1.What is Oracle Flashback Technology?

Oracle Flashback Technology provides a set of features available on 9i or higher version that support viewing and rewinding data back and forth in time to recover from Logical Corruptions while the database is online. Flashback Technology gives you 6 different ways to track and fix logical corruption through different approach. - Oracle Flashback Query feature lets you specify a target time and then run queries against your database, viewing results as they would have appeared at that time. - Oracle Flashback Version Query lets you view all the versions of all the rows that ever existed in one or more tables in a specified time interval. - Oracle Flashback Transaction Query lets you view changes made by a single transaction, or by all the transactions during a period of time. - Oracle Flashback Table returns a table to its state at a previous point in time. - Oracle Flashback Drop reverses the effects of a DROP TABLE statement. - Oracle Flashback Database provides a more efficient alternative to database point-in-time recovery. This Document contain the step by step example of how to enable flash back on a DB, how to flash back some deleted rows, how to flash back dropped tables and how to flash back a database for point in time recovery.

2. How to check Flashback Status.

Flashback status of a database can be checked from the below query and system parameters.

SQL> SQL> SQL> SQL> SQL> SQL>

select NAME,FLASHBACK_ON from v$database; archive log list show parameter undo_retention show parameter DB_FLASHBACK_RETENTION_TARGET show parameter db_recovery_file_dest show parameter db_recovery_file_dest_size

3. How to enable Flashback Feature on a Database. The Database must be started through SPFILE.

SQL> show parameter pfile NAME TYPE VALUE ------------------------ ----------- -----------------------------spfile string /opt/oracle/product10gR2/dbs/spfileboxirep.ora

- The Database must be in Archive log mode.

SQL> archive log list Database log mode Automatic archival Archive destination Oldest online log sequence Next log sequence to archive Current log sequence SQL> Archive Mode Enabled /itlinux68ar01/ORACLE/boxirep/arch 645 647 647

Undo management should be AUTO

SQL> show parameter undo_management NAME TYPE VALUE ------------------------------------ ----------- -----------------------------undo_management string AUTO

Set the Recovery file destination or flashback area which will contain all flash back logs depending on the undo retention period.
SQL> alter system set db_recovery_file_dest='/itlinux68db05/ORACLE/flashback' scope=both;

Set the recovery file destination size. This is the hard limit on the total space to be used by target database recovery files created in the flash recovery area.

SQL> alter system set db_recovery_file_dest_size=3G scope=both; System altered.

Set the flash back retention target . This is the upper limit (in minutes) on how far back in time the database may be flashed back. How far back one can flashback a database depends on how much flashback data Oracle has kept in the flash recovery area.

SQL> alter system set db_flashback_retention_target=1440 scope=both;

- Convert the Database to FLASH BACK ON state.

SQL> shutdown immediate; Database closed. Database dismounted. ORACLE instance shut down. SQL> startup mount; ORACLE instance started. Total System Global Area 830472192 Fixed Size 2074760 Variable Size 213911416 Database Buffers 608174080 Redo Buffers 6311936 Database mounted. SQL> ALTER DATABASE FLASHBACK ON; Database altered. SQL> alter database open; Database altered. SQL> alter system switch logfile; System altered. bytes bytes bytes bytes bytes

SQL> select NAME, FLASHBACK_ON from v$database; NAME FLASHBACK_ON --------- -----------------BOXIREP YES SQL>

4. Row level recovery using Flashback Query.

User has deleted some data mistakenly on one table before some times and them to recover.

- Connect to the schema and identify the table .

SQL> connect fsbtest/fsbtest@boxirep Connected. SQL> CREATE TABLE FTEST ( OBJECTID NUMBER USERS; Table created. SQL> SELECT TO_CHAR(sysdate, 'DD-MM-YYYY HH24:MI:SS') TO_CHAR(SYSDATE,'DD ------------------from dual;

NOT NULL,

ALIAS VARCHAR2 (20)) TABLESPACE

05-02-2008 10:21:46 SQL> insert into ftest values(101,'TABLE'); insert into ftest values(102,'TABLE'); insert into ftest values(103,'TABLE'); insert into ftest values(104,'TABLE'); 1 row created. 1 row created. 1 row created. 1 row created. SQL> SQL> select * from ftest; OBJECTID ALIAS ---------- -------------------101 TABLE 102 TABLE 103 TABLE 104 TABLE SQL> commit; Commit complete.

- Delete some data and commit.

SQL> delete from ftest where OBJECTID in(103,104); 2 rows deleted. SQL> commit; Commit complete. SQL> select * from ftest; OBJECTID ALIAS ---------- -------------------101 TABLE 102 TABLE SQL> SELECT TO_CHAR(sysdate, 'DD-MM-YYYY HH24:MI:SS') from dual; TO_CHAR(SYSDATE,'DD ------------------05-02-2008 10:23:45

- Insert some more Data and commit.

