Features of Oracle recovery Manager (RMAN)

Oracle recovery management RMAN) has many functions that can be used to help back up and restore processes. This tool has command line and GUI versions. Generally, RMAN executes and standardizes the backup and recovery processes, and reduces DBA errors during this process through its operations. The main functions of RMAN are as follows:

Back up databases, tablespaces, data files, control files, and archive logs

The RMAN tool can back up the Oracle database in many ways, providing great flexibility for backup and recovery methods.

Compress the backup by determining which blocks have been modified and only the modified blocks have been backed up.

One of the ways to improve the backup performance of RMAN is to compress the backup. RMAN can identify which blocks have been modified and only back up these modified blocks without backing up empty blocks.

Perform Incremental Backup

RMAN supports Incremental backup and full backup. Incremental Backup only backs up the content modified after the last backup. This method allows you to perform full backup only one day a week, while Incremental backup is performed in other days, which improves the backup performance.

Provides the Script Function for merging multiple tasks.

One of the ways for RMAN to improve your backup, restore, and recovery operations is to allow RMAN to be scripted. This script may consume multiple RMAN commands stored in the recovery directory. You can call and execute these scripts repeatedly to complete the task.

Log backup operation

Over time, RMAN has the ability to record all backup states. This information is stored in logs and trace files.

Third-party tape media software integration

The RMAN tool has APIs for many third-party tape media software, which allows RMAN to run in other non-Oracle backup tools and can be integrated into general backup policies by a certain organization.

Provides directory information reports and lists

You can use the rman list and REPORT commands to query backup information stored in the required directory. These commands provide an effective way to display information.

Store backup information in the Oracle database directory

The backup information is stored in the recovery directory. This information can be restored at any time in the future.

Provides performance benefits, such as parallel backup and restoration operations.

Backup and restoration operations can be processed in parallel. It supports assigning workloads to different tape headers and disk devices to improve performance.

Create Database copies for testing or development purposes

You can create database copies from RMAN backups and use them for testing purposes.

Test whether the backup can be restored successfully.

The VALID command provided by RMAN can check whether the backup is VALID.

Check whether the backup in the media library is still available

The CROSSCHECK Command provided by RMAN can check whether the backup media and directory information match.