Databases Reference
In-Depth Information
Cataloging the Fast Recovery Area
You can also use the
catalog recovery area
command to catalog the contents of the fast recovery area. All the
backup sets, archived redo logs, and datafile copies that are part of the fast recovery area will be cataloged.
Here's how to do that:
RMAN> catalog recovery area;
The clause
recovery area
in this command is an exact synonym for
db_recovery_file_dest.
How It Works
The
catalog
command comes in handy when you want to record information pertaining to backup-related files that
were created outside the context of the recovery catalog. It's important to understand that this
catalog
command
is completely different from the
connect catalog
command used when connecting to the recovery catalog. The
catalog
command helps you add to the RMAN repository any backup pieces and image copies you may have on disk.
In addition, you can also employ the
catalog
command to record a data file copy as a level 0 incremental backup
within the RMAN repository, making that backup eligible for use in an incremental backup strategy.
When you create a recovery catalog, an initial automatic synchronization occurs. During this synchronization
process, RMAN gets all backup-related data from the current control file and stores the data in its own internal tables.
However, as you probably are aware by now, the control file doesn't necessarily save
all
the older backup-related data.
It's quite likely that some of the older backup data has aged out of the control file because of space limitations. You can
make all the aged-out, older backup data available to RMAN by explicitly using the
catalog
command to register the
older backups, recording them in your recovery catalog.
Updating the Recovery Catalog
Problem
The recovery catalog is sometimes not available when issuing certain RMAN commands. In addition, RMAN updates
of the recovery catalog may be made infrequently under some conditions. You want to make sure the recovery catalog
is updated with all the current backup information.
Solution
You use the
resync catalog
command to update or resynchronize a recovery catalog. You must connect to the
recovery catalog as well as to the target database to perform the resynchronization. First, start the target database
in mount mode:
RMAN> startup mount;
Next, once you connect to the target database, issue the
resync catalog
command:
RMAN> resync catalog;
starting full resync of recovery catalog
full resync complete
RMAN>
