SWITCH

Syntax

Description of the illustration switch.gif

Description of the illustration switchfile.gif

Purpose

To specify that a datafile copy is now the current datafile, that is, the datafile pointed to by the control file. A SWITCH is equivalent to using the PL/SQL ALTER DATABASE RENAME FILE statement: the names of the files in the RMAN repository are updated, but the database does not actually rename the files at the operating system level. Note that this command deletes the RMAN repository records for the datafile copy from the recovery catalog and updates the control file records to status DELETED.

Restrictions and Usage Notes

Execute the forms of SWITCH in the switch syntax diagram outside of a RUN block. Execute the forms of SWITCH in the switchFile syntax diagram within a RUN block.
If RMAN is connected to a recovery catalog, and the database is using a control file restored from backup, SWITCH updates the control file with records of any datafiles known to the recovery catalog but missing from the control file.

Keywords and Parameters

switch

Syntax Element	Description
`DATABASE` `TO` `COPY`	Renames the datafiles and control files to use the filenames of image copies of these files. RMAN switches to the latest image copy of each file. After a database switch, RMAN considers the previous database files as datafile copies.
`DATAFILE` datafileSpec `TO COPY`	Specifies the datafile that you wish to rename. As with `DATABASE TO COPY`, specifies to switch this datafile to the latest image copy. After the switch, the control file no longer considers the specified file as current.
`TABLESPACE 'tablespace_name' TO COPY`	Switches all datafiles within the tablespace, as with `SWITCH DATAFILE ... TO COPY`.

switchFile

Syntax Element	Description
`DATAFILE` `ALL`	Specifies that all datafiles for which a SET `NEWNAME` `FOR` `DATAFILE` command has been issued in this job are switched to their new name.
`DATAFILE` datafileSpec `TO` `DATAFILECOPY {'filename'` `\|` `TAG` `=` `'tag_name'` `}`	Specifies the datafile that you wish to rename. After the switch, the control file no longer considers the specified file as current. For example, this command points the control file from `tbs_1.f` to `cp1.f`: SWITCH DATAFILE '?/dbs/tbs_1.f' TO DATAFILECOPY '?/dbs/copies/cp1.f'; If you do not specify a `TO` option, then RMAN uses the filename specified on a prior SET `NEWNAME` command in the RUN block for this file number as the switch target. The filename or tag provided in the `TO DATAFILECOPY` clause specifies the input copy file for the switch, that is, the datafile copy that you wish to rename. Specify the file by filename or tag. For example, the following command sets `df2.copy` as the filename for datafile `2`: SWITCH DATAFILE 2 TO DATAFILECOPY '?/dbs/df2.copy'; Note that if you specify a tag and more than one copy uses this tag name, then RMAN uses the most current copy, that is, the one needing the least recovery. The following command switches datafile `3` to the most recently created datafile copy tagged `mondayPMcopy`: SWITCH DATAFILE 3 TO DATAFILECOPY TAG mondayPMcopy;
`TEMPFILE` `ALL`	Specifies that all tempfiles for which a SET `NEWNAME` `FOR` `TEMPFILE` command has been issued in this job are switched to their new name.
`TEMPFILE` `tempFileSpec` `TO` { `quoted_string` \| `NEW`	With quoted_string, renames the specified tempfile to the name specified by quoted_string. With NEW, renames the specified tempfile to an OMF filename in DB_CREATE_FILE_DEST. The tempfile is created when the database is opened, if it does not exist.

Examples

Switching Datafile Filenames After a Restore: Example This example allocates one disk device and one tape device to allow RMAN to restore from disk and tape.

RUN
{  
  ALLOCATE CHANNEL dev1 DEVICE TYPE DISK;  
  ALLOCATE CHANNEL dev2 DEVICE TYPE sbt;  
  SQL "ALTER TABLESPACE tbs_1 OFFLINE IMMEDIATE";  
  SET NEWNAME FOR DATAFILE '/disk7/oracle/tbs11.f' 
    TO '/disk9/oracle/tbs11.f';  
  RESTORE TABLESPACE tbs_1; 
  SWITCH DATAFILE ALL;  
  RECOVER TABLESPACE tbs_1;  
  SQL "ALTER TABLESPACE tbs_1 ONLINE";  
}

Renaming a Tempfile Directly Using SWITCH TEMPFILE: Example This example renames a tempfile without using the SET NEWNAME command to specify the new name for the file. Note that the database must not be open for this operation.

RUN
{  
  SWITCH TEMPFILE 1 TO '/newdisk/dbs/temp1.f';
  }

Renaming a Tempfile Using SET NEWNAME and SWITCH TEMPFILE: Example This example demonstrates using SET NEWNAME to specify a new name for a tempfile, and SWITCH to actually rename the tempfile to the specified name. Note that the database is not open at the start of this procedure. The tempfile is re-created when the database is opened.

RUN
{  
  SET NEWNAME FOR TEMPFILE 1 TO '/newdisk/dbs/temp1.f';  
  SWITCH TEMPFILE 1;  
  RESTORE DATABASE;  
  RECOVER DATABASE;  
  ALTER DATABASE OPEN;  
}

Renaming Tempfiles Using SET NEWNAME and SWITCH TEMPFILE ALL: Example This example demonstrates using SET NEWNAME to specify new names for several tempfiles, and SWITCH TEMPFILE ALL to actually rename the tempfiles to the specified names. The database must be offline at the beginning of this procedure. The tempfiles are re-created at the new locations when the database is opened.

RUN
{  
  SET NEWNAME FOR TEMPFILE 1 TO '/newdisk/dbs/temp1.f';  
  SET NEWNAME FOR TEMPFILE 2 TO '/newdisk/dbs/temp2.f';  
  SET NEWNAME FOR TEMPFILE 3 TO NEW; #use OMF for this one 
  SWITCH TEMPFILE ALL;  
  RESTORE DATABASE;  
  RECOVER DATABASE;  
  ALTER DATABASE OPEN;  
}

Renaming Tempfiles Using SET NEWNAME and SWITCH TEMPFILE ALL: Example This example illustrates specifying names for tempfiles when duplicating a database for standby.

RUN
{  
  SET NEWNAME FOR TEMPFILE 1 TO '/newdisk/dbs/temp1.f';  
  SET NEWNAME FOR TEMPFILE 2 TO '/newdisk/dbs/temp2.f';  
  SET NEWNAME FOR TEMPFILE 3 TO '/newdisk/dbs/temp3.f';  
DUPLICATE DATABASE FOR STANDBY;
}