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Oracle Enterprise Manager Administrator's Guide
Release 9.0.2

Part Number A95407-01
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11
Managing Backup and Recovery

This chapter describes how to use the Oracle Enterprise Manager Backup Management wizards to administer your database backup and recovery environment.

The following topics are covered:

The Oracle Enterprise Manager Backup, Recovery, and Catalog Maintenance wizards, Backup Configuration Library, and the Create Backup Configuration property sheets are only available for Oracle8 and above databases.

The wizards provide a graphical user interface to Recovery Manager, an Oracle utility you use to back up, restore, and recover database files.

If your target database is pre-8.1.x and not configured for remote SYSDBA operation, see "Configuring a Remote Database for Backup or SYSDBA Administration" on page 11-35.

For more information on backup and recovery strategies, see your Oracle9i Recovery Manager User's Guide and Reference.

Oracle9i Backup and Recovery Documentation Roadmap

Conceptual Information Administrative Information

Accessing the Backup Management Wizards and Property Sheets

The Backup Management wizards and property sheets consist of:

You can access the Backup Management wizards and property sheets using one of the following methods:

Note: The Backup Management wizards and property sheets are only available when you are connected to a Management Server.

Backup Wizard

The Backup Wizard provides an intuitive graphical user interface for the backup facility of Recovery Manager, an extremely powerful and flexible command line backup and recover utility designed for the Oracle8 and above databases. This wizard guides you through the entire backup process.

Before attempting to use the Backup Wizard, make sure the following requirements are met:

You can access the wizard through the Oracle Enterprise Manager Console if you are connected to a Management Server.

For more information on backups and related strategies, see your Oracle9i Recovery Manager User's Guide and Reference.

Backup Wizard: Introduction

The Backup Wizard helps you to back up various objects such as the database, datafiles, tablespaces, and archivelog, or to make an image copy of the datafiles and the current controlfile.

The wizard will step you through the process of choosing the objects you want to back up or the objects of which you want to make an image copy.

When you start the Backup Wizard for the first time, the wizard presents you with default settings for most backup parameters so you can quickly create a backup.

Nevertheless, for effective backup operations, you need to specify parameters that match your environment, such as type and number of backup devices. Instead of entering these parameters every time you run the Backup wizard, you can define these parameters in one or more backup configurations.

Then, the wizard will guide you in submitting a backup job through Enterprise Manager to complete the operation.

A checkbox "Display this page next time" is available where you can specify not to show this page once you are familiar with the Backup Wizard. By default, the checkbox is selected. If you deselect the checkbox, the wizard starts on the Strategy Choice page the next time.

Backup Wizard: Strategy Choice

The Strategy Choice page allows you to specify whether you want to use a predefined backup strategy or customize your own. There are two options from which to choose:

After choosing your strategy choice, press Next to continue.

Proceed to Predefined Backup Strategy on page 11-6 if you have chosen Predefined Backup Strategy as your strategy choice.

Proceed to Customize Backup Strategy on page 11-9 if you have chosen Customize Backup Strategy as your strategy choice.

Predefined Backup Strategy

The following pages appear if you choose "Predefined backup strategy" as your strategy choice:

Backup Wizard: Backup Frequency

The Backup Frequency page allows you to specify how often you want to perform a backup and on which day of the week.

Choose the type of description that best fits your database.

After choosing your backup frequency, press Next to continue. Proceed to Backup Wizard: Backup Time on page 11-7.

Backup Wizard: Backup Time

The Backup Time page allows you to specify the start time for performing the backup.

If your database is running in ARCHIVELOG mode, the backup is taken when the database is open. When you run a database in ARCHIVELOG mode, you allow Oracle to archive the online redo log. You can either perform the archiving manually or enable automatic archiving.

If the database is running in NOARCHIVELOG mode, the backup job closes the database, takes the backup, and then reopens the database. When you run your database in NOARCHIVELOG mode, you disable the archiving of the online redo log. The choice of whether to enable the archiving of filled groups of online redo log files depends on the availability and reliability requirements of the application running on the database.

Refer to the Oracle9i Recovery Manager User's Guide and Reference for information on choosing between NOARCHIVELOG and ARCHIVELOG mode.

