Re: Using export as a backup strategy

Export/import does not "restore" anything. Rather, when you import, the object being imported is a new object. It gets assigned a different OBJECT_ID. So to the database, this objects isn't the old one. You can also run into issues when you attempt to restore just one table that participates in a defined relation (read FK constraints involved). And export only exports the objects of the database along with the CREATE TABLESPACE DDL statements. It doesn't back up your control file or your parameter file or your password file.

You could certainly use export/import as your backup/recovery strategy. And it may well suit your needs. But it is advisable to understand the limitations of this approach and how that fits in to your business requirements.

HTH,
Brian

Thomas Richards wrote:
>
> Oracle 8i 8.1.5 on NT.
>
> I have a database for which a day's data loss is an acceptable risk.
> From reading the Oracle Backup and Recovery guide, I get the
> impression that export is recommended as a supplement to a backup
> strategy rather than a backup strategy in itself.
>
> Please can someone explain why export only can't be used in a scenario
> where a day's data loss is acceptable and there is a period of no user
> activity when a consistent export can be achieved?
>
> If I lose a disk, can I not create an empty database and load the
> previous night's backup?
>
> Is there any advantage to doing physical backups that I have
> overlooked? For example, if I do export only should I be doing control
> file backups as well?
>
> Any thoughts on this much appreciated
>
> Thanks
> Tom

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