Copyright 2003  Sreekanth Chintala

Recovery Manager
Backup and Recovery

Sreekanth Chintala
Texas Dept. of Human Services
Tel: 512-490-0547
Email: [email protected]
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Self

 10 years of industry experience

 Database administration, design, development
 Oracle, Unify, Sybase and SQL Server
 Client-server and Web Development
 Java, ASP, C, PowerBuilder, SQL Windows
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Scope

 Recovery Manager (RMAN)

 Basics
 Advantages
 Disadvantages
 Backup
 Recovery
 Reading Material
 Oracle 9i RMAN Backup & Recovery by Oracle
Press
 Recovery Manager User Guide
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What is RMAN?
 Oracle utility. Installed along with Oracle.
 Can back up database files (datafiles, controlfile, archivelogs) to
disk or tape
 Can restore database files from disk or tape.
 Can parallalize the backup operation
 Create duplicate databases
 Create Standby database
 Can run scripts from a command line. So jobs can be
scheduled from crontab, OEM or windows scheduler
 Can generate reports on backups taken using RMAN
 Can perform shutdown, startup and some administrative tasks
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How it Works
 It is a client application that attaches to the target
database via an Oralce (SQL) Net connection.
 Creates database server sessions on the target database
to access internal backup and recovery packages.
 The database has internal packages, DBMS_RCVMAN,
DBMS_BACKUP_RESTORE that actually take the
pl/sql blocks passed from RMAN and turn them into
system calls.
 It stores metadata about its operations in the control file of
the target database and, optionally, in a recovery catalog
schema in an Oracle database.
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Why RMAN?
 Manages the complexity of backup and recovery operations.
RMAN can backup your database online without having to put
the tablespaces in hot backup mode. This reduces the
additional redo generated during a hot backup.
 Minimizes the possibility of human errors. RMAN will
automatically track new datafiles and tablespaces for you.
 Maintains history of backups and incarnations
 RMAN can work fairly seamlessly with third-party media
management products.
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Why RMAN?
 Make backups proportional to the size of transactional
changes, not to the size of the database. RMAN will only
back up used data blocks (up to HWM). Null blocks
(Blocks that have never been used) are never backed up.
 Backups taken outside of RMAN can also be cataloged in
the control using RMAN
 Can create Hot Backups (Image Copies) just like you do it
from SQLPLUS prompt. These Image copies can be used
for recovering database outside of RMAN
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Why RMAN?
 Since RMAN is integrated into the RDBMS, it has block-level
access enabling it to check for data block corruptions.
 In 9i, RMAN provides block media recovery. For “ORA-
1578:block corruption detected” error, instead of recovering the
entire file and performing recovery, RMAN can simply recover
the bad block and perform recovery. This means, rest of the
data in the datafile is available during recovery.
 RMAN supports incremental backup strategies.
 RMAN can test/validate the backups without actually restoring
them.
 Free
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Restrictions

 Backups taken using “backup” command are in RMAN

format. They can only be read by RMAN.
 When restoring to a different server, RMAN expects the
backups on the exact locations when they were taken.
 If the controlfile doesn’t have backup information, RMAN
can’t use those backups. You have to manually “catalog”
these backups with RMAN
 Standard version of Oracle, can allocate only one channel

 RMAN needs a controlfile. If all the controlfiles are lost,

you need to create a controlfile that RMAN can use
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RMAN Environment

 RMAN executable
 Target Database
 Recovery Catalog (Optional)
 A recovery catalog is a schema created in a separate
database that contains metadata obtained from the target
control file. In general, Oracle Corporation advises using a
catalog when you manage multiple databases
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Benefits of using Catalog

 Can store metadata about multiple target databases in a single
catalog.
 Can store metadata about multiple incarnations of a single
target database in the catalog. Hence, you can restore backups
from any incarnation.
 Recovery of controlfile is easier if you have a catalog. Without
a catalog, you must first restore a control file backup that lists
the correct set of database files before restoring datafiles.
 Can store RMAN scripts
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Backup Types
 Logical
 Export
 Physical
 Cold (Offline)
 Hot (Online)
 Full

