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...Incrementally Updated Image Copies

Notes:

The script can be run daily. Each day this runs:
The RECOVER COPY command updates all datafile image copies (with the tag “IC1”) with the previous day’s level 1 incremental. If it does not find an image copy to update or a level 1 to apply, the RECOVER command simply issues messages and successfully terminates. Note that an identical user-defined tag must be used on the RECOVER COPY command and the BACKUP FOR RECOVER OF COPY WITH TAG clause.
The BACKUP command creates a new level 1 incremental. However, if a level 0 image copy does not exist (e.g. on the 1st run), the BACKUP command will create one.
Thus, at all times, you have available for recovery:
Image copy up to a maximum of 48 hours old
Level 1 incremental up to a maximum of 24 hours old
Online and archive logs to support point-in-time or complete recovery.

With this strategy, you will never have to apply more than 24 hours of redo (archive logs) to apply to perform a complete recovery.
Using a tag on the INCREMENTAL LEVEL 1 clause is optional, but I did not like the default tag RMAN supplied for the incrementals, so I supplied my own.
Refer to the article “Oracle10g - RMAN Incrementally Updated Backups” by Dave Anderson (find at www.skillbuilders.com) for a detailed discussion of this feature.