I'm fairly new to databases. If I plan to use RMAN in archivelog
mode to perform full backups each week plus incremental backups (retaining only the last 2 full backups for redundancy), how must I address the archive log files? I plan to use Oracle EM to create/manage RMAN processes, since it seems simplest.
I believe RMAN uses the archive log files to re-create changes to the database during and after the full backup occurs.
QUESTION 1
So, how far back do I need to keep the archive log files?
QUESTION 2
Does the database automatically remove the unneeded log files, or is this something I must address using cron jobs, etc.?
For example, if I do a full RMAN backup today at 1pm, can I delete all archive log files saved before 1pm? Or, will Oracle do that for me since it knows I'm doing a full backup? Or, something else?
QUESTION 3
To complete my understanding of archive logs, do I even need to put the database in archivelog
mode to fully restore the database to the point in time of the RMAN backup, if I'm willing to accept loss of data from that time forward?
QUESTION 4
When RMAN finishes, and I want to copy all required backup/restore files to another server, which files need to get copied? The RMAN backup files have .bkp
extension, and they need to get copied. The archive log files have .dbf
extension, and they should all get copied. Anything else? (control files?)
QUESTION 5
Not sure if anyone can help answer this, but I do a lot of scientific work that uses all available digits in a binary_double
number. If I choose compression for backups, will I lose accuracy when uncompressing the data? Or, is the compression algorithm going to restore the exact binary number (assuming the same operating system, etc.)?