Re: Q: Backup solutions

Breaking the mirrors would be a good option if you wanted to take a cold backup
of the system and keep the database running. Otherwise hot backups would leave
the database up and running.

The veritas solution protects against network, cpu and controller failures, it should be
isolated from the backups.

I have written scripts in the past which break mirrors perform cold backups and
resilver the disks after they are done. This should be done as three phases running
from a root level job. Root - break mirrors, Oracle - backup the database,
Root - resliver disks.

The recovery times would be most affected by the speed of your tapes, and the
type of failure. For a hot backup recovery a large amount of disk space for the
archive logs would be recommended, this would alleviate the need to restore
apply and delete the archive logs over and over again.

I do not know of any products that could do the mirrors backup, but products
that support Oracle bacukps would be:

    HP Omniback
    SQL Back*Track
    Legato also has a Oracle piece
    REEL backup has a fast solution for Oracle backups     ADSM is very quick depending on your configuration, but no direct support.

Hope this helps.

Nauman Shahid, nshahid_at_dowjones.net

Don wrote:

> We have jumped into the world of Oracle 7.3 on a SUN Ultra Enterprise
> server. We are currently using striping, double mirrors, shared disk
> arrays, and a second server. We've implemented the Veritas
> First-Watch high availability solution for max up-time.
>
> We believe we would like to do HOT backups. It sounds like that would
> involve breaking the 2nd mirror, backing it up, and remaking the
> mirror. This server can not afford ANY downtime even for backups.
> Our backups will involve tape rotations to an "on-site" hazard
> hardened vault, as well as an "off-site" hazard site. The backup
> needs to be done in such a manner that system restoration could be
> done in the SHORTEST possible time. Again, minimum down time.
>
> Is there any particular backup solution (software and/or hardware)
> that you have found to be VERY successful, or a dismal failure?
>
> All of our AIX systems (16 at last count) are using C-TAR as the
> backup solution, but most of these systems can easily tolerate
> downtime.
>
> Why the emphasis on zero downtime? We are a group of 4 hospitals.
> Doctors and especially nurses just don't tolerate a down system - it
> does not matter why the system is down.
>
> Thx, in advance, for your thoughts.
>
> Don Dealy, II
> Legacy Health System
> Portland OR USA
>
> email: dondealy_at_teleport.com
Received on Mon Oct 06 1997 - 00:00:00 CDT