SQL> insert into ftest values(105,'VIEW'); insert into ftest values(106,'VIEW'); insert into ftest values(107,'VIEW'); 3 rows created. SQL> SELECT TO_CHAR(sysdate, 'DD-MM-YYYY HH24:MI:SS') from dual; TO_CHAR(SYSDATE,'DD ------------------05-02-2008 10:24:41

- Now try to identify the deleted records as requested by the user in flashback area.
select versions_starttime, versions_endtime, versions_xid,versions_operation, objectid from ftest versions between timestamp minvalue and maxvalue order by VERSIONS_STARTTIME / VERSIONS_STARTTIME --------------------------------------------------------------------------VERSIONS_ENDTIME VERSIONS_XID V ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ OBJECTID ----------

05-FEB-08 10.22.26 AM 0 I 101

01000E00280A000

05-FEB-08 10.22.26 AM 05-FEB-08 10.23.02 AM 01000E00280A0000 I 103 VERSIONS_STARTTIME --------------------------------------------------------------------------VERSIONS_ENDTIME VERSIONS_XID V ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ OBJECTID ---------05-FEB-08 10.22.26 AM 05-FEB-08 10.23.02 AM 01000E00280A0000 I 104 05-FEB-08 10.22.26 AM 0 I 01000E00280A000

- Query these records using timestamp before actually recovering them. Use the VERSIONS_ENDTIME column value of the last query.
SQL> SELECT * FROM ftest HH:MI:SS'); OBJECTID ---------101 102 103 104 SQL> AS OF TIMESTAMP TO_TIMESTAMP('05-02-2008 10:23:02','DD-MM-YYYY

ALIAS -------------------TABLE TABLE TABLE TABLE

- Now insert back these records to the original table. You may insert these records to a new table in case the DML statement is an update to compare the old value with the new value.
SQL>INSERT INTO ftest (SELECT * FROM ftest 10:23:02','DD-MM-YYYY HH:MI:SS'); 4 rows created. Oracle Flashback Table: Returning Individual Tables to Past States AS OF TIMESTAMP TO_TIMESTAMP('05-02-2008

- Identify the table to flashback and check the prerequisite.

SQL> select OWNER,TABLE_NAME,STATUS,PARTITIONED,ROW_MOVEMENT from dba_tables 2 where TABLE_NAME like '%FTEST%'; OWNER TABLE_NAME STATUS PAR ------------------------------ ------------------------------ -------- --ROW_MOVE -------FSBTEST FTEST VALID NO DISABLED

SQL> grant flashback on fsbtest.ftest to fsbtest; Grant succeeded. SQL> alter table fsbtest.ftest enable row movement; Table altered. SQL>SELECT * FROM ftest HH:MI:SS'); AS OF TIMESTAMP TO_TIMESTAMP('05-02-2008 10:23:02','DD-MM-YYYY

- Flash back the table till that time stamp

SQL> connect fsbtest/fsbtest Connected. SQL> FLASHBACK TABLE ftest TO TIMESTAMP TO_TIMESTAMP('05-02-2008 10:22:45','DD-MM-YYYY HH:MI:SS'); Flashback complete. SQL> SQL> select * from ftest; OBJECTID ---------101 102 103 104 ALIAS -------------------TABLE TABLE TABLE TABLE

5.Undo a DROP TABLE Operation using FLASH BACK

- Check the recycle bin to confirm that the dropped object has not been purged.
SQL> create table ftest_drop as select * from ftest; Table created. SQL> drop table ftest_drop; Table dropped. SQL> select OBJECT_NAME,ORIGINAL_NAME from user_recyclebin; OBJECT_NAME -----------------------------BIN$RWou3ZujSqXgQBQKHZhmkg==$0 BIN$RF6Njc00PfngQBQKHZgNEg==$0 SQL> SQL> show recyclebin; ORIGINAL NAME RECYCLEBIN NAME ---------------- -----------------------------DROP_TEST BIN$RF6Njc00PfngQBQKHZgNEg==$0 FTEST_DROP BIN$RWou3ZujSqXgQBQKHZhmkg==$0 SQL> OBJECT TYPE -----------TABLE TABLE DROP TIME ------------------2008-01-23:10:08:24 2008-02-05:17:26:07 ORIGINAL_NAME -------------------------------FTEST_DROP DROP_TEST

- Check that Dropped table contains all rows.

