10 RMAN Syntax Quick Reference

This section gives an overview of the most common RMAN commands and their most commonly used options. Commands documented here include:

@
BACKUP
CHANGE
CONFIGURE
CROSSCHECK
DELETE
LIST
RECOVER
REPORT
RESTORE
RUN
SET
SHOW

The following subclauses are used in the parameters to several commands:

archivelogRecordSpecifier
completedTimeSpec
datafileSpec
deviceSpecifier
maintQualifier
untilClause

Syntax descriptions use vertical ellipses to indicate less-frequently-used parameters and options. Refer to the Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Reference for complete documentation of syntax and semantics of RMAN commands.

Reads in a command file; executes each command in it in order.

@filename

archivelogRecordSpecifier

This subclause specifies a range of archived redo logs.

ARCHIVELOG 
{ ALL 
| LIKE 'string_pattern' 
| archlogRange [LIKE 'string_pattern' [THREAD [=] integer]]
}

{ { { UNTIL TIME | FROM TIME } [=] 'date_string'
  | { TIME BETWEEN 'date_string' AND
    | FROM TIME [=] 'date_string' UNTIL TIME [=]
    } 
    'date_string' 
  | UNTIL SCN [=] integer 
  | SCN BETWEEN integer AND integer 
  | FROM SCN [=] integer [UNTIL SCN [=] integer]
  }
  [THREAD [=] integer]
| { UNTIL SEQUENCE [=] integer
  | FROM SEQUENCE [=] integer [UNTIL SEQUENCE [=] integer] 
  | SEQUENCE [BETWEEN integer AND] integer
  }
  [THREAD [=] integer]
}

BACKUP

Backs up database files, archived logs, backups, and copies.

BACKUP 
[ ( 
  (FULL | INCREMENTAL LEVEL [=] integer) 
  | [ (FULL | INCREMENTAL LEVEL [=] integer) ]
  AS (COPY | BACKUPSET) 
  | AS (COPY | BACKUPSET) 
  (FULL | INCREMENTAL LEVEL [=] integer)
  )
] 
[backupOperand [backupOperand]...] backupSpec [backupSpec]...
[PLUS ARCHIVELOG [backupSpecOperand [backupSpecOperand]...]];  


backupOperand::=
{ FORMAT [=] 'format_string' [, 'format_string']... 
| CHANNEL ['] channel_id [']
| CUMULATIVE
| MAXSETSIZE [=] integer [ K | M | G ]
| TAG [=] ['] tag_name [']
| keepOption
| SKIP { OFFLINE | READONLY | INACCESSIBLE }
| VALIDATE
| NOT BACKED UP [SINCE TIME [=] 'date_string']
| COPIES [=] integer
| DEVICE TYPE deviceSpecifier
.
.
.
}

backupSpec::=
[(] 
{ BACKUPSET 
  { {ALL | completedTimeSpec } 
  | primary_key) [, primary_key]...
  }
| COPY OF { DATABASE 
          | TABLESPACE ['] tablespace_name ['] [, ['] tablespace_name [']]...
          | DATAFILE datafileSpec [, datafileSpec]...
          }
| DATAFILE datafileSpec [, datafileSpec]... 
| DATAFILECOPY 'filename' [, 'filename']...   
| DATAFILECOPY FROM TAG [=] ['] tag_name ['] [, ['] tag_name [']]... 
| DATAFILECOPY { ALL | LIKE 'string_pattern' }
| TABLESPACE ['] tablespace_name ['] [, ['] tablespace_name [']]... 
| DATABASE 
| archivelogRecordSpecifier
| CURRENT CONTROLFILE [FOR STANDBY] 
| CONTROLFILECOPY 'filename'
| SPFILE
}
[backupSpecOperand [backupSpecOperand]...] 

backupSpecOperand::=
{ FORMAT [=] 'format_string' [, 'format_string']... 
| CHANNEL ['] channel_id [']
| CUMULATIVE
| MAXSETSIZE [=] integer [ K | M | G ]
| TAG [=] ['] tag_name [']
| keepOption
| SKIP { OFFLINE | READONLY | INACCESSIBLE }
| NOT BACKED UP [ SINCE TIME [=] 'date_string' 
                | integer TIMES 
                ]
| DELETE [ALL] INPUT
.
.
.
}

CHANGE

Updates status of a backup or copy in the RMAN repository.

CHANGE 
{ { BACKUP | COPY } [OF listObjList] [ maintQualifier [maintQualifier]...]
| archivelogRecordSpecifier
| recordSpec [DEVICE TYPE deviceSpecifier [, deviceSpecifier]...]
}
{ AVAILABLE | UNAVAILABLE | UNCATALOG | keepOption } 
[DEVICE TYPE deviceSpecifier [, deviceSpecifier]...];

completedTimeSpec

COMPLETED
{ AFTER [=] 
| BETWEEN 'date_string' AND | BEFORE [=] } 'date_string'

CONFIGURE

Change persistent RMAN configuration settings.

