NetBackup™ for Oracle Administrator's Guide

To troubleshoot by stage

1. bporaexp or bporaimp starts.

   An export or import can be started in any of the following ways:

   • Command line from the system prompt.

     For example:

     bporaexp parfile = parameter_filename 
     bporaimp parfile = parameter_filename
     

   • Manually from the NetBackup Administration Console on the primary server.

   • Automatically by an automatic export schedule.

   If an error occurs now, check the bporaexp or bporaimp log.

2. bporaexp or bporaimp verifies its environment and then connects to Oracle and NetBackup.

   An Oracle environment problem, a database problem, an incorrect user ID, or an incorrect password can cause Oracle connect errors.

   A NetBackup error now is usually due to a problem with client and server communication. Check the messages in the bprd and bpcd logs for clues.

   Also verify the bp.conf entries on the UNIX or Linux client.

3. bporaexp or bporaimp issues a backup or restore request.

   Before the backup or restore request proceeds, bporaexp or bporaimp commands perform three functions:

   • Gather necessary parameters

   • The backup or restore request is sent to the NetBackup server

   • Wait until the server and client are ready to transfer data

   The NetBackup client interfaces gather information from the following places:

   • The environment, including bporaexp and bporaimp parameter files.

     If you use scripts, you have to generate the parameter file manually.

   • Server configuration parameters on Windows.

   • The user's bp.conf and /usr/openv/netbackup/bp.conf files on the UNIX or Linux client.

   This information is sent to the primary server's bprd process.

   To troubleshoot a backup problem in this part of the sequence, examine the following file:

   Windows:

   install_path\NetBackup\logs\bporaexp\log.mmddyy
   

   UNIX:

   /usr/openv/netbackup/logs/bporaexp/log.mmddyy

   If the bprd process failed, check the bprd and bpbrm logs.

   During this sequence, most failures occur because of incorrect NetBackup server or Oracle policy configuration parameters.

   NetBackup can usually select the correct Oracle policy and schedules. However, NetBackup can select a policy or schedule in error if there are several Oracle policies in its database.

   In Windows, try setting the SERVER and POLICY values in the client environment or by setting the following bporaexp parameters:

   NB_ORA_POLICY=policyname
   NB_ORA_SCHED=schedule
   NB_ORA_SERV=Netbackup_server
   NB_ORA_CLIENT=Netbackup_client
   	

   In UNIX, try setting the SERVER and POLICY values in the bp.conf file on the client or by setting the following bporaexp parameters:

   NB_ORA_POLICY=policyname
   NB_ORA_SCHED=schedule
   NB_ORA_SERV=Netbackup_server
   NB_ORA_CLIENT=Netbackup_client
   

   To troubleshoot a restore, examine the following log file:

   Windows:

   install_path\NetBackup\logs\bporaimp\mmddyy.log

   UNIX:

   /usr/openv/netbackup/logs/bporaimp/log.mmddyy

   Make sure that the correct NetBackup server and NetBackup client values are used by setting the following bporaimp parameters:

   NB_ORA_SERV=Netbackup_server
   NB_ORA_CLIENT=Netbackup_client
   

   Set these parameters to the same values that were used for the XML export operation.

4. bporaexp or bporaimp issues read or write requests to the NetBackup client, which then transfers data to or from the NetBackup server.

   bporaexp builds an SQL query for each table being archived, and it uses the Oracle Call Interface (OCI) to run the query. The query results are translated into XML. The XML output is passed to the NetBackup client interfaces.

   bporaimp uses the reverse process. That is, XML data is restored, parsed, and inserted into the database.

   A failure here is probably due to an Oracle error, or to a NetBackup media, network, or time-out error.

5. bporaexp or bporaimp tells the NetBackup client to close the session and disconnects from the Oracle database.

   The NetBackup client waits for the server to complete its necessary actions (backup image verification and so on) and then exits.