Recovery Manager: 03 executing commands from prompt and from file

Click here to read the previous step.

Would you like to create a backup of your datafiles in the flash recovery area directory.?
Just type the following commands, but remember that the target database must be in archivelog mode (alter database archivelog) before running this on-line backup:

$ rman target / nocatalog

Recovery Manager: Release 10.2.0.1.0 - Production on Wed Apr 4 06:19:33 2007

Copyright (c) 1982, 2005, Oracle. All rights reserved.

connected to target database: PRIMARY (DBID=1453964262)
using target database control file instead of recovery catalog

Let's gather more information about our database.

RMAN> report schema;

Report of database schema

List of Permanent Datafiles
===========================
File Size(MB) Tablespace RB segs Datafile Name
---- -------- -------------------- ------- ------------------------
1 480 SYSTEM ***
/u01/app/oracle/oradata/PRIMARY/datafile/o1_mf_system_2yss9qlx_.dbf
2 25 UNDOTBS1 ***
/u01/app/oracle/oradata/PRIMARY/datafile/o1_mf_undotbs1_2yss9r16_.dbf
3 240 SYSAUX ***
/u01/app/oracle/oradata/PRIMARY/datafile/o1_mf_sysaux_2yss9qop_.dbf
4 5 USERS ***
/u01/app/oracle/oradata/PRIMARY/datafile/o1_mf_users_2yss9r32_.dbf

List of Temporary Files
=======================
File Size(MB) Tablespace Maxsize(MB) Tempfile Name
---- -------- -------------------- ----------- --------------------
1 25 TEMP 32767
/u01/app/oracle/oradata/PRIMARY/datafile/o1_mf_temp_2yssg3oo_.tmp

Now I choose I want a compressed backup of datafile number 4.

RMAN> run { allocate channel d1 type disk;
2> backup as compressed backupset datafile 4; }

allocated channel: d1
channel d1: sid=159 devtype=DISK

Starting backup at 04-APR-07
channel d1: starting compressed full datafile backupset
channel d1: specifying datafile(s) in backupset
input datafile fno=00004
name=/u01/app/oracle/oradata/PRIMARY/datafile/o1_mf_users_2yss9r32_.dbf
channel d1: starting piece 1 at 04-APR-07
channel d1: finished piece 1 at 04-APR-07
piece
handle=/u01/app/oracle/flash_recovery_area/PRIMARY/backupset/2007_04_04/o1_mf_nnndf_TAG20070404T062359_316b30rc_.bkp
tag=TAG20070404T062359 comment=NONE
channel d1: backup set complete, elapsed time: 00:00:03
Finished backup at 04-APR-07
released channel: d1

Now I choose I want a compressed backup of the tablespace USERS.

RMAN> run { allocate channel d1 type disk;
2> backup as compressed backupset tablespace users;}

allocated channel: d1
channel d1: sid=159 devtype=DISK

Starting backup at 04-APR-07
channel d1: starting compressed full datafile backupset
channel d1: specifying datafile(s) in backupset
input datafile fno=00004
name=/u01/app/oracle/oradata/PRIMARY/datafile/o1_mf_users_2yss9r32_.dbf
channel d1: starting piece 1 at 04-APR-07
channel d1: finished piece 1 at 04-APR-07
piece
handle=/u01/app/oracle/flash_recovery_area/PRIMARY/backupset/2007_04_04/o1_mf_nnndf_TAG20070404T062502_316b4yns_.bkp
tag=TAG20070404T062502 comment=NONE
channel d1: backup set complete, elapsed time: 00:00:01
Finished backup at 04-APR-07
released channel: d1

Because datafile number 4 and the tablespace USERS are the same thing, if you want to see
how many backup you have for the datafile number 4, you would see two different compressed backup.

