For example, backups taken while the database is still open are inconsistent backups.Ĥ.3.7.1.2 Using BACKUP ARCHIVELOG with DELETE INPUT or DELETE ALL INPUT Inconsistent backups are an important part of the backup strategy for most databases, because they offer superior availability. When a database is restored from an inconsistent backup, Oracle must perform media recovery before the database can be opened, applying any pending changes from the redo logs.Īs long as your database is running in ARCHIVELOG mode, and you back up your archived redo log files as well as your datafiles, inconsistent backups can be the foundation for a sound backup and recovery strategy.
If you mount the database and take a backup at this point, then you can restore the database from this backup at a later date and open it without performing media recovery.Īny backup taken when the database has not been shut down normally is an inconsistent backup. At this point, all changes in the redo log have been applied to the datafiles. 4.3.1 Making Consistent and Inconsistent Backups with RMANĪ consistent backup of the database is one taken when the database is in a consistent state, that is, one taken after the database has been shut down normally (using SHUTDOWN NORMAL, SHUTDOWN IMMEDIATE or SHUTDOWN TRANSACTIONAL).
