RMAN Backup Clause Back up database files, archive logs, backups, or copies.

Syntax: BACKUP FULL Options BACKUP FULL AS (COPY | BACKUPSET) Options BACKUP INCREMENTAL LEVEL [=] integer Options BACKUP INCREMENTAL LEVEL [=] integer AS (COPY | BACKUPSET) Options BACKUP AS (COPY | BACKUPSET) Options BACKUP AS (COPY | BACKUPSET) (FULL | INCREMENTAL LEVEL [=] integer) Options Options: [backupOperand [backupOperand]...] backupSpec [backupSpec]... [PLUS ARCHIVELOG [backupSpecOperand [backupSpecOperand]...]]; backupOperand::= { FORMAT [=] 'format_string' [, 'format_string']... | CHANNEL ['] channel_id ['] | CUMULATIVE | MAXSETSIZE [=] integer [ K | M | G ] | TAG [=] ['] tag_name ['] | keepOption | SKIP { OFFLINE | READONLY | INACCESSIBLE } | VALIDATE | NOT BACKED UP [SINCE TIME [=] 'date_string'] | COPIES [=] integer | DEVICE TYPE deviceSpecifier . . . } backupSpec::= [(] { BACKUPSET { {ALL | completedTimeSpec } | primary_key) [, primary_key]... } | COPY OF { DATABASE | TABLESPACE ['] tablespace_name ['] [, ['] tablespace_name [']]... | DATAFILE datafileSpec [, datafileSpec]...

} | DATAFILE datafileSpec [, datafileSpec]... | DATAFILECOPY 'filename' [, 'filename']... | DATAFILECOPY FROM TAG [=] ['] tag_name ['] [, ['] tag_name [']]... | DATAFILECOPY { ALL | LIKE 'string_pattern' } | TABLESPACE ['] tablespace_name ['] [, ['] tablespace_name [']]... | DATABASE | archivelogRecordSpecifier | CURRENT CONTROLFILE [FOR STANDBY] | CONTROLFILECOPY 'filename' | SPFILE } [backupSpecOperand [backupSpecOperand]...] backupSpecOperand::= { FORMAT [=] 'format_string' [, 'format_string']... | CHANNEL ['] channel_id ['] | CUMULATIVE | MAXSETSIZE [=] integer [ K | M | G ] | TAG [=] ['] tag_name ['] | keepOption | SKIP { OFFLINE | READONLY | INACCESSIBLE } | NOT BACKED UP [ SINCE TIME [=] 'date_string' | integer TIMES ] | DELETE [ALL] INPUT . . . } . You should configure default devices and channels in advance of running RMAN Backup. Examples
Back up the database, and then the control file: (which contains a record of the backup) RMAN> BACKUP DATABASE; RMAN> BACKUP CURRENT CONTROLFILE; Backup datafiles: RMAN> BACKUP AS BACKUPSET DATAFILE 'ORACLE_HOME/oradata/trgt/users01.dbf', 'ORACLE_HOME/oradata/trgt/tools01.dbf'; Backup all datafiles in the database: (bit-for-bit copies, created on disk) RMAN> BACKUP AS COPY DATABASE;

Backup archive logs: RMAN> BACKUP ARCHIVELOG COMPLETION TIME BETWEEN 7'; Backup tablespace: RMAN> BACKUP TABLESPACE system, users, tools;

'SYSDATE-28' AND 'SYSDATE-

Backup controlfile: RMAN> BACKUP CURRENT CONTROLFILE TO '/backup/cntrlfile.copy'; Backup parameter file: RMAN> BACKUP SPFILE; Backup everything: RMAN> BACKUP BACKUPSET ALL; Create a consistent backup and keep the backup for 1 year: (exempt from the retention policy) RMAN> SHUTDOWN; RMAN> STARTUP MOUNT; RMAN> BACKUP DATABASE UNTIL 'SYSDATE+365' NOLOGS;

Backup Validation confirms that a backup could be run, by confirming that all database files exist and are free of physical and logical corruption, this does not generate any output. Example:
RMAN> BACKUP VALIDATE DATABASE ARCHIVELOG ALL;

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