Invalid database unique name

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 78 views

Introduction

In this article, we will discuss the issue of RMAN-04006 on a standby database while duplicating from an active database. This error typically occurs when trying to duplicate a database from an active database to a standby database using Oracle's Recovery Manager (RMAN). We will explore the possible causes of this error and provide solutions to resolve it.

Understanding RMAN-04006

RMAN-04006 is an error message that indicates a problem with the RMAN duplicate command. This error can occur due to various reasons such as:

Invalid control file: The control file on the standby database is not valid or is not in the correct format.
Invalid parameter file: The parameter file on the standby database is not valid or is not in the correct format.
Invalid database name: The database name specified in the RMAN command is not valid or is not in the correct format.
Invalid database unique name: The database unique name specified in the RMAN command is not valid or is not in the correct format.

Standby Database Configuration

To configure a standby database, we need to create a standby control file and a standby parameter file. We also need to specify the database unique name and the database name in the RMAN command.

Step 1: Create a Standby Control File

To create a standby control file, we can use the RMAN command with the DUPLICATE option. We need to specify the source database, the target database, and the standby control file.

RMAN> DUPLICATE TARGET DATABASE FOR STANDBY FROM ACTIVE DATABASE
  2> NOFILENAMECHECK
  3> SPFILE 'prod_standby.ora'
  4> CONTROLFILECOPY '/u01/app/oracle/product/19c/dbhome_1/dbs/prod_standby.ctl';

Step 2: Create a Standby Parameter File

To create a standby parameter file, we can use the RMAN command with the DUPLICATE option. We need to specify the source database, the target database, and the standby parameter file.

RMAN> DUPLICATE TARGET DATABASE FOR STANDBY FROM ACTIVE DATABASE
  2> NOFILENAMECHECK
  3> SPFILE 'prod_standby.ora'
  4> CONTROLFILECOPY '/u01/app/oracle/product/19c/dbhome_1/dbs/prod_standby.ctl'
  5> PARAMETERFILE 'prod_standby.ora';

Step 3: Specify Database Unique Name and Database Name

To specify the database unique name and the database name, we need to add the following parameters to the RMAN command:

RMAN> DUPLICATE TARGET DATABASE FOR STANDBY FROM ACTIVE DATABASE
  2> NOFILENAMECHECK
  3> SPFILE 'prod_standby.ora'
  4> CONTROLFILECOPY '/u01/app/oracle/product/19c/dbhome_1/dbs/prod_standby.ctl'
  5> PARAMETERFILE 'prod_standby.ora'
  6> DB_UNIQUE_NAME 'prod_standby'
  7> DB_NAME 'prod_standby';

RMAN-04006 Error

When we run the RMAN command, we may encounter the RMAN-04006 error. This error can occur due to various reasons such as:

Invalid control file: The control file on the standby database is not valid or is not in the correct format.
Invalid parameter file: The parameter file on the standby database is not valid or is not in the correct format.
Invalid database name: The database name specified in the RMAN command is not valid or is not in the correct format.
Invalid database unique name: The database unique name specified in the RMAN command is not valid or is not in the correct format.

Troubleshooting RMAN-04006

To troubleshoot the RMAN-04006 error, we can use the following steps:

Check the control file: Verify that the control file on the standby database is valid and in the correct format.
Check the parameter file: Verify that the parameter file on the standby database is valid and in the correct format.
Check the database name: Verify that the database name specified in the RMAN command is valid and in the correct format.
Check the database unique name: Verify that the database unique name specified in the RMAN command is valid and in the correct format.

Conclusion

In this article, we discussed the issue of RMAN-04006 on a standby database while duplicating from an active database. We explored the possible causes of this error and provided solutions to resolve it. We also discussed the steps to troubleshoot the RMAN-04006 error.

Best Practices

To avoid the RMAN-04006 error, we can follow the best practices:

Verify the control file: Verify that the control file on the standby database is valid and in the correct format.
Verify the parameter file: Verify that the parameter file on the standby database is valid and in the correct format.
Verify the database name: Verify that the database name specified in the RMAN command is valid and in the correct format.
Verify the database unique name: Verify that the database unique name specified in the RMAN command is valid and in the correct format.

Q: What is RMAN-04006 error?

A: RMAN-04006 is an error message that indicates a problem with the RMAN duplicate command. This error can occur due to various reasons such as invalid control file, invalid parameter file, invalid database name, or invalid database unique name.

Q: What are the possible causes of RMAN-04006 error?

A: The possible causes of RMAN-04006 error are:

Invalid control file: The control file on the standby database is not valid or is not in the correct format.
Invalid parameter file: The parameter file on the standby database is not valid or is not in the correct format.
Invalid database name: The database name specified in the RMAN command is not valid or is not in the correct format.
Invalid database unique name: The database unique name specified in the RMAN command is not valid or is not in the correct format.

Q: How to troubleshoot RMAN-04006 error?

A: To troubleshoot the RMAN-04006 error, we can use the following steps:

Check the control file: Verify that the control file on the standby database is valid and in the correct format.
Check the parameter file: Verify that the parameter file on the standby database is valid and in the correct format.
Check the database name: Verify that the database name specified in the RMAN command is valid and in the correct format.
Check the database unique name: Verify that the database unique name specified in the RMAN command is valid and in the correct format.

Q: What are the best practices to avoid RMAN-04006 error?

A: To avoid the RMAN-04006 error, we can follow the best practices:

Verify the control file: Verify that the control file on the standby database is valid and in the correct format.
Verify the parameter file: Verify that the parameter file on the standby database is valid and in the correct format.
Verify the database name: Verify that the database name specified in the RMAN command is valid and in the correct format.
Verify the database unique name: Verify that the database unique name specified in the RMAN command is valid and in the correct format.

Q: How to resolve RMAN-04006 error?

A: To resolve the RMAN-04006 error, we can use the following steps:

Check the RMAN command: Verify that the RMAN command is correct and in the correct format.
Check the database configuration: Verify that the database configuration is correct and in the correct format.
Check the control file: Verify that the control file on the standby database is valid and in the correct format.
Check the parameter file: Verify that the parameter file on the standby database is valid and in the correct format.

Q: What are the common mistakes that can cause RMAN-04006 error?

A: The common mistakes that can cause RMAN-04006 error are:

Incorrect RMAN command: Using an incorrect RMAN command or syntax.
Incorrect database configuration: Using an incorrect database configuration or syntax.
Incorrect control file: Using an incorrect control file or syntax.
Incorrect parameter file: Using an incorrect parameter file or syntax.

Q: How to prevent RMAN-04006 error in the future?

A: To prevent RMAN-04006 error in the future, we can follow the best practices:

Verify the RMAN command: Verify that the RMAN command is correct and in the correct format.
Verify the database configuration: Verify that the database configuration is correct and in the correct format.
Verify the control file: Verify that the control file on the standby database is valid and in the correct format.
Verify the parameter file: Verify that the parameter file on the standby database is valid and in the correct format.

By following these best practices, we can prevent RMAN-04006 error and ensure a successful database duplication using Oracle's Recovery Manager (RMAN).