ORA-00245: control file backup operation failed , RMAN-03009

Error:

RMAN-03009: failure of backup command on disk4 channel at 05/06/2014 13:35:20
ORA-00245: control file backup operation failed
continuing other job steps, job failed will not be re-run
channel disk3: finished piece 1 at 06-MAY-2014 13:35:21
piece handle=/RMAN/Hot/SOA/SOA_20140506/DB_20140506_0kp7jv4o_1_1 tag=FULL_20140506 comment=NONE
channel disk3: backup set complete, elapsed time: 00:00:01
channel disk1: finished piece 1 at 06-MAY-2014 13:35:55
piece handle=/RMAN/Hot/SOA/SOA_20140506/DB_20140506_0gp7jv4n_1_1 tag=FULL_20140506 comment=NONE
channel disk1: backup set complete, elapsed time: 00:00:36
channel disk2: finished piece 1 at 06-MAY-2014 13:35:55
piece handle=/RMAN/Hot/SOA/SOA_20140506/DB_20140506_0hp7jv4n_1_1 tag=FULL_20140506 comment=NONE
channel disk2: backup set complete, elapsed time: 00:00:36
released channel: disk1
released channel: disk2
released channel: disk3
released channel: disk4
RMAN-00571: ===========================================================
RMAN-00569: =============== ERROR MESSAGE STACK FOLLOWS ===============
RMAN-00571: ===========================================================
RMAN-03002: failure of backup plus archivelog command at 05/06/2014 13:35:55
RMAN-03009: failure of backup command on disk4 channel at 05/06/2014 13:35:20
ORA-00245: control file backup operation failed
RMAN> RMAN>
Recovery Manager complete.
2014/05/06 13:35:56 ERROR: RMAN FULL backup Failed

Symptoms:

In RAC environment any form of controlfile backup may fail with ORA-0245 if the location of the Snapshot Controlfile is not a shared location.

The backup of the controlfile actualy makes a backup of the SNAPSHOT controlfile. The Snapshot controlfile is created when the controlfile is about to be backed up.

The Snapshot controlfile is a read-consistent copy of the controlfile.

 Solution:

 This is a RAC specific 'configuration' issue and the correct configuration is as described below

It is changed behaviour which requires that the snapshot controlfile in a RAC environment, is on a shared location. 

1. Check the snapshot controlfile location:

RMAN>  show snapshot controlfile name;
RMAN configuration parameters for database with db_unique_name SOAPROD are:
CONFIGURE SNAPSHOT CONTROLFILE NAME TO '/d06/soa/product/product/11.2.0/dbs/snapcf_SOA1.f'; # default

2. Configure the snapshot controlfile to a shared disk:

RMAN> RMAN> CONFIGURE SNAPSHOT CONTROLFILE NAME TO '/RMAN/Hot/SOA/snapcf_SOA1.f';

Or in case of ASM use

RMAN> CONFIGURE SNAPSHOT CONTROLFILE NAME TO '+<DiskGroup>/snapcf_<DBNAME>.f';

Ref: ORA-245: In RAC environment from 11.2 onwards Backup Or Snapshot controlfile needs to be in shared location (Doc ID 1472171.1)