Configuring Automatic Backups for the Control File and Server Parameter File

You can configure Oracle Recovery Manager (RMAN) to automatically backup the control file and server parameter file with every backup. This is referred to as an autobackup. The server parameter file and control file are critical to the database and RMAN. Creating automatic backups of the control file enables RMAN to recover the database even if the current control file and server parameter file are lost. The control file and server parameter file are relatively small compared to typical data files and, therefore, backing them up frequently results in relatively little storage overhead.

If the database runs in ARCHIVELOG mode, then an autobackup is also taken whenever the database structure metadata in the control file changes.

Note:

For multitenant container databases (CDBs), the control file and server parameter file autobackups are performed by default.

To configure automatic backups for the control file and server parameter file:

Connect RMAN to the target database as described in "Connecting to the Target Database Using RMAN."
Enter the following command:
```
CONFIGURE CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP ON;
```

RMAN uses a default format to assign names for these backups.