Veritas NetBackup™ for SAP Administrator's Guide

Array and software snapshot integration

Supports a variety of array and software snapshots and provides a base for all Snapshot Client solutions.

Snapshot backups

A snapshot backup occurs when NetBackup creates a point-in-time copy of the disk volumes on which the database resides. When snapshot backup is used with Snapshot Client, NetBackup for SAP backs up Oracle objects by taking snapshot images of the component files on the local host. Later it backs up the snapshot to a storage unit.

The snapshot process is nearly instantaneous; so user access to the database is not interrupted. Client operations and user access continue without interruption during the backup. The backup does not affect the performance or availability of the database. You can perform snapshot backup by using the backint command or by using RMAN proxy copy.

Instant recovery backups

This feature makes backups available for instant recovery from disk. Instant recovery combines snapshot technology with the ability to do rapid disk-based restores. NetBackup creates the image without interrupting user access to data. The snapshot can optionally be backed up to tape or other storage long-term storage, but is retained for recovery in the short term. Instant recovery makes it possible to perform file promotion and rollback without accessing the long-term storage. Additionally for UNIX and Linux, instant recovery makes it possible to perform block-level restores.

Off-host backups

An off-host backup shifts the burden of the backup process onto a separate backup agent, such as an alternate client or data mover. An off-host backup reduces the effect on the client's resources that a local backup ordinarily causes. The backup agent reads the data from the client disk and writes it to storage. You can perform off-host backups by using thebackint command or by using RMAN proxy.

Block-level incremental backup and recovery

This feature is available for UNIX and Linux. Less data leads to high performance data protection. A Block-Level Incremental (BLI) Backup uses the change tracking capabilities of the Veritas File System (VxFS) Storage Checkpoint feature. In a BLI backup, only the changed blocks of data are backed up, not the entire file or file system. A BLI backup saves time, decreases the amount of backup media that is required, and significantly reduces CPU and network overhead during backups.

RMAN proxy copy

Proxy copy is an extension to Oracle's media management API. A proxy copy is a special type of backup in which RMAN turns over control of the data transfer to the NetBackup for SAP Agent. The agent can then manage the entire data movement between the disks that contain the Oracle data files and the storage devices that NetBackup manages.

With proxy copy, RMAN provides a list of files that require backup or restore to the NetBackup for SAP Agent. The NetBackup for SAP Agent determines how the data is moved.

RMAN stream-based backups

RMAN stream-based operations are the standard way by which NetBackup for SAP implements conventional RMAN backups and restores. In a stream-based backup, NetBackup moves the data that the Oracle server process provides.

NetBackup for SAP captures the data stream content that RMAN provides and stores it to media.

RMAN proxy and RMAN stream-based backups intermixed

RMAN Proxy backups can be used to perform off-host snapshot-based split mirror full backups. For example, you can use RMAN proxy for weekly full backups.

RMAN stream-based backups can be used to perform on-host incremental backups. In this way you can perform daily backups.

NetBackup for SAP offers you the flexibility to intermix backup methods. You can specify both RMAN proxy copy off-host snapshot backups and RMAN stream-based on-host incremental backups. When you perform both types of backups, you remove the backup load from the production host during full backups. You also reduce the amount of data for incremental backups.