Re: RMAN 8i - automatically deleting backed up archivelogs

On 10 Apr 2006 14:00:29 -0700, "BD" <bobby_dread_at_hotmail.com> wrote:

>Hi, all.
>
>I had an issue last week where, in my RMAN backup, I got a message that
>an archive log was "absent or out of sync with catalog". I did some
>digging on the groups, and saw a number of posts advising adding the
>"change archivelog all crosscheck" command to the script.
>
>I did this, and my archive log errors went away.
>
>I also noticed that the backed-up log files were gone from the disk
>after the backup completed.
>
>I am looking at the online product docs, at the page outlining syntax
>for the rman "change" command. Nowhere here does it say that the above
>string will delete backed-up archived log files (it talks about
>_marking_ files as deleted, but not deleting files), but that seems to
>be exactly what it's doing.
>
>Can someone clarify that this is the intent of the "change archivelog
>all crosscheck" string? - to confirm that deleted archive log files are
>purged from the catalog, and that backed up archive log files are
>deleted?
>
>Also - can someone suggest whether it is more appropriate to put this
>crosscheck command _before_ the current backup command (ie to
>crosscheck all archive log files first) or after (to delete the backed
>up files)... assuming it makes a real difference either way...?
>
>Thanks!!
>
>BD

It is not much use posting this without the *exact* 8i version number (four digits that is), as there has been 8.1.5, 8.1.6 and 8.1.7 and the behavior of various commands changed in 8.1.7.4 (the changes are described in the 8.1.7.4 documentation addendum, which seems to be online at otn only).

That said the best policy is of course to have the backup command delete your archivelogs. (And use the crosscheck in exceptional cases)

--
Sybrand Bakker, Senior Oracle DBA