RMAN - "semi" incarnation

[Axr2]

Strange that RMAN doesn't differentiate a database (not really a new 'incarnation') restored under the below circumstance. (And yes, I realize that only a "resetlogs" leads to a new incarnation). Wonder how RMAN will go about restoring/recovering in the below scenario. It might be worth a test sometime! Hopefully, I'm not missing something obvious..

Say, Database Db1 is in archivelog mode.
1) It was shutdown a week ago. A cold backup (with a simple file copy and NOT using RMAN) was taken (including d/fs, redologs, ctl files). The database was then at sequence # 100.

2) A day later you start to use RMAN on Db1, with a separate catalog - RMANCAT. You're happily crusing along backing up archivelogs and the like. The sequence#s are incrementing in the meanwhile.

3) A few days later, you're at sequnce# 200. Now, you wipe out DB1.

4) Restore Db1 from step 1 (cold backup) with a simple "startup". You're back to sequence# 100.

5) Now start backing up the database, archivelogs etc using RMAN again. Note : you didn't have to create a new incarnation!

6) A few days later, try restores and recovery (with SCNs) on this new database. I would think it ought to confuse the hell out of RMAN!

(Worse yet, in step 5 - say your RMAN script issues a 'backup archivelog all not backed up 1 times;' - the script will probably skip many archivelog files altogether, since it would incorrectly think that they'd already been backed up!)

[marist89]

Try it out and let us know.

[stmontgo]

Originally posted by marist89
Try it out and let us know.

not taking the bait huh?

[marist89]

Originally posted by stmontgo
not taking the bait huh?

I'd stop at 4, recovering to the point I wanted, and open with resetlogs.

[Axr2]

Where's the fun in that?!

Speaking of fun - I'm having to restore a gargantuan database on a Friday evening..gives me undiluted joy.