Re: Catalog RMAN backups on Tape?
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 2010 08:43:49 -0800 (PST)
Message-ID: <575573.29899.qm_at_web113208.mail.gq1.yahoo.com>
>> Can tape backups be restored to a physical disk without RMAN and then use RMAN to catalog the existing backups?I've tried this with Tivoli and if it goes onto tape through SBT they say it has to come off using SBT. I'm sure we could have argued with them about the stupidity of this position, but I didn't feel like it at the time as I had to get my database up, so I used dbms_backup_restore. We opened a SR with them about this but the tape admin's are the ones who manage these things, so I'm not sure what it's status is. I probably should follow-up so thanks for reminding me!!
I'm not sure with NetBackup or any other MML vendors.
>>Is it the MML/API layer that actually writes and reads to the tape and that the objects are no longer retrievable?
The vendors write their interfaces into the MML layer, so it's really the vendors who are not thinking this through and giving us the option to manually extract. That's my opinion.... :)
>>What does everyone do with tape backups in the catalog? Put the
keyword KEEP on everything? or is it more of just keeping a
>> monthly or
a yearly copy?
I think the answer is "it depends".... I prefer to use the FRA and backup to tape from there myself (with RMAN). That way I always have a backup on disk. May not work in various locales for different reasons. I then just use the regular retention criteria to manage backups. I never use crosscheck on a regular basis anymore, I use retention criteria instead. Much easier and I think less risky.
Robert G. Freeman
Oracle ACE
Ask me about on-site Oracle Training! RMAN, DBA, Tuning, you name it!
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Blog: http://robertgfreeman.blogspot.com
Check out my new blog series on installing Oracle Database 11gR2 on Windows using VMWare!
From: April Sims <sims_at_suu.edu>
To: oracle-l_at_freelists.org
Sent: Tue, January 26, 2010 8:14:45 AM
Subject: Re: Catalog RMAN backups on Tape?
Everyone,
Can tape backups be restored to a physical disk without RMAN and then use RMAN to catalog the existing backups? Is it the MML/API layer that actually writes and reads to the tape and that the objects are no longer retrievable? What does everyone do with tape backups in the catalog? Put the keyword KEEP on everything? or is it more of just keeping a monthly or a yearly copy?
thanks for clarifying,
April Sims
SELECT IOUG Contributing Editor
http://aprilcsims.wordpress.com http://www.twitter.com/aprilcsims http://www.twibes.com/lone_dba http://www.twibes.com/novicedba
OCP 8i, 9i, 10g DBA
Southern Utah University
sims_at_suu.edu
940-484-4276
>>> Morgan Wigge <morgan_at_wigge.nu> 1/26/2010 1:23 AM >>>
Hi,
i have a printed copy (Just in case of) of Note: 60545.1 "How to Extract Controlfiles, Datafiles and Archive Logs from RMAN Backupsets without using RMAN" which I think is the document Robert refer to from metalink.
It's included information about how to use sys.dbms_backup_restore package to extract information from backupsets
I think it was removed from public at least 5 years ago and the last revision date was 2003. I also haven't used it for years so i'm not sure about how valid the information are anymore.
I could scan and send a copy, but i'm not sure about what the legal issues would be sharing such documents.
Best Regards
Morgan
2010/1/25 Robert Freeman <robertgfreeman_at_yahoo.com>
You may not like the response from NB on this one. I know with Tivoli there is no alternate interface to get the files off of tape to disk if they went through the SBT interface (tried this about 6 months ago). NB may we be the same. You might open an SR with Oracle and see if they have any alternatives. I see references to a Metalink article called "How to catalog RMAN Tape backups" but the article has been pulled. I'd open an SR with them and NB ....
>
>RF
>
>
>
>Robert G. Freeman
>Oracle ACE
>Ask me about on-site Oracle Training! RMAN, DBA, Tuning, you name it!
>Author:
>Oracle Database 11g RMAN Backup and Recovery (Oracle Press) - ON ITS WAY SOON!
>OCP: Oracle Database 11g Administrator Certified Professional Study Guide (Sybex)
>Oracle Database 11g New Features (Oracle Press)
>Oracle Database 10g New Features (Oracle Press)
>Other various titles
>Blog: http://robertgfreeman.blogspot.com
>Check out my new blog series on installing Oracle Database 11gR2 on Windows using VMWare!
>
>
>
>
>
>
From: Thomas Roach <troach_at_gmail.com>
>To: Robert Freeman <robertgfreeman_at_yahoo.com>
>Cc: Oracle-L Freelists <oracle-l_at_freelists.org>
>Sent: Mon, January 25, 2010 12:45:24 PM
>Subject: Re: Catalog RMAN backups on Tape?
>
>
>
>Thanks Robert,
>This is NetBackup 6.5 and Oracle 10.2.0.4.
>I see the tapes as full in NB. I want to restore the RMAN backups to the file system where I can catalog them there, but I do not see how to do that because I cannot see the backups? I see regular backups, but Oracle seems to be treating differently and NB doesn't let you see them. Does anyone have experience with this? May have to reach out to NB with help on this one.
>
>
>On Mon, Jan 25, 2010 at 2:36 PM, Robert Freeman <robertgfreeman_at_yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>The catalog command does not support SBT devices (at least in 11g and 10g and I think going back forever). So you can't re-catalog the backup pieces. Also there is no guarantee that the tapes won't be marked as deleted on the catalog of the tape system, so you might have double trouble there.
>>
>>If it's a BIG deal, you could get an older control file from before the crosscheck to use for restore purposes. It should still have the records in it for the backups. Hopefully the pieces are still there and not marked as deleted on the silo catalog.
>>
>>If you know the backup set pieces on the tape devices are intact, you can write PL/SQL code to access them. This becomes a bit complex (I used to have to do it all the time in the Oracle 8 days for various reasons). Metalink used to have articles on how to do this.
>>
>>Automating the delete after the crosscheck is dangerous when you are using SBT...... :)
>>Robert G. Freeman
>>Oracle ACE
>>Ask me about on-site Oracle Training! RMAN, DBA, Tuning, you name it!
>>Author:
>>Oracle Database 11g RMAN Backup and Recovery (Oracle Press) - ON ITS WAY SOON!
>>OCP: Oracle Database 11g Administrator Certified Professional Study Guide (Sybex)
>>Oracle Database 11g New Features (Oracle Press)
>>Oracle Database 10g New Features (Oracle Press)
>>Other various titles
>>Blog: http://robertgfreeman.blogspot.com/
>>Check out my new blog series on installing Oracle Database 11gR2 on Windows using VMWare!
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
From: Thomas Roach <troach_at_gmail.com>
>>To: Oracle Discussion List <oracle-l_at_freelists.org>
>>Sent: Mon, January 25, 2010 11:34:46 AM
>>Subject: Catalog RMAN backups on Tape?
>>
>>
>>Hi,
>>
>>We had an issue with one of our scripts where it did a crosscheck and because our tapes weren't in the cabinet, they got marked and removed. I know how to catalog backups that are on disk, but is anyone aware of the steps for doing tapes?
>>
>>Thanks,
>>
>>Tom
>>
>
>
>--
>Thomas Roach
>813-404-6066
>troach_at_gmail.com
>
-- http://www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-lReceived on Tue Jan 26 2010 - 10:43:49 CST