Configuring Recovery Settings

In the Recovery Settings page, you can configure settings for instance recovery, media recovery, and fast recovery. In this section, you configure the fast recovery area and enable archiving for the database.

You can configure a fast recovery area when first creating the database. If you did not perform this task at database creation time, however, then you can create a fast recovery area for your database now.

To configure a fast recovery area and put the database in ARCHIVELOG mode:

1. On the host operating system, create a directory to hold the fast recovery area. If you are using Oracle ASM for your storage, then create a new disk group.

   Make sure that the operating system permissions for the directory or disk devices allow the database to create files.

2. Log in to Enterprise Manager Database Control as user SYS.

3. On the Database Home page, click Availability to display the Availability subpage.

4. In the Backup/Recovery section, click Recovery Settings.

   The Recovery Settings page appears.

5. Complete the following steps:

   1. In the Media Recovery section, select ARCHIVELOG Mode.

   2. If USE_DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST is not set as an archiving destination, then set it.

      This initialization parameter indicates that the fast recovery area should be an archiving destination.

      For ease of database management, the best practice is to use the fast recovery area as your only archiving destination.

   3. In the Fast Recovery section, enter the path to the fast recovery area created in Step 1 in Fast Recovery Area Location, and select a value for Fast Recovery Area Size.

   4. Select Enable Flashback Database.

      This option specifies that the database should generate flashback logs in the fast recovery area, enabling you to use Flashback Database. During usual operation, the database occasionally logs images of data blocks to the flashback logs. The database automatically creates, deletes, and resizes flashback logs.

   5. Ensure that the Apply initialization parameter changes to SPFILE only box is not selected.

   6. Click Apply to save your changes.

      A message prompts you to restart the database.

6. Click Yes.

   The Restart Database: Specify Host and Target Database Credentials page appears.

7. Enter your host and database credentials, and then click OK.

   See "Specifying Credentials for Backup and Recovery Using Database Control" for information about credentials.

8. On the Restart Database: Confirmation page, click Yes to begin the restart operations.

   You can click Refresh periodically to monitor the progress of the operation.

9. Make a consistent (that is, offline) backup of your entire database immediately after switching your database to ARCHIVELOG mode.

   Caution: You cannot use backups from before the switch to ARCHIVELOG mode to restore and recover the database to a point in time after the switch. Thus, if you do not immediately make a backup after switching, then you are running your database without a valid backup. See "Performing and Scheduling Backups Using Database Control" to learn how to make database backups.