RMAN> list backup of datafile 4;

List of Backup Sets
===================
BS Key Type LV Size Device Type Elapsed Time Completion Time
------- ---- -- ---------- ----------- ------------ ---------------
4 Full 432.00K DISK 00:00:03 04-APR-07
BP Key: 4 Status: AVAILABLE Compressed: YES Tag:TAG20070404T062359
Piece Name:
/u01/app/oracle/flash_recovery_area/PRIMARY/backupset/2007_04_04/o1_mf_nnndf_TAG20070404T062359_316b30rc_.bkp
List of Datafiles in backup set 4
File LV Type Ckp SCN Ckp Time Name
---- -- ---- ---------- --------- ----
4 Full 545019 04-APR-07
/u01/app/oracle/oradata/PRIMARY/datafile/o1_mf_users_2yss9r32_.dbf

BS Key Type LV Size Device Type Elapsed Time Completion Time
------- ---- -- ---------- ----------- ------------ ---------------
5 Full 432.00K DISK 00:00:01 04-APR-07
BP Key: 5 Status: AVAILABLE Compressed: YES Tag:TAG20070404T062502
Piece Name:
/u01/app/oracle/flash_recovery_area/PRIMARY/backupset/2007_04_04/o1_mf_nnndf_TAG20070404T062502_316b4yns_.bkp
List of Datafiles in backup set 5
File LV Type Ckp SCN Ckp Time Name
---- -- ---- ---------- --------- ----
4 Full 545058 04-APR-07
/u01/app/oracle/oradata/PRIMARY/datafile/o1_mf_users_2yss9r32_.dbf

Now I choose I want a backup of the current control file.

RMAN> run { allocate channel d1 type disk;
2> backup as backupset current controlfile;}

allocated channel: d1
channel d1: sid=159 devtype=DISK

Starting backup at 04-APR-07
channel d1: starting full datafile backupset
channel d1: specifying datafile(s) in backupset
including current control file in backupset
channel d1: starting piece 1 at 04-APR-07
channel d1: finished piece 1 at 04-APR-07
piece
handle=/u01/app/oracle/flash_recovery_area/PRIMARY/backupset/2007_04_04/o1_mf_ncnnf_TAG20070404T062800_316bbjx4_.bkp
tag=TAG20070404T062800 comment=NONE
channel d1: backup set complete, elapsed time: 00:00:01
Finished backup at 04-APR-07
released channel: d1

And here it's the command to list how many backup I have for my control file.

RMAN> list backup of controlfile;

List of Backup Sets
===================

BS Key Type LV Size Device Type Elapsed Time Completion Time
------- ---- -- ---------- ----------- ------------ ---------------
6 Full 6.77M DISK 00:00:01 04-APR-07
BP Key: 6 Status: AVAILABLE Compressed: NO Tag: TAG20070404T062800
Piece Name:
/u01/app/oracle/flash_recovery_area/PRIMARY/backupset/2007_04_04/o1_mf_ncnnf_TAG20070404T062800_316bbjx4_.bkp
Control File Included: Ckp SCN: 545172 Ckp time: 04-APR-07

Now I just delete the backupset files number 4 and 5 and then I run again the same commands above, but this time from a file.

RMAN> delete backupset 4,5;

allocated channel: ORA_DISK_1
channel ORA_DISK_1: sid=159 devtype=DISK

List of Backup Pieces
BP Key BS Key Pc# Cp# Status Device Type Piece Name
------- ------- --- --- ----------- ----------- ----------
4 4 1 1 AVAILABLE DISK
/u01/app/oracle/flash_recovery_area/PRIMARY/backupset/2007_04_04/o1_mf_nnndf_TAG20070404T062359_316b30rc_.bkp
5 5 1 1 AVAILABLE DISK
/u01/app/oracle/flash_recovery_area/PRIMARY/backupset/2007_04_04/o1_mf_nnndf_TAG20070404T062502_316b4yns_.bkp