Refer to the Instance Management online help for information on setting up backup modes.

After specifying your backup time, press Next to continue. Proceed to Backup Wizard: Configuration on page 11-7.

Backup Wizard: Configuration

The Configuration page allows you to choose the configuration for backup and view the details that you have set up previously using the Create Backup Configuration option.

Choose the configuration for this backup

Allows you to choose a configuration you have previously set up using the Create Backup Configuration Property Pages.

If you are using an image copy, the configuration library of backup sets is filtered out so that only the configurations for image copy remain. If a configuration for image copy does not exist, an empty drop-down list appears and an message appears, asking you to exit the Backup Wizard and create a backup configuration for image copy.

Description of the configuration

The description of the configuration.

Summary of the configuration:

If you are using a backup set, the following items appear in the summary:

If you are using an image copy, the following items appear in the summary:

Refer to "Create Backup Configuration" on page 11-23 for information on creating a backup configuration.

After choosing your configuration, press Next to continue. Proceed to Backup Wizard: Multiple Targets on page 11-8.

Backup Wizard: Multiple Targets

The Multiple Targets page allows you to specify the target database(s) to submit the job. You can select from the list of databases shown on the Available targets window.

Move the selection(s) to and from the Available targets and Selected targets windows by using arrow buttons between them. By default, the database to which you are connected is shown in the Selected targets window.

Note: To submit the same backup to multiple targets, the databases must have the same structure and the same disk/tape configuration.

Backup Wizard: Summary

The Summary page appears when you click the Finish button. Information about the backup management job you just created using the Wizard is summarized before submission to the Oracle Enterprise Manager job system.

Clicking OK submits the job the Oracle Enterprise Manager job system.

Clicking Cancel returns you to the wizard.

Customize Backup Strategy

Customize backup strategy allows you to elect the information you want to backup and the schedule for the execution of the backup.

Refer to the guidelines documented in the Oracle9i Recovery Manager User's Guide and Reference.

Backup Wizard: Backup Selection

Your database contains a wide variety of types of data. When developing your backup strategy, you must decide what information you want to backup. The basic principle you should use when deciding what to back up is to prioritize data depending on its importance and the degree to which it changes.

Note: If your database is in NOARCHIVELOG mode, you can only perform a full database backup. If the database is in NOARCHIVELOG mode and open at the time of the backup job, it is shut down during the backup, started in MOUNT mode, backed up, and then brought up once the backup is complete.

Choose from the following basic backup types:

Entire database

Entire database backup contains the control file along with all database files that belong to a database. Whole database backups are the most common type of backup. This option backs up the whole database at once. If you operate in ARCHIVELOG mode, you also have the option of backing up different parts of the database over a period of time, thereby constructing a whole database backup piece by piece.

Tablespace

A tablespace backup is a backup of a subset of the database. Tablespace backups are only valid if the database is operating in ARCHIVELOG mode.

Datafile

A datafile backup is a backup of a single datafile. Datafile backups, which are not as common as tablespace backups, are only valid if you run the database in ARCHIVELOG mode.

Archived redo log

An archived redo log is an online redo log that Oracle has filled with redo entries, rendered inactive, and copied to one or more log archive destinations. Archive redo logs do not change, for example, but they are crucial for recovering your database, so you should maintain multiple copies if possible. This option is available only in ARCHIVELOG mode.

Use an image copy

Check this box if you want to back up a datafile using an image copy. Oracle supports performing a backup using an image copy of datafiles, controlfiles, or archivelogs. You can only perform an image copy of a controlfile with an image copy of a datafile. Using an image copy of only the controlfile is not likely to occur.

If you select the Datafile radio button and the Use an image copy checkbox, the Configuration page appears.

After choosing your backup type, press Next to continue.

Proceed to Backup Wizard: Archive Logs on page 11-12 if you have chosen Entire database or Archive Logs as your backup type.

Proceed to Backup Wizard: Tablespaces on page 11-10 if you have chosen Tablespace as your backup type.

Proceed to Backup Wizard: Datafiles on page 11-10 if you have chosen Datafiles as your backup type.

