Veritas NetBackup™ for Oracle Administrator's Guide

Last Published:
Product(s): NetBackup (8.2)
  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.  
          Preparing the master server for an alternate restore
        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
    9.  
      Creating an instant recovery point from an Oracle Copilot image
    10.  
      Deleting an instant recovery point for Oracle Copilot instant recovery
    11.  
      Cleaning up the Copilot share after point in time restore of database
    12.  
      Single-step restore to ASM storage from a Copilot recovery point
    13.  
      About restoring from a data file copy to ASM storage using RMAN
  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. 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
  12. Appendix D. 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
  13. Appendix E. 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
  14. Appendix F. 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
  15. Appendix G. Register authorized locations
    1.  
      Registering authorized locations used by a NetBackup database script-based policy

NetBackup for Oracle terminology

Table: Oracle terms explains some Oracle terms as they pertain to NetBackup.

Table: Oracle terms

Term

Definition

Full backup

A full backup backs up all the blocks into the backup set, skipping only data file blocks that have never been used. Note that a full backup is not the same as a whole database backup; "full" is an indicator that the backup is not incremental.

A full backup has no effect on subsequent incremental backups, which is why it is not considered part of the incremental strategy. In other words, a full backup does not affect which blocks are included in subsequent incremental backups.

Incremental backup

An incremental backup is a backup of only those blocks that have changed since a previous backup. Oracle lets you create and restore incremental backups of data files, tablespaces, and a database. You can include a control file in an incremental backup set, but the control file is always included in its entirety. No blocks are skipped.

Multilevel incremental backup

RMAN lets you create multilevel backups. RMAN can create multilevel incremental backup. A value of 0 or 1 denotes each incremental level.

A level 0 incremental backup, which is the base for subsequent incremental backups, copies all blocks containing data. You can create a level 0 database backup as backup sets or image copies.

The only difference between a level 0 incremental backup and a full backup is that a full backup is never included in an incremental strategy. Thus, an incremental level 0 backup is a full backup that happens to be the parent of incremental backups whose level is greater than 0.

The benefit to performing multilevel incremental backups is that you do not back up all of the blocks all of the time. Incremental backups at a level greater than zero (0) only copy the blocks that were modified. Hence, the backup size can be significantly smaller and the backup might require much less time. The size of the backup file depends solely upon the number of blocks that are modified and the incremental backup level.

Differential incremental backup

In a differential level 1 backup, RMAN backs up all blocks that have changed since the most recent incremental backup at level 1 (cumulative or differential) or level 0. For example, in a differential level 1 backup, RMAN determines which level 1 backup is the most recent backup. RMAN backs up all blocks that have been modified after that backup. If no level 1 is available, then RMAN copies all blocks that have changed since the base level 0 backup.

Cumulative incremental backup

In a cumulative level 1 incremental backup, RMAN backs up all blocks that have changed since the most recent backup at level 0.

Cumulative incremental backups reduce the work that is needed for a restore. The cumulative incremental backup ensures that you only need one incremental backup from any particular level at restore time. Cumulative backups require more space and time than differential incremental backups, however, because they duplicate the work that previous backups did at the same level.