SAP and OmniBack Integration

[Jason Heideloff]

I'm trying to come up with a good, solid backup strategy for our SAP implementation. There are a couple of issues I have and I'm hoping someone here can help.

The setup is this:

HP-UX 11.00
SAP3.1I (w/ SAP 4.5 brbackup, brarchive, etc...)
N4000 with DLT 4/40 (Fibre Channel) configured with 4 drives

1. Is it acceptable to backup more than one instance of an SAP system and append it to a tape with another SAP backup?

2. I'd like to make certain that I have two copies of the archive files. If the main SAP backup is being backed up in parallel to two tape drives, how does one append archive files to both tapes?

Any thoughts on best practices and how to set up the backup specifications would be great!

Thanks,
Jason Heideloff

[Joseph T. Wyckoff]

I think performance will be the likely concern.

Let me give you two solid best practices from an Omniback perspective:

1. Print out the Omniback Admin, Integration, and release note manuals and have them handy.

2. Get CURRENT patches for Omniback. In one case there is a silent SAP dataloss issue fixed in patches - I am pretty sure you will want to get current patches.
http://ovweb.external.hp.com/cpe/patches/ob/ob.html


Here is a URL that is decent starting point.
http://openview.hp.com/products/omnibacknt/index.asp?lvl=choose

Take the Omniback integration class if you can.

http://openview.hp.com/train/classlev.asp?product=OmniBack&lev=13

Also, the Omniback 'forum' is hidden as networking and openview...

http://forums.itrc.hp.com/cm/CategoryHome/1,1147,163,00.html

Finally - involve both the DBA and the backup administrator in the planning and ongoing maintenance of the SAP backup - this is very important for the successful use of any advanced backup product.

Good Luck.