Restoring with RMAN in nocatalog mode: spfile needed?

Hi list,

• Oracle 9.2.0.8
• Solaris 8
• Commvault 7.0

I have an Oracle database being backed up through an external application (Commvault). This application uses an RMAN script to back up the database to tape.
Commvault is also backing up some filesystems from the server, and ORACLE_HOME is included.

One of the guys from the Commvault support has advised us to include the spfile in our RMAN backup, claiming that as we're in nocatalog mode, the spfile is absolutely needed if we want to restore the database.

I create a pfile from spfile every night and keep it in some directory in my ORACLE_HOME, so it's already backed up during the filesystem backup.

My question is, do I really need to include the spfile in the RMAN backup or can I just restore normally and recreate it later from my last pfile?

Thanks a lot.

David

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