Error using RMAN thru Database Control

Question

Hello guys..
I installed Oracle 10gR2 on solaris 10, and created a sample DB called HEAT. This database is configured to run in Archivelog mode and also created Flash_recovery_area.
Iam trying to take a simple backup thru RMAN using OEM ( Database Control). there is only 1 database on that server and i plan to use controlfile instead of recovery catalog.
Now here are the steps when i execute, i get an ERROR.
1. connected as 'sys' from Database Control.
2. Went to Maintenence Tab, click in Backup settings.
3. click on Device Tab, enter OS credentials and click on "Test disk backup"..
4. I get an error that says "Disk Backup Test Failed!"
When click on View Error Details :
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Recovery Manager: Release 10.2.0.1.0 - Production on Fri Feb 2 12:53:29 2007
Copyright (c) 1982, 2005, Oracle. All rights reserved.
RMAN>
connected to target database (not started)
RMAN>
echo set on
RMAN> run {
2> allocate channel oem_disk_backup device type disk;
3> backup as BACKUPSET current controlfile tag '02022007125328';
4> restore controlfile validate from tag '02022007125328';
5> release channel oem_disk_backup;
6> }
RMAN-00571: ===========================================================
RMAN-00569: =============== ERROR MESSAGE STACK FOLLOWS ===============
RMAN-00571: ===========================================================
RMAN-03002: failure of allocate command at 02/02/2007 12:53:30
RMAN-06403: could not obtain a fully authorized session
ORA-01034: ORACLE not available
RMAN> allocate channel for maintenance type disk;
RMAN-00571: ===========================================================
RMAN-00569: =============== ERROR MESSAGE STACK FOLLOWS ===============
RMAN-00571: ===========================================================
RMAN-03002: failure of allocate command at 02/02/2007 12:53:30
RMAN-06403: could not obtain a fully authorized session
ORA-01034: ORACLE not available
RMAN> delete noprompt backuppiece tag '02022007125328';
RMAN-00571: ===========================================================
RMAN-00569: =============== ERROR MESSAGE STACK FOLLOWS ===============
RMAN-00571: ===========================================================
RMAN-03002: failure of delete command at 02/02/2007 12:53:30
RMAN-12010: automatic channel allocation initialization failed
RMAN-06403: could not obtain a fully authorized session
ORA-01034: ORACLE not available
RMAN> exit;
Recovery Manager complete.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I only have 1 database , and it is configured to backup using Control file and not Recovery catalog ( which is the default)...
What additional steps do i have to do, to take a simple backup using database control ? I am not sure why it says Database not available...while DB is indeed available and open.
any help is appreciated..
thanks

Answer 1

I, too, am receiving these same errors when I do my backups. The sysadmin took the systems down over the weekend and the backup has failed ever since. Database is up, ORACLE_SID looks fine, what could be wrong? This nightly backup worked before system went down. I can connect as sysdba using the ORACLE_SID as set.
Thanks,
Candy