 Incremental

• Differential
• Cumulative
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ArcvhiveLog vs No ArchiveLog

 No ArchiveLog
 No point-in-time recovery
 Need to shutdown to take a backup
 ArchiveLog
 Hot (Online) backups are possible
 Point-in-time recovery till the last available log
 Incomplete recovery up to a certain Time, SCN #
or Log Sequence #.
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Definitions
 Full
 A full backup includes all used data blocks in the datafiles. Full
backups of control files and archived logs always include all
blocks in the files.
 Incremental
 A backup of datafiles that includes only the blocks that have
changed since a previous incremental backup. Incremental backups
require an incremental level 0 backup to serve as a basis.
 Hot / Online
 A backup of online, read/write datafiles when the database is open.
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Definitions…
 Cold / Closed
 A backup of any part of the target database when it is mounted but
not open.
 Image Copy:
 An exact, consistent copy of a datafile, controlfile or archived log
 Can be used as part of point-in-time recovery
 Only to disk not to tape.
 Not part of incremental backup
 These are OS level hot backups that can be used in recovery
without using RMAN
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Definitions...
 Backup piece
 A backup piece is a physical file in RMAN format that one ore
more database files reside in.
 Backup set
 A backup set is a logical entity consists of one more backup pieces
 Channel
 A server process at the target database that coordinates the reads
from the datafiles and the writes to the specified location during
backup. This is a way to parallalize backup operation.
 Can be a disk channel (default) or a tape channel
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Requirements
 RMAN always connects to the target database (internally) as
SYSDBA user. If you are not part of ‘dba’ group, RMAN cannot
access target database.
 RMAN is a client application that attaches to the target database via
ORACLE (SQL) Net. If you are planning to run RMAN remotely,
you need to create a TNS Names entry on the machine you are
running RMAN and a password file on the server for the target
database.
 RMAN needs to connect to the target database with a dedicated server
process. Shared Server (MTS) which is the default setup on 9i, will
give errors. Create a separate TNS entry that uses a dedicated server
process.
 It is recommended to setup RMAN for remote connectivity for
duplication and also to connect to recovery catalog
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Backup Files
 RMAN can backup
 The BACKUP and COPY commands support tablespace,
datafile, archived log, controlfile, spfile and another backup
set.
 RMAN performs backup operations only when an instance
has the database mounted or open, because there must be a
control file available to record the backup information
 RMAN does not back up:
 Online redo logs
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Recovery Catalog Setup

 Identify recovery catalog database
 Create a separate tablespace for recovery catalog schema objects
 Setup a user account in the recovery catalog database
 Create user rman identified by rman default tablespace catlog_tbs ;
 Grant necessary roles
 Grant connect, resource, recovery_catalog_owner to rman;
 Connect to the recovery catalog with RMAN
 RMAN catalog=rman/rman
 Issue the create catalog command
 RMAN> create catalog tablespace catlog_tbs;
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Connecting to RMAN
 On the DB Server
 Set ORACLE_SID environment variable

$ > export ORALCE_SID=tardb

 Connect to the target database
$ (tardb) >rman target /
 Remote Connection using catalog.
$ >rman target sys/syspwd@tardb catalog=catowner/pwd@catlogdb
 Assuming TNSNAMES.ORA has an entry for “tardb” and “catlogdb”

(dedicated server connection)

 Assuming passwordfile is already setup

 Assuming init.ora parameter

“REMOTE_LOGIN_PASSWORDFILE=exclusive” is already set.

