Amanda-Users

Re: A few thoughts on different configurations - Help required.

2004-08-12 13:46:34
Subject: Re: A few thoughts on different configurations - Help required.
From: John Bossert <jbossert AT affidian DOT com>
To: amanda-users AT amanda DOT org
Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2004 10:38:48 -0700
I'm successfully using Amanda in conjunction with Oracle 9i. Here's a brief description - if there's interest I can publish more details.

First, I'm using Amanda to backup all disk objects. In an Oracle context, this includes controlfiles, datafiles and (we're running in ARCHIVELOG mode) archived redo logs. Amanda also picks up the appropriate init.ora and spfiles. This is done with a single configuration ("DailySet1") - dumpcycle="2 weeks", runspercycle=10 (weekdays only), tapecycle=25 that picks up all relevant Oracle disks/partitions. (I also do a weekly full backup of everything, using a separate WeeklySet1 config, as a component of offsite disaster-recovery.

I've written a simple script that uses Oracle's RMAN utility to perform nightly full Oracle backups (we're using Standard Edition, else I'd perform nightly incremental backups - only available with Enterprise Edition.) This script is configured such that all backups and archived redo logfiles are backed up by Amanda before being purged by RMAN. So, in the event of the need to do a Point-in-Time recovery, I can (with a little bit of effort) restore any particular redo logfile.

I do have a slight bit of exposure - even though my Oracle disks are mirrored, I could lose archived redo logfiles (in the potentially 23:59 hours:minutes) before Amanda writes them to tape. I really should copy ("ship") them to a second machine until Amanda has safely backed them up (and the backup verified.) My plan (as of yet unfunded) is to employ this "second" machine as a backup/standby database server.

-john

Gavin Henry wrote:
Hi all,

We are currently setting up 2 amanda backup servers which require 3 different configs on each server.

I think these are possible, but I would like the list to clarify them:

Server 1:

Config 1 - Ad-hoc backup which would be called by hand maybe once a month or longer and needs to be a full backup with one tape that gets overwritten each time. I was thinking:

dumpcycle 1 day
runspercycle 1 day
tapecycle 1 tape

Config 2 - Same as above, but different partitions etc. These two will probably be combined into the same amanda config. These are both for "by hand" full cold backups of oracle databases etc.

Config 3 - Weekly backup. Every 5 days there is a full backup, with possibly only one tape that gets overwritten each time. I would prefer to do a 1 month dump cycle with 4 - 6 tapes (ie one a week)being used for a full weekly backup (it will be full, as the partitions will have completely changed over the week).


Server 2:

Config 1 & 2 - Same as Config 1 & 2 of Server 1.

Config 3 - A full daily backup with however many tapes we decide for tape history.

With both server's, oracle backups are being done, the 3 configs being different parts of the oracle install. The backup folders will change each day, so even if we use incremental backups etc. (letting amanda handle it all) they will be like a full backup due to the complete change of files.


Does any of this make sense?

Thanks,

Gavin.


--
John BOSSERT
Affidian Corporation
jbossert AT affidian DOT com

La thiorie, c'est quand on sait tout et que rien ne fonctionne.
La pratique, c'est quand tout fonctionne et que personne ne sait pourquoi.
Ici, nous avons riuni thiorie et pratique : Rien ne fonctionne... et
personne ne sait pourquoi!
[Einstein]