If the execution time of multiple Veritas NetBackup (tm) for Oracle shell scripts overlap on the same physical Oracle host, one or more of the backups may not execute using the expected Oracle backup policy.

Bug:  634928 - bphdb creates undocumented file/tmp/obackup_class which may lead to unexpectedbehavior.

Symptom(s):
If two Oracle backups, initiated by anautomatic schedule on the NetBackup master server, run concurrently on the sameOracle host, while both jobs will succeed, one of the two jobs may report anerror in the bphdb log file.  The deletion of this file may resultin one of the backup jobs using an unexpected Oracle policy.  This couldpotentially lead to a backup expiring before it's supposed toexpire.  

Here is a possible scenario:  Assume there are twoOracle policies, Ora_A_Two_Weeks and Ora_B_Four_Weeks, with a two and four weekretention respectively.  If both policies run simultaneously on the sameOracle host, it's possible for the backup started by the policy Ora_B_Four_Weeksto run under the policy Ora_A_Two_Weeks, resulting in a backup image with a twoweek retention.  The data is successfully backed up, it may have anunexpected retention.  

Log Files:
Examination of the bphdb log file on the Oracle server shows that an undocumented file, /tmp/obackup_tape, is deleted at the end of the backup.  Shown beloware the two bphdb PIDs executing at the same time on the same client fromtwo different policies.  When the second bphdb PID exits, it findsthat the file has already beendeleted.

14:22:42.484 [260] <4> bphdbdo_backup: INF - Keepalives will be sent every 900seconds.
14:22:42.484 [260] <4>bphdb do_backup: INF - Waiting for the childstatus.
14:22:42.485 [275] <4>bphdb do_backup: INF - Child executing/opt/local/teaspdbs/oracle/9.2.0.6/scripts/rman/nb_sched.sh
14:37:28.514[29401] <4> bphdb keepalive_timeout: INF - bphdb stillworking.
14:37:28.514 [29401]<2> bphdb keepalive_timeout: INF - bphdb- Sending akeepalive.
14:37:42.596 [260]<4> bphdb keepalive_timeout: INF - bphdb stillworking.
14:37:42.596 [260] <2>bphdb keepalive_timeout: INF - bphdb- Sending akeepalive.
14:48:19.238 [29401]<4> bphdb do_backup: INF - Script exited with status = 0 <the requestedoperation was successfullycompleted>
14:48:19.238 [29401]<4> bphdb main: file /tmp/obackup_classdeleted.
14:48:19.249 [29401]<4> bphdb Exit: INF - bphdb exitnormal

14:48:19.249 [29401]<4> bphdb Exit: INF - EXIT STATUS 0: the requested operation wassuccessfullycompleted

14:52:42.744 [260]<4> bphdb keepalive_timeout: INF - bphdb stillworking.
14:52:42.744 [260] <2>bphdb keepalive_timeout: INF - bphdb- Sending akeepalive.
15:07:42.864 [260]<4> bphdb keepalive_timeout: INF - bphdb stillworking.
15:07:42.864 [260] <2>bphdb keepalive_timeout: INF - bphdb- Sending akeepalive.
15:09:22.249 [260]<4> bphdb do_backup: INF - Script exited with status = 0 <the requestedoperation was successfullycompleted>
15:09:22.250 [260]<16> bphdb main: ERR - Could not delete/tmp/obackup_class
15:09:22.251 [260]<4> bphdb Exit: INF - bphdb exitnormal

15:09:22.251 [260]<4> bphdb Exit: INF - EXIT STATUS 0: the requested operation wassuccessfully completed

Workaround:
The policydesired must be declared by the variable NB_ORA_POLICY in the RMAN backupscript.  This variable may be set in the scripts environment or in the RMANscript with the ENV or PARMS statement.

ETA ofFix:
Veritas Corporation has acknowledged that the above-mentionedissue is present in the current version(s) of the product(s) mentioned at theend of this article. Veritas Corporation is committed to product quality andsatisfied customers.

There are no plans to address this issue by way ofa patch or hotfix in the current or previous versions of the software at thepresent time. However, the issue is currently scheduled to be addressed in thenext major revision of the product. Please be sure to refer back to thisdocument periodically as any changes to the status of the defect will bereflected here.  Please note that Veritas Corporation reserves the rightto remove any fix from the targeted release if it does not pass qualityassurance tests.  Veritas's plans are subject to change and any actiontaken by you based on the above information or your reliance upon the aboveinformation is made at your own risk.