 Registering the target database.
$ >register database;
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Configure Settings
 Configure channel d1 device type disk format /backup/%d/%d_%M%D_%s_%p’ ;
 Allows you to define the format for automatic channel

 Configure snapshot control file name to ‘/oraspace0/backup/%d/%d_snapcf_%U’;

 Configure backup optimization on;
 Will cause Oracle to skip backups of files that already have identical backups on the

device being backedup to.

 Configure controlfile autobackup on;
 When on, the controlfile and spfile will be automatically backed up with each

RMAN ‘backup’ or copy commands

 Configure controlfile autobackup format for device type disk to ‘bkup/%d/%d_cf_%U’ ;
 When this option is used, Oracle will automatically backup the controlfile during

database structure changes that impact the controfile.

 Database parameter CONTROL_FILE_RECORD_KEEP_TIME should be set to a value
no less than your selected database backup retention period. Default value is 7 days
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Scripting Options
 Option 1: Running at RMAN prompt
 RMAN >backup database;
 Option 2: Running inside “RUN” script
RMAN > run {
2 >allocate channel c1 type disk format ‘/backup2/%d/%d_%M%D_%s_%p’ ;
3 >allocate channel c2 type disk format ‘/backup2/%d/%d_%M%D_%s_%p’ ;
4 >backup database;
5>}
 Option 3: Running OS Script or Catalog script
 RMAN > @cold_backup.scr
 Option 4: Trough Oracle Enterprise Manager
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Cold Backup
 Target database need to be in mount state in order to take cold
backup using RMAN.
RMAN > run {
2 >allocate channel c1 type disk format ‘/backup1/%d/%d_%M%D_%s_%p’ ;
3 >allocate channel c2 type disk format ‘/backup2 /%d/%d_%M%D_%s_%p’ ;
4 >shutdown immediate;
5 >startup mount;
6 >backup database;
7 >backup current controlfile;
8 >alter database open;
9>}
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Hot Backup
 To perform hot backups with RMAN, the database MUST
be in ArchiveLog mode.
RMAN > run {
2 >allocate channel c1 type disk format ‘/backup1/%d/%d_%M%D_%s_%p’ ;
3 >allocate channel c2 type disk format ‘/backup2/%d/%d_%M%D_%s_%p’ ;
4 >backup database plus archivelog including current controlfile;
7 >release channel c1;
8 >release channel c2;
9>}
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Image Copies
 RMAN can create an exact duplicate of the datafiles,
archive logs or controlfile.
 Copy process can check for corrupted blocks.
 Only one file at a time.
 RMAN > copy datafile 3 to ‘/oraspace0/copy/ste3/users_001.cpy’
 RMAN > copy datafile ‘/u02/oradata/ste3/users_001.cpy’ to
‘/oraspace0/copy/ste3/users_002.cpy’
 RMAN > copy current controlfile to
‘/oraspace0/copy/ste3/control_001.cpy’
 RMAN > copy archivelog ‘/oralog/arch/ste3/ste3_23443.arc’ to
‘/oraspace0/copy/ste3/ste3_23443_arc.cpy’
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Validate Backup
 Oracle checks the most current backup set that will be
needed to recover your database, ensuring that it is
complete. This option also checks any datafile copies
and archive redo log backup sets that will be required for
recovery and ensures that they are all complete
 RMAN> restore database validate;

 Doesn’t check if the backups are actually available. It

only checks the quality of the backup.
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Un-register Database
 Start RMAN and get the DBID of the target database. DB ID is displayed
when you start an RMAN session.
 $> RMAN target /
 RMAN-06005: connect to target database RMAN (DBID=1234567890)
 Use SQL Plus to connect to the RECOVERY CATALOG database as
recovery catalog owner
 >sqlplus rman/rman@catlog_db
 Get db_key and db_id from db
 SQL>select db_key, db_id from db where db_id = 1234567890 ;

 Execute the package

 EXECUTE dbms_rcvcat.unregisterdatabase(db_key, db_id);

