I'm not a Data Guard expert, but I don't believe there is an automated way to do it in 9i. Maybe Carel-Jan or one of the others on the list with more DG experience will set us straight. There are some new options in 10g that look like they would do the trick, but I don't have any actual experience with them yet: http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B19306_01/server.102/b14239/rman.htm# i1031870 Regards, Brandon Privileged/Confidential Information may be contained in this message or attachments hereto. Please advise immediately if you or your employer do not consent to Internet email for messages of this kind. Opinions, conclusions and other information in this message that do not relate to the official business of this company shall be understood as neither given nor endorsed by it.