Alan, you can find some information in 9i documentation http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B10501_01/server.920/a96566/rcmconc1.htm#470702 <http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B10501_01/server.920/a96566/rcmconc1.htm#470702> "Each incremental level is denoted by an integer, for example, 0, 1, 2, and so forth." In subsequent release, this phrase was changed. But if you spend a test case (as I did), then all will be clear. $ rman target / Recovery Manager: Release 11.2.0.1.0 - Production on Thu Mar 18 17:02:37 2010 Copyright (c) 1982, 2009, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. connected to target database: RACGRID (DBID=386861224) RMAN> backup incremental level 5 datafile 4; Starting backup at 18-MAR-10 using channel ORA_DISK_1 using channel ORA_DISK_2 using channel ORA_DISK_3 using channel ORA_DISK_4 RMAN-00571: =========================================================== RMAN-00569: =============== ERROR MESSAGE STACK FOLLOWS =============== RMAN-00571: =========================================================== RMAN-03002: failure of backup command at 03/18/2010 17:03:05 RMAN-06011: invalid level specified: 5 RMAN> backup incremental level 4 datafile 4; Starting backup at 18-MAR-10 using channel ORA_DISK_1 using channel ORA_DISK_2 using channel ORA_DISK_3 using channel ORA_DISK_4 channel ORA_DISK_1: starting incremental level 4 datafile backup set channel ORA_DISK_1: specifying datafile(s) in backup set input datafile file number=00004 name=+DATA/racgrid/datafile/users.259.696610733 channel ORA_DISK_1: starting piece 1 at 18-MAR-10 user interrupt received Finished backup at 18-MAR-10 RMAN-00571: =========================================================== RMAN-00569: =============== ERROR MESSAGE STACK FOLLOWS =============== RMAN-00571: =========================================================== RMAN-03099: job cancelled at user request By following the following link, I showed that the level of incremental backup does matter, and not used for backward compatibility http://www.sql.ru/forum/actualthread.aspx?bid=3&tid=723060&hl=incremental+tru55#8114278 2010/3/18 Guillermo Alan Bort <cicciuxdba@xxxxxxxxx> > Andrey, > > can you point to any documentation regarding levels 3 and 4? I can't seem > to find any, and can't fathom what they are for. > > cheers. > Alan.- > > >