A test on RMAN new feather--backup.

List the steps for backup with "backup incremental level 1 for recover of copy" command.

Only list the steps.

There is no many explaination on this.

Modify the rman parameter first.
$ rman target /

RMAN configuration parameters are:
CONFIGURE RETENTION POLICY TO REDUNDANCY 1; # default
CONFIGURE BACKUP OPTIMIZATION OFF; # default
CONFIGURE DEFAULT DEVICE TYPE TO DISK; # default
CONFIGURE CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP ON;
CONFIGURE CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP FORMAT FOR DEVICE TYPE DISK TO '%F'; # default
CONFIGURE DEVICE TYPE DISK PARALLELISM 1 BACKUP TYPE TO BACKUPSET; # default
CONFIGURE DATAFILE BACKUP COPIES FOR DEVICE TYPE DISK TO 1; # default
CONFIGURE ARCHIVELOG BACKUP COPIES FOR DEVICE TYPE DISK TO 1; # default
CONFIGURE CHANNEL DEVICE TYPE DISK FORMAT '/home/oracle/backup/orcl_%U.bak';
CONFIGURE MAXSETSIZE TO UNLIMITED; # default
CONFIGURE ENCRYPTION FOR DATABASE OFF; # default
CONFIGURE ENCRYPTION ALGORITHM 'AES128'; # default
CONFIGURE ARCHIVELOG DELETION POLICY TO NONE; # default
CONFIGURE SNAPSHOT CONTROLFILE NAME TO '/export/home/workzone/database/oracle/10g/dbs/snapcf_orcl.f'; # default
RMAN> backup incremental level 1 for recover of copy with tag weekly database;
Starting backup at 09-APR-09
allocated channel: ORA_DISK_1
channel ORA_DISK_1: sid=127 devtype=DISK
no parent backup or copy of datafile 3 found
no parent backup or copy of datafile 1 found
no parent backup or copy of datafile 4 found
no parent backup or copy of datafile 2 found
no parent backup or copy of datafile 5 found
channel ORA_DISK_1: starting datafile copy
input datafile fno=00003 name=/export/home/workzone/database/oracle/oradata/orcl/sysaux01.dbf
output filename=/home/oracle/backup/orcl_data_D-ORCL_I-1203857279_TS-SYSAUX_FNO-3_0ikc1ani.bak tag=WEEKLY recid=2 stamp=683715354
channel ORA_DISK_1: datafile copy complete, elapsed time: 00:00:45
channel ORA_DISK_1: starting datafile copy
input datafile fno=00001 name=/export/home/workzone/database/oracle/oradata/orcl/system01.dbf
output filename=/home/oracle/backup/orcl_data_D-ORCL_I-1203857279_TS-SYSTEM_FNO-1_0jkc1aov.bak tag=WEEKLY recid=3 stamp=683715410
channel ORA_DISK_1: datafile copy complete, elapsed time: 00:00:55
channel ORA_DISK_1: starting datafile copy
input datafile fno=00004 name=/export/home/workzone/database/oracle/oradata/orcl/users01.dbf
output filename=/home/oracle/backup/orcl_data_D-ORCL_I-1203857279_TS-USERS_FNO-4_0kkc1aqm.bak tag=WEEKLY recid=4 stamp=683715435
channel ORA_DISK_1: datafile copy complete, elapsed time: 00:00:25
channel ORA_DISK_1: starting datafile copy
input datafile fno=00002 name=/export/home/workzone/database/oracle/oradata/orcl/undotbs01.dbf
output filename=/home/oracle/backup/orcl_data_D-ORCL_I-1203857279_TS-UNDOTBS1_FNO-2_0lkc1arf.bak tag=WEEKLY recid=5 stamp=683715454
channel ORA_DISK_1: datafile copy complete, elapsed time: 00:00:15
channel ORA_DISK_1: starting datafile copy
input datafile fno=00005 name=/export/home/workzone/database/oracle/oradata/orcl/example01.dbf
output filename=/home/oracle/backup/orcl_data_D-ORCL_I-1203857279_TS-EXAMPLE_FNO-5_0mkc1arv.bak tag=WEEKLY recid=6 stamp=683715467
channel ORA_DISK_1: datafile copy complete, elapsed time: 00:00:15
Finished backup at 09-APR-09