Do you really want to delete the above objects (enter YES or NO)? yes
deleted backup piece
backup piece
handle=/u01/app/oracle/flash_recovery_area/PRIMARY/backupset/2007_04_04/o1_mf_nnndf_TAG20070404T062359_316b30rc_.bkp
recid=4 stamp=618992640
deleted backup piece
backup piece
handle=/u01/app/oracle/flash_recovery_area/PRIMARY/backupset/2007_04_04/o1_mf_nnndf_TAG20070404T062502_316b4yns_.bkp
recid=5 stamp=618992702
Deleted 2 objects

Edit and prepare a Recovery Manager command file.

vi backup_users.rmn

Then type into it the following rman commands:

run
{
#allocate the channel
allocate channel d1 type disk;

#issue the backup command
backup as compressed backupset datafile 4;
}

Then execute that file using the following command.

$ rman target / nocatalog @backup_users.rmn log=backup_users.log

The log option is useful to analyse your backup status, indeed:

$vi backup_users.log

Recovery Manager: Release 10.2.0.1.0 - Production on Wed Apr 4 06:36:04 2007

Copyright (c) 1982, 2005, Oracle. All rights reserved.

connected to target database: PRIMARY (DBID=1453964262)
using target database control file instead of recovery catalog

RMAN> run
2> {
3> #allocate the channel
4> allocate channel d1 type disk;
5>
6> #issue the backup command
7> backup as compressed backupset datafile 4;
8> }
9>
10>
allocated channel: d1
channel d1: sid=153 devtype=DISK

Starting backup at 04-APR-07
channel d1: starting compressed full datafile backupset
channel d1: specifying datafile(s) in backupset
input datafile fno=00004
name=/u01/app/oracle/oradata/PRIMARY/datafile/o1_mf_users_2yss9r32_.dbf
channel d1: starting piece 1 at 04-APR-07
channel d1: finished piece 1 at 04-APR-07
piece
handle=/u01/app/oracle/flash_recovery_area/PRIMARY/backupset/2007_04_04/o1_mf_nnndf_TAG20070404T063611_316bsvjc_.bkp
tag=TAG20070404T063611 comment=NONE
channel d1: backup set complete, elapsed time: 00:00:01
Finished backup at 04-APR-07
released channel: d1

Recovery Manager complete.

My backup is gone well!!!

A simple Hello World program using C and PRO*C

Just because many visitors ask me to write some C and PRO*C code to interface with an ORACLE database, today I will write a simple "Hello World!" program.

First of all you have to set at least your LD_LIBRARY_PATH and in general you should set as $ORACLE_HOME/lib.
In my .profile file I have:

export ORACLE_SID=primary
export ORACLE_BASE=/u01/app/oracle
export ORACLE_HOME=$ORACLE_BASE/product/10.2.0/db_1
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$ORACLE_HOME/lib
export PATH=$ORACLE_HOME/bin;/bin;/usr/bin;/usr/sbin;/usr/local/bin;/usr/X11R6/bin
umask 022

Then login as sysdba and create the user hello:

CREATE USER hello IDENTIFIED BY hello
DEFAULT TABLESPACE USERS
QUOTA UNLIMITED ON USERS;

Grant to the hello user the following privileges:

GRANT CREATE SESSION, CONNECT, RESOURCE TO hello;

Login as hello user and create the hello_world table:

CONNECT hello/hello;

CREATE TABLE hello_world (msg VARCHAR2(50));

and exit from sqlplus;

Then type

vi hellodb.pc

and write the following code:
#include <stdio.h>

#include <sqlca.h>
#include <sqlcpr.h>
#include <oraca.h>
#include <sqlda.h>

/* Declare error handling function. */
void sql_error();

int main(int argc, char** argv)
{
char user[]="hello";
char pwd[]="hello";
char msg_buf[51]="";

/* Register sql_error() as the error handler. */
EXEC SQL WHENEVER SQLERROR DO sql_error("ORACLE error\n");

EXEC SQL CONNECT :user IDENTIFIED BY :pwd;

