RMAN - Should I use a catalog?

My environment:
- 6 to 8 servers, each with 1 to 2 databases

• I'll only worry about the 9i databases at this time

What backup method should I use?
I can choose to use an RMAN catalog to store the database metadata, or I can use each database's control files to handle this job. What's the recommendation? Is Oracle phasing out the catalog by introducing the control file option? Is anybody using control files to handle the metadata?

Any hints/tips/recommendations?

• Keith