Skip Headers

Oracle® Database Backup and Recovery Basics 10g Release 2 (10.2) Part Number B14192-03 |
Home | Book List | Contents | Index | Master Index | Feedback

Previous | Next
| View PDF

# 4.7 Listing RMAN Backups, Archived Logs, and Database Incarnations

The `LIST` command uses the information in the RMAN repository to provide lists of backups, archived logs, and database incarnations. You can use the output of `LIST` to identify specific backups you wish to use with other RMAN commands.

This section contains these topics:

- About RMAN Reports Generated by the LIST Command

- Listing Backups

- Listing Backups by File

- Listing Backups in Summary Mode

- Listing Selected Backups

- Listing Database Incarnations

## 4.7.1 About RMAN Reports Generated by the LIST Command

You can control how the output is displayed by using the `BY` `BACKUP` and `BY` `FILE` options of the `LIST` command and choosing between the `SUMMARY` and `VERBOSE` options.

The primary purpose of the `LIST` command is to determine which backups are available. For example, you can list:

- Backups and proxy copies of a database, tablespace, datafile, archived redo log, or control file

- Backups that have expired

- Backups restricted by time, path name, device type, tag, or recoverability

- Incarnations of a database

Note that the `V$BACKUP_FILES` also contains list information for backups.

## 4.7.2 Listing Backups

By default, RMAN lists backups by backup, which means that it serially lists each backup or proxy copy and then identifies the files included in the backup. You can also list backups by file.

By default, RMAN lists in verbose mode. You can also list backups in a summary mode if the verbose mode generates too much output.

### 4.7.2.1 Listing Backups by Backup

To list backups by backup, connect to the target database and recovery catalog (if you use one), and then execute the `LIST` `BACKUP` command. Specify the desired objects with the `listObjList` clause. For example, you can enter:

    LIST BACKUP;       # lists backup sets, image copies, and proxy copies
    LIST BACKUPSET;    # lists only backup sets and proxy copies
    LIST COPY;         # lists only disk copies

Optionally, specify `EXPIRED` to identify backups not found during a crosscheck:

    LIST EXPIRED BACKUP;

Examine the output (refer to Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Reference for an explanation of the various column headings in the `LIST` output). Sample output of `LIST BACKUP` follows:

    List ofCHANGE, CROSSCHECK, and DELETE Backup Sets
    ===================

    BS Key  Size       Device Type Elapsed Time Completion Time
    ------- ---------- ----------- ------------ ---------------
    7       136M       DISK        00:00:20     04-NOV-03
            BP Key: 7   Status: AVAILABLE  Compressed: NO  Tag: TAG20031104T200759
            Piece Name: /oracle/work/RDBMS/backupset/2003_11_04/o1_mf_annnn_TAG20031104T200759_ztjxx3k8_.bkp

      List of Archived Logs in backup set 7
      Thrd Seq     Low SCN    Low Time  Next SCN   Next Time
      ---- ------- ---------- --------- ---------- ---------
      1    1       173832     21-OCT-03 174750     21-OCT-03
      1    2       174750     21-OCT-03 174755     21-OCT-03
      1    3       174755     21-OCT-03 174758     21-OCT-03

      1    37      533321     01-NOV-03 575472     03-NOV-03
      1    38      575472     03-NOV-03 617944     04-NOV-03
      1    39      617944     04-NOV-03 631495     04-NOV-03

    BS Key  Type LV Size       Device Type Elapsed Time Completion Time
    ------- ---- -- ---------- ----------- ------------ ---------------
    8       Full    2M         DISK        00:00:01     04-NOV-03
            BP Key: 8   Status: AVAILABLE  Compressed: NO  Tag: TAG20031104T200829
            Piece Name: /ade/lashdown_rdbms/oracle/dbs/c-774627068-20031104-01
      Controlfile Included: Ckp SCN: 631510       Ckp time: 04-NOV-03
      SPFILE Included: Modification time: 21-OCT-03

Sample output of LIST COPY follows:

    List of Archived Log Copies
    Key     Thrd Seq     S Low Time  Name
    ------- ---- ------- - --------- ----
    37      1    37      A 01-NOV-03 /oracle/work/RDBMS/archivelog/2003_11_03/o1_mf_1_37_ztd4hl5d_.arc
    38      1    38      A 03-NOV-03 /oracle/work/RDBMS/archivelog/2003_11_04/o1_mf_1_38_zthvg168_.arc
    39      1    39      A 04-NOV-03 /oracle/work/RDBMS/archivelog/2003_11_04/o1_mf_1_39_ztjxwxwy_.arc

### 4.7.2.2 Listing Backups by File

Specify the desired objects with the `listObjList` or `recordSpec` clause (refer to Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Reference). If you do not specify an object, then RMAN displays copies of all database files and archived logs. By default, RMAN lists in verbose mode, which means that it provides extensive, multiline information.

