must connect to a target database and a recovery catalog to list names for
scripts defined for that target database.
RMAN lists all global and local scripts defined for all databases in the
connected recovery catalog.
ALL
You must be connected to a recovery catalog to use LIST ALL SCRIPT

NAMES, but you do not need to be connected to a target database.
RMAN lists only global scripts defined in the connected recovery catalog.
GLOBAL
You must be connected to a recovery catalog to use LIST GLOBAL SCRIPT

NAMES, but you do not need to be connected to a target database.
listObjectSpec
Syntax Element
Description
listObjectSpec
Specifies the type of object or objects that you are listing.

See Also: "recordSpec" on page 2-153
BACKUP
Displays information about BACKUP output: backup sets (including detail on

backup pieces), proxy copies, and image copies.
BACKUPSET
Displays only information about backup sets, backup pieces, and proxy
copies. The output displays a unique key for each. The LIST BACKUPSET
command defaults to BY BACKUP.
By default, RMAN lists both usable and unusable backups, even those that
cannot be restored, are expired or unavailable, or are incrementals that cannot
be restored because their parent full backup or copy no longer exists. To see
only backups that can be used for recovery, use the RECOVERABLE option.
See Also: "LIST Output" on page 2-131 for an explanation of the column
headings of the LIST output tables. Use the KEY column of the output to
obtain the primary key usable in the CHANGE and DELETE commands.
COPY
Displays only information about datafile copies, archived redo logs, and
image copies of archived redo logs. By default, LIST COPY displays copies of
all database files and archived redo logs. Both usable and unusable image
copies are included in the output, even those that cannot be restored or are
expired or unavailable.
See Also: Table 216 and Table 218 for an explanation of the column
headings of the LIST COPY output tables
OF listObjList
Restricts the list of objects operated on to the object type specified in the
listObjList clause. If you do not specify an object, then LIST defaults to
OF DATABASE CONTROLFILE ARCHIVELOG ALL.
Note: The LIST BACKUP ... LIKE command is not valid. The only valid
exception is LIST BACKUP OF ARCHIVELOG LIKE.
See Also: "listObjList" on page 2-144
Displays information about a range of archived redo logs.
LIST
listBackupOption
Syntax Element
Description
listBackupOption
Specifies whether to list summary information about backups or detailed

information.
See Also: "recordSpec" on page 2-153
Lists backup sets, then the contents of each backup set (pieces and files), and
then proxy copies. This is the default option for LIST BACKUP.
BY BACKUP
If you specify the SUMMARY option, then this command is equivalent to LIST
BACKUP SUMMARY.
VERBOSE
Gives detailed description of contents of each backup set (default).
SUMMARY
Gives a one-line summary for each datafile (when using BY FILE) or backup
(when using BY BACKUP).
BY FILE
Lists a datafile, then its backup sets, and then proxy copies.
LIST Output
The information that appears in the output is shown in the following tables:
Table 24, "List of Backup Sets (for datafile backup sets)"
Table 25, "List of Backup Pieces (for sets with only one piece)"
Table 26, "List of Datafiles in backup set ..."
Table 27, "List of Archived Logs in backup set ..."
Table 28, "Backup Set Copy ... of backup set ... (only if multiple pieces)"
Table 29, "List of Backup Pieces for backup set ... Copy ... (if multiple pieces)"
Table 210, "List of Proxy Copies"
Table 211, "List of Backup Sets (LIST BACKUP ... SUMMARY)"
Table 212, "List of Backup Pieces (LIST BACKUPPIECE ...)"
Table 213, "List of Datafile Backups (LIST BACKUP ... BY FILE)"
Table 214, "List of Archived Log Backups (LIST BACKUP ... BY FILE)"
Table 215, "List of Controlfile Backups (LIST BACKUP ... BY FILE)"
Table 216, "List of Datafile Copies"
Table 217, "List of Controlfile Copies"
Table 218, "List of Archived Log Copies"
Table 219, "List of Database Incarnations"
Table 220, "List Script Names Output"
RMAN Commands 2-131
LIST
Table 24
List of Backup Sets (for datafile backup sets)
Column
Indicates
BS Key
A unique key identifying this backup set.

If you are connected to a recovery catalog, then BS Key is the
primary key of the backup set in the catalog. It corresponds to
BS_KEY in the RC_BACKUP_SET view. If you are connected in
the default NOCATALOG mode, then BS Key displays the
RECID from V$BACKUP_SET.
The type of backup: Full or Incr (incremental).
Type
Note: Column only included in datafile backup sets.

The level of the backup: NULL for nonincrementals, level 0 or
level 1 for incrementals.
LV

The size of the backup in bytes.
Size

Device Type
The type of device on which the backup was made, for

example, DISK or sbt.
Elapsed Time
The duration of the backup.
Completion Time
The date and time that the backup set completed. Note that
the format of this field depends on the NLS_LANG and
NLS_DATE_FORMAT environment settings.
Table 25
List of Backup Pieces (for sets with only one piece)
Column
Indicates
BP Key
A unique identifier for this backup piece in the recovery

catalog or target database control file.
If you are connected to a recovery catalog, then BP Key is the
primary key of the backup piece in the catalog. It corresponds
to BP_KEY in the RC_BACKUP_PIECE view. If you are
connected in NOCATALOG mode, then BP Key displays the
RECID from V$BACKUP_PIECE.
Note: The values for KEY in the recovery catalog and the
control file are different.
Status
The backup piece status: AVAILABLE, UNAVAILABLE, or

EXPIRED (refer to the CHANGE, CROSSCHECK, and
DELETE commands for an explanation of each status).
Tag
The tag applied to the backup set; NULL if none. Note that tag
names are not case sensitive and display in all uppercase.
Piece Name
The filename or handle of the backup piece. If the backup

piece is on sbt, the Media ID is displayed with the name.
Controlfile Included
A control file is included in the backup.

Note: This row appears only if the current control file is
included in the backup.
LIST
Table 25 (Cont.) List of Backup Pieces (for sets with only one piece)
Column
Indicates
SPFILE Included
A server parameter file is included in the backup.
Ckp SCN
The SCN of the backup control file checkpoint. All database

changes recorded in the redo records before the specified SCN
are reflected in this control file.
The time of the backup control file checkpoint. All database
changes recorded in the redo records before the specified time
are reflected in this control file.
Ckp time

Table 26
List of Datafiles in backup set ...
Column
Indicates
File
The number of the file that was backed up.
LV
The level of the backup: NULL for nonincrementals, level 0 or 1

for incrementals.
Type
The type of backup: Full or Incr (incremental).
Ckp SCN
The checkpoint of the datafile at the time it was backed up. All
database changes prior to the SCN have been written to the
file; changes after the specified SCN have not been written to
the file.
Ckp Time
database changes prior to the time have been written to the
file; changes after the specified time have not been written to
the file.
Name
The location where this file would be restored now if it were

restored from this backup set and no SET NEWNAME command
was entered.
See Also: "SET" on page 2-199
Table 27
List of Archived Logs in backup set ...
Column
Indicates
Thrd
The thread number of the redo log.
Seq
The log sequence number of the archived log.
Low SCN
The lowest SCN in the archived log.
Low Time
The time when the database switched into the redo log having
this sequence number.
Next SCN
The low SCN of the next archived log sequence.
Next Time
The low time of the next archived log sequence.
Table 28
Backup Set Copy ... of backup set ... (only if multiple pieces)
Column
Indicates
Device Type

RMAN Commands 2-133
LIST
Table 28 (Cont.) Backup Set Copy ... of backup set ... (only if multiple pieces)
Column
Indicates
Elapsed Time
The duration of the backup.
Completion Time
Tag
Table 29
List of Backup Pieces for backup set ... Copy ... (if multiple pieces)
Column
Indicates
BP Key

If you are connected to a recovery catalog, then BP Key is the
primary key of the backup piece in the catalog. It corresponds
to BP_KEY in the RC_BACKUP_PIECE view. If you are
connected in NOCATALOG mode, then BP Key displays the
RECID from V$BACKUP_PIECE.
Pc#
The number of the backup piece in the backup set.
Status

EXPIRED (refer to the CHANGE, CROSSCHECK, and
DELETE commands for an explanation of each status).
Piece Name
The filename or handle of the backup piece. If the backup

piece is stored on sbt, the media ID is also displayed.
Table 210
List of Proxy Copies
Column
Indicates
PC Key
A unique key identifying this proxy copy.

If you are connected to a catalog, then PC Key is the primary
key of the proxy copy in the catalog. It corresponds to
XDF_KEY in the RC_PROXY_DATAFILE view or XCF_KEY in
the RC_PROXY_CONTROLFILE view. If you are connected in
NOCATALOG mode, then PC Key displays the RECID from
V$PROXY_DATAFILE.
File
The absolute datafile number of the file that was copied.
Status
The proxy copy status: AVAILABLE, UNAVAILABLE, or

EXPIRED (see the CHANGE, CROSSCHECK, and DELETE
commands for an explanation of each status).
Completion Time
Ckp SCN
The SCN of the proxy copy control file checkpoint. All

database changes recorded in the redo records before the
specified SCN are reflected in this control file.
LIST
Table 210 (Cont.) List of Proxy Copies

Column
Indicates
Ckp time
The time of the proxy copy control file checkpoint. All

database changes recorded in the redo records before the
specified time are reflected in this control file.
Datafile name
The location where this file would be restored now if it were

restored from this backup set and no SET NEWNAME command
was entered.
See Also: "SET" on page 2-199
Handle
The media manager's handle for the proxy copy. If the object is
on sbt, then the media ID is also displayed.
Tag
The tag applied to the proxy copy; NULL if none. Note that tag
Table 211
List of Backup Sets (LIST BACKUP ... SUMMARY)
Column
Indicates
Key

NOCATALOG mode, then BS Key displays the RECID from
V$BACKUP_SET.
TY
The type of backup: backup set (B) or proxy copy (P).
LV
For incremental backups, the incremental backup level (0 or

1).
For backup sets containing full backups of datafiles, F.
For backup sets containing archived redo logs, A.
The status of the backup: A (available), U (unavailable), or X

(all backup pieces in set expired). Refer to the CHANGE,
CROSSCHECK, and DELETE commands for an explanation of
each status.
Device Type

Completion Time
#Pieces
The number of backup pieces in the backup set.
#Copies
The number of copies made of each backup piece in the set.

The number is 1 if no duplexing was performed. Otherwise,
the value ranges from 2 to 4.
Tag
The tag applied to the backup set; NULL if none. An asterisk (*)
indicates multiple copies with different tags. Note that tag
RMAN Commands 2-135
LIST
Table 212
List of Backup Pieces (LIST BACKUPPIECE ...)
Column
Indicates
BP Key

If you are connected to a catalog, then BP Key is the primary
key of the backup piece in the catalog. It corresponds to
BP_KEY in the RC_BACKUP_PIECE view. If you are connected
in NOCATALOG mode, then BP Key displays the RECID from
V$BACKUP_PIECE.
BS Key

V$BACKUP_SET.
Pc#
The number of the backup piece in the backup set.
Cp#
The copy number of this backup piece in the backup set. The
number is 1 if no duplexing was performed. Otherwise, the
value ranges from 2 to 4.
Status

EXPIRED (see the CHANGE, CROSSCHECK, and DELETE
commands for an explanation of each status).
Device Type

Piece Name
The filename or handle of the backup piece. If the piece is

stored on SBT then the Handle and media ID are displayed.
Table 213
List of Datafile Backups (LIST BACKUP ... BY FILE)
Column
Indicates
File
The absolute datafile number.
Key

If you are connected to a recovery catalog, then Key is the
NOCATALOG mode, then Key displays the RECID from
V$BACKUP_SET.
TY
The type of backup: backup set (B) or proxy copy (P).
LV
The backup level: F for nonincrementals, level 0 or 1 for

incrementals.

each status.
Ckp SCN
database changes prior to the SCN have been written to the
file; changes after the specified SCN have not been written to
the file.
LIST
Table 213 (Cont.) List of Datafile Backups (LIST BACKUP ... BY FILE)
Column
Indicates
Ckp Time
database changes prior to the time have been written to the
file; changes after the specified time have not been written to
the file.
#Pieces
#Copies

Tag
Table 214
List of Archived Log Backups (LIST BACKUP ... BY FILE)
Column
Indicates
Thrd
Seq
Low SCN
The lowest SCN in the archived log.
Low Time
BS Key

V$BACKUP_SET.

each status.
#Pieces
#Copies

Tag
Table 215
List of Controlfile Backups (LIST BACKUP ... BY FILE)
Column
Indicates
CF Ckp SCN
Checkpoint SCN of the control file.
Ckp Time
BS Key

V$BACKUP_SET.
RMAN Commands 2-137
LIST
Table 215 (Cont.) List of Controlfile Backups (LIST BACKUP ... BY FILE)
Column
Indicates

each status.
#Pieces
#Copies

Tag
Table 216
List of Datafile Copies
Column
Indicates
Key
The unique identifier for the datafile copy. Use this value in a
CHANGE command to alter the status of the datafile copy.
primary key of the datafile copy in the catalog. It corresponds
to CDF_KEY in the RC_DATAFILE_COPY view. If you are
connected in NOCATALOG mode, then Key displays the RECID
from V$DATAFILE_COPY.
File
The file number of the datafile from which this copy was
made.
The status of the copy: A (available), U (unavailable), or X

(expired). Refer to the CHANGE, CROSSCHECK, and
DELETE commands for an explanation of each status.
Completion Time
The date and time that the copy completed. Note that the
value of this field is sensitive to the NLS_LANG and
NLS_DATE_FORMAT environment variables.
Ckp SCN
The checkpoint of this datafile when it was copied. All

database changes prior to this SCN have been written to this
datafile.
Ckp TIME
The checkpoint of this datafile when it was copied. All

database changes prior to this time have been written to this
datafile.
Name
The filename of the datafile copy.
LIST
Table 217
List of Controlfile Copies
Column
Indicates
Key
The unique identifier for the control file copy. Use this value in
a CHANGE command to alter the status of the copy.
primary key of the control file copy in the catalog. It
corresponds to CCF_KEY in the RC_CONTROLFILE_COPY
view. If you are connected in NOCATALOG mode, then Key
displays the RECID from V$DATAFILE_COPY.
Note: The values for Key in the recovery catalog and the

Completion Time
The date and time that the copy completed. Note that the
value of this field is sensitive to the NLS_LANG and
NLS_DATE_FORMAT environment variables.
Ckp SCN
The checkpoint of this control file when it was copied.
Ckp TIME
The checkpoint of this control file when it was copied.
Name
The filename of the control file copy.
Table 218
List of Archived Log Copies
Column
Indicates
Key
The unique identifier for this archived redo log copy. Use this
value in a CHANGE command to alter the status of the copy.
AL_KEY in the RC_ARCHIVED_LOG view. If you are connected
in NOCATALOG mode, then Key displays the RECID from
V$ARCHIVED_LOG.
Note: The values for Key in the recovery catalog and the
Thrd
The redo log thread number.
Seq
The log sequence number.

Low Time
Name
The filename of the archived redo log copy.
RMAN Commands 2-139
LIST
Table 219
List of Database Incarnations
Column
Indicates
DB Key
When combined with the Inc Key, the unique key by which
RMAN identifies the database incarnation in the recovery
catalog. Use this key to unregister a database from a recovery
catalog, that is, delete all the rows associated with that
database from the recovery catalog.
Inc Key
When combined with DB Key, the unique key by which

RMAN identifies the database incarnation in the recovery
catalog. Use this key in RESET DATABASE ... TO
INCARNATION when recovering the database to a time before
the most recent RESETLOGS.
DB Name
The database name as listed in the DB_NAME parameter.
DB ID
The database identification number, which the database

generates automatically at database creation.
STATUS
CURRENT for the current incarnation, PARENT for the parent

incarnations of the current incarnation, and ORPHAN for
orphaned incarnations.
Reset SCN
The SCN at which the incarnation was created.
Reset Time
The time at which the incarnation was created.
Table 220
List Script Names Output
Column
Indicates
Script Name
The name of the stored script.
Description
The comment provided when the script was created.
Examples
Listing Backups: Example
This example lists all backups in default verbose mode:
LIST BACKUP;
List of Backup Sets
===================
BS Key Device Type
------- ----------236
DISK
BP Key: 237
Piece Name:
List
Thrd
---1
1
Elapse Time Completion Time

----------- --------------00:00:08
21-SEP-00
Status: AVAILABLE
Tag: TAG20011121T053733
/oracle/oradata/09c5unih_1_1
of Archived Logs in backup set 236

Seq
Low SCN
Low Time Next SCN
------- ---------- --------- ---------141
49173
21-SEP-01 49784
142
49784
21-SEP-01 50331
Next Time
--------21-SEP-01
21-SEP-01
BS Key Type LV Size

Device Type Elapse Time Completion Time
------- ---- -- ---------- ----------- ----------- --------------244
Full
61M
DISK
00:00:18
21-SEP-01
BP Key: 245
Status: AVAILABLE
Tag: TAG20011121T053816
Piece Name: /oracle/oradata/0ac5unj5_1_1
Controlfile Included: Ckp SCN: 51554
Ckp time: 21-SEP-01
SPFILE Included: Modification time: 21-SEP-01
List of Datafiles in backup set 244
File LV Type Ckp SCN
Ckp Time Name
LIST
---- -- ---- ---------- --------- ---1

Full 51555
21-SEP-01 /oracle/oradata/trgt/system01.dbf
2
Full 51555
21-SEP-01 /oracle/oradata/trgt/undotbs_01.dbf
List of Proxy Copies
====================
PC Key File Status
Completion time
Ckp SCN
Ckp time
------- ---- ----------- ------------------- ---------- ------------------552
1
AVAILABLE
10/07/2001 03:05:21 78022
10/07/2001 03:05:10
Datafile name: /oracle/oradata/trgt/system01.dbf
Handle: 0jb8l876_1_0
561
AVAILABLE
10/07/2001 03:38:22 78025
10/07/2001 03:38:09
Datafile name: /oracle/oradata/trgt/system01.dbf
Handle: 0lb8la51_1_0
Tag: WKLYBKUP
Listing a Summary of Backups: Example The following example lists a summarized

version of all RMAN backups:
LIST BACKUP SUMMARY;
List of Backups
===============
Key
TY LV S
------- -- -- 35
B A A
42
B F A
Device Type
----------SBT_TAPE
SBT_TAPE
Completion Time
-------------------FEB 08 2002 05:37:37
FEB 08 2002 05:38:21
Listing Backups by File: Example
#Pieces
------1
1
#Copies
------1
1
Tag
--TAG20020208T053733
TAG20020208T053744
This example groups all backups by file:
LIST BACKUP BY FILE;

List of Datafile Backups
========================
File Key
---- ------1
502
552
561
2
502
562
TY
B
P
P
B
P
LV
-0
F
0
0
0
S
A
X
U
A
U
Ckp SCN
---------37973
78022
78025
37973
78027
Ckp Time
----------------09/28/01 19:28:36
10/07/01 03:05:10
10/07/01 03:38:09
09/28/01 19:28:36
10/07/01 03:38:22
#Pieces
------1
1
2
1
1
#Copies
------3
1
1
2
1
Tag
--*
DF_1
DF_1
*
DF_2
List of Archived Log Backups

============================
Thrd Seq
Low SCN
Low Time BS Key S #Pieces #Copies Tag
---- ------- ---------- --------- ------- - ------- ------- --1
141
49463
14-SEP-01 213
A 1
1
TAG20011114T125431
List of Controlfile Backups
===========================
CF Ckp SCN Ckp Time BS Key S #Pieces #Copies Tag
---------- --------- ------- - ------- ------- --51593
14-SEP-01 222
A 1
1
List of SPFILE Backups
======================
Modification Time
BS Key S #Pieces #Copies Tag
-------------------- ------- - ------- ------- --OCT 08 2001 05:38:55 251
A 1
1
RMAN Commands 2-141
LIST
The following example lists archived logs and
Listing Archived Redo Logs: Example
copies of logs:
LIST COPY OF DATABASE ARCHIVELOG ALL;
List of
Key
------153
154
Archived Log
Thrd Seq
---- ------1
30
1
31
Copies
S Low Time
- --------A 14-SEP-01
A 14-SEP-01
Name
---/oracle/oradata/trgt/arch/archive1_30.dbf
/oracle/oradata/trgt/arch/archive1_31.dbf
Listing Backups of Specific Datafiles: Example The following example lists backups
of datafile 3 in summary mode:
LIST BACKUP OF DATAFILE 3 SUMMARY;
List of Backups
===============
Key
TY LV S Device Type Completion Time #Pieces #Copies Tag
------- -- -- - ----------- --------------- ------- ------- --180
B 0 A DISK
14-SEP-01
1
2
TAG20011114T125431
Listing Database Incarnations: Example
This example lists all database incarnations
recorded in the recovery catalog:

LIST INCARNATION;
List of
DB Key
------1
2
Database Incarnations
Inc Key DB Name DB ID
------- -------- ---------------1
RDBMS
774627068
2
RDBMS
774627068
Listing Stored Scripts: Example
STATUS
-----PARENT
CURRENT
Reset SCN
---------1
173832
Reset Time
---------21-OCT-03
21-OCT-03
This example shows the output of running LIST
ALL SCRIPT NAMES:

RMAN> LIST ALL SCRIPT NAMES;
List of Stored Scripts in Recovery Catalog
Scripts of Target Database TEST

Script Name
Description
----------------------------------------------------------------------configure_Rman
Script to configure retention policy and device parameters.
backup_schema_dfs
Backups only tablespaces that are being currently used.
Scripts of Target Database PROD

Script Name
Description
----------------------------------------------------------------------nightly_backup
Script used to backup PROD database every weekday.
Global Scripts
LIST
Script Name
Description
----------------------------------------------------------------------purge_backups
General script to enforce retention policy
validate_archived_logs
General script to synchronize archived logs on disk with RMAN.
RMAN Commands 2-143
listObjList
listObjList
Syntax
listObjList::=
CONTROLFILE
,
DATABASE SKIP TABLESPACE
tablespace_name
dbObject
SPFILE
dbObject::=
DATABASE
,
DATAFILE
datafileSpec
,
TABLESPACE
tablespace_name
Purpose
A subclause used to specify database files and archived redo logs.

Use this clause in the following commands:
CHANGE
CROSSCHECK
DELETE
LIST

listObjList
Syntax Element
Description
Specifies a range of archived redo logs.

See Also: "archivelogRecordSpecifier" on page 2-18
CONTROLFILE
Specifies the current control file.
DATABASE SKIP TABLESPACE

'tablespace_name'
[, 'tablespace_name' ]
Omits the specified tablespaces from the DATABASE specification.
SPFILE
Specifies the current server parameter file.
listObjList
dbObject
Syntax Element
Description
DATABASE
Specifies backup sets or image copies of all files in the current database.
Specifies datafiles by filename or file number. The clause specifies datafile

image copies or backup sets that contain at least one of the datafiles.
TABLESPACE
'tablespace_name'
Specifies tablespace names. The clause specifies datafile image copies or

backup sets that contain at least one of the datafile from the specified
tablespace.
Examples
The following command lists image copies of all
the files in the database, skipping the temp tablespace, which is a dictionary-managed
temporary tablespace:
Listing Datafile Copies: Example
LIST COPY OF DATABASE SKIP TABLESPACE temp;
Crosschecking Archived Redo Logs: Example The following example queries the
media manager for the status of server parameter file and archived redo log backups
(either backup sets or image copies) created in the last three months:
CROSSCHECK BACKUP OF SPFILE ARCHIVELOG FROM TIME 'SYSDATE-90';
Deleting Expired Control File Backup Sets: Example The following command
deletes expired backups (either backup sets or image copies) of the control file:
DELETE EXPIRED BACKUP OF CONTROLFILE;
RMAN Commands 2-145
maintQualifier
maintQualifier
Syntax
maintQualifier::=
completedTimeSpec
,
=
DEVICE TYPE
LIKE
deviceSpecifier
string_pattern
BACKED UP
integer
TIMES TO DEVICE TYPE
TAG
deviceSpecifier
tag_name
Purpose
A subclause used to specify database files and archived redo logs.
LIST
CROSSCHECK
DELETE
SWITCH
The BACKED UP integer TIMES clause applies only to archived redo logs.
You cannot use LIKE with backup pieces.

Syntax Element
Description
completedTimeSpec
Specifies a range of time for completion of the backup or copy.

See Also: "completedTimeSpec" on page 2-61
valid only if you have configured automatic channels and have not manually
allocated channels. For example, if you configure automatic disk and tape
channels, and issue CHANGE...DEVICE TYPE DISK, then RMAN allocates
only disk channels.
LIKE 'string_pattern'
Restricts datafile copies by specifying a filename pattern. The pattern can

contain Oracle pattern matching characters % and _. RMAN only operates on
those files whose name matches the pattern.
Note: You cannot use the LIKE option with the LIST...ARCHIVELOG
command.
BACKED UP integer TIMES TO

Restricts the command to archived logs that have been successfully backed up
integer or more times to the specified media.
maintQualifier
Syntax Element
Description
TAG = 'tag_name'
Specifies the datafile copies and backup sets by tag. Tag names are not case
sensitive and display in all uppercase.
See Also: "BACKUP" on page 2-22 for a description of how a tag can be
applied to an individual copy of a duplexed backup set, and also for a
description of the default filename format for tags
Example
Listing Backups on a Specific Device: Example The following command lists all
backups located on tape and copies located in /tmp:
LIST BACKUP DEVICE TYPE sbt;
LIST COPY LIKE '/tmp';
Deleting Archived Logs That Are Already Backed Up: Example The following
command deletes only those archived logs that have been successfully backed up three
or more times to tape:
DELETE ARCHIVELOG ALL BACKED UP 3 TIMES TO DEVICE TYPE sbt;
RMAN Commands 2-147
maintSpec
maintSpec
Syntax
maintSpec::=
OF
listObjList
BACKUP
maintQualifier
OF
listObjList
COPY
,
=
DEVICE TYPE
deviceSpecifier
recordSpec
Purpose
To specify the backup files operated on by the CHANGE, CROSSCHECK, and DELETE
commands.

Syntax Element
Description
BACKUP
Processes files output by the BACKUP command.

With CHANGE BACKUP:
Specify one or more objects using the "CHANGE BACKUP OF listObjList"
form of the command. Otherwise, CHANGE BACKUP operates on all backup
sets, image copies, and proxy copies recorded in the repository.
With CROSSCHECK BACKUP:
If you are running CROSSCHECK BACKUP, then the command crosschecks
BACKUP output that has status AVAILABLE or EXPIRED: backup sets
(including backup pieces), proxy copies, and image copies. RMAN
crosschecks all backups not marked UNAVAILABLE, even if they cannot be
restored or if they are incremental backups whose parent full backup or copy
no longer exists.
Specify one or more objects using the "CROSSCHECK BACKUP OF
listObjList" form of the command. Otherwise, RMAN crosschecks
backups of the whole database.
With DELETE BACKUP:
Deletes backup sets and proxy copies.
Specify one or more objects using the "DELETE BACKUP OF listObjList"
form of the command. Otherwise, RMAN deletes backup sets of the whole
database.
BACKUPSET
When followed by a list of primary keys: this is actually a case of the

recordSpec syntax element in the syntax diagram for maintSpec. In such a
case, the keys identify backupsets for use with the CHANGE, CROSSCHECK and
DELETE commands. For more details, see "recordSpec" on page 2-153 and
"LIST Output" on page 2-131 for an explanation of the column headings of the
LIST output tables. Use the KEY column of the output to obtain the primary
key usable in the CHANGE and DELETE commands.
When not followed by a list of primary keys: A synonym for BACKUP.
maintSpec
Syntax Element
Description
COPY
Processes datafile copies, control file copies, archived redo logs, and image
copies of archived redo logs.
If you do not specify an option for CHANGE COPY, then the command
operates on all image copies recorded in the repository.
If you are running CROSSCHECK COPY, then by default the command checks
all image copies of all files in the database with status AVAILABLE or
EXPIRED.
By default, COPY removes copies of all files in the database. Specify the
EXPIRED option to remove only copies that are marked EXPIRED in the
repository.
OF listObjList
Restricts the list of objects operated on to the object type specified in the
listObjList clause. If you do not specify an object, then the command
defaults to all copies. Note that CHANGE COPY OF DATABASE includes datafiles
but not control files.
See Also: "listObjList" on page 2-144
Processes the specified archived redo logs.

maintQualifier
Restricts the command based on the specified options.

See Also: "maintQualifier" on page 2-146
recordSpec
Specifies the file that you are performing maintenance on. See "recordSpec" on
page 2-153.
channels and run CROSSCHECK...DEVICE TYPE DISK, then RMAN allocates
only disk channels.
Examples
To see the maintSpec clause in use, refer to the commands where it is used:
"CHANGE" on page 2-54
"CROSSCHECK" on page 2-93
"DELETE" on page 2-96
RMAN Commands 2-149
obsOperandList
obsOperandList
Syntax
obsOperandList::=
RECOVERY WINDOW OF
integer
DAYS
=
REDUNDANCY
integer
Purpose
A subclause used to specify which criteria are used to mark backups and copies as
obsolete.
DELETE
REPORT
Using both RECOVERY WINDOW and REDUNDANCY clause in a single REPORT

OBSOLETE or DELETE OBSOLETE command is not supported.

Syntax Element
Description
RECOVERY WINDOW OF
integer DAYS
Specifies that RMAN should report as obsolete those backups and copies that
are not needed to recover the database to any point within the last integer
days.
See Also: "CONFIGURE" on page 2-63 for an explanation of the recovery
window
REDUNDANCY = integer
Specifies the minimum level of redundancy considered necessary for a backup

or copy to be obsolete. A datafile copy is obsolete if there are at least integer
more recent backups or image copies of this file; a datafile backup set is
obsolete if there are at least integer more recent backups or image copies of
each file contained in the backup set. For example, REDUNDANCY 2 means that
there must be at least two more recent backups or copies of a datafile for any
other backup or copy to be obsolete.
Example
Deleting Obsolete Backups: Example The following command deletes all backups
and copies not needed to recover the database to a random point within the last 30
days:
DELETE OBSOLETE RECOVERY WINDOW OF 30 DAYS;
PRINT SCRIPT
PRINT SCRIPT
Syntax
printScript::=
GLOBAL
PRINT
SCRIPT
TO FILE
filename
script_name
Purpose
To print a local or global stored script to standard output or to a file.
For more information about stored scripts, see "CREATE SCRIPT" on page 2-91.
Use this command only at the RMAN prompt.

You must be connected to the target database that you connected to when you
created or replaced the script.
You must be connected to the recovery catalog, and the recovery catalog database
must be open.

Syntax Element
Description
GLOBAL
With the GLOBAL option, PRINT SCRIPT prints the global script named
'script_name' instead of the local script.
If omitted, RMAN looks for a local or global script script_name to print. If a
local script is found, it is printed. If no local script is found, but a global script
script_name is found, the global script is printed.
See "CREATE SCRIPT" on page 2-91 for more details about local and global
stored scripts.
'script_name'
The name of the script to print.
TO FILE ' filename '
With TO FILE 'filename' option, PRINT SCRIPT sends its output to the
specified file instead of standard output.
Examples
Printing a Script to a File: Example
The following example prints a script to the file
'/tmp/backup_db.rman':
PRINT SCRIPT backup_db TO FILE '/tmp/backup_db.rman';
Printing a Script to the Screen: Example This example prints a stored script to
standard output (includes sample output):
RMAN> PRINT SCRIPT 'backup_db';
printing stored script: backup_db
{
ALLOCATE CHANNEL c1 DEVICE TYPE sbt
BACKUP DATABASE;
}
RMAN Commands 2-151
QUIT
QUIT
Syntax
quit::=
QUIT
Purpose
To shut down the Recovery Manager utility.

Execute only at the RMAN prompt, not in a RUN block.
Example
Quitting RMAN: Example
% rman
RMAN> QUIT
This example starts RMAN and then shuts it down:
recordSpec
recordSpec
Syntax
recordSpec::=
,
filename
ARCHIVELOG
,
primaryKey
,
BACKUPSET
primaryKey
,
media_handle
BACKUPPIECE
primaryKey
PROXY
TAG
tag_name
filename
,
primaryKey
CONTROLFILECOPY
DATAFILECOPY
=
TAG
DATAFILECOPY
NODUPLICATES
NODUPLICATES
ALL
LIKE
tag_name
string_pattern
Purpose
A subclause that specifies which objects the CHANGE, CROSSCHECK, DELETE, and
LIST commands should operate on.
Most recordSpec options allow you to specify a primary key. Use the output of the
LIST command to obtain keys.

