RE: RMAN vs. Veritas Backup Exec (not NetBackup)

Kristen,

Seems your question is;
  Veritas BackupExec Oracle Support (non Oracle/RMAN api)   or
  Veritas NetBackup Oracle Support (using Oracle/RMAN api and using RMAN Syntax) not;
  Veritas or RMAN

>>familiar with the Veritas Backup Exec interface
>>I'm going to need some compelling reason to use RMAN.

Use what works for you and meets your Availability and Restore & Recovery needs. If both can Backup and Restore database, cool!

However Recovery is a whole other story. I seriously doubt either is capable of "recover database using backup controlfile until time **:**:**".

Also, I have worked with both Legato and Tivoli, and spoke to others who use HP-??, and Veritas NetBackup. They ALL do Oracle/RMAN api the same way...its and api, makes sense. In the end you (the DBA) needs to use supplied RMAN scripts called by the Backup Software (that is calling its Oracle/RMAN Agent to talk to RMAN) to backup your data(base) directly to tape. More often than not when it come time to RESTORE and even more so with RECOVERY, you (the DBA) the one writing that RMAN syntax.

It was a rude awaking the day I found out that ALL the software vendors do is make it possible for RMAN commands to get data directly to tape...that is really what/all they do. Having and interface for RMAN (syntax) is "icing on the cake".

Again, ALL the software vendors RMAN AGENT does is allow DBA to use this;

-8i/9i
run {allocate channel t1 type 'SBT_TAPE' parms or
-9i
CONFIGURE CHANNEL 1 DEVICE TYPE sbt

If you use "TYPE" as sbt|SBT_TAPE and your do NOT have API/AGENT your back can NOT go directly to tape via RMAN (syntax) Backup.

I am sure that Veritas BackupExec backup is using "ALTER TABLESPACE BEGIN BACKUP" then copies all the datafile at the OS level to tape.

My personal opinion...as a DBA...get as close to RMAN as you can... Learn it, know it, love it. ;o)

hth

Chris Marquez
Oracle DBA

PS Found this via google;

>> Re: RMAN versus Veritas Backup Exec
>>
>> * From: Jared Still <jkstill_at_xxxxxxxxx>
>> * To: JBECKSTROM_at_xxxxxxxxx
>> * Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2005 23:06:17 +0100
>>
>> Jeffrey,
>> We use Veritas NetBackup with RMAN. I'm not sure if that is
>> possible to do this with BackupExec, but the NBU Oracle agent
>> integrates RMAN very nicely with Veritas.

-----Original Message-----
From: oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org on behalf of Kristen Cameron Sent: Fri 5/20/2005 1:07 PM
To: Paula_Stankus_at_doh.state.fl.us; Oracle-L_at_freelists.org Subject: RE: RMAN vs. Veritas Backup Exec (not NetBackup)  

Well, I have my answers. (Paula, thanks for your input, too.) Details are = noted below each question.

1. If we use the Veritas Backup Agent alone (without RMAN), does it = completely restore and open the database once a restore operation is = complete? Is there any documentation that shows what Oracle commands it = runs during backup and restore operations, if any?

Veritas support tells me that it does all the required Oracle commands to = restore the database to a fully functional state. They have sent me a = copy of the Administrator's Guide which I will check out later.

2. How does the Veritas incremental backup work? Does it use RMAN?

Backup Exec is NOT integrated with RMAN. Only the Netbackup product has = the integration.

3. Is anyone using RMAN together with the Veritas Backup Agent for Oracle?

Given the answer to question 2, clearly no one is doing this!

So, now I will have to decide - will it be Veritas or RMAN? Considering = that I also do some network administration work and am familiar with the = Veritas Backup Exec interface, I'm going to need some compelling reason to = use RMAN. If we use Veritas, our network admin would easily be able to = perform backup and restore activities in my absences. Not so easy with = RMAN.

• Kristen

--
http://www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l


--
http://www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l