Recovery using Archive redo log files As I'm new in using RMAN and archivelog, I've a few doubts regarding to this. My database is Oracle 11g(windows platform). It was previously in noarchivelog mode and recently I've changed it to archivelog mode to backup my data and it started generating archived redo logs in the ARCHIVELOG directory. Each day almost 7 or 9 GB archived redo logs are generating.

Also, I have set my recovery destination and size as 50G and recovery window parameter as 4 days. I know that archive redo log files help me for the point on recovery. 

But I am not getting a clear idea about below.


Do I need to delete archivelog mode or will it automatically get cleared?
If I move these archivelog files to other location or disk as backup, should it help me to recover data till that date?
If I need to restore a test database using the production database, is it possible with these archive files? Does it need any other processing?


Thanks in advance.
Do I need to delete archivelog mode or will it automatically get cleared?
  


Configure archivelog deletetion policy as-

RMAN&gt; CONFIGURE ARCHIVELOG DELETION POLICY TO BACKED UP 1 TIMES TO DISK;


Then you can-

RMAN&gt; DELETE ARCHIVELOG ALL BACKED UP 1 TIMES TO DISK;



  Archived redo logs can be deleted automatically by the database or as a result of user-initiated RMAN commands. Only logs in the flash recovery area can be deleted automatically by the database. For archived redo log files in the flash recovery area, the database retains them as long as possible and automatically deletes eligible logs when additional disk space is required. 


Configuring an Archived Redo Log Deletion Policy


  
  If I move these archivelog files to other location or disk as backup, should it help me to recover data till that date?
  


Yes, As long as RMAN can access these files.


  
  If I need to restore a test database using the production database, is it possible with these archive files? Does it need any other processing?
  


Archived Redo Logs are not sufficient to restore and recover a test database, you need to have full RMAN backup as well. Howerver, if you have physically identical database like Physical Standby database then these archived logs can be used to refresh such databases.