Incremental Backups of Data Files

RMAN incremental backups copy only those blocks in a data file that change between backups. A level 0 incremental backup, which copies all blocks in the data file, is used as a starting point for an incremental backup strategy.

Incremental backups at level 1 copy only images of blocks that have changed since a previous incremental backup. Level 1 backups can be cumulative, in which case all blocks changed since the most recent level 0 backup are included, or differential, in which case only blocks changed since the most recent level 0 or level 1 incremental backup are included. A typical incremental strategy makes level 1 backups at regular intervals such as once each day.

Recovering changed blocks from incremental backups can speed media recovery. Because an incremental level 1 backup copies the final contents of all data file blocks changed during the period covered by the incremental backup strategy, the recovery process can avoid reapplying updates from the archived redo log files of that period, and update each block with its final contents. The archived redo log files are used only for changes from the period not covered by level 1 backups.