Rewinding a Database Using Oracle Flashback Database

Unlike the other flashback features, Oracle Flashback Database operates at a physical level. When you use Flashback Database, your current data files revert to their contents at a previous time. The result is similar to database point-in-time recovery, but Flashback Database can be much faster because it does not require you to restore and recover data files. Also, Flashback Database requires limited application of redo data as compared to media recovery.

Flashback Database uses flashback logs to access previous versions of data blocks and also uses some data in the archived redo log files. To have the option of using Flashback Database to repair your database, you must have configured the database to generate flashback logs as explained in "Configuring Recovery Settings."

Note:

You can use the Oracle Recovery Manager (RMAN) FLASHBACK DATABASE command to rewind the entire multitenant container database (CDB) only, not individual pluggable databases (PDBs).

To perform a Flashback Database operation:

Connect RMAN to the target database as described in "Connecting to the Target Database Using RMAN."
Identify the desired SCN, restore point, or point in time to which the flashback database must be performed. This example rewinds the database to a specified point in time.

See Also:

Oracle Database Backup and Recovery User's Guide for information about how to determine the SCN and then flashback the database to this SCN
Shut down the database consistently, ensure that it is not opened by any instance, and then mount the database.
```
SHUTDOWN IMMEDIATE;
STARTUP MOUNT;
```
Flash back the database to the desired time.
In this example, you need to flashback the entire database to the time specified in the TIME clause.
```
FLASHBACK DATABASE to TIME "TO_DATE('03/20/12','MM/DD/YY')";
```
Open the database read-only and run some queries to verify the database contents.
The following command opens the database in read-only mode:
```
ALTER DATABASE OPEN READ ONLY;
```
After confirming that the state of the database is as expected, make the database available for updates by opening it with the RESETLOGS option.
```
SHUTDOWN IMMEDIATE;
STARTUP MOUNT;
ALTER DATABASE OPEN RESETLOGS;
```