EXEC SQL
INSERT INTO hello_world
VALUES ('Hello world!');

EXEC SQL COMMIT;

EXEC SQL
SELECT msg
INTO :msg_buf
FROM hello_world
WHERE rownum <= 1;

printf("%s\n", msg_buf);

return(0);
}

void sql_error(char *msg)
{
char err_msg[128];
int buf_len, msg_len;

EXEC SQL WHENEVER SQLERROR CONTINUE;

printf("%s\n", msg);
buf_len = sizeof (err_msg);
sqlglm(err_msg, &buf_len, &msg_len);

if (msg_len > buf_len)
msg_len = buf_len;

printf("%.*s\n", msg_len, err_msg);

EXEC SQL ROLLBACK RELEASE;

exit(1);
}

Save this file and then let the precompiler to create from the hellodb.pc file the hellodb.c file, typing:

proc iname=hellodb.pc MODE=ORACLE

If you type

more hellodb.c

you will see something like the following code:

/* Result Sets Interface */
#ifndef SQL_CRSR
# define SQL_CRSR
struct sql_cursor
{
unsigned int curocn;
void *ptr1;
void *ptr2;
unsigned int magic;
};
typedef struct sql_cursor sql_cursor;
typedef struct sql_cursor SQL_CURSOR;
#endif /* SQL_CRSR */

/* Thread Safety */
typedef void * sql_context;
typedef void * SQL_CONTEXT;

/* Object support */
struct sqltvn
{
unsigned char *tvnvsn;
unsigned short tvnvsnl;
unsigned char *tvnnm;
unsigned short tvnnml;
unsigned char *tvnsnm;
unsigned short tvnsnml;
};
typedef struct sqltvn sqltvn;

struct sqladts
{
unsigned int adtvsn;
unsigned short adtmode;
unsigned short adtnum;
sqltvn adttvn[1];
};
typedef struct sqladts sqladts;

static struct sqladts sqladt = {
1,1,0,
};

/* Binding to PL/SQL Records */
struct sqltdss
{
unsigned int tdsvsn;
unsigned short tdsnum;
unsigned char *tdsval[1];
};
typedef struct sqltdss sqltdss;
static struct sqltdss sqltds =
{
1,
0,
};

/* File name & Package Name */
struct sqlcxp
{
unsigned short fillen;
char filnam[11];
};
static struct sqlcxp sqlfpn =
{
10,
"hellodb.pc"
};


static unsigned int sqlctx = 73675;


static struct sqlexd {
unsigned int sqlvsn;
unsigned int arrsiz;
unsigned int iters;
unsigned int offset;
unsigned short selerr;
unsigned short sqlety;
unsigned int occurs;
short *cud;
unsigned char *sqlest;
char *stmt;
sqladts *sqladtp;
sqltdss *sqltdsp;
void **sqphsv;
unsigned int *sqphsl;
int *sqphss;
void **sqpind;
int *sqpins;
unsigned int *sqparm;
unsigned int **sqparc;
unsigned short *sqpadto;
unsigned short *sqptdso;
unsigned int sqlcmax;
unsigned int sqlcmin;
unsigned int sqlcincr;
unsigned int sqlctimeout;
unsigned int sqlcnowait;
int sqfoff;
unsigned int sqcmod;
unsigned int sqfmod;
void *sqhstv[4];
unsigned int sqhstl[4];
int sqhsts[4];
void *sqindv[4];
int sqinds[4];
unsigned int sqharm[4];
unsigned int *sqharc[4];
unsigned short sqadto[4];
unsigned short sqtdso[4];
} sqlstm = {12,4};

/* SQLLIB Prototypes */
extern sqlcxt (/*_ void **, unsigned int *,
struct sqlexd *, struct sqlcxp * _*/);
extern sqlcx2t(/*_ void **, unsigned int *,
struct sqlexd *, struct sqlcxp * _*/);
extern sqlbuft(/*_ void **, char * _*/);
extern sqlgs2t(/*_ void **, char * _*/);
extern sqlorat(/*_ void **, unsigned int *, void * _*/);

