Veritas NetBackup™ for Oracle Administrator's Guide

Last Published:
Product(s): NetBackup (8.0)
  1. Introduction
    1.  
      What's new about NetBackup for Oracle
    2.  
      About NetBackup for Oracle
    3.  
      NetBackup for Oracle features
    4.  
      NetBackup for Oracle terminology
    5.  
      NetBackup for Oracle operation using the Oracle Intelligent Policy
    6.  
      Logging the RMAN input and output on a client
    7.  
      NetBackup for Oracle operation using a script- or template-based policy
    8.  
      About Oracle RMAN
    9.  
      About the Oracle recovery catalog
  2. NetBackup for Oracle QuickStart
    1.  
      Installing NetBackup for Oracle
    2.  
      Registering Oracle database instances
    3.  
      Creating an Oracle database instance group
    4.  
      Creating an Oracle policy
  3. Installing NetBackup for Oracle
    1.  
      Verifying the operating system and platform compatibility
    2.  
      NetBackup server and client requirements
    3.  
      Requirements for using NetBackup for Oracle in a NetBackup cluster
    4.  
      About the license for NetBackup for Oracle
    5. About linking Oracle RMAN with NetBackup for UNIX
      1.  
        Verifying environment variables and shutting down Oracle
      2. Linking Oracle RMAN with NetBackup on UNIX platforms
        1.  
          Manually linking AIX (64-bit)
        2.  
          Manually linking HP Itanium (64-bit)
        3.  
          Manually linking Linux x86 (64-bit)
        4.  
          Manually linking IBM pSeries or zSeries
        5.  
          Manually linking Solaris x86 (64-bit)
        6.  
          Manually linking Solaris SPARC (64-bit)
  4. Oracle policy configuration
    1. Preparing for NetBackup for Oracle configuration
      1.  
        About Oracle policy configuration
      2. Permissions for NetBackup for Oracle log directories
        1.  
          Oracle Home User permissions when NetBackup SAN Client is used
      3.  
        NetBackup for Oracle backup policy types
      4.  
        Configuring the Maximum jobs per client for NetBackup for Oracle
    2. Instance management for an Oracle Intelligent Policy
      1.  
        About the NetBackup Discovery Service
      2.  
        Viewing the Oracle database instance repository
      3.  
        Manually adding an Oracle database instance to the repository
      4.  
        Registering an Oracle database instance
      5.  
        About Oracle database instance groups
      6.  
        Adding an instance to an instance group
      7.  
        Automatic Registration of an instance group
      8.  
        About instance actions
    3. About Oracle Intelligent Policies (OIP)
      1.  
        Creating an Oracle Intelligent Policy (OIP)
      2.  
        Oracle database upgrade effect on Oracle Intelligent Policies
      3.  
        Configuring NetBackup for Oracle automatic backup schedules
      4.  
        About NetBackup for Oracle schedule properties using Oracle Intelligent Policy
      5.  
        Oracle Intelligent Policy - Storage and Retention
      6.  
        About Oracle Intelligent Policy master server behavior
      7.  
        Instances and Databases tab
      8.  
        Backup Selections tab
      9.  
        Oracle tab
      10.  
        About using a NetBackup appliance share for Oracle backups (Copilot)
      11.  
        Configuring an OIP using a share on the NetBackup appliance (Copilot)
    4. About script- or template-based Oracle policies
      1.  
        Adding a new script- or template-based Oracle policy
      2.  
        About policy attributes
      3.  
        About backup schedules, templates, and scripts
      4.  
        About schedule properties
      5.  
        Script- or template-based policy - Storage and Retention
      6.  
        Adding clients to a policy
      7. About adding backup selections to an Oracle policy
        1.  
          Adding a template to the backup selections list in the NetBackup Administration Console
        2.  
          Adding a script to the backup selections list in the NetBackup Administration Console
      8. About configuring the run-time environment
        1.  
          About the Oracle RMAN environment
        2.  
          About the environment variables set by NetBackup for Oracle
        3.  
          About the RMAN SEND command variables
        4.  
          About the bp.conf file on UNIX systems
      9. About creating templates and shell scripts
        1.  
          Starting the NetBackup Backup, Archive, and Restore interface
        2.  
          RMAN templates and shell scripts
        3.  
          Creating RMAN templates using the NetBackup for Oracle RMAN template generation wizard
        4.  
          Creating an RMAN script from a template
        5. About creating RMAN scripts manually
          1.  
            About the NetBackup for Oracle sample scripts
          2.  
            Using the NetBackup for Oracle sample scripts
          3.  
            About the set duplex command
        6.  
          About storing templates
        7.  
          About storing shell scripts
    5.  
      Configuring the logon account for the NetBackup Client Service for NetBackup for Oracle
    6.  
      Testing configuration settings for NetBackup for Oracle
  5. Performing backups and restores of Oracle
    1.  
      Overview of using NetBackup for Oracle
    2.  
      Maintaining the RMAN repository
    3.  
      Querying the RMAN repository
    4. About NetBackup for Oracle backups
      1.  
        Running NetBackup for Oracle templates
      2.  
        Using bpdbsbora to run a backup template
      3.  
        Running the NetBackup for Oracle shell script
      4.  
        Running RMAN
    5.  
      Browsing backups using the bplist command
    6.  
      Managing expired backup images
    7. About NetBackup for Oracle restores
      1.  
        Starting the recovery wizard
