Re: Q: Backup solutions

it sounds like you should use hot backups. this allows the database to be up and running while the backup is made. oracle supports this, as well as most third party products like BMC, Alexandria, Platinum, etc.

breaking the mirrors is another option. but it takes away from your high availability unless you have a three way mirror or more. if you only have a two way mirror - as soon as you break the mirror, you open yourself up to crashed database if the remaining disk fails. if you choose this option, you should still put your database in backup mode to freeze the data, break the mirror, take your database out of backup mode and then backup the broken mirror as time permits. it is important to also get copies of your redo logs and control files at this time.

Nauman Shahid wrote:
>
> Breaking the mirrors would be a good option if you wanted to take a cold
> backup
> of the system and keep the database running. Otherwise hot backups would
> leave
> the database up and running.
>
> The veritas solution protects against network, cpu and controller
> failures, it should be
> isolated from the backups.
>
> I have written scripts in the past which break mirrors perform cold
> backups and
> resilver the disks after they are done. This should be done as three
> phases running
> from a root level job. Root - break mirrors, Oracle - backup the
> database,
> Root - resliver disks.
>
> The recovery times would be most affected by the speed of your tapes, and
> the
> type of failure. For a hot backup recovery a large amount of disk space
> for the
> archive logs would be recommended, this would alleviate the need to
> restore
> apply and delete the archive logs over and over again.
>
> I do not know of any products that could do the mirrors backup, but
> products
> that support Oracle bacukps would be:
> HP Omniback
> SQL Back*Track
> Legato also has a Oracle piece
> REEL backup has a fast solution for Oracle backups
> ADSM is very quick depending on your configuration, but no direct
> support.
>
> Hope this helps.
>
> Nauman Shahid, nshahid_at_dowjones.net
>
> Don wrote:
>
> > We have jumped into the world of Oracle 7.3 on a SUN Ultra Enterprise
> > server. We are currently using striping, double mirrors, shared disk
> > arrays, and a second server. We've implemented the Veritas
> > First-Watch high availability solution for max up-time.
> >
> > We believe we would like to do HOT backups. It sounds like that would
> > involve breaking the 2nd mirror, backing it up, and remaking the
> > mirror. This server can not afford ANY downtime even for backups.
> > Our backups will involve tape rotations to an "on-site" hazard
> > hardened vault, as well as an "off-site" hazard site. The backup
> > needs to be done in such a manner that system restoration could be
> > done in the SHORTEST possible time. Again, minimum down time.
> >
> > Is there any particular backup solution (software and/or hardware)
> > that you have found to be VERY successful, or a dismal failure?
> >
> > All of our AIX systems (16 at last count) are using C-TAR as the
> > backup solution, but most of these systems can easily tolerate
> > downtime.
> >
> > Why the emphasis on zero downtime? We are a group of 4 hospitals.
> > Doctors and especially nurses just don't tolerate a down system - it
> > does not matter why the system is down.
> >
> > Thx, in advance, for your thoughts.
> >
> > Don Dealy, II
> > Legacy Health System
> > Portland OR USA
> >
> > email: dondealy_at_teleport.com
Received on Mon Oct 06 1997 - 00:00:00 CDT