Applies to:
Oracle Database - Enterprise Edition - Version 10.2.0.1 to 11.2.0.3 Release 10.2 to 11.2
Information in this document applies to any platform.
Goal
When I try to 'change...keep' a backupset in the FRA, I get error ORA-19811, how can I KEEP a backup written to the Flash Recovery Area (FRA)?
RESEARCH
=========
OERR ORA-19811 cannot have files in DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST with keep attribute
Note.305817.1 FAQ - Flash Recovery Area feature of 10G
Note 315098.1 How is the space pressure managed in the Flash Recovery Area - Example.
Solution
ANSWER
=======
As the space management of the FRA is automatic, you cannot KEEP a backupset created in the FRA.
A backup needed to be KEPT, must be created outside the flash recovery area. There are several ways of accomplishing this:
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When performing the backup, use FORMAT along with the backup command to place the backupsets to a location other than default (which would be the FRA).
-
Copy the desired backups in another location. If restore of these backups is ever required, and the RMAN meta data has aged out, then 'catalog backuppiece' and restore the backup. Note, this is a new Oracle10g option.
3, Once the backupset deleted from the FRA, due to space management, the backup can then be KEPT using the 'change' command. In other words, if the FRA is copied to tape (or to backup copied to alternative disk location using 'backup backupset', once the backupset is deleted from the FRA, it's KEEP options can be changed.
Note, this can be expedited by manually coping the backupset at the OS level, delete the original backup, catalog and keep the copy. See the following testcase:
TESTCASE
RMAN> list backup of database summary;
List of Backups
===============
Key TY LV S Device Type Completion Time #Pieces #Copies Compressed Tag
135 B F A DISK 28-NOV-06 1 1 NO TAG20061128T150309
218 B F A DISK 28-NOV-06 1 1 NO TAG20061128T161144
423 B F A DISK 30-NOV-06 1 1 NO TAG20061130T130903
452 B F A DISK 01-DEC-06 1 1 NO TAG20061201T100942
RMAN> list backupset 452;
List of Backup Sets
===================
BS Key Type LV Size Device Type Elapsed Time Completion Time
452 Full 286.59M DISK 00:00:48 01-DEC-06
BP Key: 455 Status: AVAILABLE Compressed: NO Tag: TAG20061201T100942
Piece Name:
/<path>/flash_recovery_area/<db name>/backupset/2006_12_01/<name of backuppiece>
List of Datafiles in backup set 452
File LV Type Ckp SCN Ckp Time Name
1 Full 382053 01-DEC-06 /<path>/system01.dbf
2 Full 382053 01-DEC-06 /<path>/undotbs01.dbf
3 Full 382053 01-DEC-06 /<path>/sysaux01.dbf
4 Full 382053 01-DEC-06 /<path>//users01.dbf
At OS:
$ cp /<path>/flash_recovery_area/<db name>/backupset/2006_12_01/<name of backuppiece> /<new path>
$ pwd /<new path>
$ ls <name of backuppiece>
In RMAN:
RMAN> delete backupset 452;
using channel ORA_DISK_1
List of Backup Pieces
BP Key BS Key Pc# Cp# Status Device Type Piece Name
455 452 1 1 AVAILABLE DISK
/<path>/flash_recovery_area/<db name>/backupset/2006_12_01/<name of backuppiece>
Do you really want to delete the above objects (enter YES or NO)? yes
deleted backup piece
backup piece
handle=/<path>/flash_recovery_area/<db name>/backupset/2006_12_01/<name of backuppiece> recid=24 stamp=608033386
Deleted 1 objects
RMAN> catalog backuppiece '/<backuppiece in new copied path>';
cataloged backuppiece
backup piece handle=/<backuppiece in new copied path> recid=26 stamp=608033760
RMAN> list backup of database summary;
List of Backups
===============
Key TY LV S Device Type Completion Time #Pieces #Copies Compressed Tag
135 B F A DISK 28-NOV-06 1 1 NO TAG20061128T150309
218 B F A DISK 28-NOV-06 1 1 NO TAG20061128T161144
423 B F A DISK 30-NOV-06 1 1 NO TAG20061130T130903
489 B F A DISK 01-DEC-06 1 1 NO TAG20061201T100942
RMAN> change backupset 489 keep forever nologs;
using channel ORA_DISK_1
keep attributes for the backup are changed
backup will never be obsolete
archived logs required to recover from this backup will not be kept
backup set key=489 recid=23 stamp=608033760
RMAN> list backupset 489;
List of Backup Sets
===================
BS Key Type LV Size Device Type Elapsed Time Completion Time
489 Full 286.59M DISK 00:00:00 01-DEC-06
BP Key: 495 Status: AVAILABLE Compressed: NO Tag: TAG20061201T100942
Piece Name: /<backuppiece in new copied path>
Keep: NOLOGS Until: FOREVER
List of Datafiles in backup set 489
File LV Type Ckp SCN Ckp Time Name
1 Full 382053 01-DEC-06 /<path>/system01.dbf
2 Full 382053 01-DEC-06 /<path>/undotbs01.dbf
3 Full 382053 01-DEC-06 /<path>/sysaux01.dbf
4 Full 382053 01-DEC-06 /<path>/users01.dbf
RMAN>