Re: Oracle online backups -- switching to archivelog mode as necessary?

"Michael P" <usenet_at_krimedawg.org> wrote in message news:pan.2003.12.19.01.27.34.14505_at_krimedawg.org...
> I apologize for what might be an obvious question, but I've been forced to
> take on an Oracle DBA role for a few months. I have fair experience with
> relational databases, but I haven't done many Oracle DBA tasks.
>
> One of the things I'd like to do is implement online backups, preferably
> without rman.
>
> Every thing I read about online backups makes it sound like you need to
> have archivelog on when you use them. I'm wondering if I can just turn it
> on when I want to do a backup.
>
> For example:
> [archive log mode is off]
> alter system switch logfile
> archive log start
> [Put all tablespaces into backup mode, copy tablespace data files]
> alter system switch logfile [three times, since I have three redo logs]
> archive log stop
> [copy redo log files to backup server/tape]
> alter database backup controlfile [...]
>
> Would that work? Is there any reason I have to leave the database in
> archivelog mode all the time?
>
> Thanks,
> Michael P

Let me ask an obvious question: Do you or your boss think backups are important? Is the data important? If not really then immediately delete all the Oracle data files.

On the other hand, if the data is actually important then immediately go to your nearest technical bookstore and buy a book on Oracle backup and recovery for the version of Oracle you have. It will set your company back $50 or so, but then the data was important. Next shutdown the database cleanly and bring it up in archive log mode. Shut it down again and take a cold backup. Bring it back up.

Get another machine and practice restoring the cold backup to another machine (same Oracle version and OS). Once you are good at that then work through the scenarios in the back of the book until you have them fully practiced. It doesn't do ANY good to back it up if 1. You don't know how to restore.
2. You haven't tested the backups to make sure they are good.

Make sure you know how to take a hot backup, and restore to another machine.

But if the data isn't important then just delete the data.(saves you time when it happens due to a hardware failure or similar problem; why wait, just do it now).

RUN THE DATABASE IN ARCHIVELOG MODE ALWAYS. NO REASON NOT TO. IF MANAGMENT THINKS YOU DON'T NEED TO FOR "PERFORMANCE" REASONS THEN RUN AWAY, TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SYSTEM. HAVE THEM SIGN A STATEMENT STATING THAT THEY ARE JEAPORDIZING THE RESTORABILITY OF THE DATA AND THAT RISK IS ACCEPTABLE. Got it?
Jim Received on Fri Dec 19 2003 - 01:03:55 CST