RMAN Q & A Page - 3

RMAN INTERVIEW QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

                Page – 3

21. Only some blocks are damaged  in a data file, can you just recover doing recovery  using RMAN?

Yes

22. Which tools can you  use for full  backup?

You can use either the O/S utilities or   the RMAN utility for full backup. However, oracle recommends  to use RMAN utility

23. What is the difference between  hot backup and  cold backup?

Hot backup is taken when database is still online cold backup is taken when database is offline. Database needs to be in the archive log mode for the  hot backup  but there is no such requirement for the cold backup.

24. What is the  difference incremental backup  and differential  backup?

Both incremental  and differtial backup files that  have been  modified or created after  the previous backup. However, attributes  are  reset after the  incremental  but not after the differential backup

25. Can you take offline backup with RMAN?

Yes you can  take offline backup with RMAN

26. What recovery  catalog?

Recovery  is an inventory of the backup taken by RMAN for the database. It is used  to restore a physical  backup, reconstruct  it,  and make it available  to the oracle  server

27. Why is the catalog optional?

Catalog is the optional  because RMAN manages backup and recovery operations and it requires  a place  to store necessary  information  about  the database. RMAN always stores this  information in the target database  control file. You. can also store the RMAN metadata in recovery  catalog schema  contained  in a  separate database.  The recovery  schema must  be stored  in a database  other than the target database

28. Can  one restore RMAN backup without a control file and optionally a recovery  catalog.?

Details  of RMAN backups are stored in the database control files and optionally recovery catalog.  If  both these are gone, RMAN cannot restore the  database. In such a situation one must extract a control file (or other files) from the backup. Pieces written out when  the last  was taken.

29. What is backup set?

Backup set is  a logical  of backup files that are created when  you issue  an RMAN backup command. It is RMAN’s name for a collection of files associated with a backup.  A backup set is  composed of one or more backup pieces.

30. Can  you  take partial  backup  if the database   is running in the  NOARCHIVELOG mode?

In this case, partial  backup is possible, however, they are not useful.