Re: Backing up intro please

Joe wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I've read a bit about the subject. But theres no substitute for experience,
> so here goes.....
>
> I have a PC based database which is growing quite quickly. At the moment I
> just do an table export.
>
> However, the way I understand it there is no way to do a truly incremental
> backup with export, where only the table rows that have been inserted and/or
> amended since the last export are selected.
>
> Given that the export now is 1.3 gb, and is growing at 250mb per month I
> would really like to be able to perform an incremental backup.
>
> I only need the backup to restore the database and perhaps transfer it to
> another standalone machine (although I can always use export for such "one
> off" events).
>
> Given, that the database is standalone, and so I can easily take it offline,
> how can I create a backup scenario where I can:
>
> 1. Backup the whole database as required.
>
> 2. Make truly incremental backups (backup from the last incremental/whole
> backup) as required.
>
> Obviously I wan to be able to restore to the current state in a timely
> fashion when I need to.
>
> I don't want to get it wrong and only find out when I need the backup that I
> have done so!!!
>
> Thanks for any info/online references.
>
>
>

What's your OS?

Find out which files belong to your database; query datafiles, logs and controlfiles. Possibly tempfile, depending on the version of your oracle, and wither you use 'em or not.
Shut down your instance; backup all files you found in the previous step, and the password file.

I assume you already have a backup of the oracle environment, or take it as a calculated risk not to backup, but reinstall.

Or: fire up rman and backup database. rman allows for incremental backups; the above method is not.

More details (lots of 'em...) on e.g. OTN (otn.oracle.com) or Dizwell (http://www.dizwell.com/html/backup.html)

-- 
Regards,
Frank van Bortel