/* Forms Interface */
static int IAPSUCC = 0;
static int IAPFAIL = 1403;
static int IAPFTL = 535;
extern void sqliem(/*_ char *, int * _*/);

typedef struct { unsigned short len; unsigned char arr[1]; } VARCHAR;
typedef struct { unsigned short len; unsigned char arr[1]; } varchar;

/* CUD (Compilation Unit Data) Array */
static short sqlcud0[] =
{12,4130,1,0,0,
5,0,0,1,0,0,27,20,0,0,4,4,0,1,0,1,97,0,0,1,97,0,0,1,10,0,0,1,10,0,0,
36,0,0,2,50,0,3,22,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,
51,0,0,3,0,0,29,26,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,
66,0,0,4,53,0,4,28,0,0,1,0,0,1,0,2,97,0,0,
85,0,0,5,0,0,32,50,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,
};


#include <stdio.h>

#include <sqlca.h>
#include <sqlcpr.h>
#include <oraca.h>
#include <sqlda.h>

/* Declare error handling function. */
void sql_error();

int main(int argc, char** argv)
{
char user[]="hello";
char pwd[]="hello";
char msg_buf[51]="";

/* Register sql_error() as the error handler. */
/* EXEC SQL WHENEVER SQLERROR DO sql_error("ORACLE error--\n"); */


/* EXEC SQL CONNECT :user IDENTIFIED BY :pwd; */

{
struct sqlexd sqlstm;
sqlstm.sqlvsn = 12;
sqlstm.arrsiz = 4;
sqlstm.sqladtp = &sqladt;
sqlstm.sqltdsp = &sqltds;
sqlstm.iters = (unsigned int )10;
sqlstm.offset = (unsigned int )5;
sqlstm.cud = sqlcud0;
sqlstm.sqlest = (unsigned char *)&sqlca;
sqlstm.sqlety = (unsigned short)256;
sqlstm.occurs = (unsigned int )0;
sqlstm.sqhstv[0] = ( void *)user;
sqlstm.sqhstl[0] = (unsigned int )0;
sqlstm.sqhsts[0] = ( int )0;
sqlstm.sqindv[0] = ( void *)0;
sqlstm.sqinds[0] = ( int )0;
sqlstm.sqharm[0] = (unsigned int )0;
sqlstm.sqadto[0] = (unsigned short )0;
sqlstm.sqtdso[0] = (unsigned short )0;
sqlstm.sqhstv[1] = ( void *)pwd;
sqlstm.sqhstl[1] = (unsigned int )0;
sqlstm.sqhsts[1] = ( int )0;
sqlstm.sqindv[1] = ( void *)0;
sqlstm.sqinds[1] = ( int )0;
sqlstm.sqharm[1] = (unsigned int )0;
sqlstm.sqadto[1] = (unsigned short )0;
sqlstm.sqtdso[1] = (unsigned short )0;
sqlstm.sqphsv = sqlstm.sqhstv;
sqlstm.sqphsl = sqlstm.sqhstl;
sqlstm.sqphss = sqlstm.sqhsts;
sqlstm.sqpind = sqlstm.sqindv;
sqlstm.sqpins = sqlstm.sqinds;
sqlstm.sqparm = sqlstm.sqharm;
sqlstm.sqparc = sqlstm.sqharc;
sqlstm.sqpadto = sqlstm.sqadto;
sqlstm.sqptdso = sqlstm.sqtdso;
sqlstm.sqlcmax = (unsigned int )100;
sqlstm.sqlcmin = (unsigned int )2;
sqlstm.sqlcincr = (unsigned int )1;
sqlstm.sqlctimeout = (unsigned int )0;
sqlstm.sqlcnowait = (unsigned int )0;
sqlcxt((void **)0, &sqlctx, &sqlstm, &sqlfpn);
if (sqlca.sqlcode <>
}



