Aw: RE: Database Retention Question

From: Ingrid Voigt <giantpanda_at_gmx.net>
Date: Thu, 27 Apr 2017 22:07:53 +0200
Message-ID: <trinity-9b6de075-58ed-47cd-904b-a5bf0e64b458-1493323673433_at_3capp-gmx-bs20>


Would your SA be a bit happier if you took a brand new host (or two or three for spares),
installed current software now and then took it off the network? Let it gather dust in
a corner of the data center without patching or upgrading?
 
2023 is not that long and should be within the lifespan of modern hardware. 
 
Regards
Ingrid
 
 
Gesendet: Donnerstag, 27. April 2017 um 21:19 Uhr
Von: "Scott Canaan" <srcdco_at_rit.edu>
An: "Thomas Roach" <troach_at_gmail.com>, "sethmiller.sm_at_gmail.com" <sethmiller.sm@gmail.com>
Cc: "andrew.kerber_at_gmail.com" <andrew.kerber_at_gmail.com>, "Chris.Ruel@lfg.com" <Chris.Ruel@lfg.com>, "oracle-l@freelists.org" <oracle-l@freelists.org>
Betreff: RE: Database Retention Question

That’s an interesting idea, however according to Legal, we have to be able to retrieve the data through the database software to ensure it is as it was at the time it was frozen.  The issue being that if we were to write it out to flat files, that introduces doubt as to whether it is exactly the same.  Talking to Legal has been very enlightening.

 

Our first thought was to back up the VM and let that issue be systems problem.  They said no because they couldn’t guarantee that they could start the VM with future versions of vSphere and they can’t reserve the IP address that the VM has.

 

Scott Canaan ’88 (srcdco@rit.edu)

(585) 475-7886 – work                (585) 339-8659 – cell

“Life is like a sewer, what you get out of it depends on what you put into it.” – Tom Lehrer

 

From: Thomas Roach [mailto:troach_at_gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, April 27, 2017 2:55 PM
To: sethmiller.sm_at_gmail.com
Cc: andrew.kerber_at_gmail.com; Chris.Ruel_at_lfg.com; Scott Canaan; oracle-l@freelists.org
Subject: Re: Database Retention Question

 

Bingo. Then you're data isn't dependent on any piece of technology being available at that time.

Sent from my iPhone


On Apr 27, 2017, at 2:20 PM, Seth Miller <sethmiller.sm@gmail.com> wrote:

Depending on the RDBMS is very risky. Your quote says that the "data" must be available. Flatten the data and export it into an open standard format. Then, you don't have to worry about how to access the data, RDBMS support, etc.

 

 

Seth

 

On Thu, Apr 27, 2017 at 11:04 AM, Andrew Kerber <andrew.kerber@gmail.com> wrote:

Interesting you should ask that.  The best method, as others noted, is probably just to copy the whole running database to a VM and back up the VM.  Start the VM annually to make sure it will still run.  I have a small Oracle 7.3.4 database on Windows NT that I burned to DVD a few years ago, I still start it up occasionally just for nostalgia.

 

On Thu, Apr 27, 2017 at 12:23 PM, Ruel, Chris <Chris.Ruel@lfg.com> wrote:

How about create VM with a copy of that database and an FRA with all 28 backups available?  You can shut it down, export it, zip it up, whatever you need to do.

 

 

 

_____________________________________________________________________

Chris Ruel * Oracle Database Administrator * Lincoln Financial Group

cruel@lfg.com * Desk:317.759.2172 * Cell 317.523.8482

 

From: oracle-l-bounce@freelists.org [mailto:oracle-l-bounce@freelists.org] On Behalf Of Scott Canaan
Sent: Thursday, April 27, 2017 1:16 PM
To: oracle-l@freelists.org
Subject: Database Retention Question

 

We are trying to find a workable solution to a rather large problem.  One system has an Oracle database in Red Hat 6 and Oracle 11.2.0.4.  Last August, there was a legal request to freeze 28 different backups of this database.  That was done by the systems team, via CommVault (using RMAN).  By asking more questions, it has come to light that any and / or all of those backups need to be quickly accessible as Oracle databases until Aug. 31, 2023.  When I mentioned to our legal department that there’s no way that I can guarantee that whatever version of Oracle we’ll be using in 5, 6, 7 years will be able to even open the database files, the response was “you have to guarantee that the data is available if required in a lawsuit.  No excuses are accepted by the courts.”.

 

We’ve toyed with a couple of possible options.  One is to keep a Red Hat 6 / Oracle 11.2.0.4 environment running until Sept. 1, 2023, which the SAs hate (not to mention the Security Office).  Another is to restore from backup and upgrade along with other database upgrades and take a new frozen backup, which we aren’t keen on doing 28 times.

 

Does anyone have any other ideas on how to save these backups and guarantee that they are usable through Aug. 31, 2023?  I’d appreciate any thoughts.

 

Thank you,

 

Scott Canaan ’88 (srcdco@rit.edu)

(585) 475-7886 – work                (585) 339-8659 – cell

“Life is like a sewer, what you get out of it depends on what you put into it.” – Tom Lehrer

 

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--

Andrew W. Kerber

'If at first you dont succeed, dont take up skydiving.'

 

-- http://www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l Received on Thu Apr 27 2017 - 22:07:53 CEST

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