RMAN Concepts

Components of the RMAN Environment:
Component:Target database
Description:The control files, datafiles, and optional archived redo logs that RMAN is in charge of backing up or restoring. RMAN uses the target database control file to gather metadata about the target database and to store information about its own operations. The work of backup and recovery is performed by server sessions running on the target database.
Required?:Yes

Component:RMAN client
Description:The client application that manages backup and recovery operations for a target database. The RMAN client can use Oracle Net to connect to a target database, so it can be located on any host that is connected to the target host through Oracle Net.
Required?:Yes

Component:Recovery catalog database
Description:A database containing the recovery catalog schema, which contains the metadata that RMAN uses to perform its backup and recovery operations.
Required?:No

Component:Recovery catalog schema
Description:The user within the recovery catalog database that owns the metadata tables maintained by RMAN. RMAN periodically propagates metadata from the target database control file into the recovery catalog.
Required?:No

Component:Standby database
Description:A copy of the primary database that is updated using archived logs created by the primary database. RMAN can create or back up a standby database. You can fail over to the standby database if the primary database goes down.
Required?:No

Component: Duplicate database
Description:A copy of the primary database that you can use for testing purposes.
Required?:No

Component:Media management application
Description:A vendor-specific application that allows RMAN to back up to a storage system such as tape.
Required?:No

Component:Media management catalog
Description:A vendor-specific repository of information about a media management application.
Required?:No

Component:Enterprise Manager
Description:A browser-based interface to the database, including backup and recovery through RMAN.
Required?No

As you know the above mentioned required components (Target Database and RMAN client) are available as soon as you are ready with your target database. The RMAN client is an executable which comes with the database software installation. Fire the below and you will see whether RMAN is installed or not.

C:\Documents and Settings\sisrath>rman
Recovery Manager: Release 10.2.0.1.0 - Production on Thu Jun 4 11:58:46 2009
Copyright (c) 1982, 2005, Oracle. All rights reserved.
RMAN>

Now when you know how to get ready with the required components you should have a basic idea about how RMAN stores all the backup and recovery related information. The below section will provide a clear idea on this.

Storage of the RMAN Repository in the Control File:
Because most information in the recovery catalog is also available in the target database's control file, RMAN supports an operational mode in which it uses the target database control file instead of a recovery catalog. This mode is especially appropriate for small databases where installation and administration of a separate recovery catalog database is burdensome. The only RMAN feature that is not supported in NOCATALOG mode is stored scripts.

When you do not use a recovery catalog, the control file is the exclusive source of information about backups and copies as well as other relevant information. The control file contains two types of records:
1: Circular reuse records
2: Noncircular reuse records.

Circular Reuse Records:
Circular reuse records contain noncritical information that is eligible to be overwritten if the need arises. These records contain information that is continually generated by the database. Circular reuse records are arranged in a logical ring. When all available record slots are full, the database either expands the control file to make room for a new record or overwrites the oldest record. The CONTROL_FILE_RECORD_KEEP_TIME initialization parameter specifies the minimum age in days of a record before it can be reused. By default it is 7 days. SO it is always recommended to have CONTROL_FILE_RECORD_KEEP_TIME with a higher value when no catalog database is used to store as much as backup and recovery metadata information.

Noncircular Reuse Records:
Noncircular reuse records contain critical information that does not change often and cannot be overwritten. Some examples of information in noncircular reuse records include datafiles, online redo logs, and redo threads.

RMAN Repository:
The RMAN repository is the collection of metadata about the target databases that RMAN uses for backup, recovery, and maintenance. Recovery catalog, an external Oracle database in which this information can be stored. The control file has finite space for records of backup activities, while a recovery catalog can store a much longer history. The added complexity of operating a recovery catalog database can be offset by the convenience of having the extended backup history available if you have to do a recovery that goes further back in time than the history in the control file.

There are also a few features of RMAN that only function when you use a recovery catalog. For example, RMAN stored scripts are stored in the recovery catalog, so commands related to them require the use of a recovery catalog. Other RMAN commands are specifically related to managing the recovery catalog and so are not available (and not needed) if RMAN is not connected to a recovery catalog.

The recovery catalog's version of the RMAN repository is maintained solely by RMAN. The target instance never accesses it directly. RMAN propagates information about the database structure, archived redo logs, backup sets, and datafile copies into the recovery catalog from the target database's control file after any operation that updates the repository, and also before certain operations.

The RMAN repository is no different than a normal database. As it holds the most backup/recovery information of all target databases, hence it is required to keep a backup of this database. The backup of this database is always recommended to be taken by using Cold/Hot backup concepts.

Now you know what are all the required components and how RMAN stores the backup/recovery metadata information. Now it is time to setup an environment to do the RMAN backup.

Create Recovery Catalog Database and Register the Target Database:
http://oracledocaccess.blogspot.com/2009/06/configure-recovery-catalog.html