You can submit a backup job directly from the Job System, but the recommended method is through the wizard.

Note: If the database was OPEN and in ARCHIVELOG MODE when the backup job was created and the database is in MOUNT state when the job runs; then, the backup job will fail because of "Alter System Switch Logs."

Backup Wizard: Tablespaces

A tablespace backup is a backup of a subset of the database. Tablespace backups are generally valid if the database is operating in ARCHIVELOG mode.

The Tablespace page allows you to select the tablespaces you want to back up. Choose from the list of tablespaces shown on the Available Tablespaces window.

Move the selection(s) to and from the Available Tablespaces and Selected Tablespaces windows by using arrow buttons between them.

You may choose to include the control files with the backup.

After selecting the tablespaces you want to back up, press Next to continue.

Proceed to Backup Wizard: Archive Logs on page 11-12.

Backup Wizard: Datafiles

The Datafiles page allows you to select the datafiles you want to back up or the datafiles of which you want to make an image copy. Choose from the list of datafiles shown on the Available Datafiles window. Full path and name of the datafile are shown. At lease one datafile must be selected and moved to the Selected Datafiles window.

Datafile backups, which are not as common as tablespace backups, are only valid if you run the database in ARCHIVELOG mode.

Move the selection(s) to and from the Available Datafiles and Selected Datafiles windows by using arrow buttons between them.

You may choose to include the control files with the backup.

You may choose not to include the control files with the image copy.

After selecting the datafiles you want to back up, press Next to continue.

Proceed to Backup Wizard: Location on page 11-11.

Backup Wizard: Location

Choose the file locations.

The file location information is presented in a table with two columns: "Selected file(s)" and "Copy file(s) to."

Copy all files to the base location

If you choose the "Copy all files to base location" option, which is the default selection, the locations in the "Copy file(s) to" column are read-only. The files will be copied to the base location specified.

Customize

Select the "Customize" option to make the "Copy file(s) to" column of the table editable.

Selected file(s)

The datafiles of which you have selected to make an image copy. The "Selected file(s)" column is read-only.

Copy file(s) to

The locations in the "Copy file(s) to" column are read-only if you have chosen the "Copy all files to base location" option, which is the default selection. They are computed by appending the file names from the "Selected file(s)" column to the base location given in the "Copy all files to base location" field. The values of the locations change as you edit the base location.

The file names are deduced from the "Selected file(s)" column based on the common delimiters including '/', '/', and ']'.

Note: The deduction is not guaranteed to be correct if the operating system specific delimiter is not one of the above. If the deduction is incorrect, you can make the "Copy file(s) to" column of the table editable by selecting the "Customize" option. Then you can modify the location of each file.

Proceed to Backup Wizard: Archive Logs on page 11-12.

Backup Wizard: Archive Logs

The Archive Logs page allows you to specify the following options:

From

Date and time for the first archive logs to backup. These fields are enabled when you select "Yes, selected archive logs."

Until

Archive date and time for the last archive logs to backup. These fields are enabled when you select "Yes, selected archive logs."

delete archive logs after they have been backed up

Deleting archive logs saves space.

An archived redo log is an online redo log that Oracle has filled with redo entries, rendered inactive, and copied to one or more log archive destinations. Archive redo logs do not change, for example, but they are crucial for recovering your database, so you should maintain multiple copies if possible.

After specifying the archive log options, press Next to continue.

Proceed to Backup Wizard: Backup Options on page 11-13 if you have chosen Entire database, Tablespace, or Datafile as your backup type.

Proceed to Backup Wizard: Configuration on page 11-14 if you have chosen Archive Logs as your backup type.

Backup Wizard: Backup Options

The Backup Options page allows you to choose from a full or an incremental backup.

Full backup

A full backup backs up all blocks into the backup set, skipping only datafile blocks that have never been used. The server process does not skip blocks when backing up archived redo logs or control files.

A full backup has no effect on subsequent incremental backups, which is why it is not considered part of the incremental strategy. In other words, a full backup does not affect which blocks are included in subsequent incremental backups.

Incremental backup

Incremental backups are a method by which you only backup modified blocks. An incremental level 0 backup, performs the same function as a full backup in that they both backup all blocks that have ever been used except a level 0 will affect what blocks are copied out by subsequent incremental backups.