      2.  
        Using the recovery wizard
      3.  
        Using bpdbsbora to run a recovery template
      4.  
        About an Oracle recovery shell script on the client
      5.  
        Running RMAN on the client
      6.  
        About Oracle multistream restore for proxy backup
      7. Redirecting a restore to a different client
        1.  
          Configuring the NetBackup server for redirected restores
        2.  
          About performing a redirected restore with RMAN
        3.  
          Example - Performing a redirected restore of Oracle
    8. Using NetBackup for Oracle in a Microsoft Windows cluster environment
      1.  
        About backups of an Oracle clustered database on Windows
      2.  
        Bringing the database instance offline on Windows
      3.  
        Bringing the database instance online on Windows
      4.  
        User-directed backup or restore from the Windows client
  6. Guided Recovery
    1.  
      About OpsCenter Guided Recovery
    2.  
      Setting up for Guided Recovery cloning
    3.  
      Guided Recovery cloning pre-operation checks
    4.  
      Performing a Guided Recovery cloning operation
    5.  
      Select a Master Server dialog
    6.  
      Select Source Database panel
    7.  
      Select Control File Backup panel
    8.  
      Destination host and login panel
    9.  
      Destination Parameters panel
    10.  
      Selection summary panel
    11.  
      Pre-clone check panel
    12.  
      Job Details panel
    13.  
      Guided Recovery post-clone operations
    14. Troubleshooting Guided Recovery
      1.  
        Troubleshooting files for metadata collection operations at the time of the backup
      2.  
        Troubleshooting files for Guided Recovery validation operations
      3.  
        Troubleshooting files for Guided Recovery cloning operations
  7. NetBackup for Oracle with Snapshot Client
    1. About NetBackup for Oracle with Snapshot Client
      1.  
        Proxy copy
      2.  
        NetBackup for Oracle stream-based operations
      3.  
        NetBackup for Oracle file-based operations
    2. How NetBackup for Oracle with Snapshot Client works
      1.  
        About the NetBackup for Oracle backup and restore operations
      2.  
        Database objects supported by advanced backup methods
      3.  
        About NetBackup multistreaming
      4.  
        RMAN multiple channels
      5.  
        Restoring data files to a new location
      6.  
        Redirecting a restore to a different client
      7.  
        Symbolic links and raw data files (UNIX)
      8.  
        Quick I/O data files (UNIX)
      9.  
        RMAN incremental backups
      10.  
        Proxy backup examples
    3. About configuring Snapshot Client with NetBackup for Oracle
      1.  
        Configuration requirements for snapshot backups with NetBackup for Oracle
      2.  
        Configuring a snapshot policy for NetBackup for Oracle
      3.  
        Configuring a snapshot policy using a share on the NetBackup appliance (Copilot)
    4. Restoring NetBackup for Oracle from a snapshot backup
      1.  
        About restoring individual files from a NetBackup for Oracle snapshot backup
      2. About NetBackup for Oracle restores of volumes and file systems using snapshot rollback
        1.  
          Performing a snapshot rollback restore from the Java or Windows interface
        2.  
          Performing a snapshot rollback restore using a script or RMAN command
        3.  
          Performing a NetBackup for Oracle point-in-time rollback restore from a SnapVault backup (UNIX)
    5. About configuring NetBackup for Oracle block-level incremental backups on UNIX
      1.  
        How BLI works with NetBackup for Oracle (UNIX)
      2.  
        About the Storage Checkpoint facility and NetBackup for Oracle
      3.  
        Configuration requirements for BLI backups with NetBackup for Oracle
      4. Configuring policies for BLI backups with NetBackup for Oracle
        1.  
          About the types of NetBackup for Oracle BLI backups
    6. About Snapshot Client effects
      1.  
        How Snapshot Client software affects backup types
      2.  
        How Snapshot Client software affects schedule properties
      3.  
        How Snapshot Client software affects templates and scripts
      4.  
        NetBackup for Oracle with Snapshot Client environment variables
    7. About Oracle support for Replication Director
      1.  
        Configuring an Oracle Intelligent Policy using Replication Director
      2.  
        Configuring a script- or template-based Oracle policy
  8. Troubleshooting
    1.  
      About troubleshooting NetBackup for Oracle
    2.  
      About NetBackup for Oracle troubleshooting steps
    3.  
      NetBackup debug logs and reports
    4.  
      Enabling the debug logs manually (Windows)
    5.  
      Enabling the debug logs manually (UNIX)
    6.  
      About the NetBackup for Oracle log files
    7.  
      Setting the debug level on a Windows client
    8.  
      Setting the debug level on a UNIX client
    9.  
      About RMAN utility logs
    10. Troubleshooting RMAN backup or restore errors
      1.  
        Verifying the RMAN script on UNIX
      2.  
        Troubleshooting each stage of the backup or restore
    11.  
      Troubleshooting the UNIX browser interface and wizards
    12.  
      Troubleshooting NetBackup for Oracle with Snapshot Client
    13.  
      Minimizing timeout failures on large database restores
    14.  
      Minimizing the loading and unloading of tapes for database backups
    15.  
      Delays in backup job transfer and completion
  9. Appendix A. Real Application Clusters
    1.  
      About Real Application Clusters
    2.  
      About virtual names and NetBackup for Oracle
    3.  
      About RAC archiving schemes
    4.  
      About backing up a database
    5.  
      Example of restoring a database
    6.  
