RMAN delete obsolete = ORA-19606: Cannot copy or restore to snapshot control file, RMAN-06214: Datafile Copy, etc…

PROBLEM

RMAN> delete obsolete;
RMAN retention policy will be applied to the command
RMAN retention policy is set to redundancy 2
allocated channel: ORA_DISK_1
channel ORA_DISK_1: SID=14 device type=DISK
Deleting the following obsolete backups and copies:
Type                 Key    Completion Time    Filename/Handle
-------------------- ------ ------------------ --------------------
Control File Copy     18660437 15-JUL-10          /oracle/product/11.2.0.2/dbs/snapcf_P10AC.f
Backup Set           18667103 19-JUL-10
  Backup Piece       18667105 19-JUL-10          /oraback/P10AC/autobackup/2010_07_19/o1_mf_s_724801673_64b73c6t_.bkp

Do you really want to delete the above objects (enter YES or NO)? YES
RMAN-00571: ===========================================================
RMAN-00569: =============== ERROR MESSAGE STACK FOLLOWS ===============
RMAN-00571: ===========================================================
RMAN-03009: failure of delete command on ORA_DISK_1 channel at 07/22/2010 14:44:43
ORA-19606: Cannot copy or restore to snapshot control file

Another common problem that can be solved the same way (if the easier “crosscheck controlfile copy” doesn’t work):

RMAN> delete noprompt obsolete;
using target database control file instead of recovery catalog
RMAN retention policy will be applied to the command
RMAN retention policy is set to redundancy 1
allocated channel: ORA_DISK_1
channel ORA_DISK_1: SID=4 device type=DISK
Deleting the following obsolete backups and copies:
Type                 Key    Completion Time    Filename/Handle
-------------------- ------ ------------------ --------------------
Control File Copy     2      03-JUN-13          /oracle/product/11.2.0.3/dbs/snapcf_P10VQA.f
RMAN-06207: WARNING: 1 objects could not be deleted for DISK channel(s) due
RMAN-06208:          to mismatched status.  Use CROSSCHECK command to fix status
RMAN-06210: List of Mismatched objects
RMAN-06211: ==========================
RMAN-06212:   Object Type   Filename/Handle
RMAN-06213: --------------- ---------------------------------------------------
RMAN-06214: Datafile Copy   /oracle/product/11.2.0.3/dbs/snapcf_P10VQA.f

SOLUTION

Not sure why this happens, but the solution is to configure a different snapshot controlfile name so that RMAN can use that, thus allowing you to remove the “old” one. Then configure back to what you had:

configure snapshot controlfile name to '/tmp/it.f';
crosscheck controlfilecopy '/oracle/product/11.2.0.4/dbs/snapcf_P30ATLIS.f';
delete noprompt expired controlfilecopy '/oracle/product/11.2.0.4/dbs/snapcf_P30ATLIS.f';
delete noprompt obsolete;
configure snapshot controlfile name to '/p-atlis/oracle/product/11.2.0.4/dbs/snapcf_P30ATLIS.f';
show all;

MISMATCHED DATAFILE COPY

This is another similar issue but with a different solution.

RMAN> delete noprompt obsolete;
RMAN retention policy will be applied to the command
RMAN retention policy is set to redundancy 3
using channel ORA_DISK_1
Deleting the following obsolete backups and copies:
Type Key Completion Time Filename/Handle
-------------------- ------ ------------------ --------------------
Control File Copy 4 11-NOV-11 /tmp/control00.ctl
RMAN-06207: WARNING: 1 objects could not be deleted for DISK channel(s) due
RMAN-06208: to mismatched status. Use CROSSCHECK command to fix status
RMAN-06210: List of Mismatched objects
RMAN-06211: ==========================
RMAN-06212: Object Type Filename/Handle
RMAN-06213: --------------- ---------------------------------------------------
RMAN-06214: Datafile Copy /tmp/control00.ctl

REPORT THIS AD

and the solution is:

RMAN> crosscheck copy;
RMAN> delete noprompt expired copy;