CONFIGURE 
{ deviceConf 
| backupConf 
| { AUXNAME FOR DATAFILE datafileSpec 
  | SNAPSHOT CONTROLFILE NAME
  }
  { TO 'filename' | CLEAR }
| cfauConf
};

deviceCon::=
{ DEFAULT DEVICE TYPE { TO deviceSpecifier | CLEAR }
| DEVICE TYPE deviceSpecifier { PARALLELISM integer | CLEAR }
| [AUXILIARY] CHANNEL [integer] DEVICE TYPE deviceSpecifier
  { allocOperandList | CLEAR }
}

allocOperandList::=
{ PARMS [=] 'channel_parms' 
| FORMAT [=] 'format_string' [, 'format_string']...
| { MAXPIECESIZE [=] integer | RATE [=] integer } [ K | M | G ] 
.
.
.
}...
connectStringSpec::=
['] [userid] [/ [password]] [@net_service_name] [']

backupConf::=
{ RETENTION POLICY { TO { RECOVERY WINDOW OF integer DAYS
                           | REDUNDANCY [=] integer
                           | NONE
                         }
                      | CLEAR
                    }
| MAXSETSIZE { TO { integer [ K | M | G ]
                    | UNLIMITED
                   }
               | CLEAR
              }
| { ARCHIVELOG | DATAFILE }
  BACKUP COPIES FOR DEVICE TYPE deviceSpecifier
  { TO integer | CLEAR }
| BACKUP OPTIMIZATION { ON | OFF | CLEAR }
| EXCLUDE FOR TABLESPACE tablespace_name [CLEAR]
}

cfauConf::==
CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP
{ ON
| OFF
| CLEAR
| FORMAT FOR DEVICE TYPE deviceSpecifier { TO 'format string' | CLEAR }
}

CROSSCHECK

Checks whether backup pieces, proxy copies, and disk copies still exist.

CROSSCHECK
{ 
  { BACKUP [OF listObjList] 
  | COPY [OF listObjList] 
  | archivelogRecordSpecifier 
  } [maintQualifier [maintQualifier]...] 
| recordSpec [DEVICE TYPE deviceSpecifier [, deviceSpecifier]...]
};

listObjList::=
[ DATAFILE datafileSpec [, datafileSpec]... 
| TABLESPACE ['] tablespace_name ['] [, ['] tablespace_name [']]... 
| archivelogRecordSpecifier 
| DATABASE [SKIP TABLESPACE ['] tablespace_name ['] [, ['] tablespace_name [']]...] 
| CONTROLFILE
| SPFILE
]...

recordSpec::=
{ { BACKUPPIECE | PROXY } 
  { 'media_handle' [, 'media_handle']... 
  | primary_key [, primary_key]... 
  | TAG [=] ['] tag_name [']
  }
| BACKUPSET primary_key [, primary_key]...
| { CONTROLFILECOPY | DATAFILECOPY }
  { { primary_key [, primary_key]... 
    | 'filename' [, 'filename']...
    } 
  | TAG [=] ['] tag_name ['] [, ['] tag_name [']]...
  }
| ARCHIVELOG
  { primary_key [, primary_key]... 
  | 'filename' [, 'filename']...
  }
}

datafileSpec

datafileSpec::=
{ 'filename'| integer }

DELETE

Deletes backups and copies from disk or tape media, and updates the RMAN repository accordingly.

DELETE [FORCE] [NOPROMPT] 
{ [EXPIRED] 
  { 
    { BACKUP [OF listObjList]
    | COPY   [OF listObjList] 
    | archivelogRecordSpecifier
    } [maintQualifier [maintQualifier]...]
  | recordSpec [DEVICE TYPE deviceSpecifier [, deviceSpecifier]...] 
  }
| OBSOLETE [obsOperandList]
  [DEVICE TYPE (deviceSpecifier [, deviceSpecifier]...]
};

obsOperandList::=
[ REDUNDANCY [=] integer | RECOVERY WINDOW OF integer DAYS ]...

deviceSpecifier

deviceSpecifier::=
{ DISK | ['] media_device ['] }

LIST

Lists the backups and copies recorded in the repository.

LIST 
{ INCARNATION [OF DATABASE [['] database_name [']]] 
| [EXPIRED]
  { listObjectSpec  
    [ maintQualifier | RECOVERABLE [untilClause] ]... 
  | recordSpec
  }
};

listObjectSpec::=
{ BACKUP [OF listObjList] [listBackupOption]
| COPY [OF listObjList]
| archivelogRecordSpecifier
}

listObjectList::=
[ DATAFILE datafileSpec [, datafileSpec]... 
| TABLESPACE ['] tablespace_name ['] [, ['] tablespace_name [']]... 
| archivelogRecordSpecifier 
| DATABASE [SKIP TABLESPACE ['] tablespace_name ['] 
  [, ['] tablespace_name [']]...] 
| CONTROLFILE
| SPFILE
]...

listBackupOption::=
[ [BY BACKUP] [VERBOSE]
| SUMMARY
| BY { BACKUP SUMMARY | FILE }
]

maintQualifier

{ TAG [=] ['] tag_name [']
| completedTimeSpec
| LIKE 'string_pattern'
| DEVICE TYPE deviceSpecifier [, deviceSpecifier]...
| BACKED UP integer TIMES TO DEVICE TYPE deviceSpecifier
}

RECOVER

Performs media recovery from RMAN backups and copies.

