Hey Robert, > Are you using Database control or grid control? They will automate this for > you using the Oracle Scheduler. Of course, if your shutting down your > database from time to time then the database scheduler would not be able to > run the backups. I'd say this option is "USE AT YOUR OWN RISK". I chose it to get RMAN going, but there is a severe issue with Grid Control jobs. Unfortunately all my SR information is now lost since the upgrade to MOS, so I can't give any specifics, although patch 759579 is what I applied to hopefully fix it. The problem is that the scheduled jobs in Grid Control can silently disappear. If I hadn't noticed my archive_dest suspiciously filling up on the weekend, it could have been major trouble. I'm in the delicate process of replacing all RMAN backups in Grid Control with a POSIX shell script run locally on each server. Much more robust and reliable, IMNSHO. One can't modify *any* aspect of the RMAN script once it's scheduled. The job must be dropped and recreated. How absurd! Unfortunately I have one Winders XE DB that I'd still like backed up. And since I'm a solo DBA, I can't take the time to rewrite a backup script specific for this ancillary DB, so Grid Control it is for this guy. I've supplemented the job with yet ANOTHER "Check to make sure Grid Control is running" script utilizing the output from a "repvfy verify jobs" command of the EMDiag kit. And even the version of EMDiag somehow broke a few weeks ago, where I needed to upgrade it. Granted, I'm using this diag tool well beyond what it was meant to do, but at this point I don't another viable option. Really really really (REALLY!) try to avoid Grid Control for production database backups. Really. My $.02, Rich -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l