      Troubleshooting database restores (UNIX and Windows)
    7.  
      About restoring archive logs
  10. Appendix B. Best practices for protecting Oracle RAC with NetBackup
    1.  
      Oracle RAC with NetBackup best practices
    2.  
      About using Templates and Oracle Intelligent Policy (OIP) with RAC
    3.  
      About NetBackup for Oracle operations
    4.  
      Example RAC configuration: Failover name exists and backup is not load balanced
    5.  
      Example RAC configuration: Failover name exists and backup is load balanced
    6.  
      Example RAC configuration: Failover name is not available and backup is not load balanced
    7.  
      Example RAC configuration: Failover name is not available, and backup is load balanced, one policy with custom script
    8.  
      Example RAC configuration: Failover name is not available and backup is load balanced, simple script with manual policy failover
    9.  
      Image catalog configuration for RAC
    10.  
      Configuring the appliance within a RAC environment
  11. Appendix C. ASM Restore
    1.  
      About restoring from a data file copy to ASM storage using RMAN
  12. Appendix D. Deduplication best practices
    1.  
      Optimizing and deduplicating stream-based and proxy copy Oracle backups
    2.  
      Configuring a stream-based Oracle backup
    3.  
      Example RMAN script for a stream-based backup
    4.  
      Editing the RMAN script and configuring NetBackup for Oracle for a proxy copy backup
    5.  
      Example RMAN script for a proxy copy backup
  13. Appendix E. Snapshot Client support of SFRAC
    1.  
      About Snapshot Client support of SFRAC
    2.  
      NetBackup configuration for an SFRAC environment
    3.  
      Configuring the SFRAC environment for a backup operation
    4.  
      Performing a rollback restore in an SFRAC environment
    5.  
      Troubleshooting NetBackup in an SFRAC environment
  14. Appendix F. Script-based block-level incremental (BLI) backups without RMAN on UNIX and Linux systems
    1.  
      About script-based block-level incremental (BLI) backups without RMAN
    2.  
      About BLI backup and restore operations
    3. Verifying installation requirements for BLI backups without RMAN
      1.  
        File system and Storage Checkpoint space management
    4. Creating NetBackup policies for script-based BLI backup
      1.  
        Number of policies required for BLI backup
      2.  
        About BLI policy attributes
      3.  
        About the BLI client list
      4.  
        Backup selections list for BLI backups
      5.  
        About schedules for BLI backup policies
      6.  
        Example Oracle BLI backup policy
      7.  
        Setting the maximum jobs per client global attribute
      8.  
        About BLI backup methods
      9. Creating notify scripts for BLI backups
        1.  
          Identify the POLICY_IN_CONTROL for BLI backups
        2.  
          Oracle environment variables for BLI scripts
        3.  
          About BLI notify scripts for other policies
        4.  
          Sample setup_bli_scripts session
    5. Performing backups and restores
      1.  
        About NetBackup for Oracle agent automatic backups
      2.  
        About NetBackup for Oracle manual backups
      3.  
        Backing up Quick I/O files
      4.  
        Restoring BLI backup images
      5.  
        About NetBackup backup and restore logs
    6. About troubleshooting backup or restore errors
      1.  
        Troubleshooting stages of backup and restore operations
      2.  
        NetBackup restore and backup status codes
      3.  
        Improving NetBackup backup performance
      4.  
        About BLI backup and database recovery
  15. Appendix G. XML Archiver
    1. NetBackup for Oracle XML export and XML import
      1.  
        NetBackup for Oracle XML export and import archiving features
      2.  
        XML export archive process
      3.  
        Sequence of operation: XML export archive
      4.  
        XML import restore process
      5.  
        Sequence of operation: XML import restore
    2.  
      About the environment variables set by a user in the XML export parameter file
    3. About XML export templates and shell scripts
      1.  
        Creating XML export templates using the NetBackup for Oracle wizard (UNIX)
      2.  
        Creating XML export templates using the NetBackup for Oracle wizard (Windows)
      3.  
        Creating an XML export script from a template
      4.  
        Creating XML export scripts manually
    4. Performing an XML export archive
      1.  
        Running NetBackup for Oracle XML export templates
      2.  
        Using bpdbsbora to run an XML export template
      3.  
        Running the NetBackup for Oracle XML export script on the client
      4.  
        Running bporaexp on the client as an Oracle user
      5.  
        Writing to a directory versus writing to a storage unit
      6.  
        About bporaexp parameters
    5.  
      Browsing XML export archives using bporaimp parameters
    6.  
      Browsing XML export archives using bplist
    7. Restoring an XML export archive
      1.  
        Running the XML import wizard on the client
      2.  
        Using bpdbsbora to run an XML import template
      3.  
        Running an XML import script on the client
      4.  
        Running bporaimp on the client
      5.  
        About bporaimp parameters
      6. About redirecting a restore of an XML export archive to a different client
        1.  
          Redirecting a restore of an XML export archive to a new client using bporaimp
        2.  
          Example - Using bporaimp for a redirected restore
    8. Troubleshooting XML export or XML import errors
      1.  
        Checking the logs to determine the source of an error
      2.  
        Troubleshooting each stage of the XML export or XML import
    9.  
      Additional XML export and import logs