Syntax Element
Description
ARCHIVELOG
Specifies an archived redo log by either primary_key or 'filename'.
BACKUPSET primary_key
Specifies a backup set by primary_key.
BACKUPPIECE
Specifies a backup piece by 'media_handle', primary_key, or tag_name.
PROXY
Specifies a proxy copy by 'media_handle', primary_key, or tag_name.
CONTROLFILECOPY
Specifies a control file copy by primary_key, filename pattern

('filename'), or TAG = tag_name. If you crosscheck a control file copy, you
must specify a filename rather than a primary key.
DATAFILECOPY
Specifies a datafile copy by either primary_key, filename pattern

('filename'), or TAG = tag_name.
RMAN Commands 2-153
recordSpec
Syntax Element
Description
NODUPLICATES
With CONTROLFILECOPY or DATAFILECOPY, specifies that only one copy of

the control file or datafile copy specified by the rest of the clause should be the
target of the operation, even when there are multiple copies.
Examples
Crosschecking Backups: Example
This example crosschecks backup sets specified
by primary key:
CROSSCHECK BACKUPSET 507, 509;
Deleting Datafile Copies: Example This example deletes a specified datafile copy:
DELETE NOPROMPT DATAFILECOPY '?/oradata/users01.cpy';
RECOVER
RECOVER
Syntax
recover::=
,
=
DEVICE TYPE
deviceSpecifier
RECOVER
recoverOptionList
recoverObject
recoverObject::=
=
WITH TAG
COPY OF
tag_name
dbObject
,
DATAFILECOPY
filename
dbObject
,
FOREVER
SKIP
TABLESPACE
tablespace_name
untilClause
dbObject::=
DATABASE
,
DATAFILE
datafileSpec
,
TABLESPACE
tablespace_name
recoverOptionList::=
RMAN Commands 2-155
RECOVER
,
ALLOW
integer
CORRUPTION
=
ARCHIVELOG TAG
tag_name
=
AUXILIARY DESTINATION
location
CHECK LOGICAL
CHECK READONLY
MAXSIZE
sizeSpec
DELETE ARCHIVELOG
=
FROM TAG
tag_name
NOPARALLEL
NOREDO
integer
PARALLEL
,
UNDO TABLESPACE
tablespace_name
TEST
sizeSpec::=
G
K
M
integer
Purpose
The RECOVER command has three distinct uses:
Performing complete recovery of one or more restored datafiles, or the entire

database.
Performing point-in-time recovery of a database (DBPITR) or tablespace (TSPITR).
Applying incremental backups to a datafile image copy (not a restored datafile) to
roll it forward in time.
When performing media recovery, RMAN first looks for archived logs on disk, and if
none are available, then it restores logs from backups to the LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_1
destination (or the SET ARCHIVELOG DESTINATION) as needed for the recovery.
Complete and point-in-time recovery of a database can use both incremental backups
and archived logs. If RMAN has a choice between applying an incremental backup or
applying redo, then it always chooses the incremental backup. Applying incremental
backups is faster and captures NOLOGGING changes. If overlapping levels of
incremental backup are available, then RMAN automatically chooses the one covering
the longest period of time.
RMAN also applies incremental backups to restored files that were not restored from
an incremental backup.
RECOVER
When RMAN applies incremental backups, it also recovers

changes to objects created with the NOLOGGING option. Applying
archived redo logs to datafiles does not recover these changes.
Note:
See Also:
Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Basics to learn how to

recover datafiles.
"RESTORE" on page 2-179 command for explanation of the
default location for restoring archived logs. Note that RMAN
automatically specifies the MAXSIZE option when staging logs
in the flash recovery area.
You cannot arbitrarily recover individual datafiles to different points in time. You
can recover the whole database to a single point in time (DBPITR, in which case
you should useSET UNTIL, followed by RESTORE DATABASE and RECOVER
DATABASE) or recover wholly contained tablespaces to a point in time different
from the rest of the database (TSPITR, in which case you must use RECOVER
TABLESPACE... UNTIL...). For more information on DBPITR, see Oracle
Database Backup and Recovery Advanced User's Guide. For more information on
TSPITR, see the procedure described in Oracle Database Backup and Recovery
Advanced User's Guide .
For whole database recovery, the database must be mounted but not open. For
recovery of datafiles or tablespaces, the target database must be mounted or open,
but if the database is open, then the datafiles or tablespaces to be recovered must
be offline.
The RECOVER DATABASE command does not recover any files that are offline
normal or read-only at the point in time to which the files are being recovered.
RMAN omits offline normal files with no further checking. If CHECK READONLY is
specified, then RMAN checks each read-only file on disk to ensure that it is
already current at the desired point in time. If CHECK READONLY is not specified,
then RMAN skips read-only files completely during the RECOVER command.
You must open the database with the RESETLOGS option after incomplete
recovery or recovery with a backup control file.
If RMAN is unable to restore files needed for the recovery operation from the first
backup it tries, it uses restore failover to try to restore the file from other suitable
backups. See Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Advanced User's Guide for details
on restore failover.
If the recovery operation requires that RMAN restore archived log redo or
incremental backups from backup, then you must either configure channels for the
devices from which files are to be restored (disk or SBT) or use ALLOCATE
CHANNEL commands in a RUN block with your RECOVER command.
You must have already configured a device type with the CONFIGURE DEVICE
TYPE command (except for DISK, which is preconfigured) before specifying the
DEVICE TYPE option.
You cannot manually allocate channels and then run RECOVER with the DEVICE
TYPE option.
RMAN Commands 2-157
RECOVER
If incremental backups or archived logsis need to be restored during recovery, then

you must either use configured channels or manually allocate channels of the
same type that created these backups.
RMAN can recover through RESETLOGS operations transparently if the datafiles
to be recovered are from a parent incarnation. If required, the RECOVER command
can also restore and apply archived logs and incremental backups from prior
incarnations.
If, during recovery of a tablespace or database, the database encounters redo for
adding a datafile, RMAN automatically creates a new datafile, unless the
tablespace containing the added datafile is skipped during recovery. This situation
can arise when a backup control file is restored prior to recovery, and the backup
control file does not contain a record of the recently-added datafile.
When opening a database after recovery, any locally managed tempfiles recorded
in the RMAN repository are re-created if necessary. If you are recovering using a
backup control file and no recovery catalog, then tempfiles created after the
control file backup are not recorded in the RMAN repository and are not created
automatically.
If you want to perform DBPITR, the best practice is to enter a SET UNTIL
command before both the RESTORE and RECOVER commands. If you run SET
UNTIL after the RESTORE operation, then you may not be able to perform media
recovery on the database to the target time, because the restored files may have
time stamps later than the target time.

recover
Syntax Element
Description
RECOVERDEVICE TYPE DISK..., then RMAN allocates only disk channels.
RECOVER
recoverObject
Syntax Element
Description
COPY OF
Applies incremental backups to the specified image copy to roll it forward to

any time equal to or before the most recent incremental backup of the file. The
existing image copy is overwritten, and remains in a fuzzy state during the
recovery. RECOVER COPY is a method for updating a copy and is not a media
recovery of a current database file. This command is meant to be used in
conjunction with the BACKUP... FOR RECOVER OF COPY syntax, to
implement a strategy using incrementally updated backups.
The following requirements must be met:
At least one copy of each datafile that you are recovering must exist.
Incremental backups taken after the image copy that you are recovering
must exist.
RMAN selects one suitable copy if there are multiple possible copies to which
the incrementals can be applied to carry out the operation.
Note: RMAN issues a warning (not an error) if it cannot recover to the
specified time (or current time if none is specified) because no incrementals
are available.
WITH TAG 'tag_name'
Specifies a tag name to identify the image copy to be rolled forward.
DATAFILECOPY
Applies incremental backups to the specified datafile image copy. Refer to

description of RECOVER COPY OF..
SKIP [FOREVER] TABLESPACE
Specifies tablespaces that should not be recovered, which is useful for

avoiding recovery of tablespaces containing only temporary data or for
postponing recovery of some tablespaces. The SKIP clause takes the datafiles
in the specified tablespaces offline before starting media recovery. These files
are left offline after the media recovery is complete.
If you perform incomplete recovery, then SKIP is not allowed. Instead, use
SKIP FOREVER, with the intention of dropping the skipped tablespaces after
opening the database with the RESETLOGS option. The SKIP FOREVER clause
causes RMAN to take the datafiles offline with the DROP option. Only use
SKIP FOREVER when the specified tablespaces will be dropped after opening
the database.
untilClause
Specifies a past time, SCN, or log sequence number for termination of the
RECOVER command. When used with one or more tablespaces, indicates a
TSPITR operation for the named tablespaces. It cannot be used with RECOVER
DATAFILE. It should not be used for RECOVER DATABASE (see "Restrictions
and Usage Notes" for details). After DBPITR, you must open the database
with the RESETLOGS option.
dbObject
Syntax Element
Description
DATABASE
Specifies that the entire database is to be recovered. By default, RMAN

performs complete recovery. For incomplete recovery, specify an
untilClause.
RMAN Commands 2-159
RECOVER
Syntax Element
Description
Specifies a list of one or more datafiles to recover. Specify datafiles by either

filename (by using a quoted string) or absolute datafile number (by using an
integer).
If you are using the control file as the exclusive repository for RMAN
metadata, then the filename must be the name of the datafile as recorded in
the control file.
If you are using a recovery catalog, then the filename of the datafile must be
the most recent name recorded in the catalog, even if the name in the control
file has been updated more recently. For example, assume that a datafile was
renamed in the control file. The instance then fails before you can
resynchronize the catalog. Specify the old name of the datafile in the
RECOVER command, because this is the name recorded in the catalog.
TABLESPACE
'tablespace_name'
Specifies tablespaces by tablespace name.
recoverOptionList
Syntax Element
Description
recoverOptionList
Specifies various recovery options.
ARCHIVELOG TAG = tag_name
Specifies the tag for an archived log backup to be used during recovery. If the
tagged backup does not contain all the necessary logs for recovery, RMAN
uses logs or incremental backups as needed from whatever is available. Note
that tag names are not case sensitive and display in all uppercase.
AUXILIARY DESTINATION [
= ] 'location'
Can only be used when performing TSPITR. Used to automate the

management of auxiliary set files during TSPITR. Specifies a location where
auxiliary set datafiles, control files and online logs are created during TSPITR
if another location for an individual file is not explicitly specified.
If you do not specify AUXILIARY DESTINATION for a TSPITR, then you
must specify the naming of individual auxiliary set datafiles, control files, and
online logs before executing the RECOVER TABLESPACE... UNTIL...
command. Otherwise, TSPITR will fail.
See also: The chapter on TSPITR in Oracle Database Backup and Recovery
Advanced User's Guide for more details about the auxiliary destination.
CHECK LOGICAL
finds logical corruption, it logs the block in the alert.log and server session
trace file.
The MAXCORRUPT setting represents the total number of physical and logical
corruptions permitted on a file. By default, MAXCORRUPT is 0, so that if there
are any corrupt blocks, media recovery fails. If recovery including corrupt
blocks is permissible, then set MAXCORRUPT to the smallest number of corrupt
blocks that causes media recovery to fail. For example, to tolerate one corrupt
block, set MAXCORRUPT to 1.
If the total number of physical and logical corruptions detected for a file is less
than its MAXCORRUPT setting, then the RMAN command completes and the
database populates V$DATABASE_BLOCK_CORRUPTION with corrupt block
ranges. Otherwise, the command terminates without populating
V$DATABASE_BLOCK_CORRUPTION.
CHECK READONLY
Checks the headers of read-only files to ensure that they are current before
omitting them from the recovery.
RECOVER
Syntax Element
Description
DELETE ARCHIVELOG
[MAXSIZE integer [K|M|G]]
Deletes archived logs restored from backups or copies that are no longer
needed. RMAN does not delete archived logs that were already on disk before
the RESTORE command started.
If you do not specify MAXSIZE, then RMAN deletes restored archived logs as
they are applied. If you specify MAXSIZE, then RMAN will not use more than
integer amount of disk space for restored archived logs. If recovery requires
the restore of a log larger than the MAXSIZE value, then RMAN reports an
error indicating that you should increase the MAXSIZE value. If MAXSIZE is
smaller than the backup set containing the logs, then RMAN must read the
backup set more than once to extract the logs. In this situation, RMAN issues a
warning that MAXSIZE should be increased.
Note: If archived redo logs are restored to the flash recovery area then the
DELETE ARCHIVELOG option is enabled by default.
FROM TAG = tag_name
Specifies the tag for an incremental backup to be used during recovery. If the
tagged backup does not contain all the necessary incrementals for recovery,
then RMAN uses logs or incremental backups as needed from whatever is
available. Note that tag names are not case sensitive and display in all
uppercase.
See Also: "BACKUP" on page 2-22 to learn how a tag can be applied to an
individual copy of a duplexed backup set, and to learn about the default
filename format for backup tags
NOREDO
Suppresses the application of redo logs during recovery. Only incremental

backups are applied.
One use of this option is in updating full backups of NOARCHIVELOG
databases by using incremental backups. If you do not specify NOREDO when
recovering a NOARCHIVELOG database, then the database terminates recovery
and issues an error.
Note: Incremental backups of NOARCHIVELOG databases can only be taken
after a consistent shutdown.
Another use is in updating standby or duplicate databases. Incremental
backups created with the BACKUP INCREMENTAL FROM SCN command can be
applied at the standby or duplicate database. This process is described in
Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Advanced User's Guide.
TEST
Use the TEST clause to conduct a trial recovery. A trial recovery is useful if a
normal recovery procedure has encountered some problem. It lets you look
ahead into the redo stream to detect possible additional problems. The trial
recovery applies redo in a way similar to normal recovery, but it does not
write changes to disk, and it rolls back its changes at the end of the trial
recovery.
Note: You can use this clause only if you have restored a backup taken since
the last RESETLOGS operation. Otherwise, the database returns an error.
UNDO TABLESPACE
Only for use with RECOVER TABLESPACE.

During TSPITR, RMAN needs information about which tablespaces had undo
segments at the TSPITR target time. This information is usually available in
the recovery catalog, if one is used.
If there is no recovery catalog, or if the information is not found in the
recovery catalog, RMAN proceeds assuming that the set of tablespaces with
undo segments at the target time is the same as the set of tablespaces with
undo segments at the present time. If this assumption is not correct, TSPITR
fails with an error. In such a case, use this clause to provide a list of
tablespaces with undo segments at the target time.
RMAN Commands 2-161
RECOVER
Syntax Element
Description
ALLOW integer CORRUPTION The ALLOW integer CORRUPTION clause lets you specify, in the event of
logfile corruption, the number of corrupt blocks that can be tolerated while
allowing recovery to proceed.
When you use this clause during trial recovery (that is, in conjunction with the
TEST clause), integer can exceed 1. When using this clause during normal
recovery, integer can only be 0 or 1.
NOPARALLEL
Specifies not to perform recovery in parallel. Parallel execution is the default

for RECOVER.
PARALLEL [integer]
Specifies to perform recovery in parallel (the default).

By default, the database determines the optimal degree of parallelism, which
is the number of parallel threads used in the recovery operation. It is generally
not necessary for you to specify the degree of parallelism. However, you can
specify the degree of parallelism directly by including the integer in the
PARALLEL clause. Each parallel thread may use one or two parallel execution
servers.
For more complete information on PARALLEL, see the description of the
PARALLEL clause in the discussion of CREATE TABLE in Oracle Database SQL
Reference.
Examples
The following example
takes tablespace tools offline, uses automatic channels to restore and recover it
(deleting the logs that it restored from tape), then brings it back online:
Recovering a Tablespace in an Open Database: Example
SQL "ALTER TABLESPACE tbs_1 OFFLINE IMMEDIATE";

RESTORE TABLESPACE tbs_1;
# restore only 2M of logs at a time, then delete them
RECOVER TABLESPACE tools DELETE ARCHIVELOG MAXSIZE 2M;
SQL "ALTER TABLESPACE tools ONLINE";
Recovering Datafiles Restored to New Locations: Example The following example

uses the preconfigured disk channel and manually allocates one media management
channel to use datafile copies on disk and backups on tape, and restores one of the
datafiles in tablespace users to a different location:
RMAN> RUN
{
SQL "ALTER TABLESPACE users OFFLINE IMMEDIATE";
SET NEWNAME FOR DATAFILE '?/oradata/trgt/users01.dbf'
TO '/tmp/users01.dbf';
RESTORE TABLESPACE users;
SWITCH DATAFILE ALL;
RECOVER TABLESPACE users;
SQL "ALTER TABLESPACE users ONLINE";
}
Performing DBPITR with a Backup Control File and Recovery Catalog: Example
Assume that all datafiles and control files as well as archived redo log 40 were lost due
to a disk failure. Also assume that you do not have incremental backups. You need to
recover the database with available archived redo logs. You do not need to restore
tablespace history because it has not changed since log 40. After connecting to the
target and recovery catalog, follow the example shown here:
RMAN> STARTUP FORCE NOMOUNT;
RMAN> RUN
{
RECOVER
SET UNTIL SEQUENCE 40 THREAD 1;

# Recover database until log sequence 40
RESTORE DATABASE SKIP TABLESPACE temp, history;
RECOVER DATABASE SKIP FOREVER TABLESPACE temp;
}
RMAN> ALTER DATABASE OPEN RESETLOGS;
If the database uses locally-managed temporary tablespaces, and you restore a backup
control file, and you do not have a recovery catalog, then you must add tempfiles to
these tablespaces afterwards, using the SQL ALTER TABLESPACE... ADD TEMPFILE
command:
RMAN> SQL "ALTER TABLESPACE temp ADD TEMPFILE ''?/oradata/trgt/temp01.dbf'' REUSE";
Assume that you

have an image copy backup of a datafile and you want to roll it forward in time using
incremental backups. Use RECOVER DATAFILECOPY with the UNTIL TIME option.
For example, run the following command:
RECOVER an Image Copy of a Datafile to a Point in Time: Example
RMAN> RECOVER DATAFILECOPY '/disk1/3img.df' UNTIL TIME 'SYSDATE-7';
Available incremental backups are applied to the datafile copy to recover it to the
desired point in time. Redo from the archived redo logs is not applied by this
command.
RMAN Commands 2-163
REGISTER
REGISTER
Syntax
register::=
REGISTER DATABASE
Purpose
To register the target database in the recovery catalog so that RMAN can access it.
RMAN obtains all information it needs to register the target database from the target
database itself.
If you perform a RESETLOGS operation on a database and
later register it in the recovery catalog, the catalog records the
DB_NAME for the old incarnations as UNKNOWN because the old
incarnations were not previously registered. You should not try to
remove these records.
Note:

Guide, and "CREATE CATALOG" on page 2-89
You must be connected to the target database and recovery catalog database.
You can register multiple databases in the same recovery catalog, but the database
identifiers of the databases must be unique.
You can only register a database once in a given recovery catalog.
The target database must be mounted or open.
You should not register a standby database.
The REGISTER DATABASE command fails when RMAN detects duplicate DBIDs.
This situation can arise when databases are created by copying files from an
existing database rather than by using the DUPLICATE command.
If this failure occurs, then you can change the DBID of the copied database with
the standalone DBNEWID utility.
If you are using RMAN with different target databases that
have the same database name and DBID, be careful to always
specify the correct recovery catalog schema when invoking RMAN.
Note:
Oracle Database Utilities, to learn how to use the

DBNEWID utility
See Also:
REGISTER
Example
Registering a Database: Example The following commands register a new target
database, catalogs an existing datafile copy, then opens the database for use:
% rman TARGET / CATALOG rman/rman@catdb
RMAN> STARTUP FORCE MOUNT;
RMAN> REGISTER DATABASE;
RMAN> CATALOG DATAFILECOPY '?/oradata/system01.cpy';
RMAN> ALTER DATABASE OPEN;
RMAN Commands 2-165
RELEASE CHANNEL
RELEASE CHANNEL
Syntax
release::=
=
RELEASE CHANNEL
channel_id
Purpose
To release a channel while maintaining the connection to the target database instance.
Specify the channel name with the same identifier used in the ALLOCATE CHANNEL
command. This command is optional because RMAN automatically releases all
channels allocated when a RUN block terminates.

Execute this command only within a RUN block. See "releaseForMaint" on page 2-167
for the form of RELEASE CHANNEL used for maintenance channels.

Syntax Element
Description
channel_id
The case-sensitive channel ID used in the ALLOCATE CHANNEL command.
Examples
This example makes three identical backup sets of
datafiles 1 to 4 to tape with channel ch1, then releases it. RMAN then makes three
identical backups of datafiles 5 to 7 to tape with channel ch2 and then releases it:
Releasing a Channel: Example
RUN {
ALLOCATE CHANNEL ch1 DEVICE TYPE sbt FORMAT 'bkup_%U';
ALLOCATE CHANNEL ch2 DEVICE TYPE sbt MAXPIECESIZE = 5M;
BACKUP CHANNEL ch1 DATAFILE 1,2,3,4;
RELEASE CHANNEL ch1;
BACKUP DATAFILE 5,6,7;
}
releaseForMaint
releaseForMaint
Syntax
releaseForMaint::=
RELEASE CHANNEL
Purpose
To release a sequential I/O device specified in an ALLOCATE CHANNEL FOR
MAINTENANCE command. Note that maintenance channels are unaffected by
ALLOCATE CHANNEL and RELEASE CHANNEL command issued within a RUN
command.
Requirements
Execute this command only at the RMAN prompt, not within a RUN block.
You must have a maintenance channel allocated in order to release it.
Examples
This example
allocates and then releases a maintenance channel to the media manager:
Releasing a Maintenance Channel After a Delete Operation: Example

DELETE NOPROMPT BACKUPPIECE 100;
RUN
{
ALLOCATE CHANNEL ch1 DEVICE TYPE DISK;
BACKUP DATAFILE 1;
RELEASE CHANNEL ch1; # releases RUN channel but not maintenance channel
}
RELEASE CHANNEL; # releases maintenance channel
RMAN Commands 2-167
REPLACE SCRIPT
REPLACE SCRIPT
Syntax
replaceScript::=
=
GLOBAL
REPLACE
SCRIPT
COMMENT
comment
script_name
backupCommands
{
maintenanceCommands
restoreCommands
;
FROM FILE
filename
Purpose
To replace an existing script stored in the recovery catalog. If the script does not exist,
then REPLACE SCRIPT creates it.
A stored script is a sequence of RMAN commands, given a name and stored in the
recovery catalog for later execution. A stored script may be local (that is, associated
with one target database) or global (available for use with any database registered in
the recovery catalog).
For more information about stored scripts and commands used to create, update,
delete and execute stored scripts, see "CREATE SCRIPT" on page 2-91.
Execute REPLACE SCRIPT only at the RMAN prompt.

You must be connected to a target database and recovery catalog. If you are
replacing a local script, then you must be connected to the target database that you
connected to when you created the script.
When using REPLACE SCRIPT, RMAN must be connected to a recovery catalog,
and the catalog database must be open.
If no script by the specified name exists, one will be created.
The @ and @@commands do not work within REPLACE SCRIPT.

Syntax Element
Description
GLOBAL
Restricts RMAN to replacing or creating a global stored script, instead of a

local one.
If omitted, RMAN looks for a local stored script script_name defined on the
current target database. If one is found, RMAN updates the local script with
the new script contents. If no local script is found, RMAN looks for a global
stored script script_name. If a global script script_name is found, RMAN
updates it with the new script contents.
'script_name'
Identifies the local or global script being replaced.
REPLACE SCRIPT
Syntax Element
Description
COMMENT ='comment'
An explanatory comment, used in the output of LIST SCRIPT NAMES..
FROM FILE 'filename'
The new contents of the script are to be read from this file. The first line of the
file must begin with a "{", the last line must contain a "}" and the commands
must be valid within a RUN block.
{ backupCommands
Commands valid in a stored script. These are the same commands supported
within a RUN block. See "RUN" on page 2-195 for more details about
backupCommands, restoreCommands, maintenanceCommands, and
miscellaneousCommands.
| maintenanceCommands
| miscellaneousCommands
| restoreCommands
}
Example
Replacing a Recovery Catalog Script: Example This example updates a stored script
called backup_full:
REPLACE SCRIPT backup_full
COMMENT 'Run this to back up the database'
{
# uses configured channel for default device type
BACKUP DATABASE;
}
If there is a local script backup_full, it is updated. If there is no local script

backup_full but there is a global script backup_full, the global script is updated.
RMAN Commands 2-169
REPORT
REPORT
Syntax
report::=
=
DAYS
integer
INCREMENTAL
RECOVERY WINDOW OF
integer
DAYS
=
REDUNDANCY
integer
NEED BACKUP
reportObject
obsOperandList
REPORT
OBSOLETE
atClause
SCHEMA
UNRECOVERABLE
reportObject
=
DEVICE TYPE
deviceSpecifier
;
reportObject::=
,
SKIP TABLESPACE
tablespace_name
DATABASE
,
DATAFILE
datafileSpec
,
TABLESPACE
tablespace_name
atClause::=
=
AT SCN
integer
=
=
AT SEQUENCE
THREAD
integer
integer
=
AT TIME
date_string
Purpose
To perform detailed analyses of the RMAN repository. The Database writes the output
from the REPORT command to standard output or the message log file.
Use the REPORT command to answer questions such as the following:
Which files need a backup?
Which files have not had a backup for some time?
Which files are not recoverable due to unrecoverable operations?
REPORT
Which backup files can be deleted?
What was the physical schema of the database at a previous time?

to use RMAN's reporting functionality

You must connect to a recovery catalog when issuing a REPORT SCHEMA command
with the AT TIME, AT SCN, or AT SEQUENCE options. Otherwise, a recovery
catalog is not required for the REPORT command.

report
Syntax Element
Description
NEED BACKUP
Lists all datafiles in need of a new backup. The report assumes that you will
use the most recent backup for restore operations. If you do not specify any
option, then RMAN uses the current retention policy configuration. If the
retention policy is disabled (CONFIGURE RETENTION POLICY TO NONE),
RMAN generates an error.
DAYS = integer
Lists all datafiles requiring more than the specified number of days' worth of
archived redo log files for complete recovery. For example, REPORT NEED
BACKUP DAYS 7 DATABASE shows the datafiles whose recovery requires more
than seven days' worth of archived redo logs.
If the target database control file is mounted and current, then RMAN makes
the following optimizations to this report:
INCREMENTAL = integer
Files that are offline and whose most recent backup contains all changes
to the file are not included.
Files that were offline and are now online, and whose most recent backup
contains all changes up to the offline time, are only reported if they have
been online for more than the specified number of days.
Specifies a threshold number of incremental backups required for recovery. If

complete recovery of a datafile requires more than integer incremental
backups, then the datafile requires a new full backup.
Note: Files for which no backups exist will not appear in this list: issue the
REPORT NEED BACKUP REDUNDANCY command to display them.
RECOVERY WINDOW OF
integer DAYS
Reports datafiles for which there are not sufficient backups to satisfy a
recovery window-based retention policy for the specified number of days,
that is, datafiles without sufficient backups for point-in-time recovery to any
point back to the time SYSDATE - integer.
REDUNDANCY = integer
Specifies the minimum number of backups or copies that must exist for a
datafile to be considered not in need of a backup. In other words, a datafile
needs a backup if there are fewer than integer backups or copies of this file.
For example, REDUNDANCY 2 means that if there are fewer than two copies or
backups of a datafile, then it needs a new backup.
RMAN Commands 2-171
REPORT
Syntax Element
Description
OBSOLETE obsOperandList
Lists full backups, datafile copies, and archived logs recorded in the RMAN
repository that can be deleted because they are no longer needed. The
subclause obsOperandList describes the criteria that RMAN uses to determine
what is obsolete. If you do not specify parameters in obsOperandList, then
RMAN uses the options specified in CONFIGURE RETENTION POLICY. If
you use this option in conjunction with DEVICE TYPE, then RMAN only
considers backups and copies created on the specified device.
Note: Even if you use a KEEP UNTIL clause to specify a time after which a
backup is to be considered obsolete, RMAN does not consider that backup
obsolete if it is needed to satisfy the specified retention policy. A KEEPUNTIL
clause can cause a backup to be kept longer than the retention policy requires,
but never a shorter time.
SCHEMA
Lists the names of all datafiles and tablespaces at the specified point in time.
UNRECOVERABLE
Lists all unrecoverable datafiles. A datafile is considered unrecoverable if an

unrecoverable operation has been performed against an object residing in the
datafile since the last backup of the datafile.
Note: The nonexistence of any backup of a datafile is not sufficient reason to
consider it unrecoverable. Such datafiles can be recovered through the use of
the CREATE DATAFILE command, if redo logs starting from when the file was
created still exist.
Specifies the type of storage device. RMAN only considers backups and
copies available on the specified device for its report.
reportObject
Syntax Element
Description
reportObject
Specifies the datafiles to be included in the report. The report can include the
entire database (optionally skipping certain tablespaces), a list of tablespaces,
or a list of datafiles.
Note: RMAN includes objects from prior incarnations.
Lists the specified datafiles. RMAN reports on backups or datafile copies that
contain at least one of the specified datafiles.
TABLESPACE
'tablespace_name'
Lists datafiles in the specified tablespace. RMAN reports on backups or

datafile copies that include at least one datafile from a specified tablespace.
DATABASE
Lists backups or datafile copies of all files in the current database. Specify
SKIP TABLESPACE tablespace_name to exclude the specified tablespace
from the DATABASE specification.
atClause
Syntax Element
Description
atClause
Specifies a point in time as a time, an SCN, or a log sequence number.
AT TIME = 'date_string'
Specifies a date. The NLS_LANG and NLS_DATE_FORMAT environment

variables specify the format for the time.
AT SCN = integer
Specifies an SCN.
AT SEQUENCE = integer
THREAD = integer
Specifies a log sequence number for a specified redo THREAD number. The
integer indicates the time when the specified log and thread were first opened.
REPORT
Report Output
The information that appears in the output is described in the following tables:
Table 221, " Report of Database Schema"
Table 222, " Report of Obsolete Backups and Copies"
Table 223, " Report of Files that Need Backup Due to Unrecoverable Operations"
Table 224, " Report of Files with Fewer Than n Redundant Backups"
Table 225, " Report of Files Whose Recovery Needs More Than n Days of
Archived Logs"
Table 226, " Report of Files That Need More than n Incrementals During
Recovery"
Table 221
Report of Database Schema
Column
Indicates
File
The absolute datafile number.
K-bytes
The size of the file in kilobytes.
Tablespace
The tablespace name.
RB segs
For datafiles only. YES if rollback segments exist in the

tablespace and NO if they do not (only if connected to the
recovery catalog). If RMAN is not connected to the catalog,
then *** is displayed.
Datafile Name
For datafiles only. The filename of the datafile.
Maxsize (MB) Name
For tempfiles only. The maximum size of the tempfile.
Tempfile Name
For tempfiles only. The filename of the tempfile.
Table 222
Report of Obsolete Backups and Copies
Column
Indicates
Type
Whether the object is a backup set, backup piece, proxy copy,

or datafile copy.
Key
A unique key that identifies this backup in the target database

control file.
Completion Time
The time that the backup or copy completed.
Filename/handle
The filename or media handle of the backup or datafile copy.
Table 223
Report of Files that Need Backup Due to Unrecoverable Operations
Column
Indicates
File
The absolute number of the datafile that needs a new backup

due to unrecoverable operations.
Type Of Backup
Required
FULL or INCREMENTAL, depending on which type of backup

is necessary to ensure the recoverability of all of the data in
this file. If FULL, then create a full backup, level 0 backup, or a
datafile copy. If INCREMENTAL, then a full or incremental
backup will also suffice.
Name
The name of the datafile.
RMAN Commands 2-173
REPORT
Table 224
Report of Files with Fewer Than n Redundant Backups
Column
Indicates
File
The absolute datafile number of a datafile with less than n

redundant backups.
#bkps
The number of backups that exist for this file.
Name
The name of the file.
Table 225
Report of Files Whose Recovery Needs More Than n Days of Archived Logs
Column
Indicates
File
The absolute file number of a datafile that requires more than

n days of archived redo logs for recovery.
Days
The number of days of archived redo data required for

recovery.
Name
Table 226
Report of Files That Need More than n Incrementals During Recovery
Column
Indicates
File
The absolute file number of a datafile that requires more than

n incrementals for complete recovery.
Incrementals
The number of incremental backups required for complete

recovery.
Name
Examples
Reporting Database Schema: Example This example, which requires a recovery
catalog, reports the names of all datafiles and tablespaces one week ago:
REPORT SCHEMA AT TIME 'SYSDATE-7';
Report of database schema
File K-bytes
Tablespace
---- ---------- -------------------1
307200 SYSTEM
2
20480 UNDOTBS
3
10240 CWMLITE
4
10240 DRSYS
5
10240 EXAMPLE
6
10240 INDX
7
10240 TOOLS
8
10240 USERS
RB segs
------***
***
***
***
***
***
***
***
Datafile Name
------------------/oracle/oradata/trgt/system01.dbf
/oracle/oradata/trgt/undotbs01.dbf
/oracle/oradata/trgt/cwmlite01.dbf
/oracle/oradata/trgt/drsys01.dbf
/oracle/oradata/trgt/example01.dbf
/oracle/oradata/trgt/indx01.dbf
/oracle/oradata/trgt/tools01.dbf
/oracle/oradata/trgt/users01.dbf
Reporting Datafiles Needing Incremental Backups: Example This example reports

all datafiles in the database that require the application of five or more incremental
backups to be recovered to their current state:
REPORT NEED BACKUP INCREMENTAL 5 DATABASE;
Report of files that need more than 5 incrementals during recovery
File Incrementals Name
---- ------------ ---------------------------------------------2
9
/oracle/oradata/trgt/undotbs01.dbf
3
9
/oracle/oradata/trgt/cwmlite01.dbf
REPORT
/oracle/oradata/trgt/drsys01.dbf
Reporting Datafiles Needing Backups: Example The following example reports all
datafiles from tablespace SYSTEM that will need more than two days of archived redo
logs to be applied during recovery after being restored from the most recent backup:
REPORT NEED BACKUP DAYS 2 TABLESPACE SYSTEM;
Report of files whose recovery needs more than 2 days of archived logs
File Days Name
---- ----- ----------------------------------------------------1
3
/oracle/oradata/trgt/drsys01.dbf.f
Reporting Unrecoverable Datafiles: Example The following example reports all

datafiles that cannot be recovered from existing backups because redo may be missing:
REPORT UNRECOVERABLE;
Report of files that need backup due to unrecoverable operations
File Type of Backup Required Name
---- ----------------------- ----------------------------------1
full
/oracle/oradata/trgt/system01.dbf
Reporting Obsolete Backups and Copies: Example
The following example reports
obsolete backups and copies with a redundancy of 1:

REPORT OBSOLETE;
Report of obsolete backups and copies
Type
Key
Completion Time
Filename/Handle
-------------------- ------ ------------------ -------------------Backup Set
1
OCT 30 2001 15:54:56
Backup Piece
1
OCT 30 2001 15:54:56 /oracle/dbs/01d7t0t9_1_1
Archive Log
1
OCT 30 2001 04:52:17 /oracle/oradata/trgt/arch/archive1_21.dbf
RMAN Commands 2-175
RESET DATABASE
RESET DATABASE
Syntax
reset::=
RESET DATABASE TO INCARNATION
primaryKey
Purpose
To reset the incarnation of the target database in the RMAN repository, which means
to do either of the following actions:
Inform RMAN that the SQL statement ALTER DATABASE OPEN RESETLOGS has
been executed and that a new incarnation of the target database has been created.
Note that if you run the RMAN command ALTER DATABASE OPEN RESETLOGS
(not the SQL statement with the same keywords), then RMAN resets the target
database automatically so that you do not have to run RESET DATABASE. By
resetting the database, RMAN considers the new incarnation as the current
incarnation of the database.
To reset the database to a previous incarnation. Typically, you would reset the
incarnation when performing incomplete recovery to a point before a RESETLOGS
operation, or when attempting to undo the affects of a RESETLOGS by restoring
backups taken before a RESETLOGS.
Execute RESET DATABASE only at the RMAN prompt.
You must be connected to the target database.
A recovery catalog connection is optional. Unlike in catalog mode, RESET

DATABASE in nocatalog mode changes the incarnation only for the current RMAN
session.
You must issue a RESET DATABASE command before you can use RMAN with a
target database that has been opened with the SQL statement ALTER DATABASE
OPEN RESETLOGS option. If you do not, then RMAN refuses to access the recovery
catalog because it cannot distinguish between a RESETLOGS operation and an
accidental restore of an old control file. The RESET DATABASE command informs
RMAN that you issued a RESETLOGS command.
If RMAN is connected NOCATALOG, then you can only specify TO INCARNATION if
the database is mounted and the control file contains a record of the prior
incarnation. If you do not run RESET DATABASE, RMAN recovers to the last
incarnation recorded in the control file.
If RMAN is connected in CATALOG mode, then you can specify TO INCARNATION
when the database is mounted. If database is mounted, however, then the control
file must have a record of the prior incarnation.
RESET DATABASE

Syntax Element
Description
TO INCARNATION
primary_key
Changes the current incarnation to an older incarnation. Specify the primary

key of the DBINC record for the database incarnation. Run LIST
INCARNATION OF DATABASE to obtain possible key values. After you issue
RESET DATABASE TO INCARNATION, then you can run RMAN commands
such as RESTORE and RECOVER.
Examples
Resetting RMAN to a Previous Incarnation in NOCATALOG Mode: Example In
NOCATALOG mode, you must mount a control file that knows about the incarnation
that you want to recover. The following scenario makes an old incarnation of database
trgt current again:
CONNECT TARGET / NOCATALOG
# step 1: start and mount a control file that knows about the incarnation to which
# you want to return. if the current control file does not know about it, then
# you must restore an older control file
STARTUP NOMOUNT;
RESTORE CONTROLFILE UNTIL TIME 'SYSDATE-250';
# step 2: obtain the primary key of old incarnation
LIST INCARNATION OF DATABASE trgt;
List of
DB Key
------1
1
------- -------- ------------2
TRGT
1334358386
116
TRGT
1334358386
STATUS
------PARENT
CURRENT
Reset SCN
---------154381
154877
Reset Time
---------OCT 30 2001 16:02:12
OCT 30 2001 16:37:39
# step 3: in this example, reset database to incarnation key 2

RESET DATABASE TO INCARNATION 2;
# step 4: restore and recover the database to a point before the RESETLOGS
RESTORE DATABASE UNTIL SCN 154876;
RECOVER DATABASE UNTIL SCN 154876;
# step 5: make this incarnation the current incarnation and then list incarnations:
LIST INCARNATION OF DATABASE trgt;
List of
DB Key
------1
1
1
------- -------- ---------------2
TRGT
1334358386
116
TRGT
1334358386
311
TRGT
1334358386
STATUS
------PARENT
PARENT
CURRENT
Reset SCN
---------154381
154877
154877
Reset Time
---------OCT 30 2001 16:02:12
OCT 30 2001 16:37:39
AUG 13 2002 17:17:03
Resetting the Database After Incomplete Recovery: Example This example assumes
that an incomplete recovery or recovery with a backup control file was performed in
NOCATALOG mode. Later, RMAN is started in CATALOG mode, but the RESYNC
command fails because the incarnation has not been reset in the catalog.
% rman target / catalog rman/rman@catdb
Recovery Manager: Release 10.1.0.2.0 - Production
RMAN Commands 2-177
RESET DATABASE
Copyright (c) 1995, 2003, Oracle.
All rights reserved.
connected to target database: TRGT (DBID=1334531173)

connected to recovery catalog database
RMAN> RESYNC CATALOG;
RMAN-00571:
RMAN-00569:
RMAN-00571:
RMAN-03009:
RMAN-20003:
===========================================================
=============== ERROR MESSAGE STACK FOLLOWS ===============
===========================================================
failure of resync command on default channel at 11/01/2001 12:00:43
target database incarnation not found in recovery catalog
RMAN> RESET DATABASE;

new incarnation of database registered in recovery catalog
starting full resync of recovery catalog
full resync complete
RESTORE
RESTORE
Syntax
restore::=
restoreSpecOperand
RESTORE
restoreObject
CHANNEL
channel_id
CHECK LOGICAL
CHECK READONLY
,
=
DEVICE TYPE
deviceSpecifier
FORCE
BACKUPSET
FROM
DATAFILECOPY
=
FROM TAG
tag_name
RECALL
SUMMARY
PREVIEW
untilClause
VALIDATE
;
restoreObject::=
TO
filename
CONTROLFILE
,
FOREVER
SKIP
TABLESPACE
tablespace_name
DATABASE
,
DATAFILE
datafileSpec
=
PFILE
TO
filename
FOR DB_UNIQUE_NAME
identifier
quoted_string
SPFILE
TO
filename
STANDBY CONTROLFILE
,
TABLESPACE
tablespace_name
restoreSpecOperand::=
RMAN Commands 2-179
RESTORE
CHANNEL
channel_id
autoBackupOptList
AUTOBACKUP
FROM
media_handle
=
FROM TAG
tag_name
autoBackupOptList::=
=
DB_NAME
MAXDAYS
database_name
=
integer
MAXSEQ
DB_NAME
database_name
RECOVERY AREA
quoted_string
=
DB_UNIQUE_NAME
identifier
quoted_string
Purpose
The primary use of RESTORE is to restore files from backups or image copies.
Typically, you restore when a media failure has damaged a current datafile, control
file, or archived log or prior to performing a point-in-time recovery.
There are other uses of RESTORE that do not actually restore files from backup:
RESTORE... VALIDATE causes RMAN to select existing backups that it would use
to perform a RESTORE operation, and scan them all to ensure that they are present
and free of corruption.
RESTORE... PREVIEW identifies the backups which RMAN will use to perform
any RESTORE operation. Output from a RESTORE... PREVIEW is in the same
format as the output of the LIST command.
RESTORE... PREVIEW RECALL is used to request the recall of backups needed for
a RESTORE operation that are stored on remote storage.
RMAN chooses which backups to restore based on the criteria that you specify. For
example, you can limit the restore to backups before a given point of time (within the
current incarnation) with the untilClause.
Locations of Restored Files

