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Backup .com to look at more than one disk

 
Hein van den Heuvel
Honored Contributor

Re: Backup .com to look at more than one disk


grwere,

Review your query. All the specifics mean very little to most readers as they only have a meaning in your context.
So open up ( $ EDIT/READ or $ TYPE ) the command files ( backup.com? tdmdbf.com?) being used an look for common terms we can all relate to. Specifically BACKUP and/or RMU commands.

Ketan makes a good point about RDA and SNP files typically refering to RDB databases.
For those RMU BACKUP is much preferred over OpenVMS BACKUP.
RMU knows where all related datafiles are, whatever disk (dsk01? dsk02?) they are on. It'll figure that out. No worry for you.

A better reference for RMU is:
http://download.oracle.com/otn_hosted_doc/rdb/pdf/rmu_ref_pro.pdf

As you prepare your detailed question (if still needed), be sure to indicate with OS (OpenVMS? :-), Database (RDB?), Platform ( Alpha?), Storage setup ( eva? ) and verision numbers aas available.

Good luck!
Hein.
abrsvc
Respected Contributor

Re: Backup .com to look at more than one disk

I'm restating was has been said to a degree here, but for claification purposes...

1) If you are attempting to backup a database that spans multiple disks, then the RMU Backup is the correct method to use. This way the entire database is saved corectly along with the component distribution.

2) VMS Backup can then be used to backup the "backup" to tape. RMU backup will create an .RBF file (RDB Backup File).

3) The RMU Backup will also retain all of the snapshot status.

Dan
Andy Bustamante
Honored Contributor

Re: Backup .com to look at more than one disk

Assuming you have an Oracle RDB database,
unless the Oracle RDB database is shut down, BACKUP will not be able to create a useful copy of the database files. You need to use the RMU utility to preserve your database files. RMU can write to disk or tape. If writing to disk, VMS backup can create backups of the database backup.

Backups are worth having, but it's restores that are useful. It sounds like something may have changed in your enviroment and the backup never updated. Schedule time to test your backup strategy once you've made any changes.

If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over? Reach me at first_name + "." + last_name at sysmanager net
dabney121
Occasional Advisor

Re: Backup .com to look at more than one disk

Hello, I work with grwere. The issue is that we are out of disk space and one of our processes wont run. ALL of the .snp & .rda RDB files have been located on dsk01. When there was not enough space for some of the files to expand, we tried moving some files to another area. That is also when we discovered that the TDMDBF disk to disk backup "looks" at ALL of the files and expects them to be on dsk01.
We would like to define a logical so that we can have it look to another disk but are not sure how to define it. Probably simple for you guys but we are not experienced admins for this type of system.

We have a very old version of Openvms 7.2-2.
Hoff
Honored Contributor

Re: Backup .com to look at more than one disk

Why not drop fifty or a hundred gigabytes of (gently used) SCSI disk storage into this OpenVMS Alpha V7.2-2 configuration? Or more?

That's a simple and effective and inexpensive solution for many of these cases, even if you have to add a disk shelf and upgrade a SCSI controller in the process.
Steven Schweda
Honored Contributor

Re: Backup .com to look at more than one disk

> [...] That is also when we discovered that
> the TDMDBF disk to disk backup "looks" at
> ALL of the files and expects them to be on
> dsk01. [...]

You have the advantage of being able to see
what this "TDMDBF" does. The non-psychics
here can't see it.

> We would like to define a logical [...]

And perhaps you can. And perhaps someone who
could see what "TDMDBF" does could suggest
something.


> Why not drop [...]

A fair question.
Andy Bustamante
Honored Contributor

Re: Backup .com to look at more than one disk

As Hoff points out, adding storage may be the workable solution. Be cautious about simply copying files from disk to disk. First, you need to let RDB know about the migration, second, depending on disk use it may not be an appropriate allocation.

For example, a typical configuration would have data files on disk_A and journal files on disk_B, with a regular RMU backup copied to disk_B. Disk_B could also be designated for temporary report file use, which would generate much I/O and create potential for fragmentation if mixed with database files.

If no one at your business has a the knowledge to reconfigure this system and avoid creating additional long term issues, consider retaining a consultant. There are several of those on available on the forum.

Migrating to a supported version of the operating system (7.3-2 minimum or 8.3 current) and supported version of RDB should also be considered.

If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over? Reach me at first_name + "." + last_name at sysmanager net
dabney121
Occasional Advisor

Re: Backup .com to look at more than one disk

Can you define 1 logical for 2 disks so that our process thinks it is 1 disk?
Steven Schweda
Honored Contributor

Re: Backup .com to look at more than one disk

> Can you define 1 logical for 2 disks so
> that our process thinks it is 1 disk?

Define "our process".

It's hard to make two disks appear exactly
equivalent to one disk. It can be easier to
do some other things which might be useful,
depending on exactly what you're doing.
Hein van den Heuvel
Honored Contributor

Re: Backup .com to look at more than one disk

>> we are not experienced admins for this type of system.

That's ok, we are. :-). But we do nor know diddly squat about your setup, although we've been know to speculate with the best of them.

Anyway, you can read right? So go slowly over the earlier replies. Focus on the RMU versus BACKUP. If is very possibly that your 'TDMDBF' has been doing a fine job or has not been doing anything useful at all (for years).

If your company did not hire the right folks with the right experiences for the job, then they may need to hire some outside support to bring you guys up to speed, and make sure the system is in good shape were it can recover from trouble.

>> we discovered that the TDMDBF disk to disk backup "looks"

We have no clue what that thing might do or not do. Help us help you by explaining what it seems to do! In questioning that you might just figure out what it really does.

>> The issue is that we are out of disk space and one of our processes wont run

So that was fixed by adding a 'disk' and now you don't know how to backup the resulting mess?

Can the failing process use its (sys$scratch?) space elsewhere?

>> Can you define 1 logical for 2 disks so that our process thinks it is 1 disk?

Yes, in several ways which may or might not help you.
Possible solution are:
1) mounting them as a bound volume set.
(Go slowly on that. The way back is tricky!)
2) putting directories on multiple disks in search lists.
3) upgrade to OpenVMS 7.3-2 and hardware to grow / combine the disks, followed by Dynamic Volume Expansion (DVE) ( SET VOLUME/LIMIT ) to make it accesible by OpenVMS

Good luck!
Hein