 DO NOT USE “DROP CATALOG” in RMAN Session

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Backup Examples
 Tablespace backup
 Backup tablespace users;
 Backup tablespace users plus archivelog include current controlfile
 Datafile backup
 Backup datafile 2;
 Backup datafile ‘/u01/oradata/ste3/users_001.dbf’
 Archivelog backup
 Backup archivelog all ;
 Backup archivelog from time ‘sysdate – 1 ‘;
 Backup archivelog from sequence 353;
 Backup archivelog all delete input;
 Backup archivelog all delete input until time ‘sysdate – 2’;
 Backup archivelog not backed up 3 times;
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Backup Examples…
 Controlfile backup
 Backup current controlfile;
 Each backup can be assigned a tag
 Backup database tag=‘test full backup’
 Limiting the size of a backupset
 Backup database maxsetsize=50m ;
 Using Keep parameter to override the default retention policy
 Backup database keep forever‘;
 Backup database keep until time=‘sysdate + 180’ ;
 Skipping Offline, Inaccessible or Read-only files
 Backup database skip readonly ;
 Backup database skip offline ;
 Backup database skip inaccessible;
 Backup database skip readonly skip offline skip inaccessible;
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Backup Examples…
 Validating the backups without actually taking one
 Backup validate database;
 Backing up only newly added files
 Backup database not backedup ;
 Backup databse not backedup since time=‘sysdate-2’
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Recovery
(No ArchiveLog mode)
 Recovery from the most recent backup
 Backup is still available on the location where the backup
was taken
RMAN> run {
2>startup mount;
3>restore database;
4>recover database noredo;
5>alter database open resetlogs;
6>}
 Since the db is in NOARCHIVELOG mode, and there are no
redo logs to apply. If the online redo logs are missing, the
NOREDO parameter is required. If the online redologs are
intact, the noredo parameter would not be needed.
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Recovery
(ArchiveLog mode)
 Recovery from the most recent backup
 Backup is still available on the location where
the backup was taken
RMAN> run {
2>restore database ;
3>recover database ;
4>alter database open resetlogs;
5>}
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Point-in-Time Recovery
(ArchiveLog mode)
 Recovering from an older backup
 Backup is still available on the location where the backup
was taken
RMAN> run {
2>set until time “TO_DATE( ’06/30/02 13:00:00’,’MM/DD/YY
HH24:MI:SS’)” ;
3>restore database;
4>recover database ;
5>alter database open resetlogs;
6>}
 Assuming that controlfile is available. If not, controlfile
need to be restored before doing any recovery.
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Point-in-Time Recovery…
 If ‘SET UNTIL’ is not used during recovery, RMAN tries to
recover until the last available archived log.
 Point-in-Time Recovery Options
 TIME: Specifies a time as an upper limit. RMAN selects only files
that can be used to recover up to but not including the specified
time. For example, SET UNTIL TIME ‘SYSDATE-7’ restores up to
a point one week ago.
 RUN{
SET UNTIL TIME ‘SYSDATE-1’;
……
DUPLICATE ..; }
 RUN{
SET UNTIL TIME “TO_DATE(‘01/30/2003’,
‘MM/DD/YYYY’)” ;
……
DUPLICATE ..; }
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Point-in-Time Recovery...
 SCN: Specifies an SCN as an upper limit. RMAN selects only
files that can be used to recover up to but not including the
specified SCN. For example, SET UNTIL SCN 1000 chooses
only backups that could be used to recover to SCN 1000.
 RUN{
SET UNTIL SCN 10003;
……
DUPLICATE ..; }
 SEQUENCE: Specifies a redo log sequence number and thread
as an upper limit. RMAN selects only files that can be used to
recover up to but not including the specified sequence number.
For example, SET UNTIL SEQUENCE 8000 reports only
backups that could be used to recover through log sequence
 RUN{
SET UNTIL SEQUENCE 1345 THREAD 1;
……
DUPLICATE ..; }