Starting Control File and SPFILE Autobackup at 09-APR-09
piece handle=/export/home/workzone/database/oracle/10g/flash_recovery_area/ORCL/autobackup/2009_04_09/o1_mf_s_683715470_4xtl0gp2_.bkp comment=NONE
Finished Control File and SPFILE Autobackup at 09-APR-09
From the output we can find the full backup is done this times.
When the backup is done.
Open another sqlplus and do the following step:
-bash-3.00$ sqlplus / as sysdba

SQL*Plus: Release 10.2.0.2.0 - Production on Thu Apr 9 08:56:37 2009

Copyright (c) 1982, 2005, Oracle. All Rights Reserved.


Connected to:
Oracle Database 10g Enterprise Edition Release 10.2.0.2.0 - Production
With the Partitioning, OLAP and Data Mining options

SQL> create tablespace test datafile '/home/oracle/test01.dbf' size 100m;

Tablespace created.

SQL> create user test identified by test default tablespace test;

User created.

SQL> grant connect,resource to test;

Grant succeeded.

SQL> conn test/test
Connected.
SQL> create table test tablespace test as select * from user_objects;

Table created.

SQL> select count(*) from test;

COUNT(*)
----------
1
SQL> conn / as sysdba
SQL> alter system archive log current;

System altered.
From RMAN window run the same backup command again.
We can find the different from the output.
RMAN> backup incremental level 1 for recover of copy with tag weekly database;

Starting backup at 09-APR-09
using channel ORA_DISK_1
no parent backup or copy of datafile 6 found
channel ORA_DISK_1: starting incremental level 1 datafile backupset
channel ORA_DISK_1: specifying datafile(s) in backupset
input datafile fno=00003 name=/export/home/workzone/database/oracle/oradata/orcl/sysaux01.dbf
input datafile fno=00001 name=/export/home/workzone/database/oracle/oradata/orcl/system01.dbf
input datafile fno=00004 name=/export/home/workzone/database/oracle/oradata/orcl/users01.dbf
input datafile fno=00002 name=/export/home/workzone/database/oracle/oradata/orcl/undotbs01.dbf
input datafile fno=00005 name=/export/home/workzone/database/oracle/oradata/orcl/example01.dbf
channel ORA_DISK_1: starting piece 1 at 09-APR-09
channel ORA_DISK_1: finished piece 1 at 09-APR-09
piece handle=/home/oracle/backup/orcl_0pkc1b5g_1_1.bak tag=TAG20090409T090240 comment=NONE
channel ORA_DISK_1: backup set complete, elapsed time: 00:01:25
channel ORA_DISK_1: starting datafile copy
input datafile fno=00006 name=/home/oracle/test01.dbf
output filename=/home/oracle/backup/orcl_data_D-ORCL_I-1203857279_TS-TEST_FNO-6_0qkc1b85.bak tag=WEEKLY recid=7 stamp=683715853
channel ORA_DISK_1: datafile copy complete, elapsed time: 00:00:15
Finished backup at 09-APR-09

