DBA_FLASHBACK_VIEW can be used to monitor Oracle flashback as it contains the columns flashback_archive_name, flashback_archive#, retention_in_days, create_time, last_purge_time and status to help the DBA administer the flashback feature of Oracle.
Here is the query to show the dba_flashback_archive contents:
select
flashback_archive_name,
status
from
dba_flashback_archive;
The dba_flashback_archive describes all flashback archives in the database and the status column of dba_flashback_archive indicates whether the flashback archive is a default archive for the database.
All DBA's will enable a flashback_data_archive area that can then be seen by dba_flashback_archive.
Note these limitations on using DDL with 11g flashback data archive.
With a flashback data archive it is possible to view data as any point in time since the flashback data archive was created. However, attempting to view data as a timestamp before the data archive is created causes the following ORA-01466 flashback error:
ORA-01466: unable to read data - table definition has changed
If you try to drop a flashback tablespace that is in-use you get the ORA-55641 error:
SQL > alter flashback flashback_archive_area_one archive remove tablespace flashback_tablespace_one;
ORA-55641: Cannot drop tablespace used by Flashback Data Archive.
