Releasing Space in ASM flash area

When we use a flash area all the dupliacte copies and backup files are stored in the FLASH AREA.

Some files that are stored here are.

1)All archieve log file.
2)Logfile member (duplicate copy)
3)Control file duplicate (not always)
etc

After you have backedup your archivelog files to tape ,we need to delete the same from the flash area.

We issue the below command.(we are not using catalog)

rman target /

run
{
configure channel ch1 device type tape;
backup archivelog all;
}

RMAN>exit;

source the ASM home

asmcmd;
>cd flash

Delete all the archivelogs which were backedup

>exit;

Now if you check the flash area size (usedmb and freemb) it will be the same even after deleting the old archivelogs. This shows that no space was released from FLASH

this is because eventhough we deleted the file inside flash the entry is still present in the controlfile.

Solution

rman target /

RMAN> crosscheck archivelog all;
.
.
.
RMAN>list expired;
RMAN>delete expired archivelog all;
RMAN> exit;

now if we check the asm views you can see the increase in free MB in ASM FLASH

crosscheck archivelog all; will validate the archivelog files in controlfile with there physical location and if not present then it will mark that archive log as expired. when you delete expired the archivelog entry is deleted from the controlfile thus releasing the space in ASM flash.

Thanks,
Sandarsh.