Incremental backups of levels greater than 0 back up only blocks that have changed since previous incremental backups. Blocks which have not changed will not be backed up.

Proceed to Backup Wizard: Configuration on page 11-14 if you have chosen your backup option.

Backup Wizard: Configuration

The Configuration page allows you to choose the configuration for backup and view the details that you have set up previously using the Create Backup Configuration option.

If you are using an image copy, the configuration library of backup sets is filtered out so that only the configurations for image copy remain. If a configuration for image copy does not exist, an empty drop-down list appears and an message appears, asking you to exit the Backup Wizard and create a backup configuration for image copy.

Choose the configuration for this backup

Allows you to choose a configuration you have previously set up using the Create Backup Configuration Property Pages.

Description of the configuration

The description of the configuration.

Summary of the configuration:

If you are using a backup set, the following items appear in the summary:

If you are using an image copy, the following items appear in the summary:

After choosing your configuration, press Next to continue. Proceed to Backup Wizard: Schedule on page 11-14.

Backup Wizard: Schedule

The Schedule page enables you to schedule the execution of a backup.

Run Job

Select the frequency of backup. The choices are Immediately, Once, On Interval, On Day of Week, and On Date of Month.

Note: If you choose a day, such as 31, that is not in a month, the job will not be run in that month. Choose the first day of the month.

Start Execution

Choose the first date and time that you want the task executed. This is the starting time for any task scheduled on an interval.

End Execution

Choose the last date and time that you want the task executed. This option does not apply if you chose the Immediately or Once execution options.

Time Zone

Shows the time zone. The agent schedules the task execution at each destination based on the actual system time of each agent. Tasks are not necessarily run simultaneously.

Run on Multiple Targets

The Run on Multiple Targets option allows you to access the Multiple Targets page so that you can specify the destination target(s) to submit the job.

After specifying the scheduling options, press Next to continue.

Proceed to Backup Wizard: Job Information on page 11-17.

Backup Wizard: Job Information

The Job Information page allows you to specify the name and description for the backup job and what you would like to do with the job as it will appear in the Oracle Enterprise Manager Console Job System.

The choices for what to do with the job are listed below:

You can view the status of the job by selecting the Active and History page tabs in the Console.


Note:

If a service name entry does not exist for the target database in its tnsnames.ora file which matches the entry in the tnsnames.ora file in the Oracle Enterprise Manager home, the following error message appears:

ora-12154: TNS:could not resolve service name

Last Message : The job failed

For the backup job to run, you must update the tnsnames.ora file in the target database node, bounce the agent, and rediscovering the target node in the Oracle Enterprise Manager Console.


Backup Wizard: Summary

The Summary page appears when you click the Finish button. Information about the backup management job you just created using the Wizard is summarized before submission to the Oracle Enterprise Manager job system.

Clicking OK submits the job the Oracle Enterprise Manager job system.

Recovery Wizard

The Recovery wizard helps you restore and recover various objects like databases, datafiles, and tablespaces.

Before attempting to use the Recovery Wizard, make sure the following requirements are met:

You can access the wizard through the Oracle Enterprise Manager Console if you are connected to a Management Server.

Note: You can submit a recovery job directly from the Job System, but the recommended method is through the wizard.

Recovery Wizard: Introduction Page

The Recovery Wizard guides you through the process of specifying what you want to restore and recover and submits a recovery job through the Enterprise Manager to complete the operation.

A checkbox "Display this page next time" is available where you can specify not to show this page once you are familiar with the Recovery Wizard. By default, the checkbox is selected. If you deselect the checkbox, the wizard starts on the Recovery Selection page the next time.

Press Next to continue. Proceed to Recovery Wizard: Recovery Selection on page 11-19.

Recovery Wizard: Recovery Selection

The Recovery Selection page of the Recovery Wizard allows you to select from the following types of recovery operations:

Note: If the database is mounted, but not open, all three options are available.

If the database is open and in ARCHIVELOG MODE, only tablespaces and datafiles are available.

The type of recovery you select determines which procedure the Restore Wizard guides you through.