Starting Control File and SPFILE Autobackup at 09-APR-09
piece handle=/export/home/workzone/database/oracle/10g/flash_recovery_area/ORCL/autobackup/2009_04_09/o1_mf_s_683715860_4xtldo1s_.bkp comment=NONE
Finished Control File and SPFILE Autobackup at 09-APR-09.
Check it from disk:
-bash-3.00$ ls -lrt
total 3395232
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 545267712 Apr 9 08:55 orcl_data_D-ORCL_I-1203857279_TS-SYSAUX_FNO-3_0ikc1ani.bak
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 534781952 Apr 9 08:56 orcl_data_D-ORCL_I-1203857279_TS-SYSTEM_FNO-1_0jkc1aov.bak
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 252977152 Apr 9 08:57 orcl_data_D-ORCL_I-1203857279_TS-USERS_FNO-4_0kkc1aqm.bak
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 188751872 Apr 9 08:57 orcl_data_D-ORCL_I-1203857279_TS-UNDOTBS1_FNO-2_0lkc1arf.bak
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 104865792 Apr 9 08:57 orcl_data_D-ORCL_I-1203857279_TS-EXAMPLE_FNO-5_0mkc1arv.bak
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 5914624 Apr 9 09:03 orcl_0pkc1b5g_1_1.bak
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 104865792 Apr 9 09:04 orcl_data_D-ORCL_I-1203857279_TS-TEST_FNO-6_0qkc1b85.bak
We found that the increment has been applied for the full backup automatically.
See it from RMAN:
RMAN> list backupset of database;


List of Backup Sets
===================

BS Key Type LV Size Device Type Elapsed Time Completion Time
------- ---- -- ---------- ----------- ------------ ---------------
7 Full 166.38M DISK 00:01:28 10-MAR-09
BP Key: 7 Status: AVAILABLE Compressed: YES Tag: TAG20090310T172351
Piece Name: /export/home/workzone/database/oracle/10g/flash_recovery_area/ORCL/backupset/2009_03_10/o1_mf_nnndf_TAG20090310T172351_4vddf824_.bkp
List of Datafiles in backup set 7
File LV Type Ckp SCN Ckp Time Name
---- -- ---- ---------- --------- ----
1 Full 8373076809705 10-MAR-09 /export/home/workzone/database/oracle/oradata/orcl/system01.dbf
2 Full 8373076809705 10-MAR-09 /export/home/workzone/database/oracle/oradata/orcl/undotbs01.dbf
3 Full 8373076809705 10-MAR-09 /export/home/workzone/database/oracle/oradata/orcl/sysaux01.dbf
4 Full 8373076809705 10-MAR-09 /export/home/workzone/database/oracle/oradata/orcl/users01.dbf
5 Full 8373076809705 10-MAR-09 /export/home/workzone/database/oracle/oradata/orcl/example01.dbf

BS Key Type LV Size Device Type Elapsed Time Completion Time
------- ---- -- ---------- ----------- ------------ ---------------
16 Incr 1 5.63M DISK 00:01:18 09-APR-09
BP Key: 16 Status: AVAILABLE Compressed: NO Tag: TAG20090409T090240
Piece Name: /home/oracle/backup/orcl_0pkc1b5g_1_1.bak
List of Datafiles in backup set 16
File LV Type Ckp SCN Ckp Time Name
---- -- ---- ---------- --------- ----
1 1 Incr 8380440292036 09-APR-09 /export/home/workzone/database/oracle/oradata/orcl/system01.dbf
2 1 Incr 8380440292036 09-APR-09 /export/home/workzone/database/oracle/oradata/orcl/undotbs01.dbf
3 1 Incr 8380440292036 09-APR-09 /export/home/workzone/database/oracle/oradata/orcl/sysaux01.dbf
4 1 Incr 8380440292036 09-APR-09 /export/home/workzone/database/oracle/oradata/orcl/users01.dbf
5 1 Incr 8380440292036 09-APR-09 /export/home/workzone/database/oracle/oradata/orcl/example01.dbf
Insert another record into test table.
SQL> conn test/test
Connected.
SQL> insert into test as select * from user_objects;
insert into test as select * from user_objects
*
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-00926: missing VALUES keyword


SQL> insert into test select * from user_objects;

1 row created.

SQL> commit;

Commit complete.