/* EXEC SQL
INSERT INTO hello_world
VALUES (1, 'Hello world!'); */

{
struct sqlexd sqlstm;
sqlstm.sqlvsn = 12;
sqlstm.arrsiz = 4;
sqlstm.sqladtp = &sqladt;
sqlstm.sqltdsp = &sqltds;
sqlstm.stmt = "insert into hello_world values (1,'Hello world!')";
sqlstm.iters = (unsigned int )1;
sqlstm.offset = (unsigned int )36;
sqlstm.cud = sqlcud0;
sqlstm.sqlest = (unsigned char *)&sqlca;
sqlstm.sqlety = (unsigned short)256;
sqlstm.occurs = (unsigned int )0;
sqlcxt((void **)0, &sqlctx, &sqlstm, &sqlfpn);
if (sqlca.sqlcode <>
}



/* EXEC SQL COMMIT; */

{
struct sqlexd sqlstm;
sqlstm.sqlvsn = 12;
sqlstm.arrsiz = 4;
sqlstm.sqladtp = &sqladt;
sqlstm.sqltdsp = &sqltds;
sqlstm.iters = (unsigned int )1;
sqlstm.offset = (unsigned int )51;
sqlstm.cud = sqlcud0;
sqlstm.sqlest = (unsigned char *)&sqlca;
sqlstm.sqlety = (unsigned short)256;
sqlstm.occurs = (unsigned int )0;
sqlcxt((void **)0, &sqlctx, &sqlstm, &sqlfpn);
if (sqlca.sqlcode <>
}



/* EXEC SQL
SELECT msg
INTO :msg_buf
FROM hello_world
WHERE rownum <= 1; */

{
struct sqlexd sqlstm;
sqlstm.sqlvsn = 12;
sqlstm.arrsiz = 4;
sqlstm.sqladtp = &sqladt;
sqlstm.sqltdsp = &sqltds;
sqlstm.stmt = "select msg into :b0 from hello_world where rownum<=1";
sqlstm.iters = (unsigned int )1;
sqlstm.offset = (unsigned int )66;
sqlstm.selerr = (unsigned short)1;
sqlstm.cud = sqlcud0;
sqlstm.sqlest = (unsigned char *)&sqlca;
sqlstm.sqlety = (unsigned short)256;
sqlstm.occurs = (unsigned int )0;
sqlstm.sqhstv[0] = ( void *)msg_buf;
sqlstm.sqhstl[0] = (unsigned int )51;
sqlstm.sqhsts[0] = ( int )0;
sqlstm.sqindv[0] = ( void *)0;
sqlstm.sqinds[0] = ( int )0;
sqlstm.sqharm[0] = (unsigned int )0;
sqlstm.sqadto[0] = (unsigned short )0;
sqlstm.sqtdso[0] = (unsigned short )0;
sqlstm.sqphsv = sqlstm.sqhstv;
sqlstm.sqphsl = sqlstm.sqhstl;
sqlstm.sqphss = sqlstm.sqhsts;
sqlstm.sqpind = sqlstm.sqindv;
sqlstm.sqpins = sqlstm.sqinds;
sqlstm.sqparm = sqlstm.sqharm;
sqlstm.sqparc = sqlstm.sqharc;
sqlstm.sqpadto = sqlstm.sqadto;
sqlstm.sqptdso = sqlstm.sqtdso;
sqlcxt((void **)0, &sqlctx, &sqlstm, &sqlfpn);
if (sqlca.sqlcode <>
}



printf("%s\n", msg_buf);
return(0);
}

void sql_error(char *msg)
{
char err_msg[128];
int buf_len, msg_len;

