Unix Backup and Recovery

Recovering Oracle

Since an Oracle database consists of several interrelated parts, recovering such a database is done through a process of elimination. Identify which pieces work, then recover the pieces that don’t work. The following recovery guide follows that logic and works regardless of the chosen backup method. It consists of a flowchart (Figure 15-1) and a procedure whose numbered steps correspond to the elements in the flowchart.

Figure 15-1. Oracle recovery flowchart

Using This Recovery Guide

The following process for recovering an Oracle database assumes nothing. Specifically, it does not assume that the cause of the database failure is known. By following these steps you’ll work through a series of tasks that determine which part(s) of the database is/are no longer functional. You then can bring the database up as soon as possible, while allowing recovery of the pieces that are damaged. (“Damaged” may mean that a file is either missing or corrupted.)

Start with Step 1. If it succeeds, it directs you to Step 10. If the “startup mount” fails, it directs you to Step 2. Each of the steps follows a similar pattern, directing you to the appropriate step following the failure or success of the current step. The flowchart follows the same pattern as the printed steps. Once you are familiar with the details of each step, you may find the flowchart easier to follow than the printed ...