Configure Standby Database using RMAN

Configure Physical Standby Database using RMAN:
Follow the below steps to configure physical standby database using RMAN

Target Database:
Make sure the target database is mount or on open stage.

$ export ORACLE_SID TEST
$ rman target /
RMAN> show all;
Using target database controlfile instead of recovery catalog RMAN configuration parameters are:
CONFIGURE RETENTION POLICY TO RECOVERY WINDOW OF 1 DAYS;
CONFIGURE BACKUP OPTIMIZATION OFF;CONFIGURE DEFAULT DEVICE TYPE TO DISK;
CONFIGURE CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP ON;
CONFIGURE CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP FORMAT FOR DEVICE TYPE DISK TO '/u01/oradata/backup/Oracle_Backups d_ F.rman';
CONFIGURE DEVICE TYPE DISK PARALLELISM 1;
CONFIGURE DATAFILE BACKUP COPIES FOR DEVICE TYPE DISK TO 1;
CONFIGURE ARCHIVELOG BACKUP COPIES FOR DEVICE TYPE DISK TO 1;
CONFIGURE CHANNEL DEVICE TYPE DISK FORMAT '/u01/oradata/backup/Oracle_Backups d_ F.rman';
CONFIGURE MAXSETSIZE TO UNLIMITED;
CONFIGURE SNAPSHOT CONTROLFILE NAME TO '/u01/oradata/backup/ORACLEORA92DATABASESNCFTEST.ORA';

2. Backup the current production database to create a standby database:

RMAN> backup database include current controlfile for standby plus archivelog;

3. Manually copy the backup sets from the production server to the DR Server (location of backups must match on both production and DR). Make sure all DR filesystems are identical with respect to the target database environment.

4. On the DR Server start up the TEST database in nomount mode. Make sure the parameter file and password file are all present at DR server at $ORACLE_HOME/dbs location for UNIX system.

$ set ORACLE_SID TEST
$ sqlplus /nolog
SQL> connect / as sysdba
SQL> startup nomount
SQL> exit

5. Create the standby database using RMAN. This assumes the database file structures will be identical on both servers. Also you have initialization parameter, password file and backup piece are all placed in their correct locations. The tnsnames.ora and listener.ora must have information for target and auxiliary database and listener is up.

$ RMAN target ‘sys/password@TEST’ auxiliary / (This is executed from DR server.)
RMAN> duplicate target database for standby nofilenamecheck dorecover;

6. Once the DR database is created, you will need to manually add a tempfile:

SQL> alter database open read only;
SQL> alter tablespace temp add tempfile ‘/u01/oradata/TEMP01.DBF’ size 500M;

7. Put the DR database into managed standby mode:

SQL> shutdown immediate
SQL> startup nomount
SQL> alter database mount standby database;
SQL> alter database recover managed standby database disconnect;

8. On the production database switch logs to initiate replication:

SQL> alter system switch logfile;

The configuration of Dataguard is now complete.

For more detailed information to create a Physical standby database using RMAN, refer the below URL:
http://www.idevelopment.info/data/Oracle/DBA_tips/RMAN_9i/RMAN9_32.shtml

RMAN Commands

RMAN Commands:
This chapter describes, in alphabetical order, Recovery Manager commands and subclauses. For a summary of the RMAN commands and command-line options, refer to "Summary of RMAN Commands".

http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B14117_01/server.101/b10770/rcmsynta.htm#77541

For command line options for the RMAN client, refer to "cmdLine".

To configure recovery catalog database refer the below URL:
http://oracledocaccess.blogspot.com/2009/06/configure-recovery-catalog.html

For RMAN concepts refer the below URL:
http://oracledocaccess.blogspot.com/2009/06/rman-concepts.html

Configure Recovery Catalog

Create a Recovery Catalog database:
As you have already aware of the RMAN Concepts, it is time to create a recovery catalog database to keep all backup/recovery metadata. Lets first create the environment to create a recovery catalog database.

Pre-requisites:
1: It is assumed that oracle software is installed and a normal Oracle database (Ex: RMAND) is already created using dbca.
2: It is assumed that the Listener is up and running.
3: It is assumed that the tnsnames.ora contains RMAND database connection information.

Test the environment in Server:
$ ps -ef grep tns
LISTENER_RMAND process is running

$ tnsping rmand
OK (80 msec)

Create the RMAN user in the database.
$ sqlplus / as sysdba
SQL> Create user rman identifed by rman default tablespace Users and temporary tablespace temp quota unlimited on users;
SQL> Grant create session, connect, resource, recovery_catalog_owner to rman;

Test Connectivity:
Lets do a test whether connectivity works fine or not.

$sqlplus rman/rman@rmand

If it is connected to database then you are all set to create a recovery catalog database.

Create a Catalog database:
$ rman catalog rman/rman@rmand
RMAN> Create Catalog;

The above steps will complete the catalog database creation. RMAN schema will have entire RMAN objects which will hold backup/recovery metadata.

Registering the TARGET database:
As the recovery catalog database is created. It is time to register the target database which needs to be backed up using RMAN.

Pre-requisites:
1: It is assumed that oracle software is installed and a normal Oracle database (Ex: RIPO) is already created using dbca.
2: It is assumed that the Listener is up and running.
3: It is assumed that the tnsnames.ora contains RMAND (Recovery Catalog) and RIPO (Target database) database connection information.

Test the environment in Server:
$ ps -ef grep tns
LISTENER_RMAND process is running
LISTENER_RIPO process is running

$ tnsping ripo
OK (80 msec)

$ tnsping rmand
OK (80 msec)

Set the TARGET database environment:
$ . oraenvORACLE_SID = [RIPO] ? RIPO

Register Target Database:
$ rman target system/manager@ripo catalog rman/rman@rmand

RMAN> register database;

database registered in recovery catalog
starting full resync of recovery catalog
full resync complete

Where to See whether the target database is registered or not?
Connect to recovery catalog database and execute the below to find whether target database is registered with recovery catalog database or not.

$sqlplus rman/rman@rmand
SQL> select * from rc_database;
DB_KEY DBINC_KEY DBID NAME RESETLOGS_CHANGE# RESETLOGS
--------- ------------- ------ ----- ----------------- -------------
1 2 2498101982 RIPO 1 15-JAN-04

For RMAN Concepts refer:
http://oracledocaccess.blogspot.com/2009/06/rman-concepts.html

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