On Fri, Oct 20, 2006 at 12:10:17PM -0700, Gill, Geoffrey L. wrote:

> 3.    If this ignores the retention values set in the management class
> settings, and I believe it still does, do I need a specific management
> class for them?

A TDP for Oracle node *only* has active files on the TSM server, as Oracle
by default guarantees that only unique filenames are sent. This means that
the retention parameters concerning "extra versions" are irrelevant.

In addition to that, when Oracle RMAN deletes a backup, it doesn't only
delete the file on the TSM server, but also the information it has in the
RMAN repository required to restore that file. So, while you can set up
a TDP node such that inactive files will be retained on the TSM server, it
doesn't make sense because the file is useless without the RMAN repository
information, which is already gone.

The retention values in the management class are certainly not ignored. If
you don't set them correctly (as described above), you're almost certainly
storing too much data on the TSM server.

> 1.    Can we use a domain we have in place already and if so are there
> any settings we need to look at?
> 4.    I am assuming we should use a specific node name for these
> backups and not let them use the node name that is now backing up to the
> server. Still correct right?

You can use an existing domain, but it's much simpler to use a dedicated
TDP for Oracle domain. You only need to set one managementclass containing
one copygroup in that domain. That way, it's guaranteed that the RMAN
backups are bound to the correct management class and you don't have to
fiddle with include statements in the API configuration on the client.

And you should indeed use a specific node for the TDP backups. The TDP node
goes in the TDP domain.

> 2.    I believe expiring of objects is done from the RMAN side. If
> this is correct how do I know they are keeping, or maybe better
> described as deleting, what they should?

You need access to the RMAN repository ('recovery catalog') for that.
The RMAN repository can be located in the database itself, or be a
database on its own. Normally RMAN deletes all obsolete objects (as
specified by the DBA) on its own, but there are situations where RMAN
doesn't know that a certain file is stored on the TSM server. That's where
the tdposync tool comes in. It checks the RMAN repository, and then checks
what's available on the TSM server. If there are files in TSM which RMAN
doesn't know about, it can delete those files on the TSM server.

--
Jurjen Oskam

Savage's Law of Expediency:
        You want it bad, you'll get it bad.