About NetBackup for Oracle operations

The following lists what occurs when you initiate RMAN:

  • The NetBackup Oracle policy can contain one or more client names and one or more backup scripts to execute.

    Note:

    Oracle 11g R2 Grid Infrastructure (CRS) includes the Single Client Access Name (SCAN) feature. This feature allows a single host name to resolve to multiple IP addresses each assigned to a different physical node in a cluster. Ensure that the client that appears in the NetBackup Oracle policy is not a SCAN. Also, ensure that any NB_ORA_CLIENT or CLIENT_NAME provided by the client host in the backup request is not a SCAN. These names must reliably resolve on both the master server and the media server to a client host IP address. This IP address allows the server processes to connect to the client host from which the backup request originated. If the SCAN is used in a NetBackup policy, this abstraction of the client name leads to backup and restore jobs failing. The backup and restore jobs may fail with a status 54. The client side fails with status 6 (backup) or status 5 (restore).

  • The NetBackup master server uses the automatic schedules in the Oracle policy to determine when the scripts in the backup selections are run on clients.

  • The NetBackup scheduler starts one Automatic Backup job for each client in the policy. The jobs for multiple clients can run concurrently. The scheduler executes each script on each client in the specified sequence. All the scripts for one client are run in the same automatic job.

  • The backup scripts start RMAN.

  • If an automatic schedule and script do not exist in the policy, a process on the client can still initiate RMAN when necessary.

The following lists what occurs when RMAN requests the backup:

  • RMAN connects to the appropriate Oracle database instance(s) for the backup. Hence, the script may execute on one host, but the backup may take place on a different host.

  • RMAN allocates one or more channels according to the backup script.

  • RMAN sends one or more backup pieces on each channel, in sequence.

  • Each channel interacts with NetBackup for Oracle and sends a user-directed backup request to the NetBackup master server for each backup piece.

  • Each request becomes a separate NetBackup Application Backup job. Hence there can be one Application Backup job queued or active, concurrently, per allocated channel.

  • RMAN can send one or more of the variables NB_ORA_CLIENT, NB_ORA_POLICY, and NB_ORA_SCHED to the NetBackup master server.

  • If RMAN does not send NB_ORA_CLIENT, the client name is used.

  • If RMAN does not send NB_ORA_POLICY, the master server selects the first Oracle policy it finds for the client.

  • If RMAN does not send NB_ORA_SCHED, the master server selects the first Application Backup schedule in the policy.

  • The NetBackup master server must be able to match any requested client name, Oracle policy and Application Backup schedule, or the job fails.

The following lists how NetBackup receives the data from RMAN:

  • The Application Backup jobs activate and the NetBackup media server processes which connect to the provided client name to receive the data. Hence, the client name that is sent in the user-directed request must bring the data connection back to the requesting host.

  • RMAN sends the appropriate data on the appropriate channel, and the data is transferred to storage.