How to Register an Oracle Database with RMAN Catalog

calendar Jan 7, 2026 / · 3 min read · Oracle Database RMAN Database Backup Recovery Catalog Database Administration Password File Oracle Scripts Database Registration  ·
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How to Register an Oracle Database with RMAN Catalog

Purpose

The RMAN register database command adds a target database to the recovery catalog so that Recovery Manager can track and maintain backup metadata. This allows RMAN to store backup information, recovery points, and database structure details in a central repository instead of relying only on the control file.

Prerequisites

Before registering a database with RMAN catalog, the target database must have a password file created. The password file enables remote authentication for SYSDBA or SYSBACKUP privileges, which RMAN requires to connect and manage backups. You can create a password file using the orapwd utility with the command orapwd file=orapw<SID> password=<password> entries=<number>

Code Breakdown

Original Code

1rman catalog user/pass@rmandb target user/pass@db
2
3register database;

Command Explanation

Connection String: rman catalog user/pass@rmandb target user/pass@db

  • catalog user/pass@rmandb connects RMAN to the recovery catalog database where backup metadata is stored
  • target user/pass@db connects to the database you want to register and backup
  • Both connections must be established before running the register command

Register Command: register database;

  • This command creates entries in the catalog tables for the target database
  • RMAN copies all relevant information from the target database control file into the recovery catalog
  • The database must be mounted or open when running this command
  • The target database cannot already be registered in the recovery catalog

Key Points

  • The recovery catalog database and target database run on separate instances
  • RMAN must be connected to both the catalog and target database simultaneously before registration
  • After registration, RMAN performs a full resynchronization using the control file information
  • You can verify successful registration by running REPORT SCHEMA command
  • The target database must not be currently registered in the recovery catalog to avoid RMAN-20002 error

Best Practices

Run RMAN from the target database server, not from a remote location, as backup files are created on the target server. Use the SYSBACKUP privilege instead of SYSDBA for backup operations when possible, which requires password file format 12 or later. You can verify your password file format using orapwd describe file=<filename>.

For enhanced security, consider using Oracle External Password Store with wallet configuration to avoid storing passwords in scripts. Create a dedicated backup user with SYSBACKUP privilege instead of using the SYS account.

After Registration

Once the database is registered, RMAN maintains synchronization between the control file and recovery catalog. You can manage backups, perform recovery operations, and generate reports using the catalog metadata. To unregister a database, use the dbms_rcvcat.unregisterdatabase() procedure with the appropriate DB_KEY and DBID values.

References

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