Note: Depending on the status of the target database (ARCHIVELOG, NOARCHIVELOG, mounted and open, mounted only, or started), some options will be disabled or not displayed.

For more information on recovery operations and related strategies, see the Oracle9i Recovery Manager User's Guide and Reference.

Database

A recovery of an entire database is a recovery of all database files that belong to a database. This selection only appears if the database is in the "MOUNT" state.

Note: Use the Instance Management functionality to open the database once the job has completed. You can view the status of the job by selecting the Active and History page tabs in the Console's Job window.

Tablespace

A tablespace recovery is a recovery of a subset of the database. Tablespace recoveries are generally valid if the database is operating in ARCHIVELOG mode.

Datafile

A datafile recovery is a recovery of a single datafile. Datafile backups, which are not as common as tablespace recoveries, are generally valid if you run the database in ARCHIVELOG mode.

Note: If you are in NOARCHIVELOG mode, your database must be mounted in order to perform a restore. To perform a full database recovery, your database must be in the MOUNTED mode. Use the Instance Management functionality to open the database after the job has completed. You can view the status of the job by selecting the Active and History page tabs in the Console's Job window.

Perform Recovery Without Restoring the Datafiles

A checkbox "Perform recovery without restoring the datafiles" is available. By default, the checkbox is deselected. If you select the checkbox, a recover is performed without a restore. The Rename page will not appear if you have selected the "Perform recovery without restoring the datafiles" option.

Use the "Perform recovery without restoring the datafiles" option if the datafile exists and is not corrupted and the database only requires to recover (apply the redo logs) to the datafile.

After choosing your recovery selection, press Next to continue.

Proceed to Recovery Wizard: Restore Until on page 11-20 if you have chosen Entire database as your recovery selection.

Proceed to Recovery Wizard: Tablespaces Page on page 11-20 if you have chosen Tablespace as your recovery selection.

Proceed to Recovery Wizard: Datafiles Page on page 11-21 if you have chosen Datafiles as your recovery selection.

Recovery Wizard: Restore Until

If you press the Finish button now, the database will be restored to the most recent time possible.

If you want to restore to a point previous to now, then you must check the Until checkbox and enter a date and time when the date and time fields are activated.

Note: Use the Instance Management Functionality to open the database after the job has completed. You can view the status of the job by selecting the Active and History page tabs in the Console's Job window.

This feature is available if your database is in the MOUNTED mode.

Press Next to continue. Proceed to Recovery Wizard: Rename Page on page 11-21.

Recovery Wizard: Tablespaces Page

A tablespace backup is a backup of a subset of the database. Tablespace backups are generally valid if the database is operating in ARCHIVELOG mode.

The Tablespace page allows you to select the tablespaces you want to recover. Choose from the list of tablespaces shown on the Available Tablespaces window.

Note: Tablespaces are displayed with a different icon if they require recovery.

Move the selection(s) to and from the Available Tablespaces and Selected Tablespaces windows by using arrow buttons between them.

Press Next to continue. Proceed to Recovery Wizard: Rename Page on page 11-21.

Recovery Wizard: Datafiles Page

A datafile recovery is the recovery of a single datafile. Datafile recoveries, which are not as common as tablespace recoveries, are generally valid if you run the database in ARCHIVELOG mode.

The Datafiles page allows you to select the datafiles you want to recover. Datafiles which require recovery are displayed with a different icon. Choose from the list of datafiles shown on the Available Datafiles window. Full path and name of the datafile are shown.

Move the selection(s) to and from the Available Datafiles and Selected Datafiles windows by using arrow buttons between them.

You may choose to include the control files with the recovery.

Press Next to continue. Proceed to Recovery Wizard: Rename Page on page 11-21.

Recovery Wizard: Rename Page

The Rename page enables you to restore the selected datafile(s) to a new location. When datafiles are restored to a new location, they are considered datafile copies. For this reason, a switch is automatically performed.

Original Name

The full path and filename of the selected datafile(s). This field is not editable.

New Name

Enter a new filename and/or a new path.

You can copy all or sections of the Original Name entry and paste it into the New Name field by highlighting the desired text and selecting the desired action from the context-sensitive right mouse menu.

