Online Backup for Oracle Database Servers

SecuriData Online Backup for Oracle Database Servers

This article summarises SecuriData's online backup capabilities to backup Oracle databases.

Online Backup for Oracle Database Servers

Functionality

On a scheduled or an on-demand basis, the online backup service will instruct the Oracle’s Recovery Manager (RMAN) to access the Oracle Server via IP (LAN, WAN, etc) and use the Oracle-supplied functions to perform a database backup (through Pipe or using dump files). The data is then compressed, encrypted and transmitted to SecuriData's datacenter. The first time this action is performed, the entire database is dumped and transmitted (creating a “master”). During subsequent backups, only the changes are transmitted (creating a “delta”). The online backup software never accesses the Oracle database data files directly and therefore, there is never an issue with open and locked database files. The database does NOT have to be taken offline to perform the backup.

Security

During the Oracle server backup (as with all backups), the database credentials (sysdba username and password) are entered and stored in the online backup service database, using AES128 encryption. The backup data is encrypted with a security algorithm that is secure up to AES-256 (256-bit) with a private key known only by you (the customer). SecuriData will never have access to this information. The datacenter system uses a one-way hash to validate encryption keys, however the hash cannot be used to recover the encryption keys.

Items available for backup/restore

individual tablespaces
control file
archived logs
Whole database backup:
- Backup all items (individual tablespaces, control file, and archived logs) in one oracle database backup set.
- Create a file system backup set to backup only init<sid>.ora and pwd<sid>.ora.

Options for backup:

Logical Corruption Check
Backup Only Current Archived Logs
Truncate Transaction Logs

Possible items to restore:

Original restore (restore to the original Oracle server)

individual tablespaces
control file + tablespaces + archived logs
Whole database (including files init.ora & pwd.ora)

Alternate restore (restore to another Oracle server)

All possible options in Original restore
Restore only the dump files

Options for restore:

Restore only dump files
Create temp tablespace

Online Backup of Oracle Database Servers using SecuriData Online Backup Service for Windows

For offline database backup / restore, the operations and requirements are the same as File System Backup and Restore. You can use the ’Pre/Post’ function to Stop/Start Oracle Server before/after backup and restore. (If your database is in NOARCHIVE mode, then you must perform offline backup of the database.)

The following requirements must be met in order to perform online backup / restore of Oracle Database Servers.

General Requirements

· The user who performs Oracle Backup / Restore should have knowledge about the Oracle database file structure and instance management.

· The DB Administrator / Backup Operator must know the name of the Service when creating a new backup set. (You cannot browse the database(s) for names; therefore you must know the exact name in advance.)

· The credentials used for backup / restore of the Oracle database must have the sysdba privilege.

· You can not use an IP address to specify a computer for backup / restore. Only the computer name is allowed.

Online Backup Service host Computer Requirements

· Windows 2000 / XP / 2003.

· Oracle Client must be installed. It must be the same version as the Oracle Server you want to backup. If you want to backup different versions of Oracle servers, you must install each corresponding version of Oracle client on the DS-Client computer. (If you are using both 8i and 10g Oracle clients on the DS-Client computer, make sure 10g is not the first path in the ‘PATH’ environment variable.)

· You must configure the ’Net service Name’ for this Oracle Client to connect to each Oracle Server you want to backup or restore. If the Oracle Instance is a shared server, set the Connection Type as "Dedicated Server".

· Recovery Manager (RMAN) utility must be installed.

· To backup / restore Oracle 9i and 10g, you must manually copy recover.bsq to %ORACLE_HOME%\RDBMS\ADMIN directory on DS-Client computer. Please see Oracle bug #2421470. You can find recover.bsq on the Oracle 9i Server in the %ORACLE_HOME%\RDBMS\ADMIN directory.

Oracle Server Requirements

· [32-Bit Windows Platforms] orasbt.dll must be copied to the target Oracle Server's computer. Place it in the path \%SYSTEMROOT%\SYSTEM32 (System Root path). For Oracle 8i, you must restart the Oracle service. You can find this file in the DS-Client installation directory.

· [64-Bit Windows Platforms] orasbt_x64.dll must be copied to the target Oracle Server's computer. Rename it to orasbt.dll, then place it in the path \%SYSTEMROOT%\SYSTEM32 (System Root path). You can find this file in the DS-Client installation directory.

· Oracle Instance must be running in "ARCHIVELOG MODE" (this allows on-line backup of the database).

· Set the CONTROL_FILE_RECORD_KEEP_TIME initialization parameter to slightly longer than the period (in days) between backups of the whole Oracle database (all tablespaces, control files, and archive logs).

· RMAN has a limitation of how many archived logs can be backed up at one time. Increase the "redo log file" size to reduce the number of archived logs.

· [Windows NT] If you are using DS-Client Buffer or DS-Client Pipe as the dump path for backup, make sure both the "OracleServiceXXXX" and "Oracle TNSListener" services use the "administrator" account.

Backup Requirements

· The Oracle database should be in Open state when you perform the online backup.

· In order to perform full or alternate restore of an Oracle database, the backup must be a full Oracle database backup (all tablespaces, archived log files, and control file). In addition, you must have a backup of the password file and the init file.

· The password file (e.g.c:\oracle\ora92\database\pwd<instance>.ora) and the init file (e.g. c:\oracle\admin\ora<instance>\pfile\init.ora) should be backed up in a File System backup set.

· You do not need to place online tablespaces in backup mode when performing backups.

Restore Requirements

There are the following requirements and limitations:

· To restore the Control File, you must start the database in nomount (started) state.

· To restore Tablespaces without the Control File, you must start the database in mount state. Otherwise, you must change the tablespaces offline.

· Tablespaces can be restored, however the logs will be applied to the present (unless DBPITR is performed). This means they will not be "as when backed up".

· The control file should only be restored when performing DBPITR (Database Point In Time Recovery). After restoring, the database will be opened with the "RESETLOGS" option. By doing this, you will not be able to restore any tablespaces backed up after that point in time (unless you restore the control file).

· When performing a DBPITR, all the files backed up in that particular session must be restored.

· For full restore to the original location, the requirements are the same as for Alternate Location Restore, except the ’target computer’ is the original computer.

· [Oracle 10g only] Before performing a DBPITR, if the backup and flash_recovery_area have different reset log times, you must rename the flash_recovery_area directory. After performing the restore, you should shutdown and manually restart the Oracle database (see Oracle Note: 286964.1).

Alternate Location Restore Requirements

The Oracle Server (target restore server) must satisfy the requirements listed in the sections above.

In addition, the following apply for Alternate Restore:

1. The backup must be a full Oracle database backup. You must also have a backup of the password file and the init file (this will be in a File System backup set).

2. The target restore computer must have an Oracle database service Instance of the same name.

3. The target restore computer must have the same tablespace path as the original backup (this can be created when setting up the database).

· This is because of Oracle limitations and specifications. All information about file structure is recorded in the Control File and the Oracle Database as a whole.

4. Restore the (File System) backup of the password file and the init file to the alternate computer. This is a separate backup set of the password file and the init file from the original backup computer.

5. Restore the full Oracle database backup.

6. If you choose a different dump path, only dump files are restored to that path. You must use RMAN to restore your Oracle database manually.