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1. Incremental database backup Overview

Sometimes we need to backup the database changes only from the last backup (only the last changes are backed up). This is an incremental backup. There are 2 types of incremental backup: DIFFERENTIAL (by default) & CUMULATIVE. 

NOTE: The incremental backups are only for the DATA files.

2. Incremental DIFFERENTIAL backup

  Picture 1

DIFFERENTIAL backup = which backs up all blocks changed after the most recent incremental backup at level 1 or 0. (See Picture 1). The following RMAN command is used to take a DIFFERENTIAL database backup: 

RMAN> BACKUP INCREMENTAL LEVEL 1 DATABASE;

3. Incremental CUMULATIVE backup

Picture 2

CUMULATIVE backup =  which backs up all blocks changed after the most recent incremental backup at level 0. (See Picture 2)

The following RMAN command is used to take a CUMULATIVE database backup: 

RMAN> BACKUP INCREMENTAL LEVEL 1 CUMULATIVE DATABASE;

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