To list backups by file, connect the RMAN client to the target database and recovery catalog (if you use one), and then execute `LIST` with the `BY` `FILE` option, specifying the desired objects to list and options.For example, you can enter:

    LIST BACKUP BY FILE; # shows backup sets, proxy copies, and image copies
    LIST COPY BY FILE;   # shows only disk copies

For another example, you could specify the `EXPIRED` option to identify backups not found during a crosscheck:

    LIST EXPIRED BACKUP BY FILE;

Examine the output (refer to Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Reference for an explanation of the various column headings in the `LIST` output). Sample output follows:

    List of Datafile Backups
    ========================

    File Key     TY LV S Ckp SCN    Ckp Time  #Pieces #Copies Compressed Tag
    ---- ------- -  -- - ---------- --------- ------- ------- ---------- ---
    1    5       B  F  A 631092     04-NOV-03 1       1       YES        TAG20031104T195949
         2       B  F  A 175337     21-OCT-03 1       1       NO         TAG20031021T094513
    2    5       B  F  A 631092     04-NOV-03 1       1       YES        TAG20031104T195949
         2       B  F  A 175337     21-OCT-03 1       1       NO         TAG20031021T094513

    ... some rows omitted

    List of Archived Log Backups
    ============================

    Thrd Seq     Low SCN    Low Time  BS Key  S #Pieces #Copies Compressed Tag
    ---- ------- ---------- --------- ------- - ------- ------- ---------- ---
    1    1       173832     21-OCT-03 7       A 1       1       NO         TAG20031104T200759
                                      1       A 1       1       NO         TAG20031021T094505
    1    2       174750     21-OCT-03 7       A 1       1       NO         TAG20031104T200759
                                      1       A 1       1       NO         TAG20031021T094505
    ... some rows omitted
    1    38      575472     03-NOV-03 7       A 1       1       NO         TAG20031104T200759
    1    39      617944     04-NOV-03 7       A 1       1       NO         TAG20031104T200759

    List of Controlfile Backups
    ===========================
    CF Ckp SCN Ckp Time  BS Key  S #Pieces #Copies Compressed Tag
    ---------- --------- ------- - ------- ------- ---------- ---
    631510     04-NOV-03 8       A 1       1       NO         TAG20031104T200829
    631205     04-NOV-03 6       A 1       1       NO         TAG20031104T200432
    175380     21-OCT-03 4       A 1       1       NO         TAG20031021T094639

    List of SPFILE Backups
    ======================
    Modification Time BS Key  S #Pieces #Copies Compressed Tag
    ----------------- ------- - ------- ------- ---------- ---
    21-OCT-03         8       A 1       1       NO         TAG20031104T200829
    21-OCT-03         6       A 1       1       NO         TAG20031104T200432

## 4.7.3 Listing Backups in Summary Mode

By default the `LIST` output is detailed, but you can also specify that RMAN display the output in summarized form. Specify the desired objects with the `listObjectList` or `recordSpec` clause. If you do not specify an object, then `LIST` `BACKUP` displays all backups.

After connecting to the target database and recovery catalog (if you use one), execute `LIST` `BACKUP`, specifying the desired objects and options. For example:

    LIST BACKUP SUMMARY;  # lists backup sets, proxy copies, and disk copies

You can also specify the `EXPIRED` keyword to identify those backups that were not found during a crosscheck:

    LIST EXPIRED BACKUP SUMMARY;

Sample output follows:

    List of Backups
    ===============
    Key     TY LV S Device Type Completion Time #Pieces #Copies Compressed Tag
    ------- -- -- - ----------- --------------- ------- ------- ---------- ---
    1       B  A  A SBT_TAPE    21-OCT-03       1       1       NO         TAG20031021T094505
    2       B  F  A SBT_TAPE    21-OCT-03       1       1       NO         TAG20031021T094513
    3       B  A  A SBT_TAPE    21-OCT-03       1       1       NO         TAG20031021T094624
    4       B  F  A SBT_TAPE    21-OCT-03       1       1       NO         TAG20031021T094639
    5       B  F  A DISK        04-NOV-03       1       1       YES        TAG20031104T195949
    6       B  F  A DISK        04-NOV-03       1       1       NO         TAG20031104T200432
    7       B  A  A DISK        04-NOV-03       1       1       NO         TAG20031104T200759
    8       B  F  A DISK        04-NOV-03       1       1       NO         TAG20031104T200829

Refer to Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Reference for an explanation of the various column headings in the `LIST` output.

## 4.7.4 Listing Selected Backups

You can specify several different conditions to narrow your `LIST` output.

