Re: [Networker] MY SUMMARY: Database backup

I can think of at least two other ways to back up a database. The first is
a variation on your choice #1:

1-1/2. Take the database offline and copy the files to disk. Then restart
the database and back up the copy. Disk is cheap these days, and this
strategy gets the tape off the critical path. So the users aren't screaming
about their database being down if the backup takes a little longer than
they'd like.

3. Do database exports to flat files and back up the flat files. This is
essentially a "hot" backup, in that the database can remain up the whole
time. Some DBAs don't mind relying on exports exclusively, while others
insist on at least a weekly cold backup. But if you've got the disk space
for the exports you probably have the disk space for option 1-1/2.

There are also more costly options: RMAN and NetWorker Module for Oracle as
you mentioned, and what EMC calls TimeFinder with BCVs (other storage
vendors have their own creative names).

Conrad Macina
Pfizer, Inc.


On Thu, 18 Mar 2004 08:31:12 -0700, Craig Ruefenacht
<craig.ruefenacht AT US.USANA DOT COM> wrote:

>Hi,
>
>A funny thing happened on the way to the forum....
>
>As chance would have it, I had to restore the database I discussed in my
>part of this thread.  The recovery worked without a hitch.
>
>Thanks to Darren Dunham for the reminder about BCV volumes not being
>completely a all-files-at-one-instance-in-time snapshot.
>
>In summary, if backing up an Oracle database and not using the Networker
>modules, your choices are basically two:
>
>1. Take the database offline and do a cold backup, ie backup the
>database when it isn't running.
>
>2. Put the database in hotbackup mode (put the tablespace in backup
>mode) and then let Legato backup the database files.  You'll get warning
>messages that file X changed during backup, but thats okay.  When Legato
>is done, take the database out of hotbackup mode.  To recover this
>database, however, you MUST have the archive logs that were generated
>while the database was in hotbackup mode.  A good way to do this is to,
>after Legato is done backing up the database files and the database has
>been taken out of hotbackup mode, have Legato backup your archive log
>files. A good article I found on this is
>http://www.unixreview.com/documents/s=1442/urm0110m
>
>--
>Craig Ruefenacht
>UNIX Systems Administrator
>USANA Health Sciences
>http://www.usana.com
>
>--
>Note: To sign off this list, send a "signoff networker" command via email
>to listserv AT listmail.temple DOT edu or visit the list's Web site at
>http://listmail.temple.edu/archives/networker.html where you can
>also view and post messages to the list.
>=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=

--
Note: To sign off this list, send a "signoff networker" command via email
to listserv AT listmail.temple DOT edu or visit the list's Web site at
http://listmail.temple.edu/archives/networker.html where you can
also view and post messages to the list.
=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=