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Lesson 9

Recovery Manager Operations in Oracle - Conclusion

This module discussed command-line options and initial operations using Recovery Manager.
Specifically, you learned how to:
  1. Issue the command to start RMAN
  2. Start RMAN without recovery catalog
  3. Register a target database into your recovery catalog
  4. Discuss the use of the reset command
  5. Demonstrate how to resynchronize a target database using the resynch command
  6. Identify other situations where the resynch command is needed
  7. Use the change command to alter the information in your recovery catalog
  8. Use the delete command to remove data from your recovery catalog and the validate command to check the validity of your recovery catalog

It is highly recommended that you use the recovery catalog. Though you may spend time using the recovery catalog initially, you will be rewarded when you need to restore your database. However, there may be few instances where it is unadvisable to use a recovery catalog, such as having a local Oracle database on your machine. Often these local databases do not contain critical information or contain information that is easily re-created. Even then, if you are on a network and your data is important, it is safer to manage your database in the manner that you manage all other production Oracle database.

oracle_sid=prod
rman target 'scott/tiger/rcvcat rman/rman@rcvcat append

What Is the Recovery Catalog?

The recovery catalog is an optional component of RMAN that stores historical backup information from RMAN backups. Unlike the database control file’s RMAN information, the recovery catalog data is not purged on a regular basis. Therefore, the RMAN metadata in the recovery catalog tends to be more comprehensive and to date further back than the historical information in the control file. Using a recovery catalog does have a few additional benefits over just using the database control file:
  1. You must use a recovery catalog if you want to use stored RMAN scripts.
  2. You want to use the keep forever option when performing an RMAN backup.
  3. You must use a recovery catalog if you are using one or more standby databases.
  4. You must use a recovery catalog if you are using a split-mirror backup model.
  5. A recovery catalog offers a single, enterprise-wide repository of RMAN information. This provides an easier and more flexible central repository of enterprise backup information.
  6. A recovery catalog allows more flexibility when you are doing reporting because you can report on the target database at a time other than the current time.
  7. With a recovery catalog, certain default database RMAN channel configuration information will still be maintained without you needing to manually recover it in the event of a control file failure.

Since version 10g, Oracle Database has easily supported recovery through resetlogs without a recovery catalog. Also, if you are using control file autobackups (which we strongly suggest), the need for a recovery catalog for control file recoveries is pretty much removed.

New terms

The following terms were introduced in this module:
  1. resetlogs: Used to reapply the archive log files to your database.
  2. Incarnation number: Unique number that is used to identify a version of the database.

In the next module you will learn about using the recovery catalog.

Rman Syntax

Click the link below to review RMAN syntax.
Rman Syntax

Recovery Catalog Maintenance - Quiz

Click the Quiz link below to review your understanding of the information presented in this module.
Recovery Catalog Maintenance - Quiz