If you restore to the default location (that is, you do not run SET NEWNAME), then
RMAN overwrites files with the same filenames. If you restore to a new location, then
issue SET NEWNAME commands to rename the files and issue a SWITCH command to
make the restored files current. If you do not issue SWITCH commands, then RMAN
considers the restored files as valid copies for use in future restore operations.
If you do not run SET NEWNAME and RMAN detects that the default filename cannot
be used (for example, because the filename is in use by another database that shares
the storage), and if the file is an Oracle Managed File or is on an Automatic Storage
Management disk group, then RMAN attempts to create a new file in the same
location or disk group.
RESTORE
By default, RMAN does not restore a datafile if the file is in

the correct place and its header contains the expected data (RMAN
does not scan the datafile body for corrupt blocks). The FORCE
option overrides this behavior and restores the requested files
unconditionally.
Note:
Channel Allocation in a Restore

If you do not manually allocate channels, then RMAN allocates all automatic channels
possibly needed by the RESTORE command, subject to any restrictions imposed by the
use of the DEVICE TYPE option.
For example, assume you configure 3 separate sbt channels (each with different
PARMS) and then configure parallelism for DISK and sbt as follows:
If you run RESTORE in this configuration, then RMAN allocates three sbt channels
and the two preconfigured DISK channels.
Restore Failover
If a backup piece, image copy or proxy copy is inaccessible (for instance, deleted from
the device) or if a block is corrupted, then the RESTORE command automatically looks
for a another usable copy of this backup piece or image copy on both the same device
and other devices. If no usable copies are available, then RMAN searches for prior
backups. RMAN continously searches for prior usable backups until it has exhaused
all possibilities.
Restore failover also occurs when restoring archivelogs for use in RECOVER,
BLOCKRECOVER and FLASHBACK operations. RMAN records messages about
failover due to block corruption in the alert log and trace files.
See Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Advanced User's Guide for details on restore
failover.
Restoring from Encrypted Backup Sets

How RMAN handles encrypted backup sets during restore operations depends upon
the encryption mode with which the backup was created.
For transparent-mode encrypted backups, the required passwords must be

available in the database wallet. This means that the same wallet that was used
when creating the backup must be open, and available, when restoring it. No SET
DECRYPTION command is required.
For password-mode encrypted backups, the required passwords must be provided
using SET DECRYPTION.
For dual-mode encrypted backups, the required passwords must be available in
the database wallet or provided using SET DECRYPTION.
For an overview of the encrypted backups mechanism, a guide to its use and
information on choosing among the different modes of encryption, see "Encryption of
Backup Sets" on page 2-28 and the extended discussion in Oracle Database Backup and
Recovery Advanced User's Guide.
RMAN Commands 2-181
RESTORE
The RMAN CONFIGURE, SET and SHOW commands are used to manage the RMAN
backup encryption settings for your database. See the reference entries for those
commands for more details.
Restoring Files in a Real Application Cluster Configuration

In a Real Application Clusters configuration, RMAN automatically restores backups,
control file copies, and datafile copies from channels that can read the files on tape or a
local file system. For example, if channel 1 connected to instance 1 can read log 1000
from its tape drive, but channel 2 connected to instance 2 cannot read the same log
from its tape drive, then channel 1 restores the log. Autolocation is automatically
enabled when the channels meet any of the following criteria:
Different PARMS settings
Different CONNECT strings

to restore files
To restore datafiles to their current location, the database must be started,

mounted, or open with the tablespaces or datafiles to be restored offline. If the
database is started but not mounted, then it is recommended that you only restore
the control file, if necessary (refer to "Restrictions and Usage Notes for RESTORE
CONTROLFILE" on page 2-183). To restore other files, mount the database and
then continue.
When performing a database validation by using RESTORE
... VALIDATE, the database can be open.
Note:
To restore to a new location, run SET NEWNAME commands to rename the datafiles
and SWITCH commands to make them the current database files. If you do not
use SWITCH, then the repository lists restored datafiles as datafile copies.
If you use the FROM DATAFILECOPY option, then the allocated channels must be
of DEVICE TYPE DISK.
If you use the FROM BACKUPSET clause, then channels for the appropriate type of
storage devices must be allocated for the backup sets that need to be restored. For
example, if needed backups are only available on tape, and no SBT channels have
been allocated, then RMAN cannot find a candidate backup set to restore, and the
RESTORE command fails.
RMAN only restores backups that were created on the same type of channels that
are allocated for the RESTORE command.
For example, if you made some backups of a datafile to DISK channels and others
to sbt channels, and only a DISK channel is allocated for the RESTORE command,
RMAN will not restore backups that were created on sbt channels.
If there are no backups available for a lost datafile, RMAN will create an empty
datafile with the checkpoint change as creation SCN. During recovery, all archived
logs back to the creation of the datafile will be restored, and all changes during the
history of the datafile will be re-applied to re-create its contents.
If datafile names are symbolic links, that is, files pointing to other files, then the
control file stores the filenames of the link files but RMAN performs I/O on the
RESTORE
datafiles pointed to by the link files. If a link file is lost and you RESTORE a datafile
without re-creating the symbolic link, then RMAN restores the datafile to the
location of the link file rather than to the location pointed to by the link.
If the database is started but not mounted in NOCATALOG mode, then the RESTORE
SPFILE command requires the FROM AUTOBACKUP clause.
If you are restoring the server parameter file and the control file in a disaster
recovery situation, you cannot run RESTORE CONTROLFILE FROM AUTOBACKUP,
mount this control file, and then run RESTORE SPFILE without the FROM
AUTOBACKUP clause.
Do not specify a datafile more than once in a restore job. For example, the
following command is illegal because datafile 1 is both specified explicitly and
implied by the SYSTEM tablespace:
RESTORE TABLESPACE SYSTEM DATAFILE 1;
You must have already configured a device type by using CONFIGURE (except for
DISK, which is preconfigured) before specifying the DEVICE TYPE option.
You cannot manually allocate channels and then run RESTORE DEVICE TYPE.
When you run RESTORE with a backup control file while connected to a recovery
catalog, RMAN automatically updates the control file to reflect the structure of the
restored database, based on the information in the recovery catalog.
RMAN can back up and restore dictionary-managed temporary tablespaces, but it
cannot back up locally managed temporary tablespaces. It can, however, re-create
locally managed temporary tablespaces after a database restore.
RMAN does not support backup and recovery of the change tracking file. Note
that database restore and recovery has no user-visible effect on change tracking.
The change tracking file is re-created upon database restore and recovery, and the
next incremental backup after any recovery is able to use the change-tracking file.
If no suitable backups are available in the current incarnation of the database, then
you can force RMAN to use backups from a previous incarnation. Using the
CHANGE... UNAVAILABLE command, you can make all backups since the
RESETLOGS that ended the incarnation unavailable. Run LIST RECOVERABLE to
see valid parent incarnations.
Restrictions and Usage Notes for RESTORE CONTROLFILE
After you restore a backup control file, you must run RECOVER DATABASE and
then open the database with the RESETLOGS option.
Table 227 indicates the restrictions that apply in different situations involving the
RESTORE CONTROLFILE command.
RMAN Commands 2-183
RESTORE
Table 227
RESTORE CONTROLFILE Scenarios
RESTORE
CONTROLFILE;
RESTORE
CONTROLFILE
FROM
AUTOBACKUP;
RESTORE
CONTROLFILE ... TO
'filename';
RESTORE CONTROLFILE ...

FROM 'media_handle' or TAG
'user_tag';
No catalog,
target started in
NOMOUNT
state
Error. Must specify

FROM AUTOBACKUP.
First run SET DBID.

Restores to
CONTROL_FILES
locations.
First run SET DBID.

Must specify FROM
AUTOBACKUP. Restores
only to filename.
First run SET DBID. Restores

from specified file (cannot
restore from TAG). If TO
'filename' not used, restores to
all CONTROL_FILES locations.
No catalog,
target mounted
or open
Error. Must use TO

'filename', where
filename is not in
CONTROL_FILES list.
Error. Must use TO

'filename', where
filename is not in
CONTROL_FILES
list.
Restores only to
filename, where
filename is not in
CONTROL_FILES list.
Restores from specified file. If TO

Catalog, target
started in
NOMOUNT
state
Restores to
CONTROL_FILES
locations. Run SET
DBID only if
DB_NAME not unique
in catalog.
Only use with

catalog for testing
purposes.
Restores only to
filename, where
filename is not in
CONTROL_FILES list.

Catalog, target
mounted or
open
Error. Must use TO

'filename', where
filename is not in
CONTROL_FILES list.
Do not use with

catalog.
Restores only to
filename, where
filename is not in
CONTROL_FILES list.

Restrictions and Usage Notes on RESTORE... PREVIEW

Backup media may be stored remotely, whether in a backup vaulting scenario where
media is shipped to an off-site location, or in a tape library where media is on-site but
not immediately accessible. Some media managers maintain information about
whether the media containing specific backups is stored remotely, and make this
information available to RMAN.
Backups stored remotely are marked as AVAILABLE in the RMAN repository, even
though the media must be retrieved from storage before the backup can be restored. If
RMAN attempts to use a remotely stored backup in a RESTORE operation, the
RESTORE operation fails.
You can use RESTORE... PREVIEW to identify backups RMAN needs for a RESTORE
operation that are stored on media that requires retrieval. The output of RESTORE...
PREVIEW indicates whether backups are stored remotely. If a needed backup is
stored remotely, your options are:
Use CHANGE... UNAVAILABLE to prevent RMAN from selecting the needed

remote backups, and attempt the RESTORE... PREVIEW operation again to see if
RMAN selects another remote backup. When RMAN does not select any remote
backups, you can perform your RESTORE operation.
Use RESTORE... PREVIEW with the RECALL option. If your media manager
supports this functionality, RESTORE... PREVIEW RECALL automatically requests
the retrieval of the remotely stored backup media. Use RESTORE... PREVIEW
again, periodically, to monitor whether the needed backups are stored locally
again.
RESTORE

restore
Syntax Element
Description
Refer to the restoreSpecOperand clause.
CHECK LOGICAL
finds logical corruption, it logs the block in the alert.log and server session
trace file.
If the total number of physical and logical corruptions detected in a file is less
than its MAXCORRUPT setting, the RMAN command completes and the
database populates the V$DATABASE_BLOCK_CORRUPTION view with
corrupt block ranges. If MAXCORRUPT is exceeded, the command terminates
without populating the views.
If the initialization parameter DB_BLOCK_CHECKSUM=TRUE, and if
MAXCORRUPT and NOCHECKSUM are not set, then specifying CHECK LOGICAL
detects all types of corruption that are possible to detect.
Note: The MAXCORRUPT setting represents the total number of physical and
logical corruptions permitted on a file.
CHECK READONLY
Checks the read-only datafiles to make sure they exist, are readable, and have
the appropriate checkpoint. If any of these conditions is not met, then RMAN
restores the fileswhether or not they are read-only. By default, RMAN does
not restore read-only files when you issue the RESTORE DATABASE command.
RESTORE...DEVICE TYPE DISK, then RMAN allocates only disk channels.
FORCE
Overrides the restartable restore feature and restores all files regardless of
whether they need to be restored. If you do not specify FORCE, then RMAN
restores a file only if its header information does not match the information in
the control file.
FROM [ BACKUPSET |
DATAFILECOPY ]
Specifies whether RMAN should restore from a DATAFILECOPY on disk or a

BACKUPSET. By default RESTORE chooses the most recent backup set or file
copy, that is, the file copy or backup set that needs the least media recovery.
FROM TAG = 'tag_name'
Refer to the restoreSpecOperand clause.
PREVIEW
When PREVIEW or PREVIEW SUMMARY is appended to any RESTORE

command, instead of performing the restore RMAN will report the backups
(on disk or sequential media) it will use during the restore. The output will be
in the same format as is generated by the LIST BACKUPS and LIST
BACKUPS... SUMMARY commands.
[ SUMMARY | RECALL ]
Some media managers provide status information to RMAN about which

backups are vaulted, that is, stored in a remote location such as a secure
storage facility, and which therefore cannot be used without retrieving media.
The output of RESTORE identifies such backups, if the media manager
provides the necessary information.
When used with the RECALL option, RESTORE... PREVIEW initiates a request
for the retrieval of backup media needed for the specified restore operation
from remote storage.
See Also: "LIST" on page 2-128, and specifically the BACKUPS and SUMMARY
options.
RMAN Commands 2-185
RESTORE
Syntax Element
Description
untilClause
Limits the selection to backup sets or file copies that are suitable for a
point-in-time recovery to the specified time. In the absence of any other
criteria, RMAN selects the most current file copy or backup set to restore.
Note that the time specified in the untilClause must fall within the current
incarnation.
Lets RMAN decide which backup sets, datafile copies, and archived logs need
to be restored, and then scans them to verify their contents. No files are
restored. Use VALIDATE to verify that the backups required to restore the
specified files are intact and usable.
VALIDATE
restoreObject
Syntax Element
Description
restoreObject
Specifies the objects to be restored. The RESTORE command restores full

backups, incremental backups (level 0 only), or copies of datafiles, control
files, and archived redo logs.
Restores the specified range of archived redo logs. The default restore
location is DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST (if one of LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_n is
configured to USE_DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST either implicitly or
explicitly). Otherwise, the default restore filenames are constructed with the
LOG_ARCHIVE_FORMAT and LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_1 parameters of the
target database. These parameters combine in a port-specific fashion to
derive the name of the restored log. You can override the default location
with the SET ARCHIVELOG DESTINATION command.
Because the RECOVER command automatically restores archived logs as
needed, you should seldom need to restore logs manually. Possible reasons
for manually restoring archived logs are to speed up recovery or to stage
the logs to multiple destinations.
Note: The database can be started, mounted, or open for this operation.
CONTROLFILE
Restores the current control file for a primary database.

See Also: Table 227 for restrictions and usage notes.
Note: You must always run the RECOVER command after restoring a
control file, and must also always open the database with the RESETLOGS
option.
DATABASE
[ SKIP [ FOREVER ]
TABLESPACE
tablespace_name ]
Restores all datafiles in the database except those that are offline or
read-only. Unlike BACKUP DATABASE, RESTORE DATABASE does not
automatically include the control file and the server parameter fileyou
must issue additional RESTORE CONTROLFILE and RESTORE SPFILE
commands to restore these files.
If you specify the CHECK READONLY option, then RMAN examines the
headers of all read-only datafiles and restores any that need restoring.
Use an optional SKIPTABLESPACE 'tablespace_name' argument to
avoid restoring specified tablespaces, which is useful when you want to
avoid restoring tablespaces containing temporary data.
If you specify SKIP FOREVER TABLESPACE, then RMAN specifies the DROP
option of ALTER DATABASE DATAFILE ... OFFLINE when taking the
datafiles that belong to the tablespace offline before the restore. The DROP
option indicates that RMAN does not intend to recover these files and
intends to drop their tablespaces from the database after the database is
opened again. In other words, FOREVER indicates that RMAN never
intends to do anything with the skipped tablespaces again.
RESTORE
Syntax Element
Description
Restores the datafiles specified by filename or absolute datafile number.

SPFILE
[TO [PFILE] 'filename']
Restores a primary or standby server parameter file to the location from

which it was backed up (default), or to a different location specified by the
TO clause. RMAN cannot overwrite a server parameter file currently in use
by the target database.
Specify UNTIL or TAG options of RESTORE to restore older versions of the
server parameter file. By default RMAN restores the most current server
parameter file.
If the server parameter file is lost, connect to the target (and catalog if used)
and then run SET DBID. Run STARTUP FORCE NOMOUNT before running
RESTORE SPFILE (with FROM AUTOBACKUP if in NOCATALOG mode). Then
run STARTUP FORCE to restart the database with the restored server
parameter file.
See Also: "Restrictions and Usage Notes for the SET DBID Command" on
page 2-200
[FOR DB_UNIQUE_NAME
'DB_UNIQUE_NAME']
The FOR DB_UNIQUE_NAME clause for RESTORE SPFILE is only useful in

a Data Guard environment.
In a Data Guard environment, the primary and standby nodes may have
different channel configurations for communicating with their associated
SBT backup and disk devices. If both the primary and standby databases
are known to the recovery catalog, then the configuration settings for both
databases are recorded in the recovery catalog. Because the two databases
have the same DB_NAME, the records in the recovery catalog can only be
distinguished using the value of the DB_UNIQUE_NAME initialization
parameter for the primary and standby databases.
RMAN cannot determine the DB_UNIQUE_NAME initialization parameter
for the target database if the SPFILE of the target database is not available,
as is the case when restoring the SPFILE from backup. Therefore, RMAN
cannot choose the correct channel configurations to use when restoring the
SPFILE from backup at the target node. In such a circumstance, RMAN
returns an RMAN-6758 error.
The FOR DB_UNIQUE_NAME clause of the RESTORE command is used to
specify the DB_UNIQUE_NAME in this situation. With the DB_UNIQUE_NAME
, RMAN is able to locate the correct configuration settings for the node on
which the SPFILE is being restored, and can use them to access backup
devices.
Note: Using RESTORE SPFILE when the DB_NAME is not unique in the
recovery catalog produces an RMAN-6758 error.
See Also: Oracle Data Guard Concepts and Administration for a detailed
procedure for restoring the SPFILE in a Data Guard environment.
STANDBY CONTROLFILE
[ TO 'filename' ]
Restores the current control file for a standby database.

Note: You must always run the RECOVER command after restoring a
control file, and must also always open the database with the RESETLOGS
option.
TABLESPACE
'tablespace_name'
Restores all datafiles in the specified tablespaces.

The translates the tablespace name internally into a list of datafiles. If you
rename a tablespace (for example, from users to customers), then so
long as an additional tablespace with the old name (users) has not been
created, you can use either the old name (users) or the new name
(customers) for the tablespace. RMAN detects that the tablespace has
changed its name and updates the recovery catalog on the next
resynchronization.
RMAN Commands 2-187
RESTORE
restoreSpecOperand
Syntax Element
Description
restoreSpecOperand
Specifies options for the restoreObject clause.

Note: These parameters override the parameters with the same name at the
RESTORE command level.
Specifies the case-sensitive name of a channel to use for this restore operation.
If you do not specify a channel, then RESTORE uses any available channel
allocated with the correct device type.
CHANNEL
'channel_id'
FROM AUTOBACKUP
Restores a control file autobackup. You can only specify this option on the
[autoBackupOptionList] RESTORE CONTROLFILE and RESTORE SPFILE commands. When restoring
either type of file in NOCATALOG mode, the FROM AUTOBACKUP clause is
required.
RMAN begins the search on the current day or on the day specified with the
SET UNTIL. On the first day searched, the search begins with sequence
number 256 (or the sequence number specified by MAXSEQ, if provided) and
counts back to sequence 0. If no autobackup is found in the current or SET
UNTIL day, RMAN checks preceding days, starting with sequence 256 and
counting back to 0. The search continues up to MAXDAYS days (default of 7,
maximum of 366) prior to the current or SET UNTIL day. If no autobackup is
found within MAXDAYS days, then RMAN signals an error and the command
stops.
FROM 'media_handle'
Specifies the name of the control file copy or backup piece containing a control
file. The media_handle can be any backup piece that contains a backup of a
control file: the control file backup does not need to be an autobackup.
FROM TAG [=] 'tag_name'
Overrides the default selection of the most recent backups or file copy
available. The tag restricts the automatic selection to backup sets or file copies
that were created with the specified tag. If multiple backup sets or file copies
have a matching tag, then RMAN selects the most recent one. Note that tag
names are not case sensitive.
See Also: "BACKUP" on page 2-22 for a description of how a tag can be
applied to an individual copy of a duplexed backup set, and for a description
of the default filename format for tags
autoBackupOptList
Syntax Element
Description
autoBackupOptList
Parameters that control the search for a control file autobackup.
DB_NAME =
'database_name'
Provides a DB_NAME to be used in searching for control file autobackups.
MAXDAYS = integer
Limits the search for a control file autobackup to within the specified number
of days in the past.
MAXSEQ = integer
Specifies the highest sequence number for the control file autobackup search.
(RECOVERY AREA|
DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST)
= password
Specifies path to flash recovery area to search for autobackups. RECOVERY

AREA and DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST are synonyms.
DB_NAME =
database_name
Provides the DB_NAME of the database in the specified flash recovery area
that is the target of the restore operation.
RESTORE
Syntax Element
Description
DB_UNIQUE_NAME =
{ identifier |
quoted-string }
Provides the DB_UNIQUE_NAME of the database in the specified flash

recovery area that is the target of the restore operation.
Examples
Restoring a Tablespace: Example This example takes a tablespace offline, restores it,
then performs media recovery:
SQL "ALTER TABLESPACE users OFFLINE IMMEDIATE";
RESTORE TABLESPACE users;
RECOVER TABLESPACE users;
SQL "ALTER TABLESPACE users ONLINE";
Restoring the Control File When Using a Recovery Catalog: Example This example
restores the control file to its default location, replicates it automatically to all
CONTROL_FILES locations, and mounts the database:
RUN
{ # SET DBID is not necessary when connected to a recovery catalog
STARTUP FORCE NOMOUNT;
}
This NOCATALOG example restores

the control file specified by a tag, and then mounts the database:
Restoring the Control File with a Tag: Example
CONNECT TARGET /
STARTUP NOMOUNT;
SET DBID 320066378; # required when restoring control file in NOCATALOG mode
RESTORE CONTROLFILE FROM TAG 'monday_cf_backup';
Restoring the Database with a Backup Control File: Example This example restores
the control file to a temporary location, replicates it to all control file locations specified
in the CONTROL_FILES initialization parameter, and then restores and recovers the
database:
CONNECT TARGET /
STARTUP NOMOUNT;
SET DBID 320066378; # required when restoring control file in NOCATALOG mode
RUN
{
RESTORE CONTROLFILE FROM AUTOBACKUP;
RESTORE DATABASE;
RECOVER DATABASE;
}
This example restores

all archived redo logs to the /oracle/temp_restore directory:
Restoring Archived Redo Logs to a New Location: Example

RMAN> RUN
{
SET ARCHIVELOG DESTINATION TO '/oracle/temp_restore';
RESTORE ARCHIVELOG ALL;
}
RMAN Commands 2-189
RESTORE
Restoring a Control File Autobackup to a Nondefault Location: Example This

example restores the latest control file autobackup made on or before June 23, 2000
with a nondefault format of PROD_CF_AUTOBACKUP_%F. It starts searching for
backups with a sequence number of 20, and searches backward for 5 months:
RMAN> SET DBID 320066378; # required when restoring control file in NOCATALOG mode
RMAN> RUN
{
SET UNTIL TIME '23-JUN-2001 00:00:00';
SET CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP FORMAT FOR DEVICE TYPE sbt TO 'prod_cf_autobackup_%F';
ALLOCATE CHANNEL CHANNEL_1 DEVICE TYPE sbt;
RESTORE CONTROLFILE TO '/tmp/autobackup_20001002.dbf' FROM AUTOBACKUP
MAXSEQ 20 MAXDAYS 150;
}
Restoring the Server Parameter File to Current Location: Example The following
series of commands restores the current server parameter file in NOCATALOG mode:
rman TARGET /
RMAN> SET DBID 1447326980 # set dbid to dbid of target database
RMAN> STARTUP FORCE NOMOUNT; # start instance with dummy SPFILE
RMAN> RUN
{
RESTORE SPFILE FROM AUTOBACKUP; # FROM AUTOBACKUP needed in NOCATALOG mode
}
RMAN> STARTUP FORCE; # start with restored SPFILE and open database
Identifying Needed Backups with RESTORE... PREVIEW: Example The following

example shows the results of a RESTORE PREVIEW, which identifies the backupsets
RMAN selects for use in restoring archivelogs from backup. (Note that in this output,
one of the archivelog backups is stored remotely.)
RMAN> restore archivelog all preview;
Starting restore at 10-JUN-05
using channel ORA_SBT_TAPE_1
List of Backup Sets

===================
BS Key Size
Device Type Elapsed Time Completion Time
------- ---------- ----------- ------------ --------------31
12.75M
SBT_TAPE
00:00:02
10-JUN-05
BP Key: 33
Status: AVAILABLE Compressed: NO Tag: TAG20050610T152755
Handle: 15gmknbs
Media: /v1,15gmknbs
List
Thrd
---1
1
1
1
1

Seq
Low SCN
Low Time Next SCN
------- ---------- --------- ---------1
221154
06-JUN-05 222548
2
222548
06-JUN-05 222554
3
222554
06-JUN-05 222591
4
222591
06-JUN-05 246629
5
246629
07-JUN-05 262451
Next Time
--------06-JUN-05
06-JUN-05
06-JUN-05
07-JUN-05
10-JUN-05
BS Key Size
------- ---------- ----------- ------------ --------------32
256.00K
SBT_TAPE
00:00:01
10-JUN-05
BP Key: 34
RESTORE
Handle: 17gmknhp_1_1
List
Thrd
---1
1
Media: /v1,17gmknhp_1_1

Seq
Low SCN
Low Time Next SCN
------- ---------- --------- ---------6
262451
10-JUN-05 262547
7
262547
10-JUN-05 262565
Next Time
--------10-JUN-05
10-JUN-05
List of remote backup files

============================
Handle: 15gmknbs
Media: /v1,15gmknbs
Recalling Vaulted Backups from Remote Storage with RESTORE... PREVIEW

RECALL: Example When used with a media manager that reports information about
remote storage of backups and supports recalling vaulted backups, the following
command requests that any media needed in the restore of archivelogs from backup be
recalled from remote storage:
RMAN> RESTORE ARCHIVELOG ALL PREVIEW RECALL;
Starting restore at 10-JUN-05
using channel ORA_SBT_TAPE_1
List of Backup Sets

===================
BS Key Size
------- ---------- ----------- ------------ --------------31
12.75M
SBT_TAPE
00:00:02
10-JUN-05
BP Key: 33
Handle: 15gmknbs
Media: /v1,15gmknbs
List
Thrd
---1
1
1
1
1

Seq
Low SCN
Low Time Next SCN
------- ---------- --------- ---------1
221154
06-JUN-05 222548
2
222548
06-JUN-05 222554
3
222554
06-JUN-05 222591
4
222591
06-JUN-05 246629
5
246629
07-JUN-05 262451
Next Time
--------06-JUN-05
06-JUN-05
06-JUN-05
07-JUN-05
10-JUN-05
BS Key Size
------- ---------- ----------- ------------ --------------32
256.00K
SBT_TAPE
00:00:01
10-JUN-05
BP Key: 34
Handle: 17gmknhp_1_1
Media: /v1,17gmknhp_1_1
List
Thrd
---1
1

Seq
Low SCN
Low Time Next SCN
------- ---------- --------- ---------6
262451
10-JUN-05 262547
7
262547
10-JUN-05 262565
Next Time
--------10-JUN-05
10-JUN-05
Initiated recall for the following list of remote backup files

==========================================================
Handle: 15gmknbs
Media: /v1,15gmknbs
Finished restore at 10-JUN-05
Validating a Restore with RESTORE VALIDATE: Example The following example

illustrates using RESTORE... VALIDATE to confirm that backups required for the
restore of datafile 1 are present on disk or tape, readable, and not corrupted:
RMAN Commands 2-191
RESTORE
RMAN> RESTORE DATAFILE 1 VALIDATE;

Starting restore at 10-OCT-03
channel ORA_DISK_1: starting validation of datafile backupset
channel ORA_DISK_1: restored backup piece 1
piece handle=/disk1/oracle/work/v1/0pf3hr3o_1 tag=FOURTH_INC
channel ORA_DISK_1: validation complete
Finished restore at 10-OCT-03
RESYNC
RESYNC
Syntax
resync::=
FROM CONTROLFILECOPY
RESYNC CATALOG
filename
Purpose
To perform a full resynchronization of the recovery catalog. You can also use RESYNC
CONTROLFILE to resynchronize the current control file with the RMAN repository in a
control file copy.
Resynchronizations can be full or partial. When full, RMAN updates all changed
records for the physical schema: datafiles, tablespaces, redo threads, and online redo
logs. If the database is open, RMAN also obtains data about rollback segments. When
partial, RMAN reads the current control file to update data, but does not
resynchronize metadata about the physical schema or rollback segments.
When you run RESYNC CATALOG, RMAN creates a snapshot control file in order to
obtain a read-consistent view of the control file, then updates the recovery catalog with
any new information from the snapshot. The RESYNC CATALOG command updates the
classes or records described in the following table.
Record Type
Description
Log history
Records that are created whenever a log switch occurs. Note that log
history records describe an online log switch, not a log archival.
Archived redo logs
Records associated with archived logs that were created by archiving

an online redo log, copying an existing archived redo log, or
restoring backups of archived redo logs.
Backups
Records associated with backup sets, backup pieces, proxy copies,

and image copies.
Physical schema
Records associated with datafiles and tablespaces. If the target

database is open, then rollback segment information is also updated.
RMAN automatically executes a full or partial resynchronization of the recovery

catalog as needed when you execute RMAN commands, so long as the control file is
mounted and the recovery catalog database is available at command execution.
RMAN reads the current control file and resynchronizes metadata about the physical
schema if it determines that this information has changed. If RMAN does detect a
change, then it performs a full resynchronization.
Use RESYNC CATALOG to perform manual full resynchronizations when:
The recovery catalog is unavailable when you issue any of the commands that
automatically perform a resynchronization.
You are running in ARCHIVELOG mode, because the catalog is not updated
automatically when a log switch occurs or when an online redo log is archived.
You have made changes to the physical structure of the target database such as
adding or dropping a tablespace. As with archive operations, the recovery catalog
is not updated automatically when the physical schema changes.
RMAN Commands 2-193
RESYNC
The primary use for RESYNC CONTROLFILE occurs when you re-create the control file
(for example, to change the database name), which causes you to lose RMAN records.
You can then resynchronize the newly created control file with an old copy.
You must be connected to a recovery catalog when running RESYNC CATALOG, but
a catalog connection is not required for RESYNC CONTROLFILE.
RMAN updates physical schema information in the recovery catalog only when
the target database has the current control file mounted. If the target database has
mounted a backup control file, a freshly created control file, or a control file that is
less current than a control file that was used previously, then RMAN does not
update physical schema information in the recovery catalog.

Syntax Element
Description
CATALOG
Updates the recovery recovery catalog with RMAN metadata in the current
control file (default) or a control file copy.
CONTROLFILE
Updates the current control file (and recovery catalog, if RMAN is connected
to one) with RMAN metadata from a control file copy.
FROM CONTROLFILECOPY
'filename'
Specifies the name of the control file copy to use for resynchronization.
Physical schema information is not updated when you use this option.
Note: The control file copy can either be in the current database incarnation,
or created in a prior incarnation (that is, prior to the most recent OPEN
RESETLOGS).
Examples
This
example performs a full resynchronization after archiving all unarchived redo logs:
Resynchronizing the Recovery Catalog in ARCHIVELOG Mode: Example

CONNECT TARGET / CATALOG rman/rman@catdb
SQL "ALTER SYSTEM ARCHIVE LOG ALL";
RESYNC CATALOG;
Resynchronizing the Current Control File from a Backup: Example This example
updates the RMAN repository in the current control file with metadata from a backup
control file:
RESYNC CONTROLFILE FROM CONTROLFILECOPY '/tmp/cfile.dbf';
Resynchronizing the Recovery Catalog After a Structural Change: Example This

example adds a datafile to tablespace users and then resynchronizes the catalog:
#!/usr/bin/tcsh
# connect in nocatalog mode and add datafile
rman TARGET / NOCATALOG <<EOF
SQL "ALTER TABLESPACE users ADD DATAFILE ''?/oradata/trgt/users03.dbf''
SIZE 1M AUTOEXTEND ON NEXT 10K MAXSIZE 10M";
EXIT
EOF
# connect in catalog mode and resynchronize
rman TARGET / CATAOG rman/rman@catdb <<EOF
RESYNC CATALOG;
EOF
RUN
RUN
Syntax
run::=
backupCommands
RUN
maintenanceCommands
restoreCommands
backupCommands::=
backup
convert
restoreCommands::=
blockrecover
duplicate
flashback
recover
restore
switchFile
transpt_tbs
maintenanceCommands::=
catalog
change
configure
crosscheck
delete
report
show
validate
miscellaneousCommands::=
RMAN Commands 2-195
RUN
allocate
alterDatabase
executeScript
host
release
resync
send
set
shutdown
sql
startup
Purpose
The RUN command lets you group a series RMAN commands into a block to be
executed sequentially. It also creates a scope within which a script can override
default configured channels for a task using the ALLOCATE CHANNEL and
RELEASE CHANNEL commands, and other parameters using the SET command with
appropriate arguments. On completing the execution of the commands listed in the
RUN block, the channels allocated within the RUN block are released and settings
returned to their values.
Upon reading the closing brace of the RUN block, RMAN compiles the list of job
commands into one or more job steps and then executes the steps immediately.

You must precede and follow the list of job commands with an opening and
closing brace.

Refer to individual entries for information about commands that you can run from the
RMAN prompt.
Examples
Making a Backup: Example This example backs up a database by using a single
manually allocated channel to perform the backup:
RUN
{
ALLOCATE CHANNEL c1 TYPE sbt;
BACKUP DATABASE;
}
Restoring and Recovering a Tablespace: Example This example takes tablespace

tools offline, restores it, then performs complete media recovery:
RUN
{
SQL "ALTER TABLESPACE tools OFFLINE IMMEDIATE";
RESTORE TABLESPACE tools;
RECOVER TABLESPACE tools;
SQL "ALTER TABLESPACE tools ONLINE";
}
RUN
Executing an RMAN Script: Example This example executes the stored script
backup_db:
RUN { EXECUTE SCRIPT backup_db; }
RMAN Commands 2-197
SEND
SEND
Syntax
send::=
,
=
CHANNEL
channel_id
SEND
=
DEVICE TYPE
command
deviceSpecifier
=
PARMS
channel_parms
Purpose
To send a vendor-specific string to one or more channels supported by a media
manager. Refer to your media management documentation to determine which
commands are supported.
You must only SEND commands supported by the media manager. The contents of
the string are not interpreted by the databasethe database, but are passed
unaltered to the media management subsystem.

