[oracle-l] Re: rman catalog considerations

Daniel

1. Yes, I would consider separate instances for RMAN catalog. This will give you more flexibility.
2. Consider not using a catalog. Oracle9i beefed up the non-catalog features. I have used the catalog mode for several years and in the way I've used RMAN I don't feel it has been worth the trouble. This is heresy to some on this list, so I'll probably get flamed, but I'm just saying to consider it in your situation.

Dennis Williams
DBA
Lifetouch, Inc.
dwilliams_at_lifetouch.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Daniel Hanks [mailto:hanksdc_at_about-inc.com] Sent: Friday, January 23, 2004 3:33 PM
To: oracle-l_at_freelists.org
Subject: [oracle-l] rman catalog considerations

I'm in the process of revamping my backup procedures, and had some ideas I wanted to filter through the wisdom/experience of the list.

In my current setup, I have two main database machines, let's call them M1, and M2.

• On M1, I have 2 instances, one 'business' instance, and 1 instance which serves as the recovery catalog for M2 (total of 2 instances).
• On M2 I have 2 'business' instances, and 1 instance which serves as the recovery catalog for M1 (total of 3 instances).

So essentially M1 hosts the recovery catalog for the databases on M2, and likewise M2 hosts the recovery catalog for the database on M1.

My question is, would it be prudent/beneficial to put the recovery catalogs into their own schemas in the 'business' instances, instead of maintaining them in their own instances?

Some benefits I see in doing this:

• That would make 2 less instances I have to concern myself with.
• I now have (slightly) more memory/resources to allocate to the 'business' instances.
• Backups of the recovery catalogs are now handled by the regular backups of the 'business' instances.

Some drawbacks to doing this:

• The recovery catalog is now 'coupled' to the business instance. If the business instance is down for an extended period of time (which 'should never happen' :-) then I'd be 'unable' to make rman backups of the other machine at least with the catalog.
• Are there other drawbacks?

Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions,

• Dan

  ---

  Daniel Hanks - Systems/Database Administrator About Inc., Web Services Division

  ---