After connecting to the target database and recovery catalog (if you use one), execute `LIST` `COPY` or `LIST` `BACKUP` with the `listObjList` or `recordSpec` clause. For example, enter any of the following commands:

    # lists backups of all files in database
    LIST BACKUP OF DATABASE;
    # lists copy of specified datafile
    LIST COPY OF DATAFILE 'ora_home/oradata/trgt/system01.dbf';
    # lists specified backup set
    LIST BACKUPSET 213;
    # lists datafile copy
    LIST DATAFILECOPY '/tmp/tools01.dbf';

You can also restrict the search by specifying the `maintQualifier` or `RECOVERABLE` clause. For example, enter:

    # specify a backup set by tag
    LIST BACKUPSET TAG 'weekly_full_db_backup';
    # specify a backup or copy by device type
    LIST COPY OF DATAFILE 'ora_home/oradata/trgt/system01.dbf' DEVICE TYPE sbt;
    # specify a backup by directory or path
    LIST BACKUP LIKE '/tmp/%';
    # specify a backup or copy by a range of completion dates
    LIST COPY OF DATAFILE 2 COMPLETED BETWEEN '10-DEC-2002' AND '17-DEC-2002';
    # specify logs backed up at least twice to tape
    LIST ARCHIVELOG ALL BACKED UP 2 TIMES TO DEVICE TYPE sbt;

The output depends upon the options you pass to the LIST command. For example, the following lists copies of datafile `1`:

    RMAN> list backup of datafile 1;

    List of Backup Sets
    ===================

    BS Key  Type LV Size       Device Type Elapsed Time Completion Time
    ------- ---- -- ---------- ----------- ------------ ---------------
    2       Full    230M       SBT_TAPE    00:00:49     21-OCT-03
            BP Key: 2   Status: AVAILABLE  Compressed: NO  Tag: TAG20031021T094513
            Handle: 02f4eatc_1_1   Media: /smrdir
      List of Datafiles in backup set 2
      File LV Type Ckp SCN    Ckp Time  Name
      ---- -- ---- ---------- --------- ----
      1       Full 175337     21-OCT-03 /oracle/dbs/tbs_01.f

    BS Key  Type LV Size       Device Type Elapsed Time Completion Time
    ------- ---- -- ---------- ----------- ------------ ---------------
    5       Full    233M       DISK        00:04:30     04-NOV-03
            BP Key: 5   Status: AVAILABLE  Compressed: NO  Tag: TAG20031104T195949
            Piece Name: /oracle/work/RDBMS/backupset/2003_11_04/o1_mf_nnndf_TAG20031104T195949_ztjxfvgz_.bkp
      List of Datafiles in backup set 5
      File LV Type Ckp SCN    Ckp Time  Name
      ---- -- ---- ---------- --------- ----
      1       Full 631092     04-NOV-03 /ade/lashdown_rdbms/oracle/dbs/tbs_01.f

See Also: Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Reference for `listObjList` and `recordSpec` syntax Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Reference for an explanation of the various columns in the `LIST` output

## 4.7.5 Listing Database Incarnations

Each time an `OPEN` `RESETLOGS` operation is performed on a database, this operation creates a new incarnation of the database. Database incarnations and their effect upon database recovery with RMAN are explained in more detail in Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Advanced User's Guide.

When performing incremental backups, RMAN can use a backup from a previous incarnation or the current incarnation as a basis for subsequent incremental backups. When performing restore and recovery, RMAN can use backups from a previous incarnation in restore and recovery operations just as it would use backups from the current incarnation, as long as all archived logs are available.

Use the `LIST` `INCARNATION` command to see the incarnations of your database.

To list database incarnations:

After connecting to the target database and the recovery catalog if applicable, run `LIST` `INCARNATION`:

    RMAN> LIST INCARNATION;

If you are using a recovery catalog, and if you register multiple target databases in the same catalog, then you can distinguish them by using the `OF` `DATABASE` option:

    RMAN> LIST INCARNATION OF DATABASE prod3;

Refer to Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Reference for an explanation of the various column headings in the `LIST` output). Sample output follows:

    RMAN> LIST INCARNATION OF DATABASE;

    List of Database Incarnations
    DB Key  Inc Key DB Name  DB ID            STATUS  Reset SCN  Reset Time
    ------- ------- -------- ---------------- ------  ---------- ----------
    1       1       RDBMS    774627068        PARENT  1          21-OCT-03
    2       2       RDBMS    774627068        CURRENT 173832     21-OCT-03

The preceding output indicates that a `RESETLOGS` was performed on database `trgt` at SCN 164378, resulting in a new incarnation. The incarnation is distinguished by incarnation key (represented in the `Inc Key` column).