RECOVER [DEVICE TYPE deviceSpecifier [, deviceSpecifier]...] 
recoverObject [recoverOptionList];

recoverObject::=
{ DATABASE 
  [ untilClause
  | [untilClause] SKIP [FOREVER] TABLESPACE 
    ['] tablespace_name ['] [, ['] tablespace_name [']]...
  ]
| TABLESPACE ['] tablespace_name ['] [, ['] tablespace_name [']]...
| DATAFILE datafileSpec [, datafileSpec]...
}

recoverOptionList::=
{ DELETE ARCHIVELOG [MAXSIZE {integer [K | M | G]}]
| CHECK READONLY 
| NOREDO 
| { FROM TAG | ARCHIVELOG TAG } [=] ['] tag_name [']
.
.
.
}...

REPORT

Reports backup status of your database: which files are in the database, which files need backups, and which backups are obsolete or unrecoverable.

REPORT 
{ { NEED BACKUP [ { INCREMENTAL | DAYS } [=] integer 
                  | REDUNDANCY [=] integer 
                  | RECOVERY WINDOW OF integer DAYS)
                  ] 
  | UNRECOVERABLE
  } 
  reportObject 
| SCHEMA [atClause] 
| OBSOLETE [obsOperandList]
}
[ DEVICE TYPE deviceSpecifier [,deviceSpecifier]... ] 

reportObject::=
[ DATAFILE datafileSpec [, datafileSpec]... 
| TABLESPACE ['] tablespace_name ['] [, ['] tablespace_name [']]... 
| DATABASE [SKIP TABLESPACE ['] tablespace_name ['] [, ['] tablespace_name [']]...]
]

atClause::=
{ AT TIME [=] 'date_string'
| AT SCN [=] integer
| AT SEQUENCE [=] integer THREAD [=] integer
}

obsOperandList::= 
[ REDUNDANCY [=] integer | RECOVERY WINDOW OF integer DAYS ]...

RESTORE

Restores RMAN backups and copies.

RESTORE
[(] restoreObject [(restoreSpecOperand [restoreSpecOperand]...] [)]... 
[ CHANNEL ['] channel_id ['] 
| PARMS [=] 'channel_parms' 
| FROM { BACKUPSET | DATAFILECOPY } 
| untilClause 
| FROM TAG [=] ['] tag_name ['] 
| VALIDATE 
| DEVICE TYPE deviceSpecifier [, deviceSpecifier]... 
.
.
.
]...;

restoreObject::=
{ CONTROLFILE [TO 'filename']
| DATABASE 
  [SKIP [FOREVER] TABLESPACE 
   ['] tablespace_name ['] [, ['] tablespace_name [']]...
  ]
| DATAFILE datafileSpec [, datafileSpec]...
| TABLESPACE ['] tablespace_name ['] [, ['] tablespace_name [']]...
| archivelogRecordSpecifier
| SPFILE [TO [PFILE] 'filename']
}

restoreSpecOperand::=
{ CHANNEL ['] channel_id [']
| FROM TAG [=] ['] tag_name [']
| PARMS [=] 'channel_parms'
| FROM 
  { AUTOBACKUP 
    [{ MAXSEQ | MAXDAYS } [=] integer)]... 
  | 'media_handle'
  }
}

RUN

Some RMAN commands are only valid inside a RUN block.

RUN { 
  ...
}

SET

Creates settings that apply only to the current RMAN session.

SET { set_rman_option [;] | set_run_option; }

set_rman_option::=
{ ECHO { ON | OFF }
| DBID [=] integer
| CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP FORMAT FOR DEVICE TYPE deviceSpecifier TO 'frmt_string'

set_run_option::=
{ NEWNAME FOR DATAFILE datafileSpec TO { 'filename' | NEW }
| ARCHIVELOG DESTINATION TO 'log_archive_dest'
| untilClause
| COMMAND ID TO 'string'
| CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP FORMAT FOR DEVICE TYPE deviceSpecifier TO 'frmt_string'
.
.
.
}

SHOW

Displays the currently enabled CONFIGURE commands.

SHOW 
{ RETENTION POLICY 
| [DEFAULT] DEVICE TYPE 
| [AUXILIARY] CHANNEL [FOR DEVICE TYPE deviceSpecifier] 
| MAXSETSIZE 
| { DATAFILE | ARCHIVELOG } BACKUP COPIES 
| BACKUP OPTIMIZATION 
| SNAPSHOT CONTROLFILE NAME 
| AUXNAME 
| EXCLUDE
| CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP [FORMAT] 
| ALL
};

untilClause

{ UNTIL TIME [=] 'date_string'
| UNTIL SCN [=] integer
| UNTIL SEQUENCE [=] integer THREAD [=] integer
}