Syntax Element
Description
Specifies which channel to use. If you do not specify DEVICE TYPE or

CHANNEL, then RMAN uses all allocated channels. You must specify a
case-sensitive channel ID, which is the name of the channel, after the
CHANNEL keyword. the database uses the channel ID to report I/O errors.
Specifies the type of storage device and sends the command to all channels of
the specified type.
Specifies a vendor-specific media management command.
'command'
See Also: Your media management documentation to determine which

commands are supported
PARMS = 'channel_parms'
Parameters for the channel communicating with the media manager.
Example
Sending a String to the Media Manager: Example
vendor-specific commands to a media manager:

RMAN> SEND 'VAR=a82';
sent command to channel: ORA_SBT_TAPE_1
RMAN> BACKUP DATAFILE 2;
This example sends
SET
SET
Syntax
set::=
;
SET
setRmanOption
setRunOption
setRmanOption::=
AUXILIARY INSTANCE PARAMETER FILE TO
filename
CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP FORMAT FOR DEVICE TYPE

COMMAND ID TO
string
deviceSpecifier
TO
formatSpec
deviceSpecifier
TO
formatSpec
=
DBID
integer
,
DECRYPTION IDENTIFIED BY
ECHO
quoted_string
OFF
ON
ALGORITHM
quoted_string
ONLY
ENCRYPTION
quoted_string
IDENTIFIED BY
DATABASE
FORCE
OFF
ON
setRunOption::=
ARCHIVELOG DESTINATION TO
log_archive_dest
=
BACKUP COPIES
integer
=
CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP FORMAT FOR DEVICE TYPE

COMMAND ID TO
string
MAXCORRUPT FOR DATAFILE
datafileSpec
DATAFILE
datafileSpec
TEMPFILE
tempfileSpec
TO
TO
NEWNAME FOR
TO
integer
filename
NEW
quoted_string
NEW
untilClause
Purpose
You can use the SET command either at the RMAN prompt or within a RUN block.
When used outside a RUN block, attributes changed by SET remain in effect until you
exit the RMAN client.
RMAN Commands 2-199
SET
Outside of a RUN block, the SET command supports the attributes shown in
"setRmanOption" on page 2-201. Use this form of the SET command to:
Cause RMAN to echo any commands executed in the message log

Specify the location to search for control file autobackups during RESTORE
operations
Specify the database identifier (DBID) of a database, when restoring a control file
or server parameter file from autobackup
Specify a command ID for an RMAN command, so that rows in V$SESSION
corresponding to sessions related to that command have
V$SESSION.CLIENT_INFO set to this ID
Specify settings related to encryption and decryption of backup sets for the
duration of an RMAN session
Specify the location to use for auxiliary instance datafiles, when performing
TSPITR or creating transportable tablespaces sets from backup
Within a RUN block, the SET command supports the attributes shown in
"setRunOption" on page 2-203. Changes made with SET within a RUN block persist
until the end of the RUN block, or the next SET command that changes the value of the
same attribute.
Use SET specified within a RUN block to:
Specify new filenames for restored datafiles

Specify the filenames for the auxiliary database during TSPITR or database
duplication.
Specify a limit for the number of permissible block corruptions.
Override default archived redo log destinations.
Set an end time, SCN, or log sequence number for recovery.
Specify that backup sets should be duplexed, that is, multiple copies should be
created of each backup piece in the backup set.
Determine which server session corresponds to which channel.
Turn RMAN's automatic location feature on or off.
Override the default format for control file autobackups at the session level.
Restrictions and Usage Notes for SET Command Within RUN

The following restrictions apply to SET when issued within a RUN command:
The SET BACKUP COPIES command affects all backups in the RUN block after
issuing the command and is in effect until explicitly disabled or changed. The SET
BACKUP COPIES command does not affect previous backups.
SET BACKUP COPIES does not apply to the BACKUP AS COPY command.
You must include the %F substitution variable in the autobackup format.
You cannot use SET NEWNAME TO NEW when creating a duplicate or standby
database or performing RMAN TSPITR.
Restrictions and Usage Notes for the SET DBID Command

You should only run the SET DBID command in the following specialized
circumstances:
SET
You are not connected to a recovery catalog and want to restore the control file or
server parameter file.
You are connected to a recovery catalog and want to restore the control file, but the
database name is not unique in the recovery catalog.
The server parameter file is lost and you want to restore it.
See Also:
Table 227 for RESTORE CONTROLFILE usage notes.

setRmanOption
Syntax Element
Description
AUXILIARY INSTANCE
PARAMETER FILE TO
'filename'
For use in customizing TSPITR with an automatic auxiliary instance, or in

online tablespace cloning with RMAN. Specifies the path (on the host running
the RMAN client) to the parameter file to use in starting the instance.
Note: This is a client-side location, not a location on the database node.
See Also: Oracle Database Reference for more on V$SESSION.CLIENT_INFO
COMMAND ID TO 'string'
Enters the specified string into the V$SESSION.CLIENT_INFO column of all

channels. Use this information to determine which database server sessions
correspond to which RMAN channels. The SET COMMAND ID command
applies only to channels that are already allocated.
The V$SESSION.CLIENT_INFO column contains information for each
RMAN server session. The data appears in one of the following formats:
id=string
id=string, ch=channel_id
The first form appears in the RMAN target database connection. The second
form appears in all allocated channels. When the current job is complete, the
V$SESSION.CLIENT_INFO column will be cleared.
deviceSpecifier TO formatSpec
Overrides the default filename format for the control file autobackup on the
specified device type. The override occurs at the session level only. You can
run this command either in RUN or at the RMAN prompt. The order of
precedence is as follows:
1.
SET CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP executed within a RUN block
2.
SET CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP executed at the RMAN prompt
3.
CONFIGURE CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP FORMAT
Note that the %F substitution variable is required to be in the new

formatSpec, and that no other substitution variable is legal in a control file
autobackup formatSpec.
See Also: "formatSpec" on page 2-122 for the semantics of the %F substitution
variable.
DBID integer
Specifies the DBID, which is a unique 32-bit identification number computed

when the database is created. RMAN displays the DBID upon connection to
the target database. You can obtain the DBID by querying the V$DATABASE
view or the RC_DATABASE and RC_DATABASE_INCARNATION recovery
catalog views.
See Also: "Restrictions and Usage Notes for the SET DBID Command" on
page 2-200
RMAN Commands 2-201
SET
Syntax Element
Description
DECRYPTION IDENTIFIED BY
password [, password... ]
Specifies one or more decryption passwords to be used when reading

dual-mode or password-encrypted backups. When RMAN reads encrypted
backup pieces, it tries each password in the list until it finds the correct one to
decrypt that backup piece. An error is signaled if none of the specified keys
work.
See Also: "Encryption of Backup Sets" on page 2-28 for more details on
encryption of backup sets
ECHO {ON | OFF}
Controls whether RMAN commands are displayed in the message log. When
reading commands from a command file, RMAN automatically echoes those
commands to the message log. When reading commands from standard input,
RMAN does not echo those commands to the message log. To force RMAN to
echo the commands, run the SET ECHO ON command before running your
command file.
The command is useful when stdin and stdout have been redirected. For
example, in UNIX you can redirect RMAN's input and output in this manner:
% rman TARGET sys/pwd@prod1 CATALOG rman/rman@rcat < in_file > out_file
By running SET ECHO ON, you enable the commands contained in in_file to
be visible in out_file.
ENCRYPTION
Specifies encryption-related options that apply to BACKUP commands that

create backup sets for the duration of the RMAN session.
See Also: "Encryption of Backup Sets" on page 2-28 for more details on
encryption of backup sets
ALGORITHM
algorithm_name
IDENTIFIED BY
password
Specifies the algorithm used during this RMAN session. Overrides the
configured default encryption algorithm. Possible values are listed in
V$RMAN_ENCRYPTION_ALGORITHMS.
Specifies whether to use a user-specified password in encryption.
[ ONLY ]
Omit IDENTIFIED BY password clause to specify transparent-mode

encrypted backups.
Use IDENTIFIED BY password ONLY to specify password-mode
encrypted backups.
Use IDENTIFIED BY password without ONLY to create dual-mode
encrypted backups.
See "Encryption of Backup Sets" on page 2-28 for details on the different
encryption modes.
Note: If the password provided is not surrounded by quotes, then it is
translated internally into upper case. Thus, the following are all synonyms for
IDENTIFIED BY "FOO":
{ OFF | ON }
[ FOR ALL TABLESPACES ]
IDENTIFIED BY foo
IDENTIFIED BY Foo
IDENTIFIED BY fOo
If SET... ENCRYPTION ON or OFFis used without FOR ALL TABLESPACES,

then this setting turns on or off encryption of backups for tablespaces where
CONFIGURE ENCRYPTION FOR TABLESPACE tablespace_name ]ON or OFF
has not been used to specify encryption behavior.
If SET... ENCRYPTION ON or OFF FOR ALL TABLESPACES is used, this
command turns on or off encryption for all tablespaces, overriding any
CONFIGURE ENCRYPTION FOR TABLESPACE tablespace_name ON or OFF
setting.
If OFF, then the default is to not encrypt backup sets.
If ON, then the default is to encrypt backup sets.
SET
setRunOption
Syntax Element
Description
NEWNAME FOR DATAFILE

datafileSpec TO
Sets the default name for all subsequent RESTORE or SWITCH commands
that affect the specified datafile. If you do not issue this command before the
datafile restore operation, then RMAN restores the file to its default location.
After you restore a datafile to a new location, then you can run SWITCH to
rename the file in the control file to the NEWNAME. If you do not run SWITCH,
then the restored file functions as a datafile copy and is recorded as such in
the repository.
Note: The SET NEWNAME command supports Automatic Storage Management
disk groups.
NEWNAME FOR TEMPFILE

tempfileSpec TO password |
NEW
Sets the new tempfile name for a subsequent SWITCH command that renames
the specified tempfile to the specified name. If a filename is passed, that will
be the new name of the tempfile after the database is recovered and opened. If
NEW is passed the new name will be an OMF filename. The tempfile is
created in DB_CREATE_FILE_DEST when the database is opened.
Note: The SET NEWNAME command supports Automatic Storage Management
disk groups.
See Also: "tempfileSpec" on page 2-220
'filename'
Specifies a user-defined filename or Automatic Storage Management disk

group for the restored datafile. If you set the NEWNAME to a disk group and run
a RESTORE, then RMAN restores the file to the disk group.
NEW
Creates an Oracle-managed file in the directory specified in

DB_CREATE_FILE_DEST. If the original file is an Oracle Managed File or is
on an Automatic Storage Management disk group, then RMAN attempts to
delete the original file.
You cannot use this option when using the DUPLICATE command or
performing RMAN TSPITR.
See Also: Oracle Database Administrator's Guide for information about Oracle
Managed Files
MAXCORRUPT FOR DATAFILE

datafileSpec TO integer
Sets a limit on the number of previously undetected block corruptions that the
database will allow in a specified datafile or group of datafiles. If a BACKUP
or CREATE CATALOG command detects more than the specified number of
corruptions, then the command terminates. The default limit is zero, meaning
that RMAN tolerates no corrupt blocks.
Note: If you specify CHECK LOGICAL, then the MAXCORRUPT limit applies to
the sum of logical and physical corruptions detected. Otherwise,
MAXCORRUPT only applies to the number of physical block corruptions.
ARCHIVELOG DESTINATION
TO 'log_archive_dest'
Overrides the LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_1 initialization parameter in the target

database when forming names for restored archive logs during subsequent
RESTORE and RECOVER commands. RMAN restores the logs to the
destination specified in 'log_archive_dest'. Use this parameter to restore
archived redo logs that are not already on disk.
Use this command to stage many archived logs to different locations while a
database restore is occurring. RMAN knows where to find the newly restored
archive logs; it does not require them to be in the destination specified by
LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_1. For example, if you specify a different destination
from the one in the parameter file and restore archived redo log backups,
subsequent restore and recovery operations will detect this new location.
RMAN always looks for archived redo logs on disk first before restoring them
from backup sets.
RMAN Commands 2-203
SET
Syntax Element
Description
untilClause
Specifies an end time, SCN, or log sequence number for a subsequent

RESTORE or RECOVER command.
BACKUP COPIES = integer
Specifies the number of copies of each backup piece that the channels should
create: 1, 2, 3, or 4. The SET BACKUP COPIES command, which affects only the
BACKUP command, affects all channels allocated in the session. The order of
precedence is as follows, with settings higher on the list overriding settings
lower on the list:
BACKUP COPIES
SET BACKUP COPIES
CONFIGURE ... BACKUP COPIES
The names of the backup pieces are dependent on the FORMAT clause in the
BACKUP command. You can specify up to four FORMAT strings. RMAN uses
the second, third, and fourth values only when BACKUP COPIES, SET
BACKUP COPIES, or CONFIGURE ... BACKUP COPIES is in effect. When
choosing which format to use for each backup piece, RMAN uses the first
format value for copy 1, the second format value for copy 2, and so on. If the
number of format values exceeds the number of copies, then the extra formats
are not used. If the number of format values is less than the number of copies,
RMAN reuses the format values, starting with the first one.
Note: BACKUP COPIES option is not valid when files are created in flash
recovery area. Backups to the flash recovery area cannot be duplexed..
Note: Control file autobackups on disk are a special case and are never
duplexed: RMAN always writes one and only copy.
COMMAND ID TO 'string'
Enters the specified string into the V$SESSION.CLIENT_INFO column of all

channels. Use this information to determine which database server sessions
correspond to which RMAN channels. The SET COMMAND ID command
applies only to channels that are already allocated.
The V$SESSION.CLIENT_INFO column contains information for each
RMAN server session. The data appears in one of the following formats:
id=string
id=string, ch=channel_id
The first form appears in the RMAN target database connection. The second
form appears in all allocated channels. When the current job is complete, the
V$SESSION.CLIENT_INFO column will be cleared.
deviceSpecifier TO formatSpec
Overrides the default filename format for the control file autobackup on the
specified device type. The override occurs at the session level only. You can
run this command either in RUN or at the RMAN prompt. The order of
precedence is as follows:
1.
SET CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP executed within a RUN block
2.
SET CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP executed at the RMAN prompt
3.
CONFIGURE CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP FORMAT
Note that the %F substitution variable is required to be in the new

formatSpec, and that no other substitution variable is legal in a control file
autobackup formatSpec.
See Also: "formatSpec" on page 2-122 for the semantics of the %F substitution
variable.
SET
Examples
The
following example uses the DBID to restore the control file because multiple target
databases share the same DB_NAME in the catalog. After you have restored the target
control file, you can mount the database to restore the rest of the database:
Restoring the Control File When Databases Share the Same Name: Example
rman TARGET / CATALOG rman/rman@catdb

RMAN> STARTUP FORCE NOMOUNT;
RMAN> SET DBID = 862893450
; # needed to distinguish target from others with same DB_NAME
RMAN> RESTORE CONTROLFILE; # assuming catalog has automatic channel allocation information
RMAN> ALTER DATABASE MOUNT;
Setting the Command ID: Example This example sets the command ID, backs up the
users tablespace, then archives the online redo logs:
RUN
{
ALLOCATE CHANNEL t1 DEVICE TYPE DISK FORMAT '/disk1/%U';
ALLOCATE CHANNEL t2 DEVICE TYPE DISK FORMAT '/disk2/%U';
SET COMMAND ID TO 'rman';
BACKUP INCREMENTAL LEVEL 0 MAXSETSIZE 5M TABLESPACE users;
SQL 'ALTER SYSTEM ARCHIVE LOG ALL';
}
Assume that you have used the CONFIGURE
command to set duplexing as follows:
Duplexing a Backup Set: Example
CONFIGURE ARCHIVELOG COPIES FOR DEVICE TYPE sbt TO 4;

CONFIGURE DATAFILE COPIES FOR DEVICE TYPE sbt TO 3;
The following example overrides these configurations and makes two copies of each
datafile and archived log in the backup:
RUN
{
BACKUP DATAFILE 1,2,3,4,5;
}
This example sets

the DBID, sets a boundary time for the restore, then restores a control file autobackup
with a nondefault format. First start RMAN and then run:
Overriding the Autobackup Format During a Restore: Example

STARTUP FORCE NOMOUNT
SET DBID 676549873;
RUN
{
SET UNTIL TIME '10/10/2001 13:45:00';
SET CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP FORMAT FOR DEVICE TYPE DISK TO '?/oradata/cf_%F.bak';
RESTORE CONTROLFILE FROM AUTOBACKUP MAXSEQ 100;
}
Restoring the Server Parameter File: Example This example restores a lost server
parameter file:
CONNECT TARGET / CATALOG rman/rman@catdb
SET DBID 676549873; # set dbid so rman knows the database name
RMAN Commands 2-205
SET
STARTUP FORCE NOMOUNT # rman starts database with a dummy server parameter file
RESTORE SPFILE;
STARTUP FORCE; # needed so that RMAN restarts database with restored server parameter file
SHOW
SHOW
Syntax
show::=
ALL
ARCHIVELOG
BACKUP COPIES
DELETION POLICY
AUXNAME
BACKUP OPTIMIZATION
=
AUXILIARY
FOR DEVICE TYPE
deviceSpecifier
CHANNEL
FORMAT
SHOW
DATAFILE BACKUP COPIES

DEFAULT
DEVICE TYPE
ALGORITHM
ENCRYPTION
FOR
DATABASE
TABLESPACE
EXCLUDE
MAXSETSIZE
RETENTION POLICY
Purpose
To display the current CONFIGURE command settings. The output of SHOW consists of
the CONFIGURE commands used to set the configuration. RMAN default
configurations are suffixed with #default.
Execute this command at the RMAN prompt, not in a RUN block.

If SHOW ALL is executed when connected to a target database, only node-specific
configurations and database configurations are displayed. Thus, in a standby
configuration, SHOW ALL on the primary database or the standby database shows
the node-specific configuration for the primary or standby databases, for all values
except retention policy, tablespace exclude and auxiliary names.

Syntax Element
Description
ALL
Displays all user-entered CONFIGURE commands as well as default

configurations.
ARCHIVELOG BACKUP COPIES Shows the currently configured degree of duplexing for archived redo log
backups.
RMAN Commands 2-207
SHOW
Syntax Element
Description
ARCHIVELOG DELETION
POLICY
Shows the currently configured archived redo log deletion policy.
AUXNAME
Displays the CONFIGURE AUXNAME settings.
BACKUP OPTIMIZATION
Displays the CONFIGURE BACKUP OPTIMIZATION settings: ON or OFF

(default).
[AUXILIARY] CHANNEL
Displays the CONFIGURE CHANNEL settings. You can specify a normal channel
or an AUXILIARY channel.
FOR DEVICE TYPE

deviceSpecifier
Specifies the device type of the channel. For example, SHOW CHANNEL FOR
DEVICE TYPE DISK displays only channel settings for disk channels.
Displays the CONFIGURE CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP settings: ON or OFF.
FORMAT
Displays the format for the control file autobackup file for configured devices.
{DATAFILE | ARCHIVELOG}
BACKUP COPIES
Displays the CONFIGURE ... BACKUP COPIES setting for datafiles and
archived redo logs: 1, 2, 3, or 4.
[DEFAULT] DEVICE TYPE
Displays the configured device types and parallelism settings. If DEFAULT is

specified, then SHOW displays the default device type and settings.
ENCRYPTION
Shows currently configured encryption settings for the database or

tablespaces within the database, when used with ALGORITHM or FOR
{DATABASE |TABLESPACE }.
ALGORITHM
Displays the configured default algorithm to use for encryption, when writing
encrypted backup sets. Possible values are listed in
V$RMAN_ENCRYPTION_ALGORITHMS.
FOR
Displays current encryption settings for the database or for each tablespace.
{ DATABASE |TABLESPACE }
EXCLUDE
Displays only the tablespaces that you have specified should be excluded.
MAXSETSIZE
Displays the CONFIGURE MAXSETSIZE settings.
RETENTION POLICY
Displays the settings for CONFIGURE RETENTION POLICY for the current
target database.
Displays the CONFIGURE SNAPSHOT CONTROLFILE settings.
Examples
This example shows commands relevant
for displaying automatic channel configurations:
Showing Channel Configurations: Example

RMAN>
RMAN>
RMAN>
RMAN>
SHOW
SHOW
SHOW
SHOW
CHANNEL;
DEVICE TYPE;
DEFAULT DEVICE TYPE;
MAXSETSIZE;
This example shows all persistent

configurations for the target database (and includes sample output):
Showing All Configurations: Example

RMAN> SHOW ALL;
RMAN configuration parameters are:

CONFIGURE RETENTION POLICY TO REDUNDANCY 1; # default
CONFIGURE BACKUP OPTIMIZATION ON;
CONFIGURE DEFAULT DEVICE TYPE TO DISK; # default
CONFIGURE DEVICE TYPE "SBT" PARALLELISM 1;
CONFIGURE DEVICE TYPE DISK PARALLELISM 1; # default
CONFIGURE DATAFILE BACKUP COPIES FOR DISK TO 2;
SHOW
CONFIGURE
CONFIGURE
CONFIGURE
CONFIGURE
CONFIGURE
DATAFILE BACKUP COPIES FOR SBT TO 1; #default

ARCHIVELOG BACKUP COPIES FOR SBT TO 1; # default
ARCHIVELOG BACKUP COPIES FOR DISK TO 1; # default
MAXSETSIZE TO 2097152K;
SNAPSHOT CONTROLFILE NAME TO '/oracle/dbs/cf_snap.f';
RMAN Commands 2-209
SHUTDOWN
SHUTDOWN
Syntax
shutdown::=
ABORT
IMMEDIATE
NORMAL
TRANSACTIONAL
SHUTDOWN
Purpose
To shut down the target database without exiting RMAN. This command is equivalent
to using the SQL*Plus SHUTDOWN statement.
See Also: Oracle Database Administrator's Guide for information on
how to start up and shut down a database, and SQL*Plus User's
Guide and Reference for SHUTDOWN syntax
You cannot use the RMAN SHUTDOWN command to shut down the recovery
catalog database. To shut down this database, start a SQL*Plus session and issue a
SHUTDOWN statement.
The NORMAL, TRANSACTIONAL, and IMMEDIATE options all perform a clean close
of the database. The ABORT option does not cleanly close the database; the
database will perform instance recovery at startup.
If the database operates in NOARCHIVELOG mode, then you must shut down the
database cleanly and then issue a STARTUP MOUNT before a making a backup.

Syntax Element
Description
ABORT
Shuts down the target instance, with the following consequences:
IMMEDIATE
All current client SQL statements are immediately terminated.
Uncommitted transactions are not rolled back until next startup.
All connected users are disconnected.
Crash recovery will be performed on the database at next startup.
Shuts down the target database immediately, with the following

consequences:
Current client SQL statements being processed by the database are

allowed to complete.
Uncommitted transactions are rolled back.
All connected users are disconnected.
SHUTDOWN
Syntax Element
Description
NORMAL
Shuts down the database with normal priority (default option), which means:
TRANSACTIONAL
No new connections are allowed after the statement is issued.

Before shutting down, the database waits for currently connected users to
disconnect
The next startup of the database will not require instance recovery.
Shuts down the target database while minimizing interruption to clients, with
the following consequences:
Clients currently conducting transactions are allowed to complete, that is,

either commit or terminate before shutdown.
No client can start a new transaction on this instance; any client
attempting to start a new transaction is disconnected.
After all transactions have either committed or terminated, any client still
connected is disconnected.
Examples
Shutting Down a Database by Using the Immediate Option: Example This example
waits for current SQL transactions to be processed before shutting down, then mounts
the database:
SHUTDOWN IMMEDIATE;
STARTUP MOUNT;
Shutting Down a Database in NOARCHIVELOG Mode: Example This example backs
up a database running in NOARCHIVELOG mode:

STARTUP FORCE DBA;
SHUTDOWN IMMEDIATE;
STARTUP MOUNT;
# executing the preceding commands ensures that database is in proper state
# for NOARCHIVELOG backups
BACKUP COPIES 2 DATABASE;
RMAN Commands 2-211
SPOOL
SPOOL
Syntax
spool::=
APPEND
OFF
SPOOL LOG
TO
filename
Purpose
To write RMAN output to a log file.
If the file does not already exist, then RMAN creates it. If the file does exist, then
RMAN overwrites the file by default. If you specify APPEND, RMAN will append its
output to the end of the file.
If the specified file cannot be opened for writing. Instead, RMAN turns SPOOL to OFF
and continues execution.
See Also:
"cmdLine" on page 2-57 for a description of LOG files

Execute the SPOOL command outside of a RUN block.

Syntax Element
Description
OFF
Turns off spooling.
TO filename
Specifies the name of the log file to which RMAN directs its output. RMAN
creates the file if it does not exist, or overwrites the file if it does exist.
APPEND
Specifies that RMAN should append its output to the end of the existing log.
Examples
This example directs RMAN output to
standard output for the backup of datafile 1, then directs output to a log file for the
backup of datafile 2, then directs output to a different log file for the whole database
backup:
Spooling RMAN Output to a File: Example
BACKUP DATAFILE 1;
SPOOL LOG TO '/tmp/df2log.f';
BACKUP DATAFILE 2;
SPOOL LOG OFF;
SPOOL LOG TO '/tmp/dblog.f';
BACKUP DATABASE;
SPOOL LOG OFF;
SQL
SQL
Syntax
sql::=
SQL
command
Purpose
To execute a SQL statement or a PL/SQL stored procedure from within Recovery
Manager.
If the string that RMAN passes to PL/SQL contains a filename, then the filename
must be enclosed in duplicate single quotes and the entire string following the SQL
keyword must be enclosed in double quotes. For example, use the following syntax:
SQL "CREATE TABLESPACE temp1 DATAFILE ''?/oradata/trgt/temp1.dbf''
SIZE 10M TEMPORARY";
If you attempt to use single quotes for the string following the SQL keyword or use
only one set of single quotes for the filename, then the command fails.
You cannot execute SELECT statements.

See Also: For valid SQL syntax, see the Oracle Database SQL
Reference

Syntax Element
Description
'command'
Specifies a SQL statement for execution. For example, issue the following at
the RMAN prompt to archive the online redo logs:
SQL 'ALTER SYSTEM ARCHIVE LOG ALL';
Because EXECUTE is a SQL*Plus command, you cannot execute a PL/SQL

command by specifying EXECUTE within the RMAN SQL command. Instead,
you must use the BEGIN and END keywords. For example, to execute a
PL/SQL procedure named rman.rman_purge through the RMAN SQL
command, issue the following:
SQL 'BEGIN rman.rman_purge; END;';
Examples
Archiving the Unarchived Online Logs: Example This example backs up a tablespace
and then archives all unarchived online logs:

BACKUP TABLESPACE users;
SQL "ALTER SYSTEM ARCHIVE LOG CURRENT";
Specifying a Filename within a Quoted String: Example This example specifies a

filename by using duplicate single quotes within the context of a double-quoted string:
SQL "ALTER TABLESPACE tbs_1 ADD DATAFILE ''/oracle/dbs/tbs_7.f'' NEXT 10K MAXSIZE 100k;"
RMAN Commands 2-213
SQL
Executing a PL/SQL Stored Procedure Within RMAN: Example This example issues
a PL/SQL stored procedure called scott.update_log:
RUN
{
SQL ' BEGIN scott.update_log; END; ';
}
STARTUP
STARTUP
Syntax
startup::=
DBA
FORCE
MOUNT
NOMOUNT
=
PFILE
filename
STARTUP
Purpose
To start the target database from within the RMAN environment. This command is
equivalent to using the SQL*Plus STARTUP command. You can:
Start the instance without mounting a database.
Start the instance and mount the database, but leave it closed.
Start the instance, and mount and open the database in:
unrestricted mode (accessible to all users)
restricted mode (accessible to DBAs only)
Additionally, the RMAN STARTUP command can start an instance in NOMOUNT mode
even if no server parameter file or initialization parameter file exists. This feature is
useful when you need to restore a lost server parameter file.
See Also: Oracle Database Administrator's Guide to learn how to
start up and shut down a database, and SQL*Plus User's Guide and
Reference for SQL*Plus STARTUP syntax
You cannot use the RMAN STARTUP command to open the recovery catalog
database: execute a STARTUP statement in a SQL*Plus session instead.

If you do not specify any options, then RMAN mounts and opens the database with
the default server parameter file.
Syntax Element
Description
STARTUP
If you specify only STARTUP with no other options, then the instance starts,
then mounts and open the database.
DBA
Restricts access to users with the RESTRICTED SESSION privilege.
FORCE
If the database is open, then FORCE shuts down the database with a
SHUTDOWN ABORT statement before re-opening it.If the database is closed,
then FORCE opens the database.
MOUNT
Starts the instance, then mounts the database without opening it
RMAN Commands 2-215
STARTUP
Syntax Element
Description
NOMOUNT
Starts the instance without mounting the database. If no parameter file exists,
then RMAN starts the instance with a "dummy" parameter file. You can then
run RESTORE SPFILE to restore a backup server parameter file.
PFILE = 'filename'
Specifies the filename of the init.ora file for the target database. If this
parameter is not specified, then the default init.ora filename is used.
Examples
Opening the Database by Using the Default Parameter File: Example
This example
starts and opens the database:

STARTUP;
This example
forces a SHUTDOWN ABORT and then mounts the database with restricted access,
specifying a nondefault parameter file location:
Mounting the Database While Specifying the Parameter File: Example
STARTUP FORCE MOUNT DBA PFILE=/tmp/initTRGT.ora;
Starting an Instance Without a Parameter File: Example The following example

starts an instance without using a parameter file, then runs RESTORE SPFILE:
SET DBID 1447326980;
STARTUP FORCE NOMOUNT; # RMAN starts instance with dummy parameter file
RESTORE SPFILE FROM AUTOBACKUP; # restore a server parameter file
STARTUP FORCE; # restart instance with restored server parameter file
SWITCH
SWITCH
Syntax
switch::=
DATABASE
,
SWITCH
DATAFILE
datafileSpec
TO COPY
TABLESPACE
tablespace_name
switchFile::=
DATAFILE ALL
filename
TO DATAFILECOPY
SWITCH
=
TAG
DATAFILE
tag_name
datafileSpec
TEMPFILE ALL
TO
TEMPFILE
filename
tempfileSpec
Purpose
To specify that a datafile copy is now the current datafile, that is, the datafile pointed
to by the control file. A SWITCH is equivalent to using the PL/SQL ALTER DATABASE
RENAME FILE statement: the names of the files in the RMAN repository are updated,
but the database does not actually rename the files at the operating system level. Note
that this command deletes the RMAN repository records for the datafile copy from the
recovery catalog and updates the control file records to status DELETED.
Execute the forms of SWITCH in the switch syntax diagram outside of a RUN
block. Execute the forms of SWITCH in the switchFile syntax diagram within a
RUN block.
If RMAN is connected to a recovery catalog, and the database is using a control
file restored from backup, SWITCH updates the control file with records of any
datafiles known to the recovery catalog but missing from the control file.

switch
Syntax Element
Description
DATABASE TO COPY
Renames the datafiles and control files to use the filenames of image copies of
these files. RMAN switches to the latest image copy of each file.
After a database switch, RMAN considers the previous database files as
datafile copies.
RMAN Commands 2-217
SWITCH
Syntax Element
Description
TO COPY
Specifies the datafile that you wish to rename. As with DATABASE TO COPY,
specifies to switch this datafile to the latest image copy.
After the switch, the control file no longer considers the specified file as
current.
TABLESPACE
'tablespace_name'
TO COPY
Switches all datafiles within the tablespace, as with SWITCH DATAFILE ...
TO COPY.
switchFile
Syntax Element
Description
DATAFILE ALL
Specifies that all datafiles for which a SET NEWNAME FOR DATAFILE command
has been issued in this job are switched to their new name.
TO DATAFILECOPY
{'filename'
| TAG = 'tag_name'
}
Specifies the datafile that you wish to rename. After the switch, the control file
no longer considers the specified file as current. For example, this command
points the control file from tbs_1.f to cp1.f:
SWITCH DATAFILE '?/dbs/tbs_1.f' TO DATAFILECOPY '?/dbs/copies/cp1.f';
If you do not specify a TO option, then RMAN uses the filename specified on a
prior SET NEWNAME command in the RUN block for this file number as the
switch target.
The filename or tag provided in the TO DATAFILECOPY clause specifies the
input copy file for the switch, that is, the datafile copy that you wish to
rename. Specify the file by filename or tag. For example, the following
command sets df2.copy as the filename for datafile 2:
SWITCH DATAFILE 2 TO DATAFILECOPY '?/dbs/df2.copy';
Note that if you specify a tag and more than one copy uses this tag name, then
RMAN uses the most current copy, that is, the one needing the least recovery.
The following command switches datafile 3 to the most recently created
datafile copy tagged mondayPMcopy:
SWITCH DATAFILE 3 TO DATAFILECOPY TAG mondayPMcopy;
TEMPFILE ALL
Specifies that all tempfiles for which a SET NEWNAME FOR TEMPFILE
command has been issued in this job are switched to their new name.
TEMPFILE tempFileSpec TO {
quoted_string | NEW
With quoted_string, renames the specified tempfile to the name specified by

quoted_string. With NEW, renames the specified tempfile to an OMF filename
in DB_CREATE_FILE_DEST. The tempfile is created when the database is
opened, if it does not exist.
Examples
Switching Datafile Filenames After a Restore: Example This example allocates one
disk device and one tape device to allow RMAN to restore from disk and tape.
RUN
{
ALLOCATE CHANNEL dev1 DEVICE TYPE DISK;
SQL "ALTER TABLESPACE tbs_1 OFFLINE IMMEDIATE";
SET NEWNAME FOR DATAFILE '/disk7/oracle/tbs11.f'
TO '/disk9/oracle/tbs11.f';
RESTORE TABLESPACE tbs_1;
SWITCH DATAFILE ALL;
RECOVER TABLESPACE tbs_1;
SQL "ALTER TABLESPACE tbs_1 ONLINE";
}
SWITCH
Renaming a Tempfile Directly Using SWITCH TEMPFILE: Example This example

renames a tempfile without using the SET NEWNAME command to specify the new
name for the file. Note that the database must not be open for this operation.
RUN
{
SWITCH TEMPFILE 1 TO '/newdisk/dbs/temp1.f';
}
Renaming a Tempfile Using SET NEWNAME and SWITCH TEMPFILE: Example This
example demonstrates using SET NEWNAME to specify a new name for a tempfile, and
SWITCH to actually rename the tempfile to the specified name. Note that the database
is not open at the start of this procedure. The tempfile is re-created when the database
is opened.
RUN
{
SET NEWNAME FOR TEMPFILE 1 TO '/newdisk/dbs/temp1.f';
SWITCH TEMPFILE 1;
RESTORE DATABASE;
RECOVER DATABASE;
}
Renaming Tempfiles Using SET NEWNAME and SWITCH TEMPFILE ALL: Example
This example demonstrates using SET NEWNAME to specify new names for several
tempfiles, and SWITCH TEMPFILE ALL to actually rename the tempfiles to the
specified names. The database must be offline at the beginning of this procedure. The
tempfiles are re-created at the new locations when the database is opened.
RUN
{
SET NEWNAME FOR TEMPFILE 3 TO NEW; #use OMF for this one
SWITCH TEMPFILE ALL;
RESTORE DATABASE;
RECOVER DATABASE;
}
Renaming Tempfiles Using SET NEWNAME and SWITCH TEMPFILE ALL: Example
This example illustrates specifying names for tempfiles when duplicating a database
for standby.
RUN
{
DUPLICATE DATABASE FOR STANDBY;
}
RMAN Commands 2-219
tempfileSpec
tempfileSpec
Syntax
tempFileSpec::=
filename
integer
Purpose
A subclause that specifies a tempfile by name or absolute file number.
You can specify an absolute path name, or a path name relative to the Oracle
home.
Double and single quotes are both legal (although only single quotes are shown in
the diagram).
Use ? to represent the Oracle home and @ for the Oracle SID.
See Also: "Placeholders" on page 1-2 to learn about the difference
between single and double quotes, as well as the behavior of
environment variables in RMAN quoted strings
You can use the REPORT SCHEMA command or the V$TEMPFILE control file view
to get information about the current tempfiles.

Syntax Element
Description
'filename'
Specifies the datafile by using either the full path or a relative filename. If you
specify a relative filename, the filename is qualified in a platform-specific
manner by the target database.
integer
Specifies the datafile by absolute file number. Obtain the file number from the
V$TEMPFILE view or REPORT SCHEMA.
Examples
Specifying a Tempfile by Filename: Example This example renames tempfile
?/oradata/trgt/tmp1.f to /newdisk/tmp1.f, specifying it by filename:
RUN {
SWITCH TEMPFILE ?/oradata/trgt/tmp1.f TO /newdisk/tmp1.f;
}
Note that the database must not be open when performing this example.
Specifying a Tempfile by Absolute File Number: Example This example renames
tempfile 1 to /newdisk/tmp1.f, specifying it by absolute file number:

RUN {
SWITCH TEMPFILE 1 TO /newdisk/tmp1.f;
}
tempfileSpec
Note that the database must not be open when performing this example.
RMAN Commands 2-221
TRANSPORT TABLESPACE
Syntax
transpt_tbs::=
,
transpt_tbs_optList
tablespace_name
transpt_tbs_optlist::=
=
location
DATAPUMP DIRECTORY
DUMP FILE
datapump_directory
=
EXPORT LOG
filename
IMPORT SCRIPT
=
TABLESPACE DESTINATION
tablespace_destination
untilClause
Purpose
To create transportable tablespace sets from RMAN backups, instead of the live
datafiles of the source database. Also, to create transportable tablespace sets that are
recovered to a point in time in the past instead of the present time.

