Re: Hot Backups

Recently, mag_at_scammell.ecos.tne.oz.au (Mark Gurry) writes:
>>No. Hot Backups are the only way to perform PIT recovery.
>
>According to the articles I have read, Hot Backups are the only form of
>recovery where archiving is turned on the DOESN'T provide PIT recovery.
>
>Any DBA who has HOT BACKUPs and NO NIGHTLY EXPORT is asking for a DISASTER.
>
>In fact, I believe nightly exports are mandatory part of any backup/recovery
>strategy.

This thread reflects divergent export-or-not-export philosophies when archivelog is on. IMHO the answer depends on whether the database is for development (in which tables are very likely to be created and destroyed) or application-only (in which tables are not created or destroyed on purpose).

In the development world, you would want exports and archivelogging because you need the benefits of both.

In the production app, it may be more serious if a table gets droppped, but restoring it is analogous to tablespace or medium recovery: you restore the o/s backup of the tablespace, then proceeed with roll forward recovery.

I assume that if a critical table is destroyed, the app stops effective work. If a minor table is lost, and the app continues stumbling on, logically an import would be much easier.

Looks to me like every DBA must make a judgement call here. I agree with the netguy who says that you must do exports when archivelogging is on. But once a year is too seldom and every day may be too often. Especially if your database is 500 Gigs!

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Dave Mausner / Sr Consultant / Datalogics division of Frame Technology Inc