Flashback recovery area v. archived redo log directory

[Frank de Vries]

We run 10.2g on hpux 11.23 (Itanium)
We are contemplating using this flashback recovery area feature.
We read already a lot but information seems to be discriptive rather then to give cookbook examples.

Is it a good idea to nominate the traditional area where the archive redo logs are created as the flashback recovery area (so the two coincide). Or is this actually the idea ?

What if you want to use a one filesystem fàor flashback area and another for your archived redo logs what is the benefit of that ?

A good cookbook example would be handy.
By the way we do use RMAN and the naturally
there are implications for rman too.

For instance if I configure flashback area then in archive log list the destination is DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST (thus the place where the archive redo logs are written to is the same to where they are restored right ?)

Thanks all the same :)

[Yogeeraj_1]

hi Frank,

So many questions in a single post :)

do you have metalink access?

If yes, please refer to the following notes.

1. What is a Flash Recovery Area and how to configure it?

- Note 305648.1 What is a Flash Recovery Area and how to configure it?

2. How is RMAN using the Flash Recovery Area and what kind of files are created by RMAN in the Flash Recovery Area ?

- Note 305796.1 RMAN and Flash Recovery Area

3. How to enable and configure data / redolog file creation in the Flash Recovery Area ?

- Note 305810.1 Configuring file creation in Flash recovery area and order of Precedence

4. Which warnings and alerts are reported when the Flash Recovery Area is running out of space ?

- Note 305812.1 Flash Recovery area - Space management Warning & Alerts
- Note 315098.1 How is the space pressure managed in the Flash Recovery
Area - Example.

5. How to change Flash Recovery Area to a new location ?

- Note 305651.1 How to change Flash Recovery Area to a new location ?

hope this helps!
kind regards
yogeeraj

[Frank de Vries]

Hi,

I have read some of the notes you plotted down - not all, so I will check the others anyway.
But the idea I logged a call is not to get more documentation but get some hands-on common sense experience on my question or
get some cookbook examples.
Metalink is not cookbook.

Hope someone can share their experiences with me.

[Oviwan]

Hi

we have also several 10g db's but instead of the FRA we have a dump directory for archivelog and backupsets.

maybe you will get more answers on oracle forums.

Regards

[Yogeeraj_1]

hi Frank!

sorry for my confusing previous reply.

basically, your setup for archive redolog should remain the same as per normal standards and installation.

e.g.
SQL> show parameter arch

NAME TYPE VALUE
------------------------------------ ----------- ------------------------------
archive_lag_target integer 0
log_archive_config string
log_archive_dest string
log_archive_dest_1 string LOCATION=/backup/arch/dest1 O
PTIONAL REOPEN=300
log_archive_dest_10 string LOCATION=USE_DB_RECOVERY_FILE_
DEST OPTIONAL REOPEN=300
log_archive_dest_2 string LOCATION=/backup/arch/dest2 O
PTIONAL REOPEN=300
log_archive_dest_3 string
log_archive_dest_4 string
log_archive_dest_5 string
log_archive_dest_6 string
log_archive_dest_7 string
log_archive_dest_8 string
log_archive_dest_9 string
log_archive_dest_state_1 string enable
log_archive_dest_state_10 string enable
log_archive_dest_state_2 string enable
log_archive_dest_state_3 string enable
log_archive_dest_state_4 string enable
log_archive_dest_state_5 string enable
log_archive_dest_state_6 string enable
log_archive_dest_state_7 string enable
log_archive_dest_state_8 string enable
log_archive_dest_state_9 string enable
log_archive_duplex_dest string
log_archive_format string arch_%r_%t_%s.arc
log_archive_local_first boolean TRUE
log_archive_max_processes integer 2
log_archive_min_succeed_dest integer 1
log_archive_start boolean FALSE
log_archive_trace integer 0
remote_archive_enable string true
standby_archive_dest string ?/dbs/arch
SQL>

Then when it comes to the FRA, you just define another area.

e.g.
show parameter recovery

NAME TYPE VALUE
------------------------------------ ----------- ------------------------------
db_recovery_file_dest string /backup/FRA
db_recovery_file_dest_size big integer 150G
recovery_parallelism integer 0
SQL>


Now when your system is running, the following happens.