The limitations on creating transportable tablespace sets described in Oracle Database
Administrator's Guide apply to transporting tablespaces from backup, with the
exception of the requirement to make the tablespaces read-only.
TRANSPORT TABLESPACE does not perform endian format conversion. If the target
platform has a different endian format, then you must use the RMAN CONVERT
command to perform the separate step of converting the endian format of the datafiles
in the transportable set.
See Also: "CONVERT" on page 2-79 to learn how to convert a
tablespace for transport to a target platform with a different endian
format.
There are also limitations specific to creating a transportable tablespace set using
RMAN:
You must have a backup of all needed tablespaces (including those in the auxiliary
set) and archived redo log files available for use by RMAN that can be recovered
to the target point in time for the TRANSPORT TABLESPACE operation.
Note: If RMAN is not part of the backup strategy for your database,
you can still use RMAN TRANSPORT TABLESPACE, as long as the
needed datafile copies and archived redo logs are available on disk.
Use the RMAN CATALOG command to record the datafile copies and
archived logs in the RMAN repository. You can then use TRANSPORT
TABLESPACE. See Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Basics for details
on using CATALOG.
You also have the option of using RMAN to back up your database
specifically to create backups for use in creating a transportable
tablespace set from backup.
Because the RMAN process for creating transportable tablespaces from backup
uses the Data Pump Export and Import utilities, you cannot use this process if the
tablespaces to be transported use XMLTypes. In such a case, you must use the
process documented in Oracle Database Administrator's Guide.
Because RMAN creates the automatic auxiliary instance used for restore and
recovery on the same node as the source instance, there is some performance
overhead during the operation of the TRANSPORT TABLESPACE command.
If you drop a tablespace, then you cannot later use TRANSPORT TABLESPACE to
include that tablespace in a transportable tablespace set, even if the SCN for
TRANSPORT TABLESPACE is earlier than the SCN at which the table was dropped.
If you renname a tablespace, you cannot use TRANSPORT TABLESPACE to create a
transportable tablespace set as of a point in time before the tablespace was
renamed. (RMAN has no information about the previous name of the tablespace.)
You cannot TRANSPORT tables without their associated constraints, or constraints
without their associated tables.
Neither the transportable set nor the auxiliary set datafiles can contain any of the
following:
Replicated master tables
Partial tables
Tables with VARRAY columns, nested tables, or external files
Snapshot logs and snapshot tables
Tablespaces containing undo or rollback segments
Tablespaces that contain objects owned by SYS, including rollback segments
If you are performing TRANSPORT TABLESPACE without a recovery catalog, the

following additional restrictions apply:
If not using a recovery catalog and transporting tablespaces as of a point in time in

the past, then the set of tablespaces with undo segments at the time TRANSPORT
TABLESPACE is executed must be the same as the set of tablespaces with undo
segments at the time selected for transport.
Tablespaces including undo segments as of the target SCN for TRASNPORT
TABLESPACE must be part of the auxiliary set. The RMAN repository in the
control file only contains a record of tablespaces that include undo segments at the
current time. If the set of tablespaces with undo segments was different at the
target SCN, then TRANSPORT TABLESPACE fails.
RMAN Commands 2-223
If the database has re-used the control file records for the RMAN repository that
contained information about backups required for the TRANSPORT TABLESPACE
process, then the process fails because RMAN cannot locate the required backups.
You may be able to use CATALOG to add the needed backups to the RMAN
repository if they are still available, but if the database is already overwriting
control file records you may lose records of other needed backups.

Syntax Element
Description
tablespace_name
Specifies the name of each tablespace to transport.
transpt_tbs_oplist
Syntax Element
Description
Optional argument that specifies the location for files for the auxiliary
instance. The SET NEWNAME and CONFIGURE AUXNAME can be used to
override this argument for individual files, and the
DB_FILE_NAME_CONVERT and LOG_FILE_NAME_CONVERT initialization
parameters can be used instead of AUXILIARY DESTINATION, if using your
own initialization parameter file to customize the auxiliary instance. See
Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Advanced User's Guide for details on the
interactions among the different methods of naming the auxiliary instance
files.
DATAPUMP DIRECTORY
Optional argument that specifies a database directory object where Data

Pump Export outputs are created. If not specified, files will be created in the
location specified by TABLESPACE DESTINATION. See Oracle Database
Utilities for more details on Data Pump Export and database directory objects.
DUMP FILE
Optional argument that specifies where to create the export dump file. If not
specified, the export dump file is named dmpfile.dmp and stored in the
location specified by the DATAPUMP DIRECTORY clause or in the tablespace
destination.
EXPORT LOG
Optional argument that specifies the location of the log generated by Data
Pump Export. If omitted, the export log is named explog.log and stored in
the location specified by the DATAPUMP DIRECTORY clause or in the
tablespace destination.
IMPORT SCRIPT
Optional argument that specifies the filename for the sample input script
generated by RMAN for use in plugging in the transported tablespace at the
destination database. If omitted, the import script is named impscript.sql.
The script is stored in the tablespace destination.
TABLESPACE DESTINATION
Argument that specifies the directory where the datafiles for the transported
tablespaces are left at the end of the tablespace transport operation.
untilClause
Optional argument that specifies a past point in time. If specified, RMAN

restores and recovers the tablespaces at the auxiliary instance to their contents
at that past point in time before export.
Examples
Creating Transporable Tablespaces from Backup with TRANSPORT TABLESPACE:
Example In this example, the tablespaces for the transportable set are tbs_2 and
tbs_3, the transportable set files are to be stored at /disk1/transport_dest, and

the transportable tablespaces are to be recovered to the present time:
transport tablespace tbs_2, tbs_3
tablespace destination '/disk1/transportdest'

auxiliary destination '/disk1/auxdest'
;
In this
example, the tablespaces for the transportable set are tbs_2 and tbs_3, the
transportable set files are to be stored at /disk1/transport_dest, and the
transportable tablespaces are to be recovered to a specific SCN:
Using TRANSPORT TABLESPACE with a Past Point in Time: Example
transport tablespace tbs_2, tbs_3

tablespace destination '/disk1/transportdest'
auxiliary destination '/disk1/auxdest'
UNTIL SCN 251982;
;
Using TRANSPORT TABLESPACE with Custom File Locations: Example This
example illustrates the use of the optional arguments of TRANSPORT TABLESPACE

that control the locations of the Data Pump-related files such as the dump file, as well
as the DATAPUMP DIRECTORY which in this case references a directory object
mypumpdir:
TRANSPORT TABLESPACE tbs_2
TABLESPACE DESTINATION '/disk1/transportdest'
AUXILIARY DESTINATION '/disk1/auxdest'
DATAPUMP DIRECTORY mypumpdir
DUMP FILE 'mydumpfile.dmp'
IMPORT SCRIPT 'myimportscript.sql'
EXPORT LOG 'myexportlog.log';
RMAN Commands 2-225
UNREGISTER DATABASE
UNREGISTER DATABASE
Syntax
unregister::=
database_name
NOPROMPT
UNREGISTER DATABASE
Purpose
To unregister a database from the recovery catalog.
See Also: "DROP DATABASE" on page 2-103 to learn how to
delete a database and unregister it with one command.
Execute only at the RMAN prompt.

RMAN must be connected to the recovery catalog in which the target database is
registered.
You can identify the database to unregister in one of three ways:
Connect RMAN to the target database

Provide the database_name argument to identify the database to unregister, if
the database name is unique;
Use SET DBID to identify the database if RMAN is not connected to the target
database and the database_name is not unique in the recovery catalog.

Syntax Element
Description
database_name
Specifies the name of the target database that you are unregistering. You do
not have to specify db_name if RMAN is connected to the target database.
NOPROMPT
Specifies that RMAN should not prompt for confirmation before unregistering
the database.
Example
Unregistering a Database: Example In this example, you connect to the target
database test1 and then unregister it:
rman TARGET SYS/oracle@test1 CATALOG rman/rman@catdb
RMAN> UNREGISTER DATABASE NOPROMPT;
Unregistering a Database That is Not Unique in Catalog: Example The following

UNIX shell script unregisters database testdb from the recovery catalog. Because
multiple databases called testdb are registered in the recovery catalog, and because
RMAN is not connected to the target database (which has already been deleted from
the file system), you must run SET DBID:
rman CATALOG rman/rman@catdb
RMAN> RUN
UNREGISTER DATABASE
{
SET DBID 1334531173;
# specifies test database by DBID
UNREGISTER DATABASE testdb NOPROMPT;
}
RMAN Commands 2-227
untilClause
untilClause
Syntax
untilClause::=
=
UNTIL SCN
integer
=
=
THREAD
UNTIL SEQUENCE
integer
integer
UNTIL RESTORE POINT
restore_point_name
=
UNTIL TIME
date_string
Purpose
A subclause that specifies an upper limit by time, SCN, restore point or log sequence
number for various RMAN operations.
to set the date format used by RMAN
When specifying dates in RMAN commands, the date string must be either:
A literal string whose format matches the NLS_DATE_FORMAT setting.

A SQL expression of type DATE, for example, 'SYSDATE-10' or
"TO_DATE('01/30/1997', 'MM/DD/YYYY')". Note that the second
example includes its own date format mask and so is independent of the
current NLS_DATE_FORMAT setting.
Following are examples of typical date settings in RMAN commands:

BACKUP ARCHIVELOG FROM TIME 'SYSDATE-31' UNTIL TIME 'SYSDATE-14';
RESTORE DATABASE UNTIL TIME "TO_DATE('09/20/00','MM/DD/YY')";
SET UNTIL RESTORE POINT can only be used when the database is mounted,
because the defined restore points are recorded in the control file. For example,
you cannot use SET UNTIL RESTORE POINT to specify the target point in time for
a RESTORE CONTROLFILE operation.

Syntax Element
Description
UNTIL SCN = integer
Specifies an SCN as an upper limit. RMAN selects only files that can be used
to restore or recover up to but not including the specified SCN. For example,
RESTORE DATABASE UNTIL SCN 1000 chooses only backups that could be
used to recover to SCN 1000.
UNTIL RESTORE POINT

restore_point_name
Specifies a restore point, so that the SCN at which the restore point was
created is the upper limit. RMAN selects only files that can be used to restore
or recover up to but not including the corresponding SCN.
Note: The database must be mounted when using SET UNTIL RESTORE
POINT.
untilClause
Syntax Element
Description
UNTIL SEQUENCE = integer

THREAD = integer
selects only files that can be used to restore or recover up to but not including
the specified sequence number. For example, REPORT OBSOLETE UNTIL
SEQUENCE 8000 THREAD 1 reports only backups that could be used to
recover through log sequence 7999.
UNTIL TIME =
'date_string'
Specifies a time as an upper limit. RMAN selects only files that can be used to
restore and recover up to but not including the specified time. For example,
LIST BACKUP UNTIL TIME 'SYSDATE-7' lists all backups that could be used
to recover to a point one week ago.
Examples
This
example assumes that log sequence 1234 was lost due to a disk failure and the
database needs to be recovered by using available archived redo logs.
Performing Incomplete Recovery Until a Log Sequence Number: Example
RUN
{
SET UNTIL SEQUENCE 1234 THREAD 1;
RESTORE CONTROLFILE ;
RESTORE DATABASE;
RECOVER DATABASE; # recovers through log 1233
}
Performing Incomplete Recovery to a Specified SCN: Example This example (which

assumes a mounted database) recovers the database until a specified SCN:
RUN
{
ALLOCATE CHANNEL ch1 TYPE sbt;
RESTORE DATABASE;
RECOVER DATABASE UNTIL SCN 1000;
}
# recovers through SCN 999
This example (which

assumes that the database starts out not mounted) recovers the database until a
specified restore point:
Performing Incomplete Recovery to a Restore Point: Example
STARTUP MOUNT;
RUN
{
SET UNTIL RESTORE POINT before_batch;
RESTORE DATABASE;
RECOVER DATABASE;
}
This example assumes that you want to be

able to recover to any point within the last week. It considers as obsolete all backups
that could be used to recover the database to a point one week ago:
Reporting Obsolete Backups: Example
REPORT OBSOLETE UNTIL TIME 'SYSDATE-7';
RMAN Commands 2-229
UPGRADE CATALOG
UPGRADE CATALOG
Syntax
upgradeCatalog::=
;
UPGRADE CATALOG
Purpose
To upgrade the recovery catalog schema from an older version to the version required
by the RMAN executable. For example, if you use a release 8.0 recovery catalog with a
release 8.1 version of RMAN, then you must upgrade the catalog.
Note that UPGRADE CATALOG does not run scripts to perform the upgrade. Instead,
RMAN sends various SQL DDL statements to the recovery catalog to update the
recovery catalog schema with new tables, views, columns, and so forth.
You must be connected to the catalog database, and the catalog database must be
open. You do not have to be connected to the target database.
You must enter the UPGRADE command twice in a row to confirm the upgrade.
You will receive an error if the recovery catalog is already at a version greater than
needed by the RMAN executable. RMAN permits the command to be run if the
recovery catalog is already current, however, so that the packages can be
re-created if necessary. RMAN displays all error messages generated during the
upgrade in the message log.

None.
Example
Upgrading a Recovery Catalog: Example This example connects to recovery catalog
database recdb at the operating system command line and then upgrades it to a more
current version:
% rman CATALOG rcat/rcat@recdb
connected to recovery catalog database
PL/SQL package rcat.DBMS_RCVCAT version 08.00.04 in RCVCAT database is too old
RMAN> UPGRADE CATALOG
recovery catalog owner is rcat
enter UPGRADE CATALOG command again to confirm catalog upgrade
RMAN> UPGRADE CATALOG
recovery catalog upgraded to version 09.00.01
DBMS_RCVMAN package upgraded to version 09.00.01
DBMS_RCVCAT package upgraded to version 09.00.01
VALIDATE
VALIDATE
Syntax
validate::=
CHECK LOGICAL
,
VALIDATE BACKUPSET
=
DEVICE TYPE
primaryKey
,
deviceSpecifier
;
Purpose
To examine a backup set and report whether it can be restored. RMAN scans all of the
backup pieces in the specified backup sets and looks at the checksums to verify that
the contents are intact so that the backup can be successfully restored if necessary.
The VALIDATE BACKUPSET command tests whether the
backup sets can be restored, whereas CROSSCHECK examines the
headers of the specified files if they are on disk or queries the media
management catalog if they are on tape.
Note:
Use this command when you suspect that one or more backup pieces in a backup set
are missing or have been damaged. Use VALIDATE BACKUPSET to specify which
backups to test; use the VALIDATE option of the RESTORE command to let RMAN
choose which backups to validate. For validating image copies, run RESTORE
VALIDATE FROM DATAFILECOPY.
If you do not have automatic channels configured, manually allocate at least one
channel before executing a VALIDATE BACKUPSET statement.

Syntax Element
Description
primary_key
Specifies the backup sets to be validated by primary_key. Obtain the

primary keys of backup sets by executing a LIST statement or, if you use a
recovery catalog, by querying the RC_BACKUP_SET recovery catalog view.
CHECK LOGICAL
Tests data and index blocks in the backup set that pass physical corruption
checks for logical corruption, for example, corruption of a row piece or index
entry. If RMAN finds logical corruption, then it logs the block in the
alert.log and server session trace file. The RMAN command completes
and V$DATABASE_BLOCK_CORRUPTION is populated with corrupt block
ranges.
Note: VALIDATE does not use MAXCORRUPT.
RMAN Commands 2-231
VALIDATE
Syntax Element
Description
channels, and run VALIDATE ...DEVICE TYPE DISK, RMAN allocates only
disk channels.
Example
Validating a Backup Set: Example
This example validates the status of the backup
set whose primary key is 218:

VALIDATE BACKUPSET 218;
# As the output indicates, RMAN determines whether it is possible to restore the
# specified backup set.
allocated channel: ORA_SBT_TAPE_1
channel ORA_SBT_TAPE_1: sid=14 devtype=SBT_TAPE
channel ORA_SBT_TAPE_1: starting validation of datafile backupset
channel ORA_SBT_TAPE_1: restored backup piece 1
piece handle=09dg9kkl_1_1 tag=TAG20020208T125443 params=NULL
channel ORA_SBT_TAPE_1: validation complete
3
This chapter contains descriptions of recovery catalog views. You can only access these
views if you have created a recovery catalog. For a summary of the recovery catalog
views, refer to "Summary of RMAN Recovery Catalog Views" on page 3-1.
These views are not normalized, but are optimized for
RMAN and Enterprise Manager usage. Hence, most catalog views
have redundant values that result from joining of several
underlying tables.
Note:
The views intended for use by Enterprise Manager are generally

less useful for direct querying than the other views.
Summary of RMAN Recovery Catalog Views

The following table provides a functional summary of RMAN recovery catalog views.
Table 31
Recovery Catalog View
Corresponding V$ View
Catalog View Describes ...
RC_ARCHIVED_LOG
V$ARCHIVED_LOG
Archived and unarchived redo logs
RC_BACKUP_ARCHIVELOG_DETAILS
V$BACKUP_ARCHIVELOG_
DETAILS
Details about archived redo log

backups for Enterprise Manager
RC_BACKUP_ARCHIVELOG_
SUMMARY
V$BACKUP_ARCHIVELOG_
SUMMARY
Summary of information about

archived redo log backups for
Enterprise Manager
RC_BACKUP_CONTROLFILE
V$BACKUP_CONTROLFILE
Control files backed up in backup

sets
RC_BACKUP_CONTROLFILE_DETAILS V$BACKUP_CONTROLFILE_
DETAILS
Details about control file backups

for Enterprise Manager
RC_BACKUP_CONTROLFILE_
SUMMARY
V$BACKUP_CONTROLFILE_
SUMMARY

control file backups for Enterprise
Manager
RC_BACKUP_COPY_DETAILS
V$BACKUP_COPY_DETAILS
Details about datafile image copy

backups for Enterprise Manager
RC_BACKUP_COPY_SUMMARY
V$BACKUP_COPY_SUMMARY

datafile image copy backups for
Enterprise Manager
RC_BACKUP_CORRUPTION
V$BACKUP_CORRUPTION
Corrupt block ranges in datafile

backups
Recovery Catalog Views 3-1
Table 31 (Cont.) Recovery Catalog Views

RC_BACKUP_DATAFILE
V$BACKUP_DATAFILE
Datafiles in backup sets
RC_BACKUP_DATAFILE_DETAILS
V$BACKUP_DATAFILE_
DETAILS
Details about datafile backups for

Enterprise Manager
RC_BACKUP_DATAFILE_SUMMARY
V$BACKUP_DATAFILE_
SUMMARY

datafile backups for Enterprise
Manager
RC_BACKUP_FILES
V$BACKUP_FILES
RMAN backups and copies known

to the repository.
RC_BACKUP_PIECE
V$BACKUP_PIECE
Backup pieces
RC_BACKUP_PIECE_DETAILS
V$BACKUP_PIECE_DETAILS
Details about backup pieces for

Enterprise Manager
RC_BACKUP_REDOLOG
V$BACKUP_REDOLOG
Archived redo logs in backup sets
RC_BACKUP_SET
V$BACKUP_SET
Backup sets for all incarnations of

databases registered in the catalog
RC_BACKUP_SET_DETAILS
V$BACKUP_SET_DETAILS
Details about backup sets for

Enterprise Manager
RC_BACKUP_SET_SUMMARY
V$BACKUP_SET_SUMMARY

backup sets for Enterprise Manager
RC_BACKUP_SPFILE
V$BACKUP_SPFILE
Server parameter files in backups
RC_BACKUP_SPFILE_DETAILS
V$BACKUP_SPFILE_DETAILS Details about SPFILE backups for

Enterprise Manager
RC_BACKUP_SPFILE_SUMMARY
V$BACKUP_SPFILE_SUMMARY Summary of information about

SPFILE backups for Enterprise
Manager
RC_CHECKPOINT
n/a
Deprecated in favor of RC_

RESYNC
RC_CONTROLFILE_COPY
V$CONTROLFILE_COPY
Control file copies on disk
RC_COPY_CORRUPTION
V$COPY_CORRUPTION
Corrupt block ranges in datafile

copies
RC_DATABASE
V$DATABASE
Databases registered in the recovery

catalog
RC_DATABASE_BLOCK_CORRUPTION V$DATABASE_BLOCK_
CORRUPTION
Database blocks marked as

corrupted in the most recent RMAN
backup or copy
RC_DATABASE_INCARNATION
V$DATABASE_INCARNATION
Database incarnations registered in

the recovery catalog
RC_DATAFILE
V$DATAFILE
Datafiles registered in the recovery

catalog
RC_DATAFILE_COPY
V$DATAFILE_COPY
Datafile copies on disk
RC_LOG_HISTORY
V$LOG_HISTORY
Online redo log history indicating

when log switches occurred
RC_OFFLINE_RANGE
V$OFFLINE_RANGE
Offline ranges for datafiles
RC_RMAN_OUTPUT
V$RMAN_OUTPUT
Output from RMAN commands for

use in Enterprise Manager
RC_PROXY_ARCHIVEDLOG
V$PROXY_ARCHIVEDLOG
Archived log backups taken with

the proxy copy functionality
Table 31 (Cont.) Recovery Catalog Views

RC_PROXY_ARCHIVELOG_DETAILS
V$PROXY_ARCHIVELOG_
DETAILS
Details about proxy archived redo

logs for Enterprise Manager
RC_PROXY_ARCHIVELOG_SUMMARY V$PROXY_ARCHIVELOG_
SUMMARY

proxy archived redo logs for
Enterprise Manager
RC_PROXY_CONTROLFILE
V$PROXY_CONTROLFILE
Control file backups taken with the

proxy copy functionality
RC_PROXY_COPY_DETAILS
V$PROXY_COPY_DETAILS
Details about datafile proxy copies

for Enterprise Manager
RC_PROXY_COPY_SUMMARY
V$PROXY_COPY_SUMMARY

datafile proxy copies for Enterprise
Manager
RC_PROXY_DATAFILE
V$PROXY_DATAFILE
Datafile backups that were taken

using the proxy copy functionality
RC_REDO_LOG
V$LOG and V$LOGFILE
Online redo logs for all incarnations

of the database since the last catalog
resynchronization
RC_REDO_THREAD
V$THREAD
All redo threads for all incarnations

of the database since the last catalog
resynchronization
RC_RESYNC
n/a
Recovery catalog
resynchronizations
RC_RMAN_BACKUP_JOB_DETAILS
V$RMAN_BACKUP_JOB_
DETAILS
Details about backup jobs for

Enterprise Manager
RC_RMAN_BACKUP_SUBJOB_DETAILS V$RMAN_BACKUP_SUBJOB_
DETAILS
Details about backup subjobs for

Enterprise Manager
RC_RMAN_BACKUP_TYPE
V$BACKUP_TYPE
Used internally by Enterprise

Manager
RC_RMAN_CONFIGURATION
V$RMAN_CONFIGURATION
RMAN configuration settings
RC_RMAN_STATUS
V$RMAN_STATUS
Historical status information about

RMAN operations.
RC_STORED_SCRIPT
n/a
Names of scripts stored in the

recovery catalog
RC_STORED_SCRIPT_LINE
n/a
Contents of the scripts stored in the

recovery catalog
RC_TABLESPACE
V$TABLESPACE
All tablespaces registered in the

recovery catalog, all dropped
tablespaces, and tablespaces that
belong to old incarnations
RC_TEMPFILE
V$TEMPFILE
All tempfiles registered in the

recovery catalog
RC_UNUSABLE_BACKUPFILE_
DETAILS
V$UNUSABLE_BACKUPFILE_
DETAILS
Unusable backup files registered in

the recovery catalog
RC_ARCHIVED_LOG
RC_ARCHIVED_LOG
This view contains historical information about archived and unarchived redo logs. It
corresponds to the V$ARCHIVED_LOG view in the target database control file.
Oracle inserts an archived redo log record after the online redo log is successfully
archived. If a log that has not been archived is cleared, a record is inserted with the
NAME column set to NULL.
If the log is archived multiple times, then the view will contain multiple archived log
records with the same THREAD#, SEQUENCE#, and RESETLOGS_CHANGE#, but with a
different name.
An archived log record is also inserted when an archived log is restored from a backup
set or a copy.
Note that an archived log can have no record if the record ages out of the control file.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_KEY
NUMBER
The primary key for the target database. Use this column to form a join
with almost any other catalog view.
DBINC_KEY
NUMBER
The primary key for the incarnation of the target database to which this
record belongs. Use this column to form a join with RC_DATABASE_
INCARNATION.
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
The DB_NAME of the database incarnation to which this record belongs.
AL_KEY
NUMBER
The primary key of the archived redo log in the recovery catalog. If you
issue the LIST command while connected to the recovery catalog, this
value appears in the KEY column of the output.
RECID
NUMBER
The archived redo log RECID from V$ARCHIVED_LOG. RECID and

STAMP form a concatenated primary key that uniquely identifies this
record in the target database control file.
STAMP
NUMBER
The archived redo log stamp from V$ARCHIVED_LOG. RECID and

NAME
VARCHAR2(1024)
The filename of the archived redo log.
THREAD#
NUMBER
The number of the redo thread.
SEQUENCE#
NUMBER
RESETLOGS_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The SCN of the most recent RESETLOGS when the record was created.
RESETLOGS_TIME
DATE
The time stamp of the most recent RESETLOGS when the record was
created.
FIRST_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The first SCN of this redo log.
FIRST_TIME
DATE
The time when Oracle switched into the redo log.
NEXT_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The first SCN of the next redo log in the thread.
NEXT_TIME
DATE
The first time stamp of the next redo log in the thread.
BLOCKS
NUMBER
The size of this archived log in operating system blocks.
BLOCK_SIZE
NUMBER
The size of the block in bytes.
COMPLETION_TIME
DATE
The time when the redo log was archived or copied.
ARCHIVED
VARCHAR2(3)
Indicates whether the log was archived: YES (archived redo log) or NO
(inspected file header of online redo log and added record to
V$ARCHIVED_LOG). Inspecting the online logs creates archived log
records for them, which allows them to be applied during RMAN
recovery. Oracle sets ARCHIVED to NO to prevent online logs from being
backed up.
RC_ARCHIVED_LOG
Column
Datatype
Description
STATUS
VARCHAR2(1)
The status of the archived redo log: A (available), U (unavailable), D

(deleted), or X (expired).
IS_STANDBY
VARCHAR2(3)
The database that archived this log: Y (belongs to a standby database) or

N (belongs to the primary database).
DICTIONARY_BEGIN
VARCHAR2(3)
Indicates whether this archived log contains the start of a LogMiner

dictionary: YES or NO.
If both DICTIONARY_BEGIN and DICTIONARY_END are YES, this log
contains a complete LogMiner dictionary. If DICTIONARY_BEGIN is YES
but DICTIONARY_END is NO, this log contains the start of the dictionary,
and it continues through each subsequent log of this thread and ends in
the log where DICTIONARY_END is YES.
DICTIONARY_END
VARCHAR2(3)
IS_RECOVERY_DEST_FILE VARCHAR2(3)
Indicates whether this archived log contains the end of a LogMiner

dictionary: YES or NO. See the description of DICTIONARY_BEGIN for an
explanation of how to interpret this value.
This copy is located in the flash recovery area: YES or NO.
RC_BACKUP_ARCHIVELOG_DETAILS provides detailed information about backups of
archived redo log files.
This view is primarily intended to be used internally by Enterprise Manager.
Column
Datatype
Description
BTYPE
CHAR(9)
The backup type container, which can be BACKUPSET, IMAGECOPY or

PROXYCOPY.
BTYPE_KEY
NUMBER
A unique identifier for the backup type. For backupsets, it is VS_KEY; for
image copies, it is COPY_KEY; for proxy copies it is XAL_KEY.
SESSION_KEY
NUMBER
Unique identifier for this session.
SESSION_RECID
NUMBER
The RECID from the control file for the target database which corresponds
to this RMAN session.
SESSION_STAMP
NUMBER
The STAMP from the control file for the target database which
corresponds to this RMAN session.
DB_KEY
NUMBER
The primary key for this database in the recovery catalog. Use this column
to form a join with almost any other catalog view.
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
ID1
NUMBER
For archived logs in backup sets, this column contains SET_STAMP. For
proxy copy or image copy backups, this column contains the RECID from
the control file.
ID2
NUMBER
For archived logs in backup sets, this column contains SET_COUNT. For
image copy or proxy copy backups, this column contains STAMP.
THREAD#
NUMBER
Thead number of this archived redo log file.
SEQUENCE#
NUMBER
Sequence number of this archived redo log file.
RESETLOGS_CHANGE#
NUMBER
SCN of OPEN RESETLOGS branch for this archived log.
RESETLOGS_TIME
DATE
Time of OPEN RESETLOGS branch for this archived log.
FIRST_CHANGE#
NUMBER
Starting SCN for this archived log file.
FIRST_TIME
DATE
Time corresponding to starting SCN for this archived redo log file.
NEXT_CHANGE#
NUMBER
Ending SCN for this archived redo log file.
NEXT_TIME
DATE
Time corresponding to the ending SCN for this archived redo log file.
FILESIZE
NUMBER
Size of backed up redo log file, in bytes.
COMPRESSION_RATIO
NUMBER
Compression ratio for this backup.
FILESIZE_DISPLAY
VARCHAR2(4000)
Same value as FILESIZE, but converted to a user-displayable format, for

example nM, nG, nT, nP.
RC_BACKUP_ARCHIVELOG_SUMMARY
RC_BACKUP_ARCHIVELOG_SUMMARY
RC_BACKUP_ARCHIVELOG_SUMMARY contains summary information about backups
of archived redo log files.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
DB_KEY
NUMBER
NUM_FILES_BACKED
NUMBER
The number of archived redo log files backed up.
NUM_DISTINCT_FILES_
BACKED
NUMBER
The number of distinct archived redo log files backed up, where redo logs
are distinguished by unique log sequence number, thread number, and
resetlogs branch.
MIN_FIRST_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The lowest SCN in the range of archived redo log files that have been
backed up.
MAX_NEXT_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The highest SCN in the range of archived redo log files that have been
backed up.
MIN_FIRST_TIME
DATE
The earliest point in time covered by the archived redo log files that have
been backed up.
MAX_NEXT_TIME
DATE
The latest point in time covered by the archived redo log files that have
been backed up.
INPUT_BYTES
NUMBER
The total size in bytes of all archived redo log files that have been backed
up.
OUTPUT_BYTES
NUMBER
Sum of sizes of all output pieces generated by this job.
COMPRESSION_RATIO
NUMBER
INPUT_BYTES_DISPLAY
VARCHAR2(4000)
Same value as INPUT_BYTES, but converted to a user-displayable format,

for example nM, nG, nT, nP.
OUTPUT_BYTES_DISPLAY
VARCHAR2(4000)
Same value as OUTPUT_BYTES, but converted to a user-displayable

format, for example nM, nG, nT, nP
This view lists information about control files in backup sets. Note that the
V$BACKUP_DATAFILE view contains both datafile and control file records: a backup
datafile record with file number 0 represents the backup control file. In the recovery
catalog, the RC_BACKUP_CONTROLFILE view contains only control file records, while
the RC_BACKUP_DATAFILE view contains only datafile records.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_KEY
NUMBER
DBINC_KEY
NUMBER
The primary key for the incarnation of the target database. Use this
column to form a join with RC_DATABASE_INCARNATION.
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
BCF_KEY
NUMBER
The primary key of the control file backup in the recovery catalog. If you
RECID
NUMBER
The RECID value from V$BACKUP_DATAFILE. RECID and STAMP form

a concatenated primary key that uniquely identifies this record in the
target database control file.
STAMP
NUMBER
The STAMP value from V$BACKUP_DATAFILE. RECID and STAMP form

BS_KEY
NUMBER
The primary key of the backup set to which this record belongs in the
recovery catalog. Use this column to form a join with RC_BACKUP_SET.
SET_STAMP
NUMBER
The SET_STAMP value from V$BACKUP_SET. SET_STAMP and SET_

COUNT form a concatenated key that uniquely identifies the backup set
to which this record belongs in the target database control file.
SET_COUNT
NUMBER
The SET_COUNT value from V$BACKUP_SET. SET_STAMP and SET_

RESETLOGS_CHANGE#
NUMBER
RESETLOGS_TIME
DATE
created.
CHECKPOINT_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The control file checkpoint SCN.
CHECKPOINT_TIME
DATE
The control file checkpoint time.
CREATION_TIME
DATE
The control file creation time.
BLOCK_SIZE
NUMBER
The size of the blocks in bytes.
OLDEST_OFFLINE_RANGE
NUMBER
Internal use only.
STATUS
VARCHAR2(1)
The status of the backup set: A (available), U (unavailable), or D (deleted).
BS_RECID
NUMBER
The control file RECID of the backup set that contains this backup
control file.
BS_STAMP
NUMBER
The control file stamp of the backup set that contains this backup control
file.
BS_LEVEL
NUMBER
The incremental level (NULL, 0, 1) of the backup set that contains this
backup control file. Although an incremental backup set can contain the
control file, it is always contains a complete copy of the control file.
There is no such thing as an incremental control file backup.
COMPLETION_TIME
DATE
The date that the control file backup completed.
CONTROLFILE_TYPE
VARCHAR2(1)
The type of control file backup: B (normal backup) or S (standby

backup).
BLOCKS
NUMBER
The number of blocks in the file.
Column
Datatype
Description
AUTOBACKUP_DATE
DATE
The date of the control file autobackup.
AUTOBACKUP_SEQUENCE
NUMBER
The sequence of the control file autobackup: 1 - 255.
RC_BACKUP_CONTROLFILE_DETAILS
RC_BACKUP_CONTROLFILE_DETAILS
RC_BACKUP_CONTROLFILE_DETAILS provides detailed information about control
file backups that can be restored, including backups in control file image copies,
backup sets, and proxy copies.
Column
Datatype
Description
BTYPE
CHAR(9)
The type of this control file backup. Possible values are BACKUPSET,
IMAGECOPY or PROXYCOPY.
BTYPE_KEY
NUMBER
Unique identifier for the backup type. If BTYPE is BACKUPSET, this value
is the BS_KEY value for the backup set. If BTYPE is IMAGECOPY, this
value is the value of COPY_KEY for the copy. If BTYPE is PROXYCOPY,
this is the value of XCF_KEY for the proxy copy.
SESSION_KEY
NUMBER
Session identifier. Use in joins with RC_RMAN_OUTPUT.
SESSION_RECID
NUMBER
The RECID from the control file for the target database which corresponds
to this RMAN session.
SESSION_STAMP
NUMBER
The STAMP from the control file for the target database which
corresponds to this RMAN session.
DB_KEY
NUMBER
The primary key for this database.
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
ID1
NUMBER
For backups taken as backup sets, this column contains SET_STAMP. For
the control file.
ID2
NUMBER
For backups taken as backup sets, this column contains SET_COUNT. For
proxy copy or image copy backups, this column contains the value of
STAMP.
CREATION_TIME
DATE
File creation time for the control file that was backed up.
RESETLOGS_CHANGE#
NUMBER
SCN of the resetlogs branch where this control file was backed up.
RESETLOGS_TIME
DATE
Time of the resetlogs branch where this control file was backed up.
CHECKPOINT_CHANGE#
NUMBER
Most recent checkpoint change SCN for the control file that was backed
up.
CHECKPOINT_TIME
DATE
Most recent checkpoint time for the control file that was backed up.
FILESIZE
NUMBER
File size, in bytes, for the output of backing up this control file.
COMPRESSION_RATIO
NUMBER
FILESIZE_DISPLAY
VARCHAR2(4000)
Same value as the FILESIZE column, but converted to a user-displayable

format, for example nM, nG, nT, nP
RC_BACKUP_CONTROLFILE_SUMMARY
RC_BACKUP_CONTROLFILE_SUMMARY
RC_BACKUP_CONTROLFILE_SUMMARY provides summary information about control
file backups that can be restored, including backups in control file image copies,
backup sets, and proxy copies.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
DB_KEY
NUMBER
NUM_FILES_BACKED
NUMBER
Total number of control file backups.
NUM_DISTINCT_FILES_
BACKED
NUMBER
Number of distinct control files backed up.
MIN_CHECKPOINT_
CHANGE#
NUMBER
Lowest checkpoint SCN among all backed up control file s.
MAX_CHECKPOINT_
CHANGE#
NUMBER
Highest checkpoint SCN among all backed up control files.
MIN_CHECKPOINT_TIME
DATE
Earliest checkpoint time of any control file in the summary.
MAX_CHECKPOINT_TIME
DATE
Latest checkpoint time of any control file in the summary.
INPUT_BYTES
NUMBER
Total size of input files, in bytes.
OUTPUT_BYTES
NUMBER
COMPRESSION_RATIO
NUMBER
INPUT_BYTES_DISPLAY
VARCHAR2(4000)