SQL> select count(*) from test;

COUNT(*)
----------
2

SQL> conn / as sysdba
Connected.
SQL> alter system archive log current;

System altered.
Do the backup again.
RMAN> backup incremental level 1 for recover of copy with tag weekly database;

Starting backup at 09-APR-09
using channel ORA_DISK_1
channel ORA_DISK_1: starting incremental level 1 datafile backupset
channel ORA_DISK_1: specifying datafile(s) in backupset
input datafile fno=00003 name=/export/home/workzone/database/oracle/oradata/orcl/sysaux01.dbf
input datafile fno=00001 name=/export/home/workzone/database/oracle/oradata/orcl/system01.dbf
input datafile fno=00004 name=/export/home/workzone/database/oracle/oradata/orcl/users01.dbf
input datafile fno=00002 name=/export/home/workzone/database/oracle/oradata/orcl/undotbs01.dbf
input datafile fno=00005 name=/export/home/workzone/database/oracle/oradata/orcl/example01.dbf
input datafile fno=00006 name=/home/oracle/test01.dbf
channel ORA_DISK_1: starting piece 1 at 09-APR-09
channel ORA_DISK_1: finished piece 1 at 09-APR-09
piece handle=/home/oracle/backup/orcl_0skc1blb_1_1.bak tag=TAG20090409T091106 comment=NONE
channel ORA_DISK_1: backup set complete, elapsed time: 00:01:35
Finished backup at 09-APR-09

Starting Control File and SPFILE Autobackup at 09-APR-09
piece handle=/export/home/workzone/database/oracle/10g/flash_recovery_area/ORCL/autobackup/2009_04_09/o1_mf_s_683716362_4xtlwbq3_.bkp comment=NONE
Finished Control File and SPFILE Autobackup at 09-APR-09
We can find the different for the backupset files from OS side:
-bash-3.00$ ls -lrt
total 3399360
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 545267712 Apr 9 08:55 orcl_data_D-ORCL_I-1203857279_TS-SYSAUX_FNO-3_0ikc1ani.bak
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 534781952 Apr 9 08:56 orcl_data_D-ORCL_I-1203857279_TS-SYSTEM_FNO-1_0jkc1aov.bak
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 252977152 Apr 9 08:57 orcl_data_D-ORCL_I-1203857279_TS-USERS_FNO-4_0kkc1aqm.bak
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 188751872 Apr 9 08:57 orcl_data_D-ORCL_I-1203857279_TS-UNDOTBS1_FNO-2_0lkc1arf.bak
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 104865792 Apr 9 08:57 orcl_data_D-ORCL_I-1203857279_TS-EXAMPLE_FNO-5_0mkc1arv.bak
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 5914624 Apr 9 09:03 orcl_0pkc1b5g_1_1.bak
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 104865792 Apr 9 09:04 orcl_data_D-ORCL_I-1203857279_TS-TEST_FNO-6_0qkc1b85.bak
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 2105344 Apr 9 09:11 orcl_0skc1blb_1_1.bak
-bash-3.00$ ls -lrt
total 3407648
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 545267712 Apr 9 08:55 orcl_data_D-ORCL_I-1203857279_TS-SYSAUX_FNO-3_0ikc1ani.bak
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 534781952 Apr 9 08:56 orcl_data_D-ORCL_I-1203857279_TS-SYSTEM_FNO-1_0jkc1aov.bak
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 252977152 Apr 9 08:57 orcl_data_D-ORCL_I-1203857279_TS-USERS_FNO-4_0kkc1aqm.bak
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 188751872 Apr 9 08:57 orcl_data_D-ORCL_I-1203857279_TS-UNDOTBS1_FNO-2_0lkc1arf.bak
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 104865792 Apr 9 08:57 orcl_data_D-ORCL_I-1203857279_TS-EXAMPLE_FNO-5_0mkc1arv.bak
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 5914624 Apr 9 09:03 orcl_0pkc1b5g_1_1.bak
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 104865792 Apr 9 09:04 orcl_data_D-ORCL_I-1203857279_TS-TEST_FNO-6_0qkc1b85.bak
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 6348800 Apr 9 09:12 orcl_0skc1blb_1_1.bak
We can find the orcl_0skc1blb_1_1.bak become bigger than previous one.
This is why I think it is a cumulative backup.
I will prove this through a test;