configure

Syntax

Purpose

To control the compatibility of the recovery catalog packages with the RMAN executable.

The compatibility level of the recovery catalog is determined by a parameter that is stored in the catalog itself. It specifies the minimum acceptable release of the RMAN executable that can function with the catalog. For example, if the recovery catalog compatibility is set to 8.1.4, then only an RMAN executable of release 8.1.4 or later can connect to the catalog.

Note: RMAN fails with error RMAN-06191 if you try to run an old RMAN executable against a release 8.1.6 recovery catalog with compatibility set to 8.1.6.

The following table illustrates possible compatibility scenarios for a release 8.1.6 RMAN executable and a recovery catalog:

If you...	Then the recovery catalog...	And catalog compatibility is automatically set to...
Execute the create catalog command	Is created as a release 8.1.6 recovery catalog	8.1.6. Note: You cannot use the 8.1.6 catalog with a pre-8.1.6 release of the RMAN executable.
Execute the upgrade catalog command	Is upgraded from a pre-8.1.6 release to a release 8.1.6 catalog	8.0.4. Note: The 8.1.6 catalog is backwards compatible with older releases of the RMAN executable.
Execute the create catalog command	Is created as a release 8.1.6 recovery catalog	8.1.6. Note: You cannot use the 8.1.6 catalog with a pre-8.1.6 release of the RMAN executable.

The compatibility level of the catalog is important because it affects the way that repository records are updated and deleted, as explained in the following table:

Table 10-3 Effect of Compatibility on Repository Record Removal

If compatibility is...	Then change ... delete and backup ... delete input...	And change ... uncatalog and prgrmanc.sql...
8.1.6 or higher	Delete backup sets, image copies, and archived logs and remove their records from the recovery catalog	Can remove archived log records from the catalog without creating problems when you attempt to restore archived logs whose records have been removed
8.1.5 or lower	Delete backup sets and image copies and remove the records from the catalog Delete archived logs but change catalog records to status DELETED (and not remove them)	Can remove archived log records from the catalog while sometimes creating problems when you attempt to restore logs whose records have been removed

If you are using the release 8.1.6 RMAN executable and do not intend to use a pre-8.1.6 release against the recovery catalog, then you can raise the compatibility level of the catalog as follows:

configure compatible = 8.1.6; 

After you issue this command, RMAN can delete rows from the AL recovery catalog table as archived redo logs are deleted through either the change ... delete command or the backup archivelog ... delete input command. Also, RMAN does not run into problems when attempting to restore archived logs whose records are no longer in the AL table.

Note: Existing AL table rows with status DELETED remain in the catalog. The $ORACLE_HOME/rdbms/admin/prgrmanc.sql script can delete these rows.

Requirements

• This command is only applicable if you are using a recovery catalog.

• Execute this command at the RMAN prompt.

• You cannot lower the compatibility level of the recovery catalog: it can only be increased.

• The specified version number must be within the ranges of versions supported by the DBMS_RCVMAN and DBMS_RCVCAT packages. The packages maintain behavior that is backwards compatible with this version of RMAN.

• If you issue create catalog using release 8.1.6 of the RMAN executable, then the recovery catalog is not backwards compatible with older releases of the RMAN executable. If you execute upgrade catalog using release 8.1.6 of the RMAN executable, then the recovery catalog is backwards compatible to release 8.0.4. To maintain this compatibility, RMAN cannot delete any rows from the AL recovery catalog table.

• To create an 8.1.6 catalog that is backwards compatible with pre-8.1.6 RMAN executables, you must issue create catalog with the older RMAN version first (or run catrman.sql if using a pre-8.1.5 release), and then execute upgrade catalog with the 8.1.6 RMAN.

Keywords and Parameters

integer.integer. integer

specifies a three-digit Oracle release number, for example, 8.1.6 or 8.0.4.

Examples

Creating an 8.1.6 Catalog for Use with Pre-8.1.6 RMAN Executables

This example creates a release 8.1.6 recovery catalog that is compatible with RMAN executables released before 8.1.6. The scenario uses a release 8.1.5 RMAN executable to create the recovery catalog, and a release 8.1.6 RMAN executable to upgrade it:

% rman target / catalog rman/rman@rcat

Recovery Manager: Release 8.1.5.0.0 

RMAN-06005: connected to target database: RMAN (DBID=1237603294)
RMAN-06008: connected to recovery catalog database

RMAN> create catalog;
RMAN> exit

% rman target / catalog rman/rman@rcat

Recovery Manager: Release 8.1.6.0.0 

RMAN-06005: connected to target database: RMAN (DBID=1237603294)
RMAN-06008: connected to recovery catalog database

RMAN> upgrade catalog;
RMAN> upgrade catalog;

RMAN> exit

Increasing the Compatibility Level of the Catalog

Assume the previous example, in which you have an 8.1.6 recovery catalog that can function with an 8.1.5 RMAN executable. If you want to specify that this recovery catalog can only function with an 8.1.6 or later release of RMAN, then issue the following:

RMAN> configure compatible = 8.1.6;

Related Topics

"createCatalog"

"upgradeCatalog"