Recover from Missing Datafile that is Never Backed Up (RMAN-06026)

Problem Description

Full restore via RMAN of a database when a datafile is missing and never backed up results in the following errors: RMAN-00571: =========================================================== RMAN-00569: =============== ERROR MESSAGE STACK FOLLOWS =============== RMAN-00571: =========================================================== RMAN-03002: failure during compilation of command RMAN-03013: command type: restore RMAN-03002: failure during compilation of command RMAN-03013: command type: IRESTORE RMAN-06026: some targets not found - aborting restore RMAN-06023: no backup or copy of datafile 2 found to restore Apparently file# 2 is never backed up.

Solution Description
In the following examples database recovery is done before the database is opened. Of course you can adjust the scripts in order to open the database as soon as possible and then recover the datafile(s) as needed. A. The controlfiles do not have to be restored Make sure the database is mounted. In all cases you need the name of the missing datafile. Because the controlfile is up-to-date you can retrieve this information with the following query: select name from v$datafile where file#=2; => /u02/oradata/target/users_target01.dbf 1. The missing datafile is the only datafile that needs recovery. In this case you do not have to restore anything. Archivelogs are restored automatically by RMAN as they are needed for the recover command.

run { allocate channel d1 type disk; sql "alter database create datafile ''/u02/oradata/target/users_target01.dbf'' " ; recover database; sql "alter database open"; release channel d1; } 2. If other datafiles need recovery too, you have two choices: - Specify each datafile that must be restored: run { allocate channel d1 type disk; sql "alter database create datafile ''/u02/oradata/target/users_target01.dbf'' " ; restore datafile '/u02/oradata/target/sys_target01.dbf'; ..... recover database; sql "alter database open"; release channel d1; } You can get a list of datafiles by querying v$datafile. Instead of specifying the datafile by name, you can also specify it by number: restore datafile 1; - Restore the complete database until just before the missing datafile was created. run { allocate channel d1 type disk; sql "alter database create datafile

''/u02/oradata/target/users_target01.dbf'' " ; restore database until scn 118247 ; recover database; sql "alter database open"; release channel d1; } An apropriate SCN can be found by querying v$datafile: select CREATION_CHANGE# from v$datafile where file#=2; => 118248 Lower this value by 1 or more. Instead of 'until scn 118247' you can use one of the following: until logseq 662 thread 1; until time "to_date('Dec 15 2000 10:10:00','Mon DD YYYY HH24:MI:SS')"; You can find the the logseq or time by querying the alert<SID>.log. Choose a time which lies BEFORE the creation time of the missing datafile, or supply a logseq which was completed before the creation time. 3. If you want to recover the database to a time in the past, but after the creation of the missing datafile (incomplete recovery / PITR=point in time recovery), again you have two choices: - Specify which datafiles must be restored. Add an until clause to the recover command. run { allocate channel d1 type disk; sql "alter database create datafile ''/u02/oradata/target/users_target01.dbf'' " ; restore datafile '/u02/oradata/target/sys_target01.dbf'; recover database until scn 338325;

# until logseq 684 thread 1; # until time "to_date('Dec 15 2000 15:12:00','Mon DD YYYY HH24:MI:SS')"; sql "alter database open" resetlogs; release channel d1; } - Restore all datafiles until just before the missing datafile was created. Add an until clause to the recover command as well. Note that that the until clause for the restore command is different from the until clause for the recover command! Open the database with resetlogs. run { allocate channel d1 type disk; sql "alter database create datafile ''/u02/oradata/target/users_target01.dbf'' " ; restore database until scn 118247 ; # until logseq 662 thread 1; # until time "to_date('Dec 15 2000 10:10:00','Mon DD YYYY HH24:MI:SS')"; recover database until scn 338325; # until logseq 684 thread 1; # until time "to_date('Dec 15 2000 15:12:00','Mon DD YYYY HH24:MI:SS')"; sql "alter database open" resetlogs; release channel d1; } When you opened the database successfully with resetlogs, you must create a new database incarnation record in the recovery catalog: RMAN> reset database; And of course it is necessary to make a full (cold) backup immediately!

B. The controlfiles must be restored too

Recovering a database using a backup controlfile and having a missing datafile that is never backed up, breaks down into several steps. RMAN is not a suitable tool for every step. Because you use an old controlfile the name of the missing datafile cannot be queried from v$datafile. Because the datafile was never backed up RMAN's repository has no knowledge of this datafile either. 1. Restore the controlfile - the database must be started NOMOUNT: run { allocate channel d1 type disk; restore controlfile to '/u02/oradata/target/control01.ctl'; replicate controlfile from '/u02/oradata/target/control01.ctl'; release channel d1; } 2. Restore datafiles to the moment BEFORE the missing datafile was created. Restore archivelogs from some time before the oldest datafile up to the moment to which you want to recover the database. The possibilities are discussed above, for instance: run { allocate channel d1 type disk; restore database until logseq 5 thread 1; restore archivelog; # until logseq 9 thread 1; release channel d1; } 3. Use svrmgrl or sqlplus (8i only) to recover the database: SVRMGRL> recover database using backup controlfile

Supply the names of the archives until you get the following error: ORA-01244: unnamed datafile(s) added to controlfile by media recovery ORA-01110: data file 2: '/u02/oradata/target/users_target01.dbf' Retrieve the filename that is added to the controlfile from v$datafile: SVRMGR> select name from v$datafile where file#=5; => UNNAMED0002 4. Now you have all the information to recreate the missing datafile. SVRMGR> alter database create datafile 'UNNAMED0002' 2> as '/u02/oradata/target/users_target01.dbf'; 5. Resume recovering the database: SVRMGRL> recover database using backup controlfile Supply the names of the archives up to the moment you want to stop or until you recovery is finished. Open the database (noresetlogs/resetlogs) When you opened the database successfully with resetlogs you must create a new database incarnation record in the recovery catalog: RMAN> reset database; And of course it is necessary to make a full (cold) backup immediately!

Explanation ----------Automatic full restore is not possible when a datafile is missing and never backed up. The controlfile contains all the information needed to recreate the missing datafile. RMAN does not automatically recreate a missing datafile. You must either recreate it manually before invoking RMAN, or add some sql-statements to the rman script.