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RMAN Repository

RMAN maintains a record of databasc files and backups foreach database on which it performs opcrations. This mctadata is called the RMAN repository. When you requcst

recovery of a database, RMAN uses the repository metadata to choose the most efficient backups needed for this restore and recovery.

The primary location for the RMAN repository for a database is its control file. The importance of this metadata for RMAN is one morę reason why protecting your control file is a vital part of your backup strategy. In some installations, a second copy of the RMAN repository is stored in a schema called the recovery catalog. The recovery catalog is located in a scparate database and can storę metadata for multiple target databases.

It is recommended that you use a recovery catalog. Bccause a recovery catalog Stores metadata history for longer than the control file, you can perform a recovery that goes further back in time than the history in the control file. Also, if the target control file and all backups are lost, then the RMAN metadata in the recovery catalog can be used.