/* EXEC SQL WHENEVER SQLERROR CONTINUE; */

printf("\n%s\n", msg);
buf_len = sizeof (err_msg);
sqlglm(err_msg, &buf_len, &msg_len);
if (msg_len > buf_len)
msg_len = buf_len;
printf("%.*s\n", msg_len, err_msg);
/* EXEC SQL ROLLBACK RELEASE; */

{
struct sqlexd sqlstm;
sqlstm.sqlvsn = 12;
sqlstm.arrsiz = 4;
sqlstm.sqladtp = &sqladt;
sqlstm.sqltdsp = &sqltds;
sqlstm.iters = (unsigned int )1;
sqlstm.offset = (unsigned int )85;
sqlstm.cud = sqlcud0;
sqlstm.sqlest = (unsigned char *)&sqlca;
sqlstm.sqlety = (unsigned short)256;
sqlstm.occurs = (unsigned int )0;
sqlcxt((void **)0, &sqlctx, &sqlstm, &sqlfpn);
}
exit(1);
}

Now you have just to use the gcc compiler to create your executable, simply typing:

gcc hellodb.c -I/u01/app/oracle/product/10.2.0/db_1/precomp/public/ /u01/app/oracle/product/10.2.0/db_1/lib/libclntsh.so -o hellodb

Run your executable in this way:
./hellodb

What does the hellodb executable do ?

It connects to your ORACLE_SID database using the user hello and the password hello.
Then it inserts a row with the message "Hello world!" into the table hello_world and commits your work.
After it asks for the FIRST row from the hello_world table and puts the result in the buffer msg_buf and, at last, it prints on the standard output that message.
That's all...

Recovery Manager: 02 Connecting to target and catalog database

Click here to read the previous step

To connect to the target database you have to set at least the ORACLE_SID variable for your Unix environment.
Moreover you can connect to the target database using RMAN only if you have the SYSDBA privilege granted, otherwise an error message will be showed:

$ rman

RMAN> connect target;

RMAN-00571: ==========================================
RMAN-00569: ======= ERROR MESSAGE STACK FOLLOWS ============
RMAN-00571: ==========================================
ORA-01031: insufficient privileges

RMAN> exit

As usual two methods are used to have the SYSDBA privilege, via local OS authentication or via remote password file.
We will use our local OS authentication so RMAN enables you to automatically connects to the target database with the SYSDBA privilege.

To connect to a target database using O/S authentication, use the following command:

$ rman target / nocatalog

Recovery Manager: Release 10.2.0.1.0 - Production on Wed Apr 4 01:21:58 2007

Copyright (c) 1982, 2005, Oracle. All rights reserved.

connected to target database: PRIMARY (DBID=1453964262)
using target database control file instead of recovery catalog

RMAN>exit

As RMAN says you are using the target database controlfile instead of a recovery catalog database.
nocatalog is the default option, so the following command will connect again to the target database controlfile:

$ rman target /

Recovery Manager: Release 10.2.0.1.0 - Production on Wed Apr 4 01:22:59 2007

Copyright (c) 1982, 2005, Oracle. All rights reserved.

connected to target database: PRIMARY (DBID=1453964262)

RMAN>exit

To connect to a target database using O/S authentication and to a remote recovery catalog database, use the following command:

$ rman target / catalog rmadmin/rmadmin@catdb

In a production environment your connection to the catalog usually should be through a network connection and should never reside on the same host as your target database, otherwise you could have a single point of failure and lost at the same time your target database and the information to recover it, saved in your recovery catalog database.

A good practice is to use the connect commands from within RMAN when you connect to remote target or recovery catalog database.
In this way you prevent other users to view the passwords from appearing in the process list, for example instead of use the following command:

$rman target sys/oracle@primary

You should use the following commands:

$rman

RMAN>connect target sys/oracle@tgtdb

In the first way, a user can get your password simply typing:

# ps -ef|grep rman
oracle 5781 4234 14 02:07 pts/4 00:00:01 rman target sys/oracle
oracle 5792 3498 0 02:07 pts/1 00:00:00 grep rman

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