Backup & Recovery Interview Questions

1.       One of my control file corrupted and I am unable start database, How can I perform recovery?

If one of your control file is missing or corrupted then we have 2 options to recover it. Check alert.log for exact name and location of corrupted control file. Delete it manually and copy from available rest of control file and rename it and start database. Another option is delete corrupted control file and remove name from parameter file/ spfile. After removing said control file from spfile, start your database.

2.       What is incremental Checkpoint?

In incremental checkpoint process, CKPT process records lowest Low RBA to the control file to keep advancing the Buffer checkpoint Queue (BCQ) to make easy and fastest Active Checkpoint Queue (ACQ).

3.       Does incremental checkpoint recorded in alert.log? How to disable it?

We can enable disable recording incremental checkpoint in alert.log .We can enable/disable recording using parameter log_checkpoints_to_alert=true/false.

4.       I’m working as Oracle DBA in 24/7 running large production database. Size of database is around 800 Gb. We take hot backup every day night.  But one day at around 4:00 PM, by mistake one table is dropped by application user. Table is very useful, How to recover that dropped table?

If your database is running on Oracle 10g version then there is new feature available called Recyclebin. You can recover dropped table from user_recyclebin or dba_recyclebin.

5.       In continuation of above scenario, No recycle bin does not enable in my database then how to I recover my table in above scenario?

Then you should need to restore backup on your UAT or test database server and enable time based recovery for applying all archives before drop command execution. For an instance, apply archives up to 3:55 PM here.

6.       In continuation of above scenario, why I should need to perform recovery in UAT or test database server? Cam I restore backup in production database server?

No. It is not recommended because your production database is large database and running 24/7 environment. Restoration and recovery will take downtime. It is better to perform restoration and recovery process on UAT or Test database.

7.       What is the meaning of LGWR SYNC and LGWR ASYNC in log archive destination  parameters for standby configuration?

When use LGWR with SYNC, it means once network I/O initiated, LGWR has to wait for completion of network I/O before write processing. LGWR with ASYNC, means LGWR doesn’t wait to finish network I/O and continuing write processing.

8.       How can I know my required table is available in export dump file or not?

Create indexfile of export dump file using import with indexfile command. A text file will be generating with all table and index object name with number of rows. You can confirm your require table object from this text file.

9.       Archive log are being generated around 20 Gb in my production large database. But one day almost double archives were generated, what is the reason behind this? How can I check it?

There are lots of reason behind increasing size of archives like If more database changes were performed using batch jobs  or any special task like merging 2 database or data etc. You can check it using enabling Log Minor utility.

10.    How do you recover from the loss of datafile if the DB is running in archivelog mode?

We can perform this recovery in 2 ways. One is open database mode and another is database mount mode.  After taking offline lost datafile, we can bring database open and after that restore lost datafile from last backup. After restoration of datafile we can perform datafile level recovery for applying archive logs and make it online. In database mount mode, we can restore datafile from backup and perform datafile recovery using “Recover datafile” command.

11.   What is a complete recovery?

During this recovery we are applying all database changes using archives log and make it to up to date. Complete recovery can be done full database level or datafile level or tablespace level. Main concept is to apply all data changes using archive logs and bring database up to recent time.

12.   Why we should need to open database using RESETLOGS after finishing incomplete recover?

When we are performing incomplete recovery it means we bring database to past time or rewind period of time using change based, cancel based or time based recovery. These all recovery make database in prior state of database. The forward sequence number already available after performing recovery, due to mismatching of this sequence numbers and prior state of database, it needs to open database with new sequence number of Redo log and archive logs.

13.   Why export backup is called logical backup?

Export dump file doesn’t backup or contain any physical structure of database like datafile, control file, redo log file, parameter file, password file. Instead of physical structure, export dump contains logical structure of database like definition of tablespaces, segments, schemas, data of segments etc. Due to these reasons export dump is called as logical backup.

14.   Have you faced any recovery scenario? Explain us how you resolved it?

2 months back, a potential table was dropped by an application developer on our large 24/7 running production database. Immediately he informed us. We have standby database for our production database. We checked that archives didn’t apply to standby database up to dropped timing. We stopped archive applying on standby immediately and open database read only. Took export of dropped table and imported in production database. After finishing appropriate checking of table, again we started archive applying in standby database for refreshing.

15.   Which command I should need to execute to take backup of database which is running on NOARCHIVELOG mode?

Shutdown immediate. Because without shutdown, we can’t perform online backup of database, which running on NOARCHIVELOG mode. We should need to take cold backup of database.

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