Setting Up Fast Recovery Area (FRA) in Oracle Database
- Vinay Shree Shukla
- Mar 24
- 2 min read
Updated: Mar 28
The Fast Recovery Area (FRA) is a storage space in an Oracle database used to manage important recovery-related files, such as archived redo logs, RMAN backups, flashback logs, and control files. Setting up FRA helps organize backup files efficiently and simplifies database recovery.
This guide explains how to configure FRA using a standard file system instead of Automatic Storage Management (ASM).
1. Prerequisites
Before you start, make sure:
Enough Disk Space: The location you choose should have sufficient space for recovery files.
Database in ARCHIVELOG Mode (If Needed): FRA is most useful for databases running in ARCHIVELOG mode.
Database is Running: Ensure the database is active.
To check available disk space, run the following command in the terminal:
bash
df -h
2. Selecting a Location for FRA
Based on the disk space availability, pick a directory with enough free space. It is always best to create a dedicated folder.
bash
mkdir -p /home/oracle/oracle/fast_recovery_area
chown oracle:oinstall /home/oracle/oracle/fast_recovery_area
chmod 750 /home/oracle/oracle/fast_recovery_area
This ensures proper ownership and security permissions for the folder.
3. Configuring FRA in Oracle Database
To enable FRA, use the following SQL commands:
Step 1: Define the FRA Location
sql
ALTER SYSTEM SET DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST = '/home/oracle/oracle/fast_recovery_area';
Step 2: Assign a Size for FRA
Specify the storage limit for FRA (example: 2GB):
sql
ALTER SYSTEM SET DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST_SIZE = 2G;
Step 3: Confirm the FRA Settings
To verify if the settings are applied correctly, use:
sql
SHOW PARAMETER DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST;
SHOW PARAMETER DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST_SIZE;
4. Enabling ARCHIVELOG Mode (If Required)
FRA is most effective when the database is in ARCHIVELOG mode. To check the current mode, run:
sql
SELECT LOG_MODE FROM V$DATABASE;
If the result is NOARCHIVELOG, enable it with the following commands:
sql
SHUTDOWN IMMEDIATE;
STARTUP MOUNT;
ALTER DATABASE ARCHIVELOG;
ALTER DATABASE OPEN;
Confirm the change using:
sql
SELECT LOG_MODE FROM V$DATABASE;
5. Storing Archive Logs in FRA
To direct archive logs to FRA, update the archive log destination:
sql
ALTER SYSTEM SET LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_1 = 'LOCATION=USE_DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST' SCOPE=BOTH;
Verify the setting with:
sql
SHOW PARAMETER LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_1;
6. Monitoring FRA Usage
To check how much space is being used in FRA, run:
sql
SELECT * FROM V$RECOVERY_AREA_USAGE;
If FRA storage is full, you can delete old backup files using RMAN:
sql
RMAN> DELETE OBSOLETE;
7. Testing the FRA Setup
To ensure the configuration works correctly, switch redo logs and check if archived logs are stored in FRA:
sql
ALTER SYSTEM SWITCH LOGFILE;
SELECT NAME FROM V$ARCHIVED_LOG ORDER BY FIRST_TIME DESC;
The output should list archive logs stored in the /home/oracle/oracle/fast_recovery_area directory.
Conclusion
At last, we can conclude that setting up Fast Recovery Area (FRA) in Oracle Database helps manage backup and recovery files efficiently, preventing disk space issues and improving performance. By choosing a dedicated location and assigning a proper FRA size, database administrators can streamline backup operations and ensure smooth recovery when needed.
Comments