Oops! You are right, Bruce. Thanks. Now, I think I know why: 2004-10-09 06:23 redo log file 1_1439.dbf closed and archived 2004-10-09 16:12 <---- here is the later 'sysdate-2'( say, SCN XYZ) 2004-10-10 only a few activities 2004-10-11 00:42 redo log file 1_1440.dbf closed and archived 2004-10-11 15:39 redo log file 1_1441.dbf closed and archived 2004-10-11 16:12 I told RMAN to backup archivelog until time 'sysdate-2' delete input RMAN did backup and delete upto SCN XYZ, which was in 1_1440.dbf. That's why 1_1440.dbf was deleted, even it was closed in 2004-10-11, same day I ran RMAN backup/delete archivelog. -----Original Message----- From: Reardon, Bruce (CALBBAY) [ mailto:Bruce.Reardon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] Sent: Tuesday, October 12, 2004 4:37 PM To: Oracle-L@Freelists. Org (E-mail) Subject: RE: RMAN: backup archivelog until time 'sysdate-2' delete input Roger, Try using MI as the minute format rather than MM (which is 2 digit month) HTH, Bruce Reardon -----Original Message----- From: Roger Xu Sent: Wednesday, 13 October 2004 7:21 AM Subject: RE: RMAN: backup archivelog until time 'sysdate-2' delete input 'sysdate -2' is different from what I thought it was! Thanks, Brian. SQL> !date Tue Oct 12 15:20:40 CDT 2004 SQL> select to_char(sysdate-2,'DD-MON-YYYY HH24:MM:SS') from dual; TO_CHAR(SYSDATE-2,'D -------------------- 10-OCT-2004 15:10:42 SQL> !date Tue Oct 12 15:20:45 CDT 2004 -----Original Message----- From: Spears, Brian [ mailto:BSpears@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] Sent: Tuesday, October 12, 2004 8:41 AM Subject: RE: RMAN: backup archivelog until time 'sysdate-2' delete input ... I used select to_char(sysdate-2,'DD-MON-YY:HH.MM.SS') from dual; when it was run to make sure it was the time range I expected. ... Brian -----Original Message----- From: oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [ mailto:oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Roger Xu Sent: Monday, October 11, 2004 4:55 PM To: Oracle-L@Freelists. Org (E-mail) Subject: RMAN: backup archivelog until time 'sysdate-2' delete input Hi list, It was "Mon Oct 11 16:12:07 CDT 2004" and I ran the following RMAN> run { 2> backup 3> format '/oback/obckp/redo-logs/DV2_%s_%p.logs' 4> archivelog until time 'sysdate-2' delete input; 5> } Since I specified "sysdate-2", I expected it only archive/delete up to "Oct 09 16:12:06". Was I right? But the truth is it archived/deleted redo file "1_1440.dbf", which was created between "Mon Oct 11 00:12:40 2004" and "Mon Oct 11 00:42:39 2004". WHY? My last three redo files was: .. .. .. Sat Oct 9 06:23:22 2004 .. .. .. Creating archive destination LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_1: '/oracle/DV2/saparch/DV2arch/1_1439.dbf' Sat Oct 9 06:23:34 2004 .. .. .. Mon Oct 11 00:12:40 2004 .. .. .. Creating archive destination LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_1: '/oracle/DV2/saparch/DV2arch/1_1440.dbf' .. .. .. Mon Oct 11 00:42:39 2004 .. .. .. Mon Oct 11 15:39:37 2004 .. .. .. Creating archive destination LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_1: '/oracle/DV2/saparch/DV2arch/1_1441.dbf' This e-mail is intended solely for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged information. Any review, dissemination, copying, printing or other use of this e-mail by persons or entities other than the addressee is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please contact the sender immediately and delete the material. ____________________________________________________________________ This email has been scanned for all viruses by the MessageLabs Email Security System. Any questions please call 972-721-8257 or email your request to tech_support@xxxxxxxxxxxx -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l