Re: Why is a backup of the controlfiles needed

Albert Albani wrote:

> I don't understand why backups of controlfiles are needed in an
> archivelog hotbackuped environment. The controlfiles should be
> multiplexed, so if one failes, there is always a good one around that can
> be copied.
>
> Is there a scenario in which a backup of a controlfile is truly needed?
>
> Thanks
> Albert

Albert: do you have life insurance? Fire, theft and whatever else property insurance?

Or do you just like living dangerously?!

Multiplexing controlfiles is what ought to happen ordinarily. Backing it up is where the insurance kicks in.

Is there a realistic scenario where the controlfile backup is needed? I can give you two, that happened to me in real life. It was the early days of the PC, and the first time I ever needed to format a floppy disk (a true, 5.25" one). If you'd captured the screen output at the time, it would have read:

C:\> format c:

The second is much more recent. Believing myself to be in a temporary directory, I merrily typed:

# rm -rf *

I was actually in the root directory. As root.

You only ever do these things once (each!). But when you do, you'll know why we take out insurance in the form of control file backups.

Regards
HJR Received on Fri Aug 27 2004 - 15:35:21 CDT