VARCHAR2(4000)

format, for example nM, nG, nT, nP.
RC_BACKUP_COPY_DETAILS contains detailed information all AVAILABLE control
file and datafile copies. Columns SESSION_KEY, SESSION_RECID, SESSION_STAMP,
and COPY_KEY uniquely identify an RMAN session and datafile copy. Other columns
for this view have the same semantics as in RC_DATAFILE_COPY.
Column
Datatype
Description
SESSION_KEY
NUMBER
SESSION_RECID
NUMBER
Together with SESSION_STAMP, uniquely identifies output for this

backup job from RC_RMAN_OUTPUT.
SESSION_STAMP
NUMBER
Together with SESSION_RECID, uniquely identifies output for this

DB_KEY
NUMBER
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
RSR_KEY
NUMBER
Unique key for the row in RC_RMAN_STATUS corresponding to the job

that created this copy.
COPY_KEY
NUMBER
Unique identifier for this datafile or control file copy.
FILE#
NUMBER
The absolute file number for the datafile, for datafile copies.
NAME
VARCHAR2(1024)
The filename of the datafile or control file copy.
TAG
VARCHAR2(32)
The tag, if any, for this datafile or control file copy.
CREATION_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The creation SCN of the datafile, for datafiles.
CREATION_TIME
DATE
The creation time of the file.
CHECKPOINT_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The SCN of the most recent datafile checkpoint.
CHECKPOINT_TIME
DATE
The time of the most recent datafile checkpoint.
MARKED_CORRUPT
NUMBER
Number of blocks in the datafile that are marked corrupt, based on RC_
DATABASE_BLOCK_CORRUPTION view.
OUTPUT_BYTES
NUMBER
COMPLETION_TIME
DATE
The completion time for this file copy.
CONTROLFILE_TYPE
VARCHAR2(1)
The type of control file backed up, for control file copies: B (normal copy)
or S (standby copy). Otherwise, NULL.
KEEP
VARCHAR2(3)
YES, if this copy has a retention policy different from the value for
CONFIGURE RETENTION POLICY. Otherwise, NO.
KEEP_UNTIL
DATE
If the KEEP UNTIL TIME clause of the COPY command was specified,
then this column shows the data after which this file copy becomes
obsolete. If the column is NULL and KEEP_OPTIONS is not null, then this
copy never becomes obsolete.
KEEP_OPTIONS
VARCHAR2(10)
The KEEP options specified for this datafile copy. Possible values are
LOGS (RMAN keeps the logs needed to recover this backup), NOLOGS
(RMAN does not keep the logs needed to recover this backup), or NULL
(this backup has no KEEP options, and becomes obsolete based on the
retention policy.)
IS_RECOVERY_DEST_FILE
VARCHAR2(3)
YES if this copy is located in the flash recovery area. Otherwise, NO.
VARCHAR2(4000)

RC_BACKUP_COPY_SUMMARY contains summary information all AVAILABLE control
file and datafile copies.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
DB_KEY
NUMBER
NUM_COPIES
NUMBER
Total number of image copy backups.
NUM_DISTINCT_COPIES
NUMBER
Number of distinct image copy backups.
MIN_CHECKPOINT_
CHANGE#
NUMBER
Minimum checkpoint SCN among all image copy backups described in

this view.
MAX_CHECKPOINT_
CHANGE#
NUMBER
Maximum checkpoint SCN among all image copy backups described in

this view.
MIN_CHECKPOINT_TIME
DATE
Earliest checkpoint time among all copies described in this view.
MAX_CHECKPOINT_TIME
DATE
Latest checkpoint time among all copies described in this view.
OUTPUT_BYTES
NUMBER
Sum of sizes of all datafile and control file copies.
VARCHAR2(4000)

This view lists corrupt block ranges in datafile backups. It corresponds to the
V$BACKUP_CORRUPTION view in the control file. Note that corruptions are not
tolerated in control file and archived redo log backups.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_KEY
NUMBER
DBINC_KEY
NUMBER
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
RECID
NUMBER
The record identifier from V$BACKUP_CORRUPTION. RECID and STAMP

form a concatenated primary key that uniquely identifies this record in
STAMP
NUMBER
The stamp propagated from V$BACKUP_CORRUPTION. RECID and

BS_KEY
NUMBER
SET_STAMP
NUMBER

SET_COUNT
NUMBER

PIECE#
NUMBER
The backup piece that contains this corrupt block.
BDF_KEY
NUMBER
The primary key for the datafile backup or copy in the recovery catalog.
Use this key to join with RC_BACKUP_DATAFILE. If you issue the list
command while connected to the recovery catalog, this value appears in
the KEY column of the output.
BDF_RECID
NUMBER
The RECID value from V$BACKUP_DATAFILE.
BDF_STAMP
NUMBER
The STAMP value from V$BACKUP_DATAFILE.
FILE#
NUMBER
The absolute file number for the datafile that contains the corrupt blocks.
CREATION_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The creation SCN of the datafile containing the corrupt blocks.
BLOCK#
NUMBER
The block number of the first corrupted block in this range of corrupted
blocks.
BLOCKS
NUMBER
The number of corrupted blocks found beginning with BLOCK#.
CORRUPTION_CHANGE#
NUMBER
For media corrupt blocks, this value is zero. For logically corrupt blocks,
this value is the lowest SCN in the blocks in this corrupt range.
MARKED_CORRUPT
VARCHAR2(3)
YES if this corruption was not previously detected by Oracle, or NO if

Oracle had already discovered this corrupt block and marked it as
corrupt in the database. Note that when a corrupt block is encountered
in a backup, and was not already marked corrupt by Oracle, then the
backup process does not mark the block as corrupt in the production
datafile. Thus, this field may be YES for the same block in more than one
backup set.
CORRUPTION_TYPE
VARCHAR2(9)
Same as RC_DATABASE_BLOCK_CORRUPTION.CORRUPTION_TYPE.
RC_BACKUP_DATAFILE
RC_BACKUP_DATAFILE
This view lists information about datafiles in backup sets. It corresponds to the
V$BACKUP_DATAFILE view. A backup datafile is uniquely identified by BDF_KEY.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_KEY
NUMBER
DBINC_KEY
NUMBER
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
BDF_KEY
NUMBER
The primary key of the datafile backup in the recovery catalog. If you
RECID
NUMBER
The backup datafile RECID from V$BACKUP_DATAFILE. RECID and

STAMP
NUMBER
The backup datafile stamp from V$BACKUP_DATAFILE. RECID and

BS_KEY
NUMBER
SET_STAMP
NUMBER

SET_COUNT
NUMBER

BS_RECID
NUMBER
The RECID from V$BACKUP_SET.
BS_STAMP
NUMBER
The STAMP from V$BACKUP_SET.
BACKUP_TYPE
VARCHAR2(1)
The type of the backup: D (full or level 0 incremental) or I (incremental

level 1).
INCREMENTAL_LEVEL
NUMBER
The level of the incremental backup: NULL, 0 , or 1.
COMPLETION_TIME
DATE
The completion time of the backup.
FILE#
NUMBER
The absolute file number of the datafile. Note that when FILE#=0, the
record refers to the control file. See the note following this table for
special semantics of other columns when FILE#=0.
CREATION_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The creation SCN of the datafile.
RESETLOGS_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The SCN of the most recent RESETLOGS in the datafile header.
RESETLOGS_TIME
DATE
The time stamp of the most recent RESETLOGS in the datafile header.
INCREMENTAL_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The SCN that determines whether a block will be included in the

incremental backup. A block is only included if the SCN in the block
header is greater than or equal to INCREMENTAL_CHANGE#.
The range of redo covered by the incremental backup begins with
INCREMENTAL_CHANGE# and ends with CHECKPOINT_CHANGE#.
CHECKPOINT_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The checkpoint SCN of this datafile in this backup set.
CHECKPOINT_TIME
DATE
The time associated with CHECKPOINT_CHANGE#.
ABSOLUTE_FUZZY_
CHANGE#
NUMBER
The absolute fuzzy SCN. See the note following this table for special
semantics when FILE#=0.
DATAFILE_BLOCKS
NUMBER
The number of data blocks in the datafile.
RC_BACKUP_DATAFILE
Column
Datatype
Description
BLOCKS
NUMBER
The number of data blocks written to the backup. This value is often less
than DATAFILE_BLOCKS because for full backups, blocks that have
never been used are not included in the backup, and for incremental
backups, blocks that have not changed are not included in the backup.
This value is never greater than DATAFILE_BLOCKS.
BLOCK_SIZE
NUMBER
The size of the data blocks in bytes.
STATUS
VARCHAR2(1)
The status of the backup set: A (all pieces available), D (all pieces
deleted), O (some pieces are available but others are not, so the backup
set is unusable).
BS_LEVEL
NUMBER
The incremental level (NULL, 0, or 1) specified when this backup was

created. This value can be different from the INCREMENTAL_LEVEL
column because if you run, for example, a level 1 incremental backup,
but no previous level 0 backup exists for some files, a level 0 backup is
automatically taken for these files. In this case, BS_LEVEL is 1 and
INCREMENTAL_LEVEL is 0.
PIECES
NUMBER
The number of backup pieces in the backup set that contains this backup
datafile.
RC_BACKUP_DATAFILE_DETAILS provides detailed information about available
datafile backups for databases registered in the recovery catalog.
Column
Datatype
Description
BTYPE
CHAR(9)

PROXYCOPY.
BTYPE_KEY
NUMBER
Unique identifier for the backup type. If BTYPE is BACKUPSET, this value
is the BS_KEY value for the backup set. If BTYPE is IMAGECOPY, this
value is the value of COPY_KEY for the copy.
SESSION_KEY
NUMBER
SESSION_RECID
NUMBER

SESSION_STAMP
NUMBER

DB_KEY
NUMBER
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
ID1
NUMBER
the control file.
ID2
NUMBER
For backups taken as backup sets, this column contains SET_COUNT. For
proxy copy or image copy backups, this column contains STAMP.
FILE#
NUMBER
The number of this datafile.
CREATION_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The checkpoint SCN at the time that this datafile was created.
CREATION_TIME
DATE
The time at which this datafile was created.
RESETLOGS_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The checkpoint SCN of the most recent RESETLOGS operation affecting

this datafile.
RESETLOGS_TIME
DATE
The time of the most recent RESETLOGS operation affecting this datafile
INCREMENTAL_LEVEL
NUMBER
For incremental backups, the level of the incremental backup (0 or 1).

Otherwise, NULL.
INCREMENTAL_CHANGE#
NUMBER
For incremental backups, the incremental backup SCN. Otherwise, NULL.
CHECKPOINT_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The current checkpoint SCN for the datafile at the time it was backed up.
CHECKPOINT_TIME
DATE
The time corresponding to the current checkpoint SCN for the datafile at
the time it was backed up.
MARKED_CORRUPT
NUMBER
Number of datafile blocks marked corrupt.
FILESIZE
NUMBER
The size of the datafile at the time it was backed up.
COMPRESSION_RATIO
NUMBER
TS#
NUMBER
Tablespace number.
TSNAME
VARCHAR2(30)
The name of the tablespace containing this datafile.
FILESIZE_DISPLAY
VARCHAR2(4000)

RC_BACKUP_DATAFILE_SUMMARY provides summary information about available
backups of datafiles.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_KEY
NUMBER
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
NUM_FILES_BACKED
NUMBER
Number of datafiles backed up for this value of DB_KEY and DB_NAME.
NUM_DISTINCT_FILES_
BACKED
NUMBER
Number of distinct files backed up for this value of DB_KEY and DB_
NAME.
NUM_DISTINCT_TS_
BACKED
NUMBER
Number of distinct tablespaces backed up for this value of DB_KEY and

DB_NAME.
MIN_CHECKPOINT_
CHANGE#
NUMBER
Minimum checkpoint of any datafile backed up for this value of DB_KEY

and DB_NAME.
MAX_CHECKPOINT_
CHANGE#
NUMBER
Maximum checkpoint change number of any datafile backed up for this

value of DB_KEY and DB_NAME.
MIN_CHECKPOINT_TIME
DATE
Minimum checkpoint time for any datafile backed up for this value of DB_
KEY and DB_NAME.
MAX_CHECKPOINT_TIME
DATE
Maximum checkpoint time for any datafile backed up for this value of
DB_KEY and DB_NAME.
INPUT_BYTES
NUMBER
Total input bytes read for all files backed up for this value of DB_KEY and
DB_NAME.
OUTPUT_BYTES
NUMBER
Sum of sizes of all output pieces generated by backups for this value of
DB_KEY and DB_NAME.
COMPRESSION_RATIO
NUMBER
Compression ratio across all backups.
INPUT_BYTES_DISPLAY
VARCHAR2(4000)

VARCHAR2(4000)

RC_BACKUP_FILES
RC_BACKUP_FILES
This view lists backups known to the RMAN repository as reflected in the recovery
catalog. This view corresponds to the V$BACKUP_FILES control file view.
It is usually more convenient to access this information using
the LIST BACKUP and LIST COPY commands from within
RMAN.
Note:
You must use DBMS_RCVMAN.SetDatabase to select a database

from the recovery catalog schema before you can use this view.
Column
Datatype
Description
PKEY
NUMBER
The primary key for the backup.
BACKUP_TYPE
VARCHAR2(32)
The type of the backup: BACKUP SET, COPY or PROXY COPY.
FILE_TYPE
VARCHAR2(32)
Type of the file backed up: DATAFILE, CONTROLFILE, SPFILE, REDO

LOG, COPY (for an image copy backup) or PIECE (for a backup piece).
KEEP
VARCHAR2(3)
Whether this backup has KEEP attributes set that override the retention
policy. Values are YES or NO.
KEEP_UNTIL
DATE
Date after which this backup is considered obsolete.
KEEP_OPTIONS
VARCHAR2(13)
"Keep attributes" affecting retention for this backup. Possible values are:
LOGS (retain all redo logs needed to recover this backup as long as
the backup is retained),
NOLOGS (redo logs may be considered obsolete even if this backup
must be retained), and
NULL (let the configured retention policy apply to this backup).
STATUS
VARCHAR2(16)
Status of the backup. Possible values are: AVAILABLE, UNAVAILABLE,

EXPIRED.
FNAME
VARCHAR2(1024)
Filename of this piece, copy or filename of the file included in this

backup set. For example, for row with backup_type is "BACKUP SET"
and file_type is "DATAFILE", FNAME is the name of the datafile in the
backup. On the other hand, if BACKUP_TYPE is "BACKUP SET" and
file_type is "PIECE", then fname shows the name of backup piece.
TAG
VARCHAR2(32)
The tag for this backup piece or image copy. (Valid only if FILE_TYPE is
PIECE or COPY.)
MEDIA
VARCHAR2(80)
Media ID for the media on which the backup is stored. Valid only if
BACKUP_TYPE is "BACKUP SET" and FILE_TYPE is "PIECE".
RECID
NUMBER
Recid of the control file record corresponding to this row.
STAMP
NUMBER
Timestamp of the control file record corresponding to this row.
DEVICE_TYPE
VARCHAR2(255)
Device type on which this backup is stored. Valid only if FILE_TYPE is

PIECE or COPY.
BLOCK_SIZE
NUMBER
Block size for the backup or copy (in bytes).
COMPLETION_TIME
NUMBER
Time when this backup was completed. Valid only if FILE_TYPE is

PIECE or COPY.
COMPRESSED
VARCHAR2(3)
Whether the backup piece represented by this row is compressed. Valid

only if file-type is PIECE (since image copies cannot be compressed, by
definition).
OBSOLETE
VARCHAR2(3)
Whether this backup piece or copy is obsolete. Possible value: YES, NO.
Valid only if FILE_TYPE is PIECE or COPY
RC_BACKUP_FILES
Column
Datatype
Description
BYTES
NUMBER
Size of file described by this row. If FILE_TYPE is BACKUP SET, this

represents the total size of the backup set. If FILE_TYPE is PIECE or
COPY, then this represents the size of the individual file. If FILE_TYPE is
DATAFILE, ARCHIVED LOG, SPFILE or CONTROL FILE, the value
represents how much data was incorporated into the backup set (but
note that the corresponding backup set may be smaller, if compression
was used in creating the backup set).
BS_KEY
NUMBER
Backup set key. Valid only if FILE_TYPE is BACKUP SET.
BS_COUNT
NUMBER
Backup set count. Valid only if FILE_TYPE is BACKUP SET.
BS_STAMP
NUMBER
Backup set timestamp. Valid only if FILE_TYPE is BACKUP SET.
BS_TYPE
VARCHAR2(32)
Type of backup set contents (datafiles or archived redo logs). Valid only
if FILE_TYPE is BACKUP SET.
BS_INCR_TYPE
VARCHAR(32)
Backup set incremental type (full or not). Valid only if FILE_TYPE is

BACKUP SET.
BS_PIECES
NUMBER
Number of pieces in backup set. Valid only if FILE_TYPE is BACKUP

SET.
BS_COPIES
NUMBER
Number of copies of this backup set. Valid only if FILE_TYPE is

BACKUP SET.
BS_COMPLETION_TIME
DATE
Completion time of the backup set. Valid only if FILE_TYPE is BACKUP

SET.
BS_STATUS
VARCHAR2(16)
Status of the backup set. Possible values are AVAILABLE,

UNAVAILABLE, EXPIRED, or OTHER. (OTHER means that not all
pieces of the backup set have the same status, which can happen if some
are AVAILABLE and others UNAVAILABLE..) Valid only if FILE_TYPE
is BACKUP SET.
BS_BYTES
NUMBER
Sum of the sizes of all backup pieces in the backup set. Valid only if
FILE_TYPE is BACKUP SET.
BS_COMPRESSED
VARCHAR2(3)
Whether the backup pieces of this backup set are compressed. Valid
only if FILE_TYPE is BACKUP SET.
BS_TAG
VARCHAR2(1024)
Tag or tags of the backup pieces of this backup set. If pieces have
different tags, BS_TAGS will contain a comma-separated list of all tags
for pieces in the backup set. Valid only if FILE_TYPE is BACKUP SET.
BS_DEVICE_TYPE
VARCHAR2(255)
Type of device on which this backup set is stored. If multiple copies of

this backup set exist and are stored on different devices, this field will
contain a comma-separated list of all device types. For example, for a
backup set that is on disk and also backed up on tape, BS_DEVICE_
TYPE might contain "DISK, SBT_TAPE". Valid only if FILE_TYPE is
BACKUP SET.
BP_PIECE#
NUMBER
Number of backup pieces that make up this backup set. Valid only if
FILE_TYPE is BACKUP SET.
BP_COPY#
NUMBER
Number of copies of this backup set. Valid only if FILE_TYPE is

BACKUP SET.
DF_FILE#
NUMBER
File number of the datafile described by this row. Valid only if FILE_
TYPE is DATAFILE.
DF_TABLESPACE
VARCHAR2(30)
Tablespace name for the datafile described by this row. Valid only if
FILE_TYPE is DATAFILE.
DF_RESETLOGS_CHANGE#
NUMBER
Resetlogs change of the datafile described by this row. Valid only if

FILE_TYPE is "DATAFILE".
DF_CREATION_CHANGE#
NUMBER
Creation change number of the datafile described by this row. Valid only
if FILE_TYPE is "DATAFILE".
DF_CHECKPOINT_CHANGE# NUMBER
Checkpoint change number of the datafile described by this row. Valid

only if FILE_TYPE is "DATAFILE".
DF_CKP_MOD_TIME
DATE
Checkpoint time of the datafile described by this row. Valid only if FILE_
TYPE is "DATAFILE".
RL_THREAD#
NUMBER
Redo log thread number of the archived redo log described by this row.
Valid only if FILE_TYPE is "ARCHIVED LOG".
RC_BACKUP_FILES
Column
Datatype
Description
RL_SEQUENCE#
NUMBER
Redo log sequence number of the archived redo log described by this
row. Valid only if FILE_TYPE is "ARCHIVED LOG".
RL_RESETLOGS_CHANGE#
NUMBER
Resetlogs change number of the archived redo log described by this row.
RL_FIRST_CHANGE#
NUMBER
First change number in the archived redo log described by this row.
RL_FIRST_TIME
DATE
Time of the first change in the archived redo log described by this row.
RL_NEXT_CHANGE#
NUMBER
Change number after the archived log described by this row. Valid only
if FILE_TYPE is "ARCHIVED LOG".
RL_NEXT_TIME
DATE
Time of the first change after the archived log described by this row.
RC_BACKUP_PIECE
RC_BACKUP_PIECE
This view lists information about backup pieces. This view corresponds to the
V$BACKUP_PIECE view. Each backup set contains one or more backup pieces.
Multiple copies of the same backup piece can exist, but each copy has its own record in
the control file and its own row in the view.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_KEY
NUMBER
DB_ID
NUMBER
The database identifier.
BP_KEY
NUMBER
The primary key for the backup piece in the recovery catalog. If you
RECID
NUMBER
The backup piece RECID from V$BACKUP_PIECE. RECID and STAMP

STAMP
NUMBER
The backup piece stamp propagated from V$BACKUP_PIECE. RECID

and STAMP form a concatenated primary key that uniquely identifies
this record in the target database control file.
BS_KEY
NUMBER
SET_STAMP
NUMBER

SET_COUNT
NUMBER

BACKUP_TYPE
VARCHAR2(1)
The type of the backup: D (full or level 0 incremental), I (incremental

level 1), L (archived redo log).
INCREMENTAL_LEVEL
NUMBER
The level of the incremental backup: NULL, 0, or 1.
PIECE#
NUMBER
The number of the backup piece. The first piece has the value of 1.
COPY#
NUMBER
The copy number of the backup piece.
DEVICE_TYPE
VARCHAR2(255)
The type of backup device, for example, DISK.
HANDLE
VARCHAR2(1024)
The filename of the backup piece.
COMMENTS
VARCHAR2(255)
Comments about the backup piece.
MEDIA
VARCHAR2(80)
A comment that contains further information about the media manager

that created this backup.
MEDIA_POOL
NUMBER
The number of the media pool in which the backup is stored.
CONCUR
VARCHAR2(3)
Specifies whether backup media supports concurrent access: YES or NO.
TAG
VARCHAR2(32)
The tag for the backup piece. Refer to description in BACKUP for default
format for tag names.
START_TIME
DATE
The time when RMAN started to write the backup piece.
COMPLETION_TIME
DATE
The time when the backup piece was completed.
ELAPSED_SECONDS
NUMBER
The duration of the creation of the backup piece.
STATUS
VARCHAR2(1)
The status of the backup piece: A (available), U (unavailable), D (deleted),

or X (expired). Note that status D will not appear in Oracle Database
unless an older recovery catalog is upgraded.
BYTES
NUMBER
The size of the backup piece in bytes.
This backup piece is located in the flash recovery area: YES or NO.
RC_BACKUP_PIECE_DETAILS contains detailed information about all available
backup pieces recorded in the recovery catalog. The semantics of most columns are the
same as for the RC_BACKUP_PIECE recovery catalog view.
Column
Datatype
Description
SESSION_KEY
NUMBER
SESSION_RECID
NUMBER

SESSION_STAMP
NUMBER

DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
DB_KEY
NUMBER
DBID
NUMBER
The DBID of the database incarnation to which this record belongs.
BP_KEY
NUMBER
The primary key for the backup piece in the recovery catalog. If you issue
the LIST command while connected to the recovery catalog, this value
appears in the KEY column of the output.
RECID
NUMBER
The backup piece RECID from RC_BACKUP_PIECE. RECID and STAMP

form a concatenated primary key that uniquely identifies this record in the
STAMP
NUMBER
The backup piece stamp propagated from V$BACKUP_PIECE. RECID

and STAMP form a concatenated primary key that uniquely identifies this
BS_KEY
NUMBER
SET_STAMP
NUMBER

SET_COUNT
NUMBER

BACKUP_TYPE
VARCHAR2(1)
The type of backup. Possible values are D for datafile or control file
backups, I for incremental backups, and L for archived log file backups.
INCREMENTAL_LEVEL
NUMBER
For incremental backups, indicates the level of incremental backup.

Possible values are NULL (for full backups), 0 or 1.
PIECE#
NUMBER
The number of the backup piece. The first piece has the value of 1.
COPY#
NUMBER
Indicates the copy number for backup pieces created with duplex enabled.
1 if the backup piece is not duplexed.
DEVICE_TYPE
VARCHAR2(255)
Type of the device on which the backup piece resides. Set to DISK for
backup sets on disk. See also: V$BACKUP_DEVICE
HANDLE
VARCHAR2(1024)
The filename of the backup piece.
COMMENTS
VARCHAR2(255)
Comments about the backup piece.
MEDIA
VARCHAR2(80)

MEDIA_POOL
NUMBER
CONCUR
VARCHAR2(3)
Specifies whether backup media supports concurrent access: YES or NO.
TAG
VARCHAR2(32)
The tag associated with this backup piece.
START_TIME
DATE
The time when RMAN started to write the backup piece.
Column
Datatype
Description
COMPLETION_TIME
DATE
The time when the backup piece was completed.
ELAPSED_SECONDS
NUMBER
The duration of the creation of the backup piece.
STATUS
VARCHAR2(1)
The status of the backup piece. A for backup pieces that are AVAILABLE.
(The value is always A, because this view shows only available backup
pieces.)
BYTES
NUMBER
The size of the backup piece in bytes.
IS_RECOVERY_DEST_FILE
VARCHAR2(3)
YES if this backup piece is located in the flash recovery area. NO

otherwise.
RSR_KEY
NUMBER

that created this backup piece.
COMPRESSED
VARCHAR2(3)
YES if this backup piece is compressed. NO otherwise.
PIECES_PER_SET
NUMBER
Number of backup pieces in the backup set containing this backup piece.
SIZE_BYTES_DISPLAY
VARCHAR2(4000)
Same value as BYTES, but converted to a user-displayable format, for

RC_BACKUP_REDOLOG
RC_BACKUP_REDOLOG
This view lists information about archived redo logs in backup sets. It corresponds to
the V$BACKUP_REDOLOG view.
You cannot back up online logs directly: you must first archive them to disk and then
back them up. An archived log backup set contains one or more archived logs.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_KEY
NUMBER
DBINC_KEY
NUMBER
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
BRL_KEY
NUMBER
The primary key of the archived redo log in the recovery catalog. If you
RECID
NUMBER
The record identifier propagated from V$BACKUP_REDOLOG. RECID and

STAMP
NUMBER
The stamp from V$BACKUP_REDOLOG. RECID and STAMP form a

concatenated primary key that uniquely identifies this record in the
BS_KEY
NUMBER
SET_STAMP
NUMBER

SET_COUNT
NUMBER

BACKUP_TYPE
VARCHAR2(1)
The type of the backup: L (archived redo log).
COMPLETION_TIME
DATE
The time when the backup completed.
THREAD#
NUMBER
SEQUENCE#
NUMBER
RESETLOGS_CHANGE#
NUMBER
RESETLOGS_TIME
DATE
created.
FIRST_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The SCN generated when Oracle switched into the redo log.
FIRST_TIME
DATE
NEXT_CHANGE#
NUMBER
NEXT_TIME
DATE
BLOCKS
NUMBER
The number of operating system blocks written to the backup.
BLOCK_SIZE
NUMBER
The number of bytes in each block of this redo log.
STATUS
VARCHAR2(1)
The status of the backup set: A (all pieces available), D (all pieces
deleted), O (some pieces are available but others are not, so the backup
set is unusable).
BS_RECID
NUMBER
The RECID value from V$BACKUP_SET.
BS_STAMP
NUMBER
The STAMP value from V$BACKUP_SET. Note that BS_STAMP is different

from SET_STAMP. BS_STAMP is the stamp of the backup set record when
created in the control file, whereas SET_STAMP joins with SET_COUNT to
make a unique identifier.
RC_BACKUP_REDOLOG
Column
Datatype
Description
PIECES
NUMBER
The number of pieces in the backup set.
RC_BACKUP_SET
RC_BACKUP_SET
This view lists information about backup sets for all incarnations of the database. It
corresponds to the V$BACKUP_SET view. A backup set record is inserted after the
backup has successfully completed.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_KEY
NUMBER
DB_ID
NUMBER
The unique database identifier.
BS_KEY
NUMBER
The primary key of the backup set in the recovery catalog. If you issue
RECID
NUMBER
The backup set RECID from V$BACKUP_SET. RECID and STAMP form a
target database control file. Use either RECID and STAMP or SET_STAMP
and SET_COUNT to access V$BACKUP_SET.
STAMP
NUMBER
The backup set STAMP from V$BACKUP_SET. RECID and STAMP form a
target database control file. Use either RECID and STAMP or SET_STAMP
and SET_COUNT to access V$BACKUP_SET.
SET_STAMP
NUMBER

COUNT form a concatenated key that uniquely identifies this record in
the target database control file. Use either RECID and STAMP or SET_
STAMP and SET_COUNT to access V$BACKUP_SET.
SET_COUNT
NUMBER

the target database control file. Use either RECID and STAMP or SET_
STAMP and SET_COUNT to access V$BACKUP_SET.
BACKUP_TYPE
VARCHAR2(1)
The type of the backup: D (full backup or level 0 incremental), I

(incremental level 1), L (archived redo log).
INCREMENTAL_LEVEL
NUMBER
PIECES
NUMBER
START_TIME
DATE
The time when the backup began.
COMPLETION_TIME
DATE
The time when the backup completed.
ELAPSED_SECONDS
NUMBER
The duration of the backup in seconds.
STATUS
VARCHAR2(1)
The status of the backup set: A (all backup pieces available), D (all
backup pieces deleted), O (some backup pieces are available but others
are not, so the backup set is unusable).
CONTROLFILE_INCLUDED
VARCHAR2(7)
Possible values are NONE (backup set does not include a backup control
file), BACKUP (backup set includes a normal backup control file), and
STANDBY (backup set includes a standby control file).
INPUT_FILE_SCAN_ONLY
VARCHAR2(3)
This backup set record was created by the BACKUP VALIDATE

command. No real backup set exists. This record is only a placeholder
used to keep track of which datafiles were scanned and which corrupt
blocks (if any) were found in those files.
KEEP
VARCHAR2(3)
Indicates whether this backup set has a retention policy different from
the value for CONFIGURE RETENTION POLICY. Possible values are YES
and NO.
KEEP_OPTIONS
VARCHAR2(10)
The KEEP options specified for this backup set. Options can be LOGS
(RMAN keeps the logs needed to recover this backup), NOLOGS (RMAN
does not keep the logs needed to recover this backup), or NULL (the
backup has no KEEP options and is subject to the default retention
policy).
RC_BACKUP_SET
Column
Datatype
Description
KEEP_UNTIL
DATE
If the KEEP UNTIL TIME clause of the BACKUP command was specified,
then this column shows the date after which this backup becomes
obsolete. If the column is NULL and KEEP OPTIONS is not NULL, the
backup never becomes obsolete.
RC_BACKUP_SET_DETAILS provides details about currently available backup sets,
including backup sets created by the use of the BACKUP BACKUPSET command.
Column
Datatype
Description
SESSION_KEY
NUMBER
SESSION_RECID
NUMBER

SESSION_STAMP
NUMBER

DB_KEY
NUMBER
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
BS_KEY
NUMBER
recovery catalog.
RECID
NUMBER
The backup set RECID and STAMP form a concatenated primary key that
uniquely identifies this record in the target database control file.
STAMP
NUMBER
The backup set RECID and STAMP form a concatenated primary key that
uniquely identifies this record in the target database control file.
SET_STAMP
NUMBER

SET_COUNT
NUMBER

BACKUP_TYPE
VARCHAR2(1)
The type of the backup: D (full backup or level 0 incremental), I

(incremental level 1), L (archived redo log).
CONTROLFILE_INCLUDED
VARCHAR2(7)
Possible values are NONE (backup set does not include a backup control
file), BACKUP (backup set includes a normal backup control file), and
STANDBY (backup set includes a standby control file).
INCREMENTAL_LEVEL
NUMBER
PIECES
NUMBER
START_TIME
DATE
The time when the backup began.
COMPLETION_TIME
DATE
The time when the backup completed
ELAPSED_SECONDS
NUMBER
The duration of the backup in seconds.
BLOCK_SIZE
NUMBER
The block size used when creating the backup pieces in the backup set.
KEEP
VARCHAR2(3)
Indicates whether this backup set has a retention policy different from the
value for CONFIGURE RETENTION POLICY. Possible values are YES
and NO.
KEEP_UNTIL
DATE
then this column shows the date after which this backup becomes
backup never becomes obsolete.
KEEP_OPTIONS
VARCHAR2(10)
The KEEP options specified for this backup set. Options can be LOGS
backup has no KEEP options and is subject to the default retention policy).
Column
Datatype
Description
DEVICE_TYPE
VARCHAR2(255)
Device type on which the backup is stored. If the backup set is stored on
more than one type of device (for example, if a backup set created on disk
and still present on disk has also been backed up to tape using BACKUP
BACKUPSET), this column contains "*". For backups on disk, DISK.
Otherwise...
COMPRESSED
VARCHAR2(3)
YES if RMAN's binary compression was used in creating the backup set.
NO, otherwise.
NUM_COPIES
NUMBER
Number of identical copies of this backup set created during the backup,
for example if duplexing was used.
OUTPUT_BYTES
NUMBER
ORIGINAL_INPUT_BYTES
NUMBER
Sum of sizes of all input files backed up for this job.
COMPRESSION_RATIO
NUMBER
Compression ratio for this backup. Otherwise...
STATUS
CHAR(1)
The status of the backup set: always A (all backup pieces available),
because this view only reflects available backup sets.
ORIGINAL_INPRATE_
BYTES
NUMBER
Number of bytes read each second when the backup set was initially
created.
OUTPUT_RATE_BYTES
NUMBER
Number of bytes written each second when the backup set was initially
created.
ORIGINAL_INPUT_BYTES_
DISPLAY
VARCHAR2(4000)
Same value as ORIGINAL_INPUT_BYTES, but converted to a

user-displayable format, for example nM, nG, nT, nP.
VARCHAR2(4000)

ORIGINAL_INPRATE_
BYTES_DISPLAY
VARCHAR2(4000)
Same value as ORIGINAL_INPRATE_BYTES, but converted to a

OUTPUT_RATE_BYTES_
DISPLAY
VARCHAR2(4000)
Same value as OUTPUT_RATE_BYTES, but converted to a user-displayable

TIME_TAKEN_DISPLAY
VARCHAR2(4000)
Same value as ELAPSED_SECONDS, but converted to a user-displayable

format in hours, minutes and seconds.
RC_BACKUP_SET_SUMMARY provides aggregate information about available backup
sets for each database registered in the recovery catalog.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
DB_KEY
NUMBER
NUM_BACKUPSETS
NUMBER
Total number of available backup sets recorded in the recovery catalog for
this database.
OLDEST_BACKUP_TIME
DATE
Creation time of the oldest available backup set recorded in the recovery
catalog for this database.
NEWEST_BACKUP_TIME
DATE
Creation time of the newest available backup set recorded in the recovery
catalog for this database.
OUTPUT_BYTES
NUMBER
Sum of sizes of all backup pieces for all available backup sets recorded in
the recovery catalog for this database.
ORIGINAL_INPUT_BYTES
NUMBER
Sum of sizes of all input files for all available backup sets recorded in the
recovery catalog forthis database.
ORIGINAL_INPRATE_
BYTES
NUMBER
Average input rate in bytes forthe creation of all available backup sets
recorded in the recovery catalog for this database.
OUTPUT_RATE_BYTES
NUMBER
Average output rate in bytes forthe creation of all available backup sets
recorded in the recovery catalog for this database.
COMPRESSION_RATIO
NUMBER
Aggregate compression ratio for all available backup sets recorded in the
recovery catalog for this database.
ORIGINAL_INPUT_BYTES_
DISPLAY
VARCHAR2(4000)
Total size of all input files stored in all available backup sets recorded in
the recovery catalog for this database.
VARCHAR2(4000)

