Does anybody know how we can blackout a RAC cluster database?

Question

When attempting to start a blackout for a cluster database we get the message:
"<DB NAME>" is a cluster target, hence skipping it. Please use EM console.
Is there an api to allow us to do this from a script just prior to a scheduled refresh?

Answer 1

Apparantly Oracle thinks its a feature:
Symptoms
Grid Control 10.2.0.2
Agent 10.2.0.2
Cluster RAC database 10.2.0.2 or 9.2.0.6
The command line 'emctl start blackout test <RAC database target>' fails to initiate a blackout
against a cluster database target, returning the message "<EM102:rac_database>" is a cluster
target, hence skipping it. Please use EM console.
A blackout for the same target type is established successfully using the EM console.
Cause
The emctl utility cannot be used to control blackouts for clustered targets.
This is a limitation when using emctl to control blackouts against clustered targets, because the
command needs to be issued simultaneously on all the agents in the cluster.
Solution
To implement the solution, please execute the following steps:
1. Use the EM Console to establish the blackout for clustered targets. You will find the Black Out
option in the General section on the home page of any application server target. For composite
targets like OracleAS Farms, you will find this option in the Administration tab.