I have looked at using OS authenthication, but due to restrictions placed on the company by our sites it wouldnt be a viable option + we run on both windows and UNIX which will add yet another level of complexity - I want to try and keep the maintenance down to a minimum as i have 8 sites and 40 database to keep track of.

By implmenting a single db for RMAN to each site and using pipes to run recovery and backups i can manage everything within a single DB on each site and not have the password exposed outside of the database, which at the end of the day can only be a good thing.

I have a tar open with oracle and a thread open at asktom (he knows how to do it i think but as yet hasnt told me!) so if either of them gives me the answer i will post it.

I just cant believe that nobody has tried to do this before, i have spent the past 24 hours trying to find the solution but as yet have drawn a complete blank. If needs be i'll just have to implement the packages as part of the standard application, but then i have to go thru the ball ache of change control when every any updates are required :(