Re: Off-line backup in Windows NT/2K

Hi Dino,

all of them are free of charge actually. VBScript is included by default on any Windows NT/Windows 2000 server.

In terms of ease of use, I think Python will be the winner. Second place would be for VBScript, and on the last place I would put Perl. Python has a very clean and clear syntax, has a very good and very helpful mailing list, and also has lots of documentation. VBScript is ok as well, but there's less documentation, unless you want to go digging in Microsoft's MSDN. Perl has a very ugly syntax, but also has lots of documentation.

I think both Python and Perl are really good for system administration. There's absolutely nothing you can't do in Perl or Python that you can do in batch scripts. I actually use Python every day for system administration, and I can automate practically everything on a Windows 2000 or Windows NT server.

Something worth mentioning is that Perl and Python run on a variety of platforms, meaning Windows, Unix, Linux, Mac, ... so whatever you produce in one of those languages, could be used on different platforms as well (unless you do really platform specific things).

If you want, I can write you a Python version of the script below (or a VBScript version). If you want me to do so, please contact me offline.

For more information about these scripting languages, please consult the following websites:

- Python: http://www.python.org/
- VBScript: http://msdn.microsoft.com/scripting/
- Perl: http://www.perl.com/

Cheers,

Pieter

"Dino Hsu" <dino1_at_ms1.hinet.net> wrote in message news:r3upmt04rgi7jb8r97mhql3r863r9eepeg_at_4ax.com...
> Dear all,
>
> Among the three scripting language candidates in Windows NT/2K:
> python, perl, and VBScript, can you provide comments in terms of the
> following aspects?
> 1.Easy of use
> 2.Free of charge
> 3.Good for system administration tasks
>
> Thanks,
> Dino
>
> On Sat, 04 Aug 2001 07:39:48 GMT, "Pieter Claerhout"
> <tsjernochill_at_yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> >Why don't you go with one of the numerous scripting languages that are
> >available on Windows? You could give Python a try for example. I will
 give
> >you an easy syntax and you'll be able to do lots more than with just
 batch
> >scripts. It has a very powerful module that enables you to connect to
 Oracle
> >(called DCOracle) and it would allow you to everything you describe below
> >(and lots more of course).
> >
> >VBScript together with ADO could also be an option...
> >
> >Cheers,
> >
> >Pieter
> >
> >"Dino Hsu" <dino1_nospam_at_ms1.hinet.net> wrote in message
> >news:4hjkmt4h8auba3qcoou4o2vtumtlqjlfih_at_4ax.com...
> >> Dear all,
> >>
> >> In addition, if I want to keep the last n (say 3) copies of backup
> >> files, it is also difficult in Windows NT/2K.
> >>
> >> Dino
> >>
> >> On 2 Aug 2001 06:29:49 -0700, ordabber_at_my-deja.com (Bart) wrote:
> >>
> >> >Dino,
> >> >
> >> >As far as I know - one can correct me if I am wrong - it is not
> >> >possibile in NT to read input (with ENTERS etc.) like you can do in
> >> >UNIX. The script you made with calling SQLPLUS @filename.sql is the
> >> >only alternative.
> >> >
> >> >If you prefer Unix tools, you can always try to use their ports to NT
> >> >as you can find them for instance at the following link :
> >> >http://www.weihenstephan.de/~syring/win32/UnxUtils.html.
> >> >There is also a link to ZSH-shell for Win32.
> >> >
> >> >I Hope this will help you.
> >> >
> >> >Kind regards,
> >> >
> >> >Bart.
> >> >
> >> >Dino Hsu <dino1_nospam_at_ms1.hinet.net> wrote in message
 news:<cs8hmtk62kkbqkh7d6cva033ltfk7v211r_at_4ax.com>...
> >> >> Dear all,
> >> >>
> >> >> I have written scripts to do off-line backup of a database as
 follows:
> >> >>
> >> >> <backup_twdm.bat begin>
> >> >> @ECHO OFF
> >> >> IF "%1"=="" GOTO ERROR
> >> >> SET ORACLE_SID=TWDM
> >> >> svrmgrl @shutdown_twdm.sql
> >> >> "c:\program files\winzip\wzzip" -rP d:\twdm.bak\twdm_%1 d:\twdm
> >> >> svrmgrl @startup_twdm.sql
> >> >> GOTO END
> >> >> :ERROR
> >> >> ECHO Usage backup_twdm.bat yyyymmdd
> >> >> GOTO END
> >> >> :END
> >> >> <backup_twdm.bat end>
> >> >>
> >> >> <startup_twdm.sql begin>
> >> >> connect internal;
> >> >> startup pfile=d:\twdm\ctlfile\inittwdm.ora;
> >> >> <startup_twdm.sql end>
> >> >>
> >> >> <shutdown_twdm.sql begin>
> >> >> connect internal;
> >> >> shutdown immediate;
> >> >> <shutdown_twdm.sql end>
> >> >>
> >> >> Among which wzzip.exe is the command-line add-on of WINZIP 8.0. With
> >> >> the help from a compression program such as WINZIP, the size of the
> >> >> backup can be dramatically decreased to about only 1/20 and makes
> >> >> backup process much easier.
> >> >>
> >> >> There are some issues here, however, to be discussed about:
> >> >> 1.I used to see a script in AIX like this:
> >> >> svrmgrl <<EOF
> >> >> cmd-1...
> >> >> cmd-2...
> >> >> cmd-3...
> >> >> EOF
> >> >> which embeds SQL or SQL*Plus commands in the shell program. If I can
> >> >> do this in a DOS/Windows batch program, the startup_twdm.sql and
> >> >> shutdwon_twdm.sql can be suppressed; but I don't know how.
> >> >> 2.This batch program (backup_twdm.bat) has one parameter, date with
> >> >> format yyyymmdd, to be used as part of the archive file name. I wish
> >> >> this batch program can get the current date automatically, but I
 don't
> >> >> know how. Maybe some outside programming is necessary.
> >> >> 3.WINZIP 8.0 cannot compress files bigger than 8G, so make sure the
> >> >> datafiles are not too big. (but I don't know the exact limitation, I
> >> >> cannot find it)
> >> >> 4.WINZIP 8.0 doesn't seem to generate a log, either.
> >> >>
> >> >> I don't think this problem exists in any Unix platforms because the
> >> >> shell program is so powerful. It is a problem, however, in Windows
> >> >> NT/2K environments. Any comments are highly appreciated.
> >> >>
> >> >> Dino
> >>
> >
>
Received on Sun Aug 05 2001 - 03:35:44 CDT