SQL> SELECT * FROM "BIN$RWou3ZujSqXgQBQKHZhmkg==$0"; OBJECTID ---------101 102 103 104 ALIAS -------------------TABLE TABLE TABLE TABLE

SQL> - Flash back the table to its before drop state. SQL> FLASHBACK TABLE fsbtest.ftest_drop TO BEFORE DROP; Flashback complete. SQL> show recyclebin; ORIGINAL NAME RECYCLEBIN NAME OBJECT TYPE DROP TIME ---------------- ------------------------------ ------------ ------------------DROP_TEST BIN$RF6Njc00PfngQBQKHZgNEg==$0 TABLE 2008-01-23:10:08:24 SQL> select TABLE_NAME, STATUS, DROPPED from user_tables where TABLE_NAME like'%FTEST_DROP %'; TABLE_NAME -----------------------------FTEST_DROP SQL> We can also use globalUID Name Original Name. STATUS DRO -------- --VALID NO to flash back in case of Multiple Objects With the Same

FLASHBACK TABLE "BIN$RWou3ZujSqXgQBQKHZhmkg==$0" TO BEFORE DROP RENAME TO fsbtest.ftest1;

6. Freeing Space in the Recycle Bin.

SQL> SQL> SQL> SQL> SQL> PURGE PURGE PURGE PURGE PURGE TABLE ftest; TABLE BIN$RWou3ZujSqXgQBQKHZhmkg==$0; TABLESPACE USER; - - All deleted objects of this tablespace. RECYCLEBIN; DBA_RECYCLEBIN;

7. Oracle Flashback Database to facilitate Point-In-Time Recovery

Oracle Flashback Database, accessible from both RMAN (by means of the FLASHBACK DATABASE command) and SQL*Plus (by means of the FLASHBACK DATABASE statement), and is used to quickly recover the entire database from logical data corruptions or user errors. It does not help in case of Physical Data corruption or Media failure. To enable Flashback Database, you set up a flash recovery area, and set a flashback retention target, to specify how far back into the past you want to be able to restore your database with Flashback Database.

- Check the Pre flashback steps.

SQL> SELECT STATUS FROM V$INSTANCE; STATUS -----------OPEN SQL> select NAME,FLASHBACK_ON from v$database; NAME FLASHBACK_ON --------- -----------------BOXIREP YES SQL> archive log list Database log mode Archive Mode Automatic archival Enabled Archive destination /itlinux68ar01/ORACLE/boxirep/arch Oldest online log sequence 697 Next log sequence to archive 699 Current log sequence 699 SQL> show parameter undo_retention

NAME TYPE VALUE ------------------------------------ ----------- -----------------------------undo_retention integer 172800 SQL> show parameter DB_FLASHBACK_RETENTION_TARGET NAME TYPE VALUE ------------------------------------ ----------- -----------------------------db_flashback_retention_target integer 1440 SQL> show parameter db_recovery_file_dest NAME -----------------------------------db_recovery_file_dest db_recovery_file_dest_size TYPE ----------string big integer VALUE -----------------------------/itlinux68db05/ORACLE/flashback 3G

- Determining the Current Flashback Database Window

SQL> SELECT OLDEST_FLASHBACK_SCN,to_char(OLDEST_FLASHBACK_TIME,'DD-MON-YYYY HH:MI:SS') FROM V$FLASHBACK_DATABASE_LOG; OLDEST_FLASHBACK_SCN -------------------11259774 SQL> - Select current TO_CHAR (OLDEST_FLASH -------------------03-FEB-2008 04:29:38 SCN Of the Database.

SQL> SELECT CURRENT_SCN FROM V$DATABASE; CURRENT_SCN ----------11676843 SQL>

Execute the FLASHBACK DATABASE Command from RMAN

$ rman TARGET / RMAN> FLASHBACK DATABASE 2> TO TIME = TO_DATE 3> '05-02-2008 10:23:45','DD-MM-YYYY HH:MI:SS');

In SQL mode The database must be in mount state to issue these commands:
SQL> FLASHBACK SQL> FLASHBACK SQL> FLASHBACK SQL> FLASHBACK HH:MI:SS'); DATABASE TO SCN 11259789; DATABASE TO SEQUENCE 5304; DATABASE TO TIME (SYSDATE-1/24); DATABASE TO TIME TO_TIMESTAMP('05-02-2008 10:23:45','DD-MM-YYYY

You must issue the following command afterwards:

SQL> ALTER DATABASE RESETLOGS;

- Verify the SCN after the Recovery.

SQL> SELECT CURRENT_SCN FROM V$DATABASE;

NOTE: Flashback database cannot be used in order to flashback through

1. 2. 3. 4. Recreation of controlfile Drop tablespace Shrunk datafile Resetlogs ******************************** END *****************************************