1. RMAN backups/recovery
========================
[oracle@srv1 MYDB]$ ll
total 60
drwxr-x--- 9 oracle oinstall 4096 May 9 00:07 archivelog
drwxr----- 9 oracle oinstall 4096 May 9 00:07 autobackup
drwxr----- 11 oracle oinstall 4096 May 9 00:07 backupset
drwxr-x--- 2 oracle oinstall 4096 Dec 12 23:59 controlfile
drwxr----- 2 oracle oinstall 4096 May 1 00:13 datafile
drwxr-x--- 2 oracle oinstall 16384 May 9 07:44 flashback
[oracle@srv1 MYDB]$ pwd
/backup/FRA/MYDB
[oracle@srv1 MYDB]$


To be noted that these directories contain files mainly from operations performed throught the recovery manager.

e.g.
[oracle@srv1 archivelog]$ ll -rtl
total 56
drwxr-x--- 2 oracle oinstall 4096 May 3 23:59 2008_05_03
drwxr-x--- 2 oracle oinstall 4096 May 4 23:59 2008_05_04
drwxr-x--- 2 oracle oinstall 4096 May 5 23:59 2008_05_05
drwxr-x--- 2 oracle oinstall 4096 May 6 23:59 2008_05_06
drwxr-x--- 2 oracle oinstall 4096 May 7 23:59 2008_05_07
drwxr-x--- 2 oracle oinstall 4096 May 8 23:59 2008_05_08
drwxr-x--- 2 oracle oinstall 4096 May 9 08:19 2008_05_09
[oracle@srv1 archivelog]$ ll -alR
.:
total 72
drwxr-x--- 9 oracle oinstall 4096 May 9 00:07 .
drwxr-x--- 8 oracle oinstall 4096 Feb 19 08:12 ..
drwxr-x--- 2 oracle oinstall 4096 May 3 23:59 2008_05_03
drwxr-x--- 2 oracle oinstall 4096 May 4 23:59 2008_05_04
drwxr-x--- 2 oracle oinstall 4096 May 5 23:59 2008_05_05
drwxr-x--- 2 oracle oinstall 4096 May 6 23:59 2008_05_06
drwxr-x--- 2 oracle oinstall 4096 May 7 23:59 2008_05_07
drwxr-x--- 2 oracle oinstall 4096 May 8 23:59 2008_05_08
drwxr-x--- 2 oracle oinstall 4096 May 9 08:19 2008_05_09

./2008_05_03:
total 16
drwxr-x--- 2 oracle oinstall 4096 May 3 23:59 .
drwxr-x--- 9 oracle oinstall 4096 May 9 00:07 ..

./2008_05_04:
total 16
drwxr-x--- 2 oracle oinstall 4096 May 4 23:59 .
drwxr-x--- 9 oracle oinstall 4096 May 9 00:07 ..

./2008_05_05:
total 16
drwxr-x--- 2 oracle oinstall 4096 May 5 23:59 .
drwxr-x--- 9 oracle oinstall 4096 May 9 00:07 ..

./2008_05_06:
total 16
drwxr-x--- 2 oracle oinstall 4096 May 6 23:59 .
drwxr-x--- 9 oracle oinstall 4096 May 9 00:07 ..

./2008_05_07:
total 16
drwxr-x--- 2 oracle oinstall 4096 May 7 23:59 .
drwxr-x--- 9 oracle oinstall 4096 May 9 00:07 ..

./2008_05_08:
total 16
drwxr-x--- 2 oracle oinstall 4096 May 8 23:59 .
drwxr-x--- 9 oracle oinstall 4096 May 9 00:07 ..

./2008_05_09:
total 536436
drwxr-x--- 2 oracle oinstall 4096 May 9 08:19 .
drwxr-x--- 9 oracle oinstall 4096 May 9 00:07 ..
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 48257536 May 9 07:00 o1_mf_1_37862_427hl1tj_.arc
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 43454464 May 9 07:00 o1_mf_1_37863_427hljsx_.arc
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 47820800 May 9 07:01 o1_mf_1_37864_427hmps9_.arc
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 43475968 May 9 07:06 o1_mf_1_37865_427hwsdm_.arc
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 43454464 May 9 07:10 o1_mf_1_37866_427j4c08_.arc
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 46816768 May 9 07:22 o1_mf_1_37867_427jvdno_.arc
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 48760832 May 9 07:42 o1_mf_1_37868_427l12xw_.arc
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 43454464 May 9 07:43 o1_mf_1_37869_427l2rr7_.arc
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 43739136 May 9 07:56 o1_mf_1_37870_427lvcf4_.arc
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 50489344 May 9 08:06 o1_mf_1_37871_427mg3c0_.arc
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 45359104 May 9 08:12 o1_mf_1_37872_427mtbxl_.arc
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 43534848 May 9 08:19 o1_mf_1_37873_427n76sn_.arc
[oracle@srv1 archivelog]$

This is auto-managed based on your Recovery manager settings. (RMAN> show all)


2. Flash Recovery
Applicable only if Flash Recovery Area is enabled for your database. As per your settings again, the flashback logs will again be kept in the flashback directory. This is dependent on your settings for Flashback Retention Time. (goto your OEM database control -> Recovery settings for more information.


The "unknown forces" are there again to ensure that everything is working fine.

Unfortunately, i do not have any cookbook. I have told you everything i have experienced through my diferrent Service Requests - created to clear my doubts and configure my system properly.


hope this helps!
kind regards
yogeeraj