Recommend backup for this Oracle database

[kenny chia]

Hi
I need to design a backup and restore plan for a particular Oracle database. Any hardware and software backup suggestions for this system? 3rd party backup software can be considered too.

1. Oracle8i
2. About 100GB worth of datafiles in a DS2300 disk system. Disk system configured for 400GB storage
3. Possible to stop database updates for 1 hour
4. HP-UX 11.00

Thank you

[Yogeeraj_1]

hi,

1. No need to buy any additional software
2. No need to stop the database

Use RMAN.

Using RMAN, schedule/automate backup your database to disk then send them to your backup device using any software (as you would do for any file on the file system).

If you need any further help, please let us know.

hope this helps!

best regards
yogeeraj

[Michael Tully]

If you need a tape management system, you could consider omniback. Omniback can also integrate with RMAN.

[Sanjay Kumar Suri]

RMAN is an ideal solution as suggested by Yogi.

Else you can think of developing some shell scripts which enables:

- online backups without shutting down the database (alter tablespace begin backup)
- offline backups (after shutting down the database as you have 1 hour window)

These backups can be taken on disk (400 GB) or on the tapes.

sks

[Indira Aramandla]

Hi,

We use HP storage works LSL5000 series (Ultrium 230 Tape Library) and LTO tapes. To backup our oracle databases and other software / applications on the HP RP5430 L class server.

The backup tool we use is HP Openview OmniBack / Data Protector and we do cold (offline) and hot (online) backups for the 24 x 7 databases. With the super fast LTO tapes it can backup 15 GB of data withtin 12 minutes. To restore the same from the backup tape takes 25 â 30 minutes. And the backup / restore procedures are very simple using the Omniback GUI tool.

But you need to buy the OmniBack product and have the liscence. Like Michael said you can integrate OmniBack with RMAN.

On the other hand if you are not intending to spend then as Yogeeraj said "No need to but additional software", RMAN is the way.

Indira

[Yogeeraj_1]

hi again,

Important to know that by using RMAN, you get two most important advantages:

A. RMAN decreases the chance of you making a mistake.

Question -- do you regularly test your backups? There was one customer who wanted to know why their system was down for days -- yes, days. Why so long? Well, they had a problem, had to restore from backup. Never tested said backup. Discovered all of a sudden their script kicked off the copies BEFORE the alter tablespace begin backup. :-( -> System was fried. Support helped them scavenge what they could but basically, it was a rebuild of the entire big database. That would not happen with RMAN -- less for them to think about, less mistakes possible.

B. RMAN allows fast recovery

How about this -- you have a single bad block in a 16GB datafile, you are using RMAN in 9i. What do you do? You do an in place recovery of just the bad block, you do not offline the datafile, you do not offline the tablespace, you do not do 16GB of IO to restore the file, you do not roll 16GB of data forward. You recover an individual 8k block.

But -- you are not using RMAN? You would have to do the following steps:
- take tablespace offline
- restore 16GB
- roll it forward
- bring it online.
(you may guess how much time this would require!!)

best regards
Yogeeraj

[KapilRaj]

RMAN could be a choise ... it is better for file - to file recovery,

I hv no idea what a DS ???? is but does it support snapshots ?. Something like a BCV timefinder or ESS flash copy which allows you to take a snap of one set of Master devices on to a copy devices (U need 2 * 100 GB for this.

Or you may,

1.mirror the volumes ,
2.split them daily
3. mount the cpoy on a diffrent mount point.
4. take backup
5. unmount
6. merge the mirror set again

Kaps

[Alexander M. Ermes]

Hi there.
RMAN is a good solution. You have your database online and you can recover it very easy.
If possible, do a cold backup once a week.
That would mean, bring the database down, backup all databasefile, controlfiles, logfiles and offlinelogs.
Then do a backup to tape.
Other possibility, if the database is down,
is to copy these files to a filesystem of your choice.
After the offline backup you can bring up your database again.
Rgds
Alexander M. Ermes

[kenny chia]

Hi
Thanks for all the suggestions. DS2300 is a particular disk system.

1. If I have to do a online backup, the database must be in archive mode?

2. For my full database backup which is not in archive mode, is the syntax correct? Do I need to enclose allocate and backup in run{}?

RMAN > connect target
RMAN > shutdown
RMAN > startup mount
RMAN > allocate channel disk1 type disk format '/users1/ora_backup';
RMAN > backup database;

3. Most important, How do I calculate full backup disk space required?

[Volker Borowski]

Hi Kenny.

1) you should consider to switch on archiving ! You will sleep better at night!

2) Yes, to do Online Backup archive mode must be enabled. Concerning your script, a simple shutdown will wait for every transaction to finish, so may be a "shutdown immediate" might be more secure to get the backup on the way.

3)RMAN saves used blocks, so

SELECT SUM(BYTES) / 1024 / 1024 as MB
FROM
DBA_SEGMENTS;

will be a bit too much, but a good calculation start.

Hoper this helps
Volker