ORIGINAL_INPRATE_
BYTES_DISPLAY
VARCHAR2(4000)
Same value as ORIGINAL_INPRATE_BYTES, but converted to a

user-displayable format, for example nM, nG, nT, nP..
OUTPUT_RATE_BYTES_
DISPLAY
VARCHAR2(4000)
Same value as OUTPUT_RATE_BYTES, but converted to a user-displayable

format, for example nM, nG, nT, nP..
RC_BACKUP_SPFILE
RC_BACKUP_SPFILE
This view lists information about server parameter files in backup sets.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_KEY
NUMBER
BSF_KEY
NUMBER
The primary key of the server parameter file in the recovery catalog. If
you issue the LIST command while connected to the recovery catalog,
this value appears in the KEY column of the output.
RECID
NUMBER
The record identifier propagated from V$BACKUP_SPFILE. RECID and

STAMP
NUMBER
The stamp from V$BACKUP_SPFILE. RECID and STAMP form a

BS_KEY
NUMBER
SET_STAMP
NUMBER

SET_COUNT
NUMBER

MODIFICATION_TIME
DATE
The time when the server parameter file was last modified.
STATUS
VARCHAR2(1)
The status of the backup set: A (all backup pieces available), D (all
backup pieces deleted), O (some backup pieces are available but others
are not, so the backup set is unusable).
BS_RECID
NUMBER
The RECID value from V$BACKUP_SET.
BS_STAMP
NUMBER
The STAMP value from V$BACKUP_SET. Note that BS_STAMP is different

from SET_STAMP. BS_STAMP is the stamp of the backup set record when
created in the control file, whereas SET_STAMP joins with SET_COUNT to
make a unique identifier.
COMPLETION_TIME
DATE
The time when the backup set completed.
BYTES
NUMBER
The size of the backup set in bytes.
RC_BACKUP_SPFILE_DETAILS provides detailed information about SPFILE backups
for each database registered in the recovery catalog.
Column
Datatype
Description
SESSION_KEY
NUMBER
SESSION_RECID
NUMBER

SESSION_STAMP
NUMBER

DB_KEY
NUMBER
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
BS_KEY
NUMBER
Unique backup set identifier.
SET_STAMP
NUMBER
Set stamp.
SET_COUNT
NUMBER
Set count.
MODIFICATION_TIME
DATE
Modification time.
FILESIZE
NUMBER
Size in bytes of the SPFILE that was backed up.
FILESIZE_DISPLAY
VARCHAR2(4000)

example nM, nG, nT, nP..
RC_BACKUP_SPFILE_SUMMARY provides summary information about SPFILE
backups for databases registered in the recovery catalog.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
DB_KEY
NUMBER
NUM_FILES_BACKED
NUMBER
Number of files backed up.
NUM_DISTINCT_FILES_
BACKED
NUMBER
Number of distinct files backed up (based on differing modification

timestamps).
MIN_MODIFICATION_TIME
DATE
Earliest modification time of any SPFILE backed up for this database.
MAX_MODIFICATION_TIME
DATE
Latest modification time of any SPFILE backed up for this database.
INPUT_BYTES
NUMBER
Total number of bytes in the input files backed up.
INPUT_BYTES_DISPLAY
VARCHAR2(4000)

RC_CHECKPOINT
RC_CHECKPOINT
This view is deprecated. See RC_RESYNC on page 3-58 instead.
RC_CONTROLFILE_COPY
RC_CONTROLFILE_COPY
This view lists information about control file copies on disk. A datafile copy record
with a file number of 0 represents the control file copy in V$DATAFILE_COPY.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_KEY
NUMBER
DBINC_KEY
NUMBER
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
CCF_KEY
NUMBER
The primary key of the control file copy in the recovery catalog. If you
RECID
NUMBER
The record identifier from V$DATAFILE_COPY. RECID and STAMP form

STAMP
NUMBER
The stamp from V$DATAFILE_COPY. RECID and STAMP form a

NAME
VARCHAR2(1024)
The control file copy filename.
TAG
VARCHAR2(32)
The tag of the control file copy. NULL if no tag used.
RESETLOGS_CHANGE#
NUMBER
RESETLOGS_TIME
DATE
created.
CHECKPOINT_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The control file checkpoint SCN.
CHECKPOINT_TIME
DATE
The control file checkpoint time.
CREATION_TIME
DATE
BLOCK_SIZE
NUMBER
The block size in bytes.
MIN_OFFR_RECID
NUMBER
Internal use only.
NUMBER
Internal use only.
COMPLETION_TIME
DATE
The time when the copy was generated.
STATUS
VARCHAR2(1)
The status of the copy: A (available), U (unavailable), X (expired), or D

(deleted).
CONTROLFILE_TYPE
VARCHAR2(1)
The type of control file copy: B (normal copy) or S (standby copy).
KEEP
VARCHAR2(3)
Indicates whether this copy has a retention policy different from the
value for CONFIGURE RETENTION POLICY. Possible values are YES and
NO.
KEEP_UNTIL
DATE
then this column shows the date after which this file becomes obsolete. If
the column is NULL and KEEP OPTIONS is not NULL, the file never
becomes obsolete.
KEEP_OPTIONS
VARCHAR2(10)
The KEEP options specified for this control file copy. Options can be
(the backup has no KEEP options and is subject to the default retention
policy).
This copy is located in the flash recovery area: YES or NO.
RC_COPY_CORRUPTION
RC_COPY_CORRUPTION
This view lists corrupt block ranges in datafile copies. It corresponds to the V$COPY_
CORRUPTION view.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_KEY
NUMBER
DBINC_KEY
NUMBER
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
RECID
NUMBER
The record identifier from V$COPY_CORRUPTION. RECID and STAMP

STAMP
NUMBER
The stamp from V$COPY_CORRUPTION. RECID and STAMP form a

CDF_KEY
NUMBER
The primary key of the datafile copy in the recovery catalog. If you issue
appears in the KEY column of the output. Use this column to form a join
with RC_DATAFILE_COPY.
COPY_RECID
NUMBER
The RECID from RC_DATAFILE_COPY. This value is propagated from

the control file.
COPY_STAMP
NUMBER
The STAMP from RC_DATAFILE_COPY. This value is propagated from

the control file.
FILE#
NUMBER
The absolute file number of the datafile.
CREATION_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The creation SCN of this data file. Because file numbers can be reused,
FILE# and CREATION_CHANGE# are both required to uniquely identify
a specified file over the life of the database.
BLOCK#
NUMBER
The block number of the first corrupted block in the file.
BLOCKS
NUMBER
CORRUPTION_CHANGE#
NUMBER
MARKED_CORRUPT
VARCHAR2(3)
YES if this corruption was not previously detected by the database

server or NO if it was already known by the database server.
CORRUPTION_TYPE
VARCHAR2(9)
Same as RC_DATABASE_BLOCK_CORRUPTION.CORRUPTION_TYPE.
RC_DATABASE
RC_DATABASE
This view gives information about the databases registered in the recovery catalog. It
corresponds to the V$DATABASE view.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_KEY
NUMBER
The primary key for the database. Use this column to form a join with
almost any other catalog view.
DBINC_KEY
NUMBER
The primary key for the current incarnation. Use this column to form a
join with RC_DATABASE_INCARNATION.
DBID
NUMBER
Unique identifier for the database obtained from V$DATABASE.
NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
The DB_NAME of the database for the current incarnation.
RESETLOGS_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The SCN of the most recent RESETLOGS operation when the record was
created.
RESETLOGS_TIME
DATE
The time stamp of the most recent RESETLOGS operation when the
record was created.
RC_DATABASE_BLOCK_CORRUPTION
This view gives information about database blocks that were corrupted after the last
backup. It corresponds to the V$DATABASE_BLOCK_CORRUPTION view.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_KEY
NUMBER
The primary key for the database. Use this column to form a join with
almost any other catalog view.
DBINC_KEY
NUMBER
The primary key for the current incarnation. Use this column to form a
join with RC_DATABASE_INCARNATION.
FILE#
NUMBER
BLOCK#
NUMBER
The block number of the first corrupted block in this range of corrupted
blocks.
BLOCKS
NUMBER
CORRUPTION_CHANGE#
NUMBER
CORRUPTION_TYPE
VARCHAR2(9)
The type of block corruption in the datafile. Possible values are:
ALL ZERO. The block header on disk contained only zeros. The
block may be valid if it was never filled and if it is in an Oracle7
file. The buffer will be reformatted to the Oracle8 standard for an
empty block.
FRACTURED. The block header looks reasonable, but the front and
back of the block are different versions.
CHECKSUM. The optional check value shows that the block is not
self-consistent. It is impossible to determine exactly why the check
value fails, but it probably fails because sectors in the middle of the
block are from different versions.
CORRUPT. The block is wrongly identified or is not a data block (for
example, the data block address is missing)
LOGICAL. Specifies the range is for logically corrupt blocks.
CORRUPTION_CHANGE# will have a nonzero value.
This view lists information about all database incarnations registered in the recovery
catalog. Oracle creates a new incarnation whenever you open a database with the
RESETLOGS option. Records about the current and immediately previous incarnation
are also contained in the V$DATABASE view.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_KEY
NUMBER
The primary key for the database. Use this column to form a join
DBID
NUMBER
Unique identifier for the database.
DBINC_KEY
NUMBER
The primary key for the incarnation.
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
The DB_NAME for the database at the time of the RESETLOGS. The
value is UNKNOWN if you have done at least one RESETLOGS before
registering the target database with RMAN, because RMAN does
not know the DB_NAME prior to the RESETLOGS.
RESETLOGS_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The SCN of the RESETLOGS operation that created this incarnation.
RESETLOGS_TIME
DATE
The time stamp of the RESETLOGS operation that created this

incarnation.
CURRENT_INCARNATION
VARCHAR2(8)
YES if it is the current incarnation; NO if it is not.
PARENT_DBINC_KEY
NUMBER
The DBINC_KEY of the previous incarnation for this database. The

value is NULL if it is the first incarnation recorded for the database.
PRIOR_RESETLOGS_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The SCN of the RESETLOGS operation that created the parent of this
incarnation.
PRIOR_RESETLOGS_TIME
DATE
The time stamp of the RESETLOGS operation that created the parent
of this incarnation.
RC_DATAFILE
RC_DATAFILE
This view lists information about all datafiles registered in the recovery catalog. It
corresponds to the V$DATAFILE view. A datafile is shown as dropped if its tablespace
was dropped.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_KEY
NUMBER
The primary key for this database in the recovery catalog. Use this
column to form a join with almost any other catalog view.
DBINC_KEY
NUMBER
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
TS#
NUMBER
The number of the tablespace to which the datafile belongs. The TS#
may exist multiple times in the same incarnation if the tablespace is
dropped and re-created.
TABLESPACE_NAME
VARCHAR2(30)
The tablespace name. The name may exist multiple times in the same
incarnation if the tablespace is dropped and re-created.
FILE#
NUMBER
The absolute file number of the datafile. The same datafile number may
exist multiple times in the same incarnation if the datafile is dropped
and re-created.
CREATION_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The SCN at datafile creation.
CREATION_TIME
DATE
The time of datafile creation.
DROP_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The SCN recorded when the datafile was dropped. If a new datafile with
the same file number is discovered then the DROP_CHANGE# is set to
CREATION_CHANGE# for the datafile; otherwise the value is set to RC_
CHECKPOINT.CKP_SCN.
DROP_TIME
DATE
The time when the datafile was dropped. If a new datafile with the same
file number is discovered then the DROP_TIME is set to CREATION_
TIME for the datafile; otherwise the value is set to RC_
CHECKPOINT.CKP_TIME.
BYTES
NUMBER
The size of the datafile in bytes.
BLOCKS
NUMBER
The size of the datafile in blocks.
BLOCK_SIZE
NUMBER
The size of the data blocks in bytes.
NAME
VARCHAR2(1024)
The datafile filename.
STOP_CHANGE#
NUMBER
For offline or read-only datafiles, the SCN value such that no changes in
the redo stream at an equal or greater SCN apply to this file.
STOP_TIME
DATE
For offline normal or read-only datafiles, the time beyond which there
are no changes in the redo stream that apply to this datafile.
READ_ONLY
NUMBER
1 if the file is read-only; otherwise 0.
RFILE#
NUMBER
The relative file number of this datafile within its tablespace.
INCLUDED_IN_DATABASE_ VARCHAR2(3)
BACKUP
Indicates whether this tablespace is included in whole database backups:

YES or NO. The NO value occurs only if CONFIGURE EXCLUDE was run on
the tablespace that owns this datafile.
AUX_NAME
Indicates the auxiliary name for the datafile as set by CONFIGURE

AUXNAME.
VARCHAR2(1024)
RC_DATAFILE_COPY
RC_DATAFILE_COPY
This view lists information about datafile copies on disk. It corresponds to the
V$DATAFILE_COPY view.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_KEY
NUMBER
DBINC_KEY
NUMBER
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
CDF_KEY
NUMBER
The primary key of the datafile copy in the recovery catalog. If you issue
RECID
NUMBER
The datafile copy record from V$DATAFILE_COPY. RECID and STAMP

STAMP
NUMBER
The datafile copy stamp from V$DATAFILE_COPY. RECID and STAMP

NAME
VARCHAR2(1024)
The filename of the datafile copy.
TAG
VARCHAR2(32)
The tag for the datafile copy.
FILE#
NUMBER
The absolute file number for the datafile.
CREATION_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The creation SCN of the datafile.
RESETLOGS_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The SCN of the most recent RESETLOGS when the datafile was created.
RESETLOGS_TIME
DATE
INCREMENTAL_LEVEL
NUMBER
The incremental level of the copy: 0 or NULL.
CHECKPOINT_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The SCN of the most recent datafile checkpoint.
CHECKPOINT_TIME
DATE
The time of the most recent datafile checkpoint.
ABSOLUTE_FUZZY_
CHANGE#
NUMBER
The highest SCN in any block of the file, if known. Recovery must
proceed to at least this SCN for the file to become not fuzzy.
RECOVERY_FUZZY_
CHANGE#
NUMBER
The SCN to which recovery must proceed for the file to become not
fuzzy. If not NULL, this file must be recovered at least to the specified
SCN before the database can be opened with this file.
RECOVERY_FUZZY_TIME
DATE
The time that is associated with the RECOVERY_FUZZY_CHANGE#.
ONLINE_FUZZY
VARCHAR2(3)
YES/NO. If set to YES, this copy was made after an instance failure or
OFFLINE IMMEDATE (or is a copy that was taken improperly while the
database was open). Recovery will need to apply all redo up to the next
crash recovery marker to make the file consistent.
BACKUP_FUZZY
VARCHAR2(3)
YES/NO. If set to YES, this is a copy taken using the BEGIN BACKUP/END
BACKUP technique. To make this copy consistent, the recovery process
needs to apply all redo up to the marker that is placed in the redo stream
when the ALTER TABLESPACE END BACKUP command is used.
BLOCKS
NUMBER
The number of blocks in the datafile copy (also the size of the datafile
when the copy was made).
BLOCK_SIZE
NUMBER
The size of the blocks in bytes.
COMPLETION_TIME
DATE
The time when the copy completed.
STATUS
VARCHAR2(1)
The status of the copy: A (available), U (unavailable), X (expired), or D

(deleted).
KEEP
VARCHAR2(3)
Indicates whether this copy has a retention policy different from the
value for CONFIGURE RETENTION POLICY. Possible values are YES and
NO.
RC_DATAFILE_COPY
Column
Datatype
Description
KEEP_UNTIL
DATE
then this column shows the date after which this datafile copy becomes
copy never becomes obsolete.
KEEP_OPTIONS
VARCHAR2(10)
The KEEP options specified for this datafile copy. Options can be LOGS
backup has no KEEP options and will be made obsolete based on the
retention policy).
SCANNED
VARCHAR2(3)
Whether RMAN scanned the file (YES or NO). If YES, then this copy was
created by a server process that examined every block in the file, for
example, by the RMAN COPY or RESTORE command. If NO, then RMAN
did not examine every block in the file, as when RMAN inspects a
non-RMAN generated image copy or restores by proxy copy.
Whenever RMAN creates or restores a datafile copy, it adds rows to the
V$DATABASE_BLOCK_CORRUPTION view and RC_DATABASE_BLOCK_
CORRUPTION view if it discovers corrupt blocks in the file. If RMAN has
scanned the entire file, then the absence of corruption records for this
copy means that no corrupt blocks exist in the file. If RMAN did not scan
the file, then the absence of corruption records means that corrupt blocks
may or may not exist in the file.
This datafile copy is located in the flash recovery area: YES or NO.
RC_LOG_HISTORY
RC_LOG_HISTORY
This view lists historical information about the online redo logs. RMAN adds a new
row during a catalog resynchronization whenever Oracle has switched out of the
online redo log. This catalog view corresponds to the V$LOG_HISTORY view.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_KEY
NUMBER
DBINC_KEY
NUMBER
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
RECID
NUMBER
The redo log history RECID from V$LOG_HISTORY. RECID and STAMP
STAMP
NUMBER
The redo log history stamp from V$LOG_HISTORY. RECID and STAMP
THREAD#
NUMBER
The thread number of the online redo log.
SEQUENCE#
NUMBER
The log sequence number of the redo log.
FIRST_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The SCN generated when switching into the redo log.
FIRST_TIME
DATE
The time stamp when switching into the redo log.
NEXT_CHANGE#
NUMBER
CLEARED
VARCHAR2(3)
YES if the redo log was cleared with the ALTER DATABASE CLEAR
LOGFILE statement; otherwise, NULL. This statement allows a log to be
dropped without archiving it first.
RC_OFFLINE_RANGE
RC_OFFLINE_RANGE
This view lists the offline ranges for datafiles. It corresponds to the V$OFFLINE_
RANGE view.
An offline range is created for a datafile when its tablespace is first altered to be offline
normal or read-only, and then subsequently altered to be online or read/write. Note
that no offline range is created if the datafile itself is altered to be offline or if the
tablespace is altered to be offline immediate.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_KEY
NUMBER
DBINC_KEY
NUMBER
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
RECID
NUMBER
The record identifier for the offline range from V$OFFLINE_RANGE.

RECID and STAMP form a concatenated primary key that uniquely
identifies this record in the target database control file.
STAMP
NUMBER
The stamp for the offline range from V$OFFLINE_RANGE. RECID and
FILE#
NUMBER
CREATION_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The SCN at datafile creation.
OFFLINE_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The SCN taken when the datafile was taken offline.
ONLINE_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The online checkpoint SCN.
ONLINE_TIME
DATE
The online checkpoint time.
CF_CREATE_TIME
DATE
The time of control file creation.
RC_RMAN_OUTPUT
RC_RMAN_OUTPUT
RC_RMAN_OUTPUT corresponds to the control file view V$RMAN_OUTPUT.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_KEY
NUMBER
RSR_KEY
NUMBER

that created this output.
SESSION_KEY
NUMBER
RECID
NUMBER
Contains the value displayed in V$RMAN_OUTPUT.RECID for this

database.
STAMP
NUMBER
Stamp (used for ordering) of when the row for this line out output was
added.
OUTPUT
VARCHAR2(129)
RMAN output text.
This view contains descriptions of archived log backups that were taken using the
proxy copy functionality. It corresponds to the V$PROXY_ARCHIVEDLOG view.
In a proxy copy, the media manager takes over the operations of backing up and
restoring data. Each row represents a backup of one control file.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_KEY
NUMBER
DBINC_KEY
NUMBER
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
XAL_KEY
NUMBER
The proxy copy primary key in the recovery catalog. If you issue the
LIST command while connected to the recovery catalog, this value
RECID
NUMBER
The proxy copy record identifier from V$PROXY_ARCHIVEDLOG. RECID

STAMP
NUMBER
The proxy copy stamp fromV$PROXY_ARCHIVEDLOG. RECID and

TAG
VARCHAR2(32)
The tag for the proxy copy.
DEVICE_TYPE
VARCHAR2(255)
The type of media device that stores the proxy copy.
HANDLE
VARCHAR2(1024)
The name or "handle" for the proxy copy. RMAN passes this value to the
operating system-dependent layer that identifies the file.
COMMENTS
VARCHAR2(255)
Comments about the proxy copy.
MEDIA
VARCHAR2(80)

MEDIA_POOL
NUMBER
The number of the media pool in which the proxy copy is stored.
STATUS
VARCHAR2(1)
The status of the backup set: A (available), U (unavailable), X (expired), or

D (deleted).
THREAD#
NUMBER
SEQUENCE#
NUMBER
RESETLOGS_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The RESETLOGS SCN of the database incarnation to which this archived

log belongs.
RESETLOGS_TIME
DATE
The RESETLOGS time stamp of the database incarnation to which this

archived log belongs.
FIRST_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The first SCN of this redo log.
FIRST_TIME
DATE
NEXT_CHANGE#
NUMBER
NEXT_TIME
DATE
BLOCKS
NUMBER
The size of this archived redo log in operating system blocks.
BLOCK_SIZE
NUMBER
The block size for the copy in bytes.
DEVICE_TYPE
VARCHAR2(255)
The type of sequential media device.
START_TIME
DATE
The time when proxy copy was initiated.
COMPLETION_TIME
DATE
The time when the proxy copy was completed.
ELAPSED_SECONDS
NUMBER
The duration of the proxy copy.
RC_PROXY_ARCHIVELOG_DETAILS provides detailed information about proxy copy
backups of archived redo log for each database registered in the recovery catalog.
Column
Datatype
Description
SESSION_KEY
NUMBER
SESSION_RECID
NUMBER

SESSION_STAMP
NUMBER

DB_KEY
NUMBER
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
COPY_KEY
NUMBER
Unique identifier for this proxy copy.
THREAD#
NUMBER
Redo thread number for the archived redo log file that was backed up.
SEQUENCE#
NUMBER
Log sequence number for the archived redo log file that was backed up.
RESETLOGS_CHANGE#
NUMBER
Checkpoint SCN of OPEN RESETLOGS for incarnation of the database of

the archived redo log file that was backed up.
RESETLOGS_TIME
DATE
Time corresponding to RESETLOGS_CHANGE#.
HANDLE
VARCHAR2(1024)
A filename for the proxy copy.
MEDIA
VARCHAR2(80)

MEDIA_POOL
NUMBER
TAG
VARCHAR2(32)
Tag specified for this backup.
FIRST_CHANGE#
NUMBER
First change SCN included in the archived redo log file.
NEXT_CHANGE#
NUMBER
Next change SCN after this archived redo log file.
FIRST_TIME
DATE
Time corresponding to FIRST_CHANGE#.
NEXT_TIME
DATE
Time corresponding to NEXT_CHANGE#.
OUTPUT_BYTES
NUMBER
COMPLETION_TIME
DATE
The time at which the job was completed.
VARCHAR2(4000)

RC_PROXY_ARCHIVELOG_SUMMARY
RC_PROXY_ARCHIVELOG_SUMMARY
RC_PROXY_ARCHIVELOG_SUMMARY contains a summary of proxy copy backups of
archived redo logs.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
DB_KEY
NUMBER
NUM_FILES_BACKED
NUMBER
Total number of archived redo log files backed up.
NUM_DISTINCT_FILES_
BACKED
NUMBER
Number of distinct archived redo log files backed up.
MIN_FIRST_CHANGE#
NUMBER
Minimum value for the first SCN of any redo log file in this summary.
MAX_NEXT_CHANGE#
NUMBER
Maximum value for the "next change#" SCN of any redo log file in this
summary.
MIN_FIRST_TIME
DATE
Minimum value for the time of the first change in any redo log. Along
with MAX_NEXT_TIME, forms the redo range.
MAX_NEXT_TIME
DATE
Maximum value for the time of the next change after any redo logs in this
session.
OUTPUT_BYTES
NUMBER
VARCHAR2(4000)

This view contains descriptions of control file backups that were taken using the proxy
copy functionality. It corresponds to the V$PROXY_DATAFILE view.
restoring data. Each row represents a backup of one control file.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_KEY
NUMBER
DBINC_KEY
NUMBER
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
XCF_KEY
NUMBER
RECID
NUMBER
The proxy copy record identifier from V$PROXY_DATAFILE. RECID

STAMP
NUMBER
The proxy copy stamp fromV$PROXY_DATAFILE. RECID and STAMP

TAG
VARCHAR2(32)
RESETLOGS_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The RESETLOGS SCN of the database incarnation to which this datafile

belongs.
RESETLOGS_TIME
DATE
The RESETLOGS time stamp of the database incarnation to which this

datafile belongs.
CHECKPOINT_CHANGE#
NUMBER
Datafile checkpoint SCN when this copy was made.
CHECKPOINT_TIME
DATE
Datafile checkpoint time when this copy was made.
CREATION_TIME
DATE
BLOCK_SIZE
NUMBER
MIN_OFFR_RECID
NUMBER
Internal use only.
NUMBER
Internal use only.
DEVICE_TYPE
VARCHAR2(255)
HANDLE
VARCHAR2(1024)
COMMENTS
VARCHAR2(255)
MEDIA
VARCHAR2(80)

MEDIA_POOL
NUMBER
START_TIME
DATE
COMPLETION_TIME
DATE
ELAPSED_SECONDS
NUMBER
STATUS
VARCHAR2(1)

D (deleted).
KEEP
VARCHAR2(3)
Indicates whether this proxy copy has a retention policy different from
the value for CONFIGURE RETENTION POLICY. Possible values are YES
and NO.
Column
Datatype
Description
KEEP_OPTIONS
VARCHAR2(10)
The KEEP options specified for this control file backup. Options can be
(the backup has no KEEP options and will be made obsolete based on the
retention policy).
KEEP_UNTIL
DATE
then this column shows the date after which this control file backup
becomes obsolete. If the column is NULL and KEEP OPTIONS is not
NULL, the backup never becomes obsolete.
CONTROLFILE_TYPE
VARCHAR2(1)
The type of control file copy: B (normal copy) or S (standby copy).
RC_PROXY_COPY_DETAILS contains detailed information about proxy copy backups
for databases registered in the recovery catalog.
Column
Datatype
Description
SESSION_KEY
NUMBER
SESSION_RECID
NUMBER
Together with SESSION_STAMP, uniquely identifies output for this proxy

copy operation from RC_RMAN_OUTPUT.
SESSION_STAMP
NUMBER
Together with SESSION_RECID, uniquely identifies output for this proxy

copy operation from RC_RMAN_OUTPUT.
DB_KEY
NUMBER
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
RSR_KEY
NUMBER

that created this proxy copy.
COPY_KEY
NUMBER
Unique identifier for this proxy copy.
FILE#
NUMBER
The absolute file number of the datafile that is proxy copied.
HANDLE
VARCHAR2(1024)
The proxy copy handle identifies the copy for purposes of restore
operations.
COMMENTS
VARCHAR2(255)

that stores this backup.
MEDIA
VARCHAR2(80)
Identifies the media manager that stores this backup.
MEDIA_POOL
NUMBER
The number of the media pool in which the copy is stored. This is the
same value that was entered in the POOL operand of the Recovery
Manager BACKUP command.
TAG
VARCHAR2(32)
Tag associated with this proxy copy.
CREATION_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The datafile creation SCN.
CREATION_TIME
DATE
The time corresponding to CREATION_CHANGE#.
CHECKPOINT_CHANGE#
NUMBER
Checkpoint SCN when the proxy copy was made.
CHECKPOINT_TIME
DATE
The time corresponding to CHECKPOINT_CHANGE#.
OUTPUT_BYTES
NUMBER
Sum of sizes of all output pieces generated by this proxy copy operation.
COMPLETION_TIME
DATE
Time when the proxy copy was completed.
CONTROLFILE_TYPE
VARCHAR2(1)
Possible values are: B for a normal control file, and S for a standby control
file.
KEEP
VARCHAR2(3)
Indicates whether this backup has a retention policy different from the
value for CONFIGURE RETENTION POLICY. Possible values are YES
and NO.
KEEP_UNTIL
DATE
If the KEEP UNTIL TIME clause was specified, then this column shows
the date after which this backup becomes obsolete. If the column is NULL
and KEEP OPTIONS is not NULL, the backup never becomes obsolete.
KEEP_OPTIONS
VARCHAR2(10)
The KEEP options specified for this backup. Options can be LOGS (RMAN
keeps the logs needed to recover this backup), NOLOGS (RMAN does not
keep the logs needed to recover this backup), or NULL (the backup has no
KEEP options and will be made obsolete based on the retention policy).
VARCHAR2(4000)

RC_PROXY_COPY_SUMMARY contains aggregate information about all available proxy
copy backups for databases registered in the recovery catalog.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_KEY
NUMBER
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
NUM_COPIES
NUMBER
Number of copies created by all proxy copy operations for this database.
NUM_DISTINCT_COPIES
NUMBER
Number of distinct copies created by all proxy copy operations for this
database.
MIN_CHECKPOINT_
CHANGE#
NUMBER
Minimum checkpoint SCN among any proxy copies for this database.
MAX_CHECKPOINT_
CHANGE#
NUMBER
Maximum checkpoint SCN among any proxy copies for this database.
MIN_CHECKPOINT_TIME
DATE
The oldest checkpoint time among any proxy copies for this database.
MAX_CHECKPOINT_TIME
DATE
The most recent checkpoint time among any proxy copies for this
database.
OUTPUT_BYTES
NUMBER
Sum of sizes of all output files generated by proxy copies.
VARCHAR2(4000)

RC_PROXY_DATAFILE
RC_PROXY_DATAFILE
This view contains descriptions of datafile backups that were taken using the proxy
copy functionality. It corresponds to the V$PROXY_DATAFILE view.
restoring data. Each row represents a backup of one database file.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_KEY
NUMBER
DBINC_KEY
NUMBER
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
XDF_KEY
NUMBER
RECID
NUMBER
The proxy copy record identifier from V$PROXY_DATAFILE. RECID and

STAMP
NUMBER
The proxy copy stamp from V$PROXY_DATAFILE. RECID and STAMP

TAG
VARCHAR2(32)
FILE#
NUMBER
The absolute file number of the datafile that is proxy copied.
CREATION_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The datafile creation SCN.
RESETLOGS_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The SCN of the most recent RESETLOGS in the datafile header.
RESETLOGS_TIME
DATE
INCREMENTAL_LEVEL
NUMBER
0 if this copy is part of an incremental backup strategy, otherwise NULL.
CHECKPOINT_CHANGE#
NUMBER
Checkpoint SCN when the copy was made.
CHECKPOINT_TIME
DATE
Checkpoint time when the copy was made.
ABSOLUTE_FUZZY_
CHANGE#
NUMBER
The highest SCN in any block of the file, if known. Recovery must
proceed to at least this SCN for the file to become not fuzzy.
RECOVERY_FUZZY_
CHANGE#
NUMBER
The SCN to which recovery must proceed for the file to become not
fuzzy. If not NULL, this file must be recovered at least to the specified
SCN before the database can be opened with this file.
RECOVERY_FUZZY_TIME
DATE
The time that is associated with the RECOVERY_FUZZY_CHANGE#.
ONLINE_FUZZY
VARCHAR2(3)
YES/NO. If set to YES, this copy was made after an instance failure or
OFFLINE IMMEDIATE (or is a copy of a copy which was taken
improperly while the database was open). Recovery will need to apply
all redo up to the next crash recovery marker to make the file consistent.
BACKUP_FUZZY
VARCHAR2(3)
YES/NO. If set to YES, this is a copy taken using the BEGIN BACKUP/END
BACKUP backup method. To make this copy consistent, recovery must
apply all redo up to the marker that is placed in the redo stream when
the ALTER TABLESPACE END BACKUP statement is issued.
BLOCKS
NUMBER
Size of the datafile copy in blocks (also the size of the datafile when the
copy was made).
BLOCK_SIZE
NUMBER
DEVICE_TYPE
VARCHAR2(255)
HANDLE
VARCHAR2(1024)
COMMENTS
VARCHAR2(255)
RC_PROXY_DATAFILE
Column
Datatype
Description
MEDIA
VARCHAR2(80)

MEDIA_POOL
NUMBER
START_TIME
DATE
COMPLETION_TIME
DATE
ELAPSED_SECONDS
NUMBER
STATUS
VARCHAR2(1)

D (deleted).
KEEP
VARCHAR2(3)
Indicates whether this proxy copy has a retention policy different from
the value for CONFIGURE RETENTION POLICY (YES or NO).
KEEP_UNTIL
DATE
then this column shows the date after which this datafile backup
becomes obsolete. If the column is NULL and KEEP OPTIONS is not
NULL, the backup never becomes obsolete.
KEEP_OPTIONS
VARCHAR2(10)
The KEEP options specified for this backup. Options can be LOGS
(RMAN keeps logs needed to recover this backup), NOLOGS (RMAN
does not keep logs needed to recover this backup), or NULL (the backup
has no KEEP options and will be obsolete based on retention policy).
RC_REDO_LOG
RC_REDO_LOG
This view lists information about the online redo logs for all incarnations of the
database since the last catalog resynchronization. This view corresponds to a
combination of the V$LOG and V$LOGFILE views.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_KEY
NUMBER
DBINC_KEY
NUMBER
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
THREAD#
NUMBER
GROUP#
NUMBER
The number of the online redo log group.
NAME
VARCHAR2(1024)
The name of the online redo log file.
RC_REDO_THREAD
RC_REDO_THREAD
This view lists data about all redo threads for all incarnations of the database since the
last catalog resynchronization. This view corresponds to V$THREAD.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_KEY
NUMBER
DBINC_KEY
NUMBER
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
THREAD#
NUMBER
The redo thread number for the database incarnation.
STATUS
VARCHAR2(1)
The status of the redo thread: D (disabled), E (enabled), or O (open).
SEQUENCE#
NUMBER
The last allocated log sequence number.
ENABLE_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The SCN at which this thread was enabled.
ENABLE_TIME
DATE
The time at which this thread was enabled.
DISABLE_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The most recent SCN at which this thread was disabled. If the thread is
still disabled, then no redo at or beyond this SCN exists for this thread. If
the thread is now enabled, then no redo exists between the DISABLE_
CHANGE# and the ENABLE_CHANGE# for this thread.
DISABLE_TIME
DATE
The most recent time at which this thread was disabled.
RC_RESYNC
RC_RESYNC
This view lists information about recovery catalog resynchronizations. Every full
resynchronization takes a snapshot of the target database control file and
resynchronizes the recovery catalog from the snapshot.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_KEY
NUMBER
DBINC_KEY
NUMBER
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
RESYNC_KEY
NUMBER
The primary key for the resynchronization.
CONTROLFILE_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The control file checkpoint SCN from which the catalog was
resynchronized.
CONTROLFILE_TIME
DATE
The control file checkpoint time stamp from which the catalog was
resynchronized.
CONTROLFILE_SEQUENCE# NUMBER
The control file sequence number.
CONTROLFILE_VERSION
DATE
The creation time for the version of the control file from which the
catalog was resynchronized.
RESYNC_TYPE
VARCHAR2(7)
The type of resynchronization: FULL or PARTIAL.
DB_STATUS
VARCHAR2(7)
The status of the target database: OPEN or MOUNTED.
RESYNC_TIME
DATE
The time of the resynchronization.
RC_RMAN_BACKUP_JOB_DETAILS provides detailed information on individual
RMAN backup sessions, combining all operations within the session. Details for
individual types of operation performed during the session are available in the RC_
RMAN_BACKUP_SUBJOB_DETAILS view.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_KEY
NUMBER
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
SESSION_KEY
NUMBER
SESSION_RECID
NUMBER
Together with SESSION_KEY and SESSION_STAMP, used to uniquely

identify job's output from RC_RMAN_OUTPUT
SESSION_STAMP
NUMBER
Together with SESSION_RECID and SESSION_KEY, used to uniquely

COMMAND_ID
VARCHAR2(33)
Either a user-specified value set using SET COMMAND ID, or an

RMAN-generated unique command id.
START_TIME
DATE
Start time of the first backup command in the job
END_TIME
DATE
End time of the last backup command in the job.
INPUT_BYTES
NUMBER
Sum of sizes of all input files backed up during this job.
OUTPUT_BYTES
NUMBER
STATUS_WEIGHT
NUMBER
Used internally by Enterprise Manager.
OPTIMIZED_WEIGHT
NUMBER
INPUT_TYPE_WEIGHT
NUMBER
OUTPUT_DEVICE_TYPE
VARCHAR2(17)
'DISK', 'SBT_TAPE' or '*'. A '*' indicates a backup job that wrote its output
to more than one device type.
AUTOBACKUP_COUNT
NUMBER
Number of autobackups performed by this job.
AUTOBACKUP_DONE
VARCHAR2(3)
'YES' or 'NO', depending upon whether a control file autobackup was

done as part of this backup job.
STATUS
VARCHAR2(23)
One of the following values: RUNNING WITH WARNINGS, RUNNING

