5.15 RC_BACKUP_PIECE

This view lists information about backup pieces. This view corresponds to the V$BACKUP_PIECE view.

Each backup set contains one or more backup pieces. Multiple copies of the same backup piece can exist, but each copy has its own record in the control file and its own row in the view.

Column Data Type Description

DB_KEY

NUMBER

The primary key for this database in the recovery catalog. Use this column to join with almost any other catalog view.

DB_ID

NUMBER

The database identifier.

PDB_KEY

NUMBER

The primary key of the PDB in the recovery catalog. Use this column to identify the PDB that owns the backup piece.

BP_KEY

NUMBER

The primary key for the backup piece in the recovery catalog. If you issue the LIST command while RMAN is connected to the recovery catalog, then this value appears in the KEY column of the output.

RECID

NUMBER

The backup piece RECID from V$BACKUP_PIECE. RECID and STAMP form a concatenated primary key that uniquely identifies this record in the target database control file.

STAMP

NUMBER

The backup piece stamp propagated from V$BACKUP_PIECE. RECID and STAMP form a concatenated primary key that uniquely identifies this record in the target database control file.

BS_KEY

NUMBER

The primary key of the backup set to which this record belongs in the recovery catalog. Use this column to join with RC_BACKUP_SET, RC_BACKUP_CONTROLFILE, RC_BACKUP_DATAFILE, and so on.

SET_STAMP

NUMBER

The SET_STAMP value from V$BACKUP_SET. SET_STAMP and SET_COUNT form a concatenated key that uniquely identifies the backup set to which this record belongs in the target database control file.

SET_COUNT

NUMBER

The SET_COUNT value from V$BACKUP_SET. SET_STAMP and SET_COUNT form a concatenated key that uniquely identifies the backup set to which this record belongs in the target database control file.

BACKUP_TYPE

VARCHAR2(1)

The type of the backup: D (full or level 0 incremental), I (incremental level 1), L (archived redo log).

INCREMENTAL_LEVEL

NUMBER

The level of the incremental backup: NULL, 0, or 1.

PIECE#

NUMBER

The number of the backup piece. The first piece has the value of 1.

COPY#

NUMBER

The copy number of the backup piece.

DEVICE_TYPE

VARCHAR2(255)

The type of backup device, for example, DISK.

HANDLE

VARCHAR2(1024)

The file name of the backup piece.

COMMENTS

VARCHAR2(255)

Comments about the backup piece.

MEDIA

VARCHAR2(80)

A comment that contains further information about the media manager that created this backup.

MEDIA_POOL

NUMBER

The number of the media pool in which the backup is stored.

CONCUR

VARCHAR2(3)

Specifies whether backup media supports concurrent access: YES or NO.

TAG

VARCHAR2(32)

The tag for the backup piece. Refer to description in BACKUP for default format for tag names.

START_TIME

DATE

The time when RMAN started to write the backup piece.

COMPLETION_TIME

DATE

The time when the backup piece was completed.

ELAPSED_SECONDS

NUMBER

The duration of the creation of the backup piece.

STATUS

VARCHAR2(1)

The status of the backup piece: A (available), U (unavailable), D (deleted), or X (expired). Status D does not appear unless an older recovery catalog is upgraded.

BYTES

NUMBER

The size of the backup piece in bytes.

IS_RECOVERY_DEST_FILE

VARCHAR2(3)

This backup piece is located in the fast recovery area: YES or NO.

RSR_KEY

NUMBER

Unique key for the row in RC_RMAN_STATUS that created this backup piece.

COMPRESSED

VARCHAR2(3)

Indicates whether the backup piece is compressed (YES) or not (NO).

SITE_KEY

NUMBER

Primary key of the Data Guard database associated with this file. Each database in a Data Guard environment has a unique SITE_KEY value. You can use SITE_KEY in a join with the RC_SITE view to obtain the DB_UNIQUE_NAME of the database.

ENCRYPTED

VARCHAR2(3)

Indicates whether the backup piece is encrypted (YES) or not (NO).

BACKED_BY_OSB

VARCHAR2(3)

Indicates whether the backup piece is backed up to Oracle Secure Backup (YES) or not (NO).

Note:

Oracle Secure Backup (OSB) 19.1 desupport was announced on May 1, 2026 with premier support end date on September 30, 2027. See My Oracle Support note PNEWS3035 for more information. Please refer to Lifetime Support Policy: Oracle Technology Products for updated support timeframes.

Oracle recommends that database backups to cloud take advantage of Oracle Database Zero Data Loss Cloud Protect, which uses Oracle Zero Data Loss Autonomous Recovery Service in OCI. Cloud Protect offers an efficient incremental forever backup strategy, real-time transaction protection, logically air-gapped immutable backups, and fast, point-in-time recovery.

For customers who require database backups to Amazon S3, Oracle Database Cloud Backup for Amazon S3 may be used. This offering is similar to Oracle Secure Backup Cloud Module in that it is fully integrated with Recovery Manager (RMAN) and enables you to back up your Oracle database to Amazon S3. You can exchange your Oracle Secure Backup license for an Oracle Database Cloud Backup for Amazon S3 license on a 1:1 basis. See Oracle Database Cloud Backup for Amazon S3 for more information.

BA_ACCESS

VARCHAR2(11)

Indicates how Zero Data Loss Recovery Appliance, commonly known as Recovery Appliance, will access the backup piece. This column is applicable only when RMAN is used with Recovery Appliance. The possible values are:

  • Unknown: Recovery Appliance has no access to this backup piece

  • Local: The backup piece is stored in an Recovery Appliance storage location

  • Tape: The backup piece is accessible through an SBT interface installed on Recovery Appliance

  • Disk: The backup piece is available on a disk that is accessible to Recovery Appliance

VB_KEY

NUMBER

The virtual backup ID. This value is NOT NULL if the backup piece is being dynamically built from the store location. Backup pieces with the same value for VB_KEY share a common source backup piece.

VIRTUAL

VARCHAR2(3)

Indicates if the backup piece can be dynamically built. Possible values are:

  • Yes: The backup piece can be dynamically built from the backup storage location.

  • No: The backup piece cannot be built from the backup storage location.

LIB_KEY

NUMBER

The library key of the SBT library defined on Recovery Appliance to which the backup piece is written.