Ron, >>Is the snapshot control file ever needed during recovery? Short and right answer is "no". Read the definition of the (RMAN) "Snapshot Control File" below. Generally I would consider the (RMAN) "Snapshot Control File" worthless as it knows *nothing* about the backup (sets) currently being completed/made Meaning the last backup metadata is not *in* the "Snapshot Control File", as it was "snapped" before the back started/completed. *HOWEVER* it is a copy of the controlfie at the beginning of your current backup and while it knows nothing about the current backup, it "still" has knowledge/metadata about all previous RMAN backups (not deleted, marked missing or obsolete by RMAN). I can invision a scenario where I lost *ALL* controlfiles on disk and on tape *AND* I do not use a RMAN Recovery Catalog. I would try and use the last known available RMAN "Snapshot Control File" to restore my database from an *older* (than the Snapshot Control File) backup and recovery my database. I have not tried this yet. hth Chris Marquez Oracle DBA ============================================ Snapshot Control File: ============================================ A copy of a database's control file taken by Recovery Manager. RMAN uses the snapshot control file to read a consistent version of a control file when either resynchronizing the recovery catalog or backing up the control file. A snapshot control file is created by Recovery Manager using the same Oracle code that creates backup control files: ALTER DATABASE BACKUP CONTROL FILE TO 'location'. Determining the Snapshot Control File Location: When RMAN needs to resynchronize from a read-consistent version of the control file, it creates a temporary snapshot control file. The default name for the snapshot control file is port-specific. Use the set snapshot controlfile name command to change the name of the snapshot control file; subsequent snapshot control files that RMAN creates use the name specified in the command. For example, start RMAN and then enter: set snapshot controlfile name to '/oracle/dba/prod/snap_prod.ctl'; -----Original Message----- From: oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Smith, Ron L. Sent: Monday, August 15, 2005 5:06 PM To: Oracle-L Subject: Snapshot Control File Is the snapshot control file ever needed during recovery? Thanks Ron Important Notice!! If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail message, any use, distribution or copying of the message is prohibited. Please let me know immediately by return e-mail if you have received this message by mistake, then delete the e-mail message. Thank you. -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l