WITH ERRORS, 'COMPLETED', 'COMPLETED WITH WARNINGS',
'COMPLETED WITH ERRORS', 'FAILED
INPUT_TYPE
VARCHAR2(13)
Contains a value indicating the type of input for this backup. For possible
values, see the RC_RMAN_BACKUP_TYPE view.
When a job includes backups corresponding to more than one of these
values, multiple rows will appear in the view, corresponding to the
different INPUT_TYPE values for each type of input, with corresponding
values for the INPUT_BYTES, OUTPUT_BYTES, INPUT_BYTES_
DISPLAY, OUTPUT_BYTES_DISPLAY fields.
OPTIMIZED
VARCHAR2(3)
'YES' or 'NO', depending on whether backup optimization was applied.
ELAPSED_SECONDS
NUMBER
Number of seconds elapsed during execution of this backup job.
COMPRESSION_RATIO
NUMBER
INPUT_BYTES_PER_SEC
NUMBER
Input read rate, in bytes/second.
OUTPUT_BYTES_PER_SEC
NUMBER
Output write rate, in bytes/second.
INPUT_BYTES_DISPLAY
VARCHAR2(4000)

VARCHAR2(4000)

Column
Datatype
Description
INPUT_BYTES_PER_SEC_
DISPLAY
VARCHAR2(4000)
Same value as INPUT_BYTES_PER_SEC, but converted to a

OUTPUT_BYTES_PER_SEC_
DISPLAY
VARCHAR2(4000)
Same value as OUTPUT_BYTES_PER_SEC, but converted to a

TIME_TAKEN_DISPLAY
VARCHAR2(4000)
Total time for job, converted to a user-displayable format, such as

hhh:mmm:sss.
RC_RMAN_BACKUP_SUBJOB_DETAILS
RC_RMAN_BACKUP_SUBJOB_DETAILS
RC_RMAN_BACKUP_SUBJOB_DETAILS provides details for groups of similar
operations within an RMAN session.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_KEY
NUMBER
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
SESSION_KEY
NUMBER
SESSION_RECID
NUMBER
Together with SESSION_KEY and SESSION_STAMP, used to uniquely

SESSION_STAMP
NUMBER
Together with SESSION_RECID and SESSION_KEY, used to uniquely

OPERATION
VARCHAR2(33)
The possible values are BACKUP , ROLLFORWARD, VALIDATE, or

BACKUPSET. For each operation type in a session, the view contains one
row with each value representing all operations of that type during the
session.
COMMAND_ID
VARCHAR2(33)
Either a user-specified value set using SET COMMAND ID, or an

RMAN-generated unique command id.
START_TIME
DATE
Start time of the first backup command in the job
END_TIME
DATE
End time of the last backup job in the job.
INPUT_BYTES
NUMBER
Sum of sizes of all input files backed up during this job.
OUTPUT_BYTES
NUMBER
STATUS_WEIGHT
NUMBER
OBJECT_TYPE_WEIGHT
NUMBER
OPTIMIZED_WEIGHT
NUMBER
OUTPUT_DEVICE_TYPE
VARCHAR2(17)
'DISK', 'SBT_TAPE' or '*'. A '*' indicates a backup job that wrote its output
to more than one device type.
AUTOBACKUP_DONE
VARCHAR2(3)
'YES' or 'NO', depending upon whether a control file autobackup was

done as part of this job.
STATUS
VARCHAR2(23)
One of the following values: RUNNING WITH WARNINGS, RUNNING

WITH ERRORS, 'COMPLETED', 'COMPLETED WITH WARNINGS',
'COMPLETED WITH ERRORS', 'FAILED
INPUT_TYPE
VARCHAR2(13)
Contains one of the following values: DATABASE FULL, RECOVERY

AREA, DATABASE INCR, DATAFILE FULL, DATAFILE INCR,
ARCHIVELOG, CONTROLFILE, SPFILE.
When a subjob includes backups corresponding to more than one of these
values, multiple rows will appear in the view, corresponding to the
different INPUT_TYPE values for each type of input, with corresponding
values for the INPUT_BYTES, OUTPUT_BYTES, INPUT_BYTES_
DISPLAY, OUTPUT_BYTES_DISPLAY fields.
OPTIMIZED
VARCHAR2(3)
If OPERATION=BACKUP, then OPTIMIZED is 'YES' or 'NO', depending

on whether backup optimization was applied.
AUTOBACKUP_COUNT
NUMBER
Number of autobackups performed by this job.
COMPRESSION_RATIO
NUMBER
INPUT_BYTES_DISPLAY
VARCHAR2(4000)

VARCHAR2(4000)

RC_RMAN_BACKUP_TYPE
RC_RMAN_BACKUP_TYPE
This view is used internally by Enterprise Manager.
It contains information used in filtering the other Enterprise Manager views when
generating reports on specific backup types.
Column
Datatype
Description
WEIGHT
NUMBER
Used internally by Enterprise Manager to set precedence order of

different backup types in reports.
INPUT_TYPE
VARCHAR2(13)
Used internally by Enterprise Manager to represent possible filters used

in creating various reporting screens.
This view lists information about RMAN persistent configuration settings. It
corresponds to the V$RMAN_CONFIGURATION view.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_KEY
NUMBER
The primary key for the target database corresponding to this

configuration. Use this column to form a join with almost any other
catalog view.
CONF#
NUMBER
A unique key identifying this configuration record within the target

database that owns it.
NAME
VARCHAR2(65)
The type of configuration. All options of CONFIGURE command are

valid types except: CONFIGURE EXCLUDE, (described in RC_
TABLESPACE), CONFIGURE AUXNAME (described in RC_DATAFILE), and
CONFIGURE SNAPSHOT CONTROLFILE (stored only in control file).
VALUE
VARCHAR2(1025)
The CONFIGURE command setting. For example: RETENTION POLICY

TO RECOVERY WINDOW OF 1 DAYS.
RC_RMAN_STATUS
RC_RMAN_STATUS
This view contains information about the history of RMAN operations on all databases
associated with this recovery catalog. It contains essentially the same information as
V$RMAN_STATUS, except that it does not contain information about current sessions.
All RMAN operations such as backups, restores, deletion of backups, and so on are
logged in this table. The table is organized to show the status of each RMAN session
(the invocation of an RMAN client, including all actions taken until the RMAN client
exits), operations executed during the session, and recursive operations.
RC_RMAN_STATUS also contains the RSR_KEY, PARENT_KEY and SESSION_KEY
columns, which do not appear in V$RMAN_STATUS.
Column
Datatype
Description
SID
NUMBER
The session ID of the session that executed this RMAN operation.
RECID
NUMBER
The recid of the corresponding row in the control file.
STAMP
NUMBER
The timestamp of the row in the control file. (Because control file records
are reused, you must combine the timestamp and recid to get a value
unique across all records in RC_RMAN_STATUS.)
PARENT_RECID
VARCHAR2(40)
If ROW_TYPE=SESSION (that is, this row has no parents and represents

an RMAN session), then this column contains NULL. Otherwise, it
contains the recid of the parent row of this row.
PARENT_STAMP
VARCHAR2(40)

contains the timestamp of the parent row of this row.
SESSION_RECID
NUMBER

contains the recid of the row representing the session associated with
this row.
SESSION_STAMP
NUMBER

contains the timestamp of the row representing the session associated
with this row.
ROW_LEVEL
NUMBER
This is the level of this row.
ROW_TYPE
VARCHAR2(19)
If ROW_LEVEL=0 then this is a session row (that is, ROW_

TYPE=SESSION and the row represents an invocation of the
RMAN client).
If ROW_LEVEL=1 then this row represents a command entered in
the RMAN client and executed. (ROW_TYPE=COMMAND for
rows at level 1.)
IF ROW_LEVEL>1 then this row represents a recursive operation, a
sub-operation of an RMAN command (such as a control file
autobackup performed in conjunction with a database backup).
(ROW_TYPE=RECURSIVE OPERATION for rows at levels >1.)
This is the type of operation represented by this row. Possible values

are:
SESSION, for rows at level 0
COMMAND, for rows at level 1
RECURSIVE OPERATION, for rows at level >1
COMMAND_ID
VARCHAR2(33)
The user-specified ID of the operation. The user can change this using
the SET COMMAND ID syntax in RMAN. By default, the command ID
is set to the time at which RMAN is invoked, in ISO standard format.
OPERATION
VARCHAR2(33)
This is the name of the operation presented by this row. For SESSION
operations, this column is set to 'RMAN'. For COMMAND operations, it
describes the command executed, such as "BACKUP", "RESTORE",
"CONFIGURE", "REPORT" and so on.
RC_RMAN_STATUS
Column
Datatype
Description
STATUS
VARCHAR2(23)
The status of the operation described by this row. Possible values are:
COMPLETED, COMPLETED WITH WARNINGS, COMPLETED WITH
ERRORS, and FAILED.
MBYTES_PROCESSED
NUMBER
If the operation represeted by this row performed some data transfer

(such as backing up or restoring data) then this column contains the
number of megabytes processed in the operation. Otherwise, this row
contains NULL.
START_TIME
DATE
The start time for the operation represented by this row.
END_TIME
DATE
The end time for the operation represented by this row.
RSR_KEY
NUMBER
Unique key for this row.
PARENT_KEY
NUMBER
The value of RSR_KEY for the parent row of this row.
SESSION_KEY
NUMBER
The value of RSR_KEY for the session row associated with this row.
INPUT_MBYTES
NUMBER
Sum of sizes of all all input files backed up by this job, in megabytes.
OUTPUT_MBYTES
NUMBER
Sum of sizes of all output files produced by this job, in megabytes.
OPTIMIZED_ID
NUMBER
OBJECT_TYPE_ID
OUTPUT_DEVICE_TYPE_ID
NUMBER
NUMBER
OPTIMIZED
VARCHAR2(3)
YES if backup optimization was applied during the backup job.

Otherwise, NO.
OBJECT_TYPE
VARCHAR2(50)
Contains one of the following values: DATABASE FULL, RECOVERY

AREA, DATABASE INCR, DATAFILE FULL, DATAFILE INCR,
ARCHIVELOG, CONTROLFILE, SPFILE.
OUTPUT_DEVICE_TYPE
VARCHAR2(4)
'DISK', 'SBT_TAPE' or '*'. A '*' indicates that output was written to more
than one device type.
SESSION_RECID
NUMBER

SESSION_STAMP
NUMBER

RC_STORED_SCRIPT
RC_STORED_SCRIPT
This view lists information about scripts stored in the recovery catalog. The view
contains one row for each stored script. (Note that RMAN's commands for script
management such as LIST SCRIPT NAMES and LIST SCRIPT provide more
convenient ways of viewing this information.)
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_KEY
NUMBER
The primary key for the database that owns this stored script. Use this
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
SCRIPT_NAME
VARCHAR2(100)
This view lists information about individual lines of stored scripts in the recovery
catalog. The view contains one row for each line of each stored script.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_KEY
NUMBER
The primary key for the database that owns this stored script. Use this
SCRIPT_NAME
VARCHAR2(100)
LINE
NUMBER
The number of the line in the stored script. Each line of a stored script is
uniquely identified by SCRIPT_NAME and LINE.
TEXT
VARCHAR2(1024)
The text of the line of the stored script.
RC_TABLESPACE
RC_TABLESPACE
This view lists all tablespaces registered in the recovery catalog, all dropped
tablespaces, and tablespaces that belong to old incarnations. It corresponds to the
V$TABLESPACE view. The current value is shown for tablespace attributes.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_KEY
NUMBER
DBINC_KEY
NUMBER
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
TS#
NUMBER
The tablespace ID in the target database. The TS# may exist multiple
times in the same incarnation if the tablespace is dropped and re-created.
NAME
VARCHAR2(30)
CREATION_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The creation SCN (from the first datafile).
CREATION_TIME
DATE
The creation time of the tablespace. NULL for offline tablespaces after
creating the control file.
DROP_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The SCN recorded when the tablespace was dropped. If a new

tablespace with the same TS# is discovered then the DROP_CHANGE# is
set to CREATION_CHANGE# for the tablespace; otherwise, the value is set
to RC_CHECKPOINT.CKP_SCN.
DROP_TIME
DATE
The date when the tablespace was dropped.
INCLUDED_IN_DATABASE_ VARCHAR2(3)
BACKUP
Indicates whether this tablespace is included in whole database backups:

YES or NO. The YES value occurs only if CONFIGURE EXCLUDE was run
on the tablespace that owns this datafile.
BIGFILE
VARCHAR2(3)
Indicates whether this tablespace is a tablespace created with the

BIGFILE option.
TEMPORARY
VARCHAR2(3)
YES if tablespace is a locally managed temporary tablespace. Otherwise,

NO.
RC_TEMPFILE
RC_TEMPFILE
This view lists information about all tempfiles registered in the recovery catalog. It
corresponds to the V$TEMPFILE view. A tempfile is shown as dropped if its tablespace
is dropped.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_KEY
NUMBER
DBINC_KEY
NUMBER
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
TS#
NUMBER
The tablespace ID in the target database. The TS# may exist multiple
times in the same incarnation if the tablespace is dropped and re-created.
TABLESPACE_NAME
VARCHAR2(30)
FILE#
NUMBER
The absolute file number of the tempfile. The same tempfile number
may exist in the same incarnation of the tempfile is dropped and
re-created.
CREATION_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The SCN when the tempfile is created.
CREATION_TIME
DATE
The time when the tempfile is created.
DROP_CHANGE#
NUMBER
The SCN recorded when the tempfile was dropped. If a new tempfile
with the same FILE# is discovered then the DROP_CHANGE# is set to
CREATION_CHANGE# for the tempfile; otherwise, the value is set to RC_
CHECKPOINT.CKP_SCN.
DROP_TIME
DATE
The time when the tempfile was dropped. If a new tempfile with the
same FILE# is discovered, then the DROP_TIME is set to CREATION_
TIME for the tempfile; otherwise the value is RC_CHECKPOINT.CKP_
TIME.
BYTES
NUMBER
The size of the tempfile in bytes.
BLOCK_SIZE
NUMBER
The block size of the tempfile in bytes.
NAME
VARCHAR2(1024)
The tempfile name.
RFILE#
NUMBER
The relative file number of this tempfile within the tablespace.
AUTOEXTEND
VARCHAR2(3)
ONif the tempfile is autoextensible. Otherwise OFF.
MAXSIZE
NUMBER
Maximum file size in blocks to which the file can be extended. Valid only
when AUTOEXTEND is ON. Always 0 when AUTOEXTEND is OFF.
NEXTSIZE
NUMBER
Amount of incremental size for file extensible in blocks. Valid only when
AUTOEXTEND is ON. Always 0 when AUTOEXTEND is OFF.
RC_UNUSABLE_BACKUPFILE_DETAILS
RC_UNUSABLE_BACKUPFILE_DETAILS
This view lists all backup files (backup pieces, proxy copies or image copies) that are
marked UNAVAILABLE or EXPIRED. You can select one of the rows and, using
BTYPE_KEY or FILETYPE_KEY, change the status of a backup set or specific file to
AVAILABLE.
Column
Datatype
Description
DB_NAME
VARCHAR2(8)
DB_KEY
NUMBER
SESSION_KEY
NUMBER
RSR_KEY
NUMBER

that created this file.
BTYPE
CHAR(9)

PROXYCOPY.
BTYPE_KEY
NUMBER
Unique identifier for the backup type. It is BS_KEY/COPY_KEY.
ID1
NUMBER
the control file.
ID2
NUMBER
For backups taken as backup sets, ID2 contains SET_COUNT. For image
copy and proxy copy backups ID2 contains STAMP.
FILETYPE
VARCHAR2(15)
The type of this backup file. Possible values are 'BACKUPPIECE','COPY'

or 'PROXYCOPY'.
FILETYPE_KEY
NUMBER
Backup piece key if the file is a backup piece, other wise COPY_KEY. This
key can be used to directly change the status of the file to available.
STATUS
VARCHAR2(1)
Can be either 'U' (for unavailable backups) or 'X' (for expired backups).
FILESIZE
NUMBER
Size in bytes of the unusable backup file.
DEVICE_TYPE
VARCHAR2(255)
Device type storing this unusuable backup file. Possible values are DISK
and SBT_TAPE.
FILENAME
VARCHAR2(1024)
File name.
MEDIA
VARCHAR2(80)

MEDIA_POOL
NUMBER
A
This appendix describes Recovery Manager syntax that is deprecated and describes
preferred syntax if any exists.
Deprecated RMAN syntax continues to be supported in subsequent releases for
backward compatibility. For example, the SET AUXNAME command replaced the SET
CLONENAME command in Oracle8i, and the CONFIGURE AUXNAME command replaced
the SET AUXNAME command in Oracle9i, but you can continue to run both SET
CLONENAME and SET AUXNAME in all subsequent RMAN releases.
Table A1
Deprecated RMAN Syntax
Deprecated
in Release
Deprecated Syntax
Preferred Current Syntax
10.0.1
BACKUP ... INCREMENTAL LEVEL [2,3,4]
Levels other than 0 and 1 are deprecated.
10.0.1
BACKUP ... PARMS
CONFIGURE CHANNEL ... PARMS
10.0.1
CONFIGURE CHANNEL ... PARMS="BLKSIZE" n/a
10.0.1
COPY
BACKUP AS COPY
10.0.1
RESTORE ... PARMS
10.0.1
SEND ... PARMS
9.2
REPLICATE
RESTORE CONTROLFILE FROM ...
9.2
SET AUTOLOCATE
Now enabled by default.
9.0.1
ALLOCATE CHANNEL FOR DELETE
n/a
9.0.1
ALLOCATE CHANNEL ... TYPE
CONFIGURE CHANNEL ... DEVICE TYPE
9.0.1
ALLOCATE CHANNEL ... KBYTES
CONFIGURE CHANNEL ...

MAXPIECESIZE
9.0.1
ALLOCATE CHANNEL ... READRATE
CONFIGURE CHANNEL ... RATE
9.0.1
... ARCHIVELOG ... LOGSEQ
... ARCHIVELOG ... SEQUENCE
9.0.1
BACKUP ... SETSIZE
BACKUP ... MAXSETSIZE
9.0.1
CHANGE ... CROSSCHECK
CROSSCHECK
9.0.1
CHANGE ... DELETE
DELETE
9.0.1
REPORT ... AT LOGSEQ
REPORT ... AT SEQUENCE
9.0.1
SET AUXNAME
CONFIGURE AUXNAME
9.0.1
SET DUPLEX
SET BACKUP COPIES

CONFIGURE BACKUP COPIES
A-1
Table A1 (Cont.) Deprecated RMAN Syntax

Deprecated
in Release
Deprecated Syntax
Preferred Current Syntax
9.0.1
SET LIMIT CHANNEL ...
ALLOCATE CHANNEL ...

CONFIGURE CHANNEL ...
9.0.1
SET SNAPSHOT
CONFIGURE SNAPSHOT
9.0.1
UNTIL LOGSEQ (see "untilClause")
UNTIL SEQUENCE (see "untilClause")
8.1.7
CONFIGURE COMPATIBLE
n/a
8.1.5
ALLOCATE CHANNEL CLONE
CONFIGURE AUXILIARY CHANNEL
8.1.5
CHANGE ... VALIDATE
CROSSCHECK
8.1.5
CLONE (see "cmdLine")
AUXILIARY (see "cmdLine")
8.1.5
CONFIGURE CLONE
CONFIGURE AUXILIARY
8.1.5
MSGLOG (see "cmdLine")
LOG (see "cmdLine")
8.1.5
RCVCAT (see "cmdLine")
CATALOG (see "cmdLine")
A-2 Backup and Recovery Reference
B
RMAN Compatibility
This appendix describes the requirements for compatibility among the different
components of the Recovery Manager (RMAN) environment. This appendix contains
these topics:
About RMAN Compatibility
RMAN Compatibility Matrix
RMAN Compatibility: Scenario
About RMAN Compatibility

The following table describes the components of an RMAN environment. Each
component has a release number associated with it.
Component
Release Number Refers to ...
RMAN client
Version of RMAN client (displayed when you start RMAN)
Recovery catalog database
Version of Oracle database
Recovery catalog schema in

recovery catalog database
Version of RMAN client used to create the recovery catalog
Target database
Auxiliary database
For example, you can use a release 9.0.1 RMAN client with:
A release 9.0.1 target database
A release 9.0.1 duplicate database
A release 8.1.7 recovery catalog database whose catalog tables were created with
RMAN release 9.0.1
Determination of Catalog Schema Version

To determine the current release of the catalog schema, you must run a SQL query.
1.
Use SQL*Plus to connect to the recovery catalog database as the catalog owner. For
example, enter:
% sqlplus rman/rman@catdb
2.
Query the rcver catalog table. For example, run this query:
RMAN Compatibility B-1
SQL> SELECT * FROM rcver;

VERSION
-----------08.01.05.00
09.00.01.00
10.02.01.00
If multiple versions are listed, then the last row is the current version, and the
rows before it are prior versions. In the preceding example, the current catalog
schema version is 09.00.01.00 and the previous version was 08.01.05.00.
Note that for releases 10.2 and later, the last two digits indicate patch level. For
earlier releases, they are always zeros.

In general, the rules of RMAN compatibility are as follows:
You can create 8.X or 9.X RMAN catalog schema in any Oracle database release
8.1.X (or higher) and Release 10g RMAN catalog schema in any Oracle database
release 9.0.1 (or higher).
The recovery catalog schema version must be greater than or equal to the RMAN
client version.
Ideally, the versions of the RMAN client and the target database should be the
same (although there are other legal combinations, listed in Table B1). The RMAN
client cannot be of a greater version than the target or auxiliary database.
While backing up a Release 10g database using the 9.X RMAN client, you cannot
include a control file that was created using compatible=10.0.0 in a datafile
backupset. The workaround is to turn control file autobackup ON.
Table B1 shows version requirements for RMAN components. Note the following
conventions when interpreting this table:
">=8.1.7" means 8.1.7, 9.0.1, 9.2.0 and 10.1.0 and their patches
">=8.0.6" means 8.0.6, 8.1.7, 9.0.1, 9.2.0 and 10.1.0 and their patches
When using an older version of the RMAN client with a newer version of the
database, you do not get the features of the newer version. For example, when using
the Oracle9i RMAN client to back up an Oracle Release 10g database, you will not
have access to features like the flash recovery area, flashback database, TSPITR with an
RMAN-managed auxiliary instance, or recovery through resetlogs.
Table B1
RMAN Compatibility Table
Target/Auxiliary
Database
RMAN client
Catalog
Database
Catalog Schema
8.0.6
8.0.6
>=8.1.7
>=8.0.6
8.1.7
8.0.6.1
>=8.1.7
>=8.1.7
8.1.7
8.1.7
>=8.1.7
>=RMAN client
8.1.7.4
8.1.7.4
>=8.1.7
8.1.7.4
8.1.7.4
8.1.7.4
>=8.1.7
>= 9.0.1.4
9.0.1
9.0.1
>=8.1.7
>= RMAN client
B-2 Backup and Recovery Reference
Table B1 (Cont.) RMAN Compatibility Table

Target/Auxiliary
Database
RMAN client
Catalog
Database
Catalog Schema
9.2.0
>=9.0.1.3 and <=

target database
executable
>=8.1.7
>= RMAN client
10.1.0
>=9.0.1.3 and
<=target database
executable
>=9.0.1
>= RMAN client
10.2.0
>=9.0.1.3 and
<=target database
executable
>=9.0.1
>= RMAN client
Cross-Version Compatibility of Recovery Catalog Exports and Imports

Exports of the recovery catalog are often used as a way to backup its contents. When
planning to use Oracle export utilities to back up the recovery catalog, refer to Oracle
Database Utilities for details on compatibility issues surrounding the use of database
exports across versions of Oracle. Exports from a later version of Oracle cannot be
imported into databases running under earlier versions of Oracle. You must export
your recovery catalog data using the export utility from the earliest version of Oracle
that you need to use for a recovery catalog.
For example, if you want to export recovery catalog data from a 9.2.0.5 database and
you expect to import it into an 8.1.7.4 version of Oracle for disaster recovery, you must
use the export utility from the 8.1.7.4 release of Oracle to perform the export operation.
Otherwise, the import operation will fail.

Assume that you maintain a production databases of the following releases:
8.1.7
9.0.1
9.2.0
10.1.0
10.2.0
You want to record RMAN repository data about these databases in a single recovery
catalog database. According to Table B1 on page B-2, you can use a single 9.2.0
recovery catalog database with a 10.2.0 catalog schema for all target databases.
The solution for this combination of target databases is to do the following:
Use a single 9.2.0 catalog database.
Use a single 10.2.0 catalog schema for all databases.
Ensure that the version of the RMAN client used to back up each target database
meets the requirements specified in Table B1 on page B-2.
RMAN Compatibility B-3
B-4 Backup and Recovery Reference
Index
Symbols
? symbol
in RMAN quoted strings, 1-3
@ command, 2-5
in RMAN quoted strings, 1-3
@@ command, 2-6
A
ALLOCATE CHANNEL command, 2-7, 2-13
and shared server, 2-7, 2-10
FOR MAINTENANCE option, 2-10
ALTER DATABASE command, 2-16
archivelogRecordSpecifier clause, 2-18
autobackups
control file, 2-70
B
BACKUP
INCREMENTAL
FROM SCN, 2-27
BACKUP command, 2-22
backup sets
and Backup Unused Space Compression, 2-28
and unused block compression, 2-28
binary compression, 2-28
Backup Unused Space Compression, 2-28
backups
binary compression, 2-28
datafiles
Backup Unused Space compression, 2-28
unused block compression, 2-28
backups,vaulted, 2-184
binary compression of backup sets, 2-28
BLOCKRECOVER command, 2-48
C
CATALOG command, 2-51
CHANGE command, 2-54
channels
allocating to shared server sessions, 2-7, 2-10
code examples
description of RMAN, 1-5
command line
arguments for RMAN, 2-57

commands, Recovery Manager
@, 2-5
@@, 2-6
ALLOCATE CHANNEL, 2-7, 2-13
ALLOCATE CHANNEL FOR
MAINTENANCE, 2-10
ALTER DATABASE, 2-16
BACKUP, 2-22
BLOCKRECOVER, 2-48
CATALOG, 2-51
CHANGE, 2-54
completedTimeSpec clause, 2-61
CONFIGURE, 2-63
CONNECT, 2-75
connectStringSpec clause, 2-77
CREATE CATALOG, 2-89
CREATE SCRIPT, 2-91
CROSSCHECK, 2-93
DELETE, 2-96
DELETE SCRIPT, 2-100
deprecated, A-1
DROP CATALOG, 2-102
DROP DATABASE, 2-103
DUPLICATE, 2-104
EXECUTE SCRIPT, 2-112
EXIT, 2-113
fileNameConversionSpec clause, 2-114
FLASHBACK, 2-117
HOST, 2-125
LIST, 2-128
listObjList clause, 2-144
PRINT SCRIPT, 2-151
QUIT, 2-152
recordSpec, 2-153
RECOVER, 2-155
REGISTER, 2-164
RELEASE CHANNEL, 2-166, 2-167
REPLACE SCRIPT, 2-168
REPORT, 2-170
RESET DATABASE, 2-176
RESTORE, 2-179
RESYNC CATALOG, 2-193
RUN, 2-195
SEND, 2-198
Index-1
SET, 2-199
SHOW, 2-207
SHUTDOWN, 2-210
SPOOL, 2-212
SQL, 2-213
STARTUP, 2-215
summary, 2-1, 3-1
SWITCH, 2-217
TRANSPORT TABLESPACE, 2-222
UNREGISTER DATABASE, 2-226
untilClause, 2-228
UPGRADE CATALOG, 2-230
VALIDATE, 2-231
comments in RMAN commands, 1-1
compatibility
recovery catalog, B-1
Recovery Manager, B-1
completedTimeSpec clause, 2-61
CONFIGURE command, 2-63
CONNECT command, 2-75
connectStringSpec clause, 2-77
control files
automatic backups, 2-70
corrupt datafile blocks
maximum acceptable number, 2-203
corruption detection
using SET MAXCORRUPT command, 2-203
CREATE CATALOG command, 2-89
CREATE SCRIPT command, 2-91
CROSSCHECK command, 2-93
D
datafiles
backing up
Backup Unused Space Compression, 2-28
dates
specifying in RMAN commands, 2-228
DELETE command, 2-96
DELETE SCRIPT command, 2-100
deprecated commands
Recovery Manager, A-1
DROP CATALOG command, 2-102
DROP DATABASE command, 2-103
DUPLICATE command, 2-104
duplicate database
synchronizing
using incremental backups, 2-27
E
environment variables
in RMAN strings, 1-3
EXECUTE SCRIPT command, 2-112
EXIT command, 2-113
F
fileNameConversionSpec clause, 2-114
FLASHBACK command, 2-117
Index-2
H
HOST command, 2-125
I
Incremental Roll Forward of Database Copy, 2-27
K
keywords
in syntax diagrams, 1-2
L
LIST command, 2-128
listObjList clause, 2-144
M
MAXCORRUPT parameter
SET command, 2-203
MAXSETSIZE parameter
BACKUP command, 2-35
P
parameters
in syntax diagrams, 1-2
PL/SQL stored procedures
executing within RMAN, 2-214
PRINT SCRIPT command, 2-151
Q
QUIT command, 2-152
quoted strings
environment variables, 1-3
R
RC_ARCHIVED_LOG view, 2-18, 3-4
RC_BACKUP_CONTROLFILE view, 3-8
RC_BACKUP_CORRUPTION view, 3-14
RC_BACKUP_DATAFILE view, 3-15
RC_BACKUP_PIECE view, 3-22
RC_BACKUP_REDOLOG view, 3-25
RC_BACKUP_SET view, 3-27
RC_BACKUP_SPFILE view, 3-32
RC_CHECKPOINT view, 3-35
RC_CONTROLFILE_COPY view, 3-36
RC_COPY_CORRUPTION view, 3-37
RC_DATABASE recovery catalog view, 3-38
RC_DATABASE view, 2-201
view, 3-39
RC_DATABASE_INCARNATION view, 2-201, 3-40
RC_DATAFILE view, 3-41
RC_DATAFILE_COPY view, 3-42
RC_LOG_HISTORY view, 3-44
RC_OFFLINE_RANGE view, 3-45
RC_PROXY_CONTROLFILE view, 3-50
RC_PROXY_DATAFILE view, 3-54

RC_REDO_LOG view, 3-56, 3-64
RC_REDO_THREAD view, 3-57
RC_RESYNC view, 3-58
RC_RMAN_CONFIGURATION view, 3-63
RC_STORED_SCRIPT view, 3-66
RC_STORED_SCRIPT_LINE view, 3-67
RC_TABLESPACE view, 3-68, 3-69
RECALL, and RESTORE... PREVIEW, 2-184
recordSpec clause, 2-153
RECOVER command, 2-155
recovery catalog
views, 3-1
Recovery Manager
backups
control file autobackups, 2-70
commands
@, 2-5
@@, 2-6
ALLOCATE CHANNEL, 2-7, 2-13
ALLOCATE CHANNEL FOR
MAINTENANCE, 2-10
ALTER DATABASE, 2-16
BACKUP, 2-22
BLOCKRECOVER, 2-48
CATALOG, 2-51
CHANGE, 2-54
completedTimeSpec, 2-61
CONFIGURE, 2-63
CONNECT, 2-75
connectStringSpec, 2-77
CREATE CATALOG, 2-89
CREATE SCRIPT, 2-91
CROSSCHECK, 2-93
DELETE, 2-96
DELETE SCRIPT, 2-100
DROP CATALOG, 2-102
DROP DATABASE, 2-103
DUPLICATE, 2-104
EXECUTE SCRIPT, 2-112
EXIT, 2-113
fileNameConversionSpec, 2-114
FLASHBACK, 2-117
HOST, 2-125
LIST, 2-128
listObjList, 2-144
PRINT SCRIPT, 2-151
QUIT, 2-152
recordSpec, 2-153
RECOVER, 2-155
REGISTER, 2-164
RELEASE CHANNEL, 2-166
REPLACE SCRIPT, 2-168
REPORT, 2-170
RESET DATABASE, 2-176
RESTORE, 2-179
RESYNC, 2-193
RUN, 2-195
SEND, 2-198
SET, 2-199
SHOW, 2-207
SHUTDOWN, 2-210
SPOOL, 2-212
SQL, 2-213
STARTUP, 2-215
SWITCH, 2-217
TRANSPORT TABLESPACE, 2-222
UNREGISTER DATABASE, 2-226
untilClause, 2-228
UPGRADE CATALOG, 2-230
VALIDATE, 2-231
compatibility, B-1
dates in commands, 2-228
symbolic links for filenames, 2-182
syntax conventions, 1-1
REGISTER command, 2-164
RELEASE CHANNEL command (RMAN), 2-166
releasing a maintenance channel, 2-167
REPLACE SCRIPT command, 2-168
REPORT command, 2-170
RESET DATABASE command, 2-176
RESTORE command, 2-179
RESTORE... PREVIEW
RECALL, 2-184
RESYNC CATALOG command, 2-193
RUN command, 2-195
S
SEND command, 2-198
SET command, 2-199
shared server
allocating channels, 2-7, 2-10
SHOW command, 2-207
SHUTDOWN command, 2-210
SPOOL command, 2-212
SQL command, 2-213
STARTUP command, 2-215
stored procedures
executing within RMAN, 2-214
SWITCH command, 2-217
symbolic links
and RMAN, 2-182
synchronizing duplicate database
uising incremental backups, 2-27
syntax conventions
Recovery Manager, 1-1
syntax diagrams
explanation of, 1-1
keywords, 1-2
parameters, 1-2
T
TRANSPORT TABLESPACE command,
2-222
U
UNREGISTER DATABASE command, 2-226
untilClause, 2-228
Index-3

UPGRADE CATALOG command, 2-230
V
V$ARCHIVED_LOG view, 2-18, 2-20, 2-139
V$BACKUP_CORRUPTION view, 2-32
V$BACKUP_DEVICE view, 2-8, 2-11
V$BACKUP_PIECE view, 2-132, 2-134, 2-136
V$BACKUP_SET view, 2-132, 2-135, 2-136, 2-137
V$DATABASE view, 2-201
V$DATABASE_BLOCK_CORRUPTION view, 2-48,
2-49, 2-50, 2-160, 2-185, 2-231
V$DATAFILE view, 2-95, 2-220
V$DATAFILE_COPY view, 2-95, 2-138, 2-139
V$DATAFILE_HEADER view, 2-95
V$PROXY_DATAFILE view, 2-134
V$SESSION view, 2-201, 2-204
VALIDATE command, 2-231
vaulted backups, 2-184
views
recovery catalog, 3-1
Index-4

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Oracle Database

Backup and Recovery Reference

Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Reference, 10g Release 2 (10.2)

About RMAN Commands

Recovery Catalog Views

Deprecated RMAN Commands

Back up, restore, and recover Oracle databases

Perform maintenance on backups and copies of database files

To use this document, you need to know the following:

Relational database concepts and basic database administration as described in

Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Basics

Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Advanced User's Guide

Oracle Database Reference

Oracle Database Utilities

Boldface type indicates graphical user interface elements associated

Italic type indicates book titles, emphasis, or placeholder variables for

Monospace type indicates commands within a paragraph, URLs, code

Conventions Used in this Reference

RMAN Command Entries

Conventions Used in this Reference

RMAN Text Conventions

RMAN Command Format, Syntax Diagrams and Notation

RMAN Code Examples

RMAN Text Conventions

UPPERCASE monospace : Calls attention to RMAN keywords, SQL keywords,

RMAN Command Format, Syntax Diagrams and Notation

Format of RMAN Commands

About RMAN Commands

Conventions Used in this Reference

WITH TAG "DAILY_BACKUP"

# daily backup routine

Names of database objects (tablespace_name)

Oracle datatype names (date_string)

When you see a placeholder in a syntax diagram, substitute an object or expression of

Conventions Used in this Reference

Quoted strings such as

Nonquoted strings such as

Any sequence of only

RMAN Reserved Words

About RMAN Commands

Conventions Used in this Reference

1-4 Backup and Recovery Reference

RMAN Command Entries

RMAN Command Entries

Sections of a Command Description

Shows the keywords and parameters that make up the

Describes the basic uses of the statement.

Restrictions and Usage

Lists requirements, restrictions, and guidelines for proper use

Describes the purpose of each keyword and parameter.

Shows how to use various clauses and options of the

RMAN Code Examples

About RMAN Commands

RMAN Command Entries

1-6 Backup and Recovery Reference

Summary of RMAN Commands

Recovery Manager Commands

"@" on page 2-5

Run a command file.