RMAN "delete noprompt obsolete;"

The "delete obsolete" or "delete noprompt obsolete" will delete the archivelog files past the retention from disk and will also delete any backups on disk or tape.

allocate channel for maintenance type 'SBT_TAPE';
delete noprompt obsolete;
release channel;

will list two parts

. The first part lists the obsolete backups and copies (including archive logs).
. The 2nd part confirms what have been really deleted on archive logs and backup piece, with statement "Deleted xx objects".

When flash recovery area (FRA) is used, Oracle will automatically remove archive logs when space pressure is seen in the FRA. "delete obsolete" command will not remove obsolete archivelog files from the FRA, and so it only reports the obsolete archive logs without "Deleted xx objects" under them.

After a osboleted backpiece has been deleted by the command, the LIST command will not be able to see it any more. For example, I see follwoings on backup piece 635938 in the log:

Backup Set 635930 12-SEP-08
Backup Piece 635938 12-SEP-08 vcjqcgn8_1_1

deleted backup piece
backup piece handle=vcjqcgn8_1_1 recid=2021 stamp=665207528

Now, LIST on them returns errors:

RMAN> list backupset 635930;
RMAN-00571: ==================================
RMAN-00569: === ERROR MESSAGE STACK FOLLOWS ===
RMAN-00571:===================================
RMAN-03002: failure of list command at 09/12/2008 15:32:05
RMAN-06004: ORACLE error from recovery catalog database:
RMAN-20215: backup set not found
RMAN-06159: error while looking up backup set

RMAN> list backuppiece 635938;
RMAN-00571: ==================================
RMAN-00569: === ERROR MESSAGE STACK FOLLOWS ===
RMAN-00571: ==================================
RMAN-03002: failure of list command at 09/12/2008 15:32:34
RMAN-06004: ORACLE error from recovery catalog database:
RMAN-20260: backup piece not found in the recovery catalog
RMAN-06092: error while looking up backup piece

You can use "report obsolete" to find the obsolete backups. If you want to find what will become obsolete in next backup run, use "report obsolete redundancy 6" if the retention redundancy is 7.