Press Next to continue. Proceed to Recovery Wizard: Configuration Page on page 11-22.

Recovery Wizard: Configuration Page

The Configuration page allows you to choose the configuration for recovery and view the details that you have set up previously using the Create Backup Configuration option.

Choose the configuration for this recovery

Allows you to choose a configuration you have previously set up using the Create Backup Configuration Property Pages.

Description of the configuration

The description of the configuration.

Summary of the configuration:
Recovery Wizard: Summary

The Summary page appears when you click the Finish button. Information about the backup management job you just created using the Wizard is summarized before submission to the Oracle Enterprise Manager job system.

Clicking OK submits the job the Oracle Enterprise Manager job system.

Clicking Cancel returns you to the wizard.

Create Backup Configuration

A configuration is a set of defaults you set up for backup and recovery. You can use the configuration for one database or many databases depending if the systems are the same.

Before attempting to use the Oracle Enterprise Manager Backup Management wizards, make sure the following requirements are met:

You can access the wizards through the Oracle Enterprise Manager Console if you are connected to a Management Server.

Create Backup Configuration: General Page

The General page allows you to give a name and description to a set of defaults used for backup, recovery, and catalog maintenance operations.

You can access the wizards through the Oracle Enterprise Manager Console if you are connected to a Management Server.

Create Backup Configuration: Channels Page

Choose whether the configuration will be used for backups using an image copy or for backups using a backup set. A backup set can be either on disk or tape, but an image copy can only be on disk.

Backup Set

The Channels page allows you to specify a channel or channels. A channel establishes a connection from the database to the storage device for backup or restore operations. A channel can be either disk or tape-based. Multiple channels can be created to allow parallel backup/recovery by a single job.

Note: If you are connected to an appliance database, refer to the Oracle9i Appliance Administrator's Guide for information on features unique to appliance backups.

Note: At least one channel must exist before performing a backup, restore, or recover operation.

Attention: Oracle9i can only allocate one Recovery Manager channel at a time, thus limiting the parallelism to one stream. The Oracle9i Enterprise Edition allows unlimited parallelism. See Oracle9i New Features for details.


Definition of Channel

Select from one of the following types:

Note: You can have multiple channels, but the channels defined must have the same type.

Channel Name

User-specified name of the channel.

Note: If you want to backup multiple databases on the same machine using the same configuration, you must use %u in the format string in the configuration.

Format

<Directory>b_%u_%s_%p

<Directory>

Drive and path where backup sets are stored. You must specify a proper directory for the channel. The directory field must end with a proper delimiter, which is OS dependent.

File Name

Unique backup set name. The following parameters can be used:

Parameters (for Tape)

Parameters regarding the device to allocate. The Parameters field is active when channel type is set to Tape. For information on parms parameter, see the Oracle9i Recovery Manager User's Guide and Reference.

Channel Limits

Press the Channel Limits button to access the Channels Limits page in order to set the limits for any backup.

Insert

Allows you to create another channel definition.

Note: The channels defined must be the same type. For example, all disk or all tape.

Remove

Deletes the selected channel.

Image Copy

The Channels page allows you to specify a channel or channels. A channel establishes a connection from the database to the storage device for backup or restore operations. Multiple channels can be created to allow parallel backup/recovery by a single job. 

Image copies can only be written to disk.

In this panel, you can specify the number of channels required, the base location, and the channel limits for all the channels. You will not have to specify a name for each channel since it is generated automatically.

Note: At least one channel must exist before performing a backup, restore, or recover operation.

Attention: Oracle9i can only allocate one Recovery Manager channel at a time, thus limiting the parallelism to one stream. The Oracle9i Enterprise Edition allows unlimited parallelism. See Oracle9i New Features for more information about the features available with Oracle9i and Oracle9i Enterprise Edition.

Number of channels

Specify the number of channels for the image copy.

Base Location

The base directory is the location to which you want to copy all the selected files.

You must specify a proper directory for the channel. The directory field must end with a proper delimiter, which is OS dependent.

Note: Unlike a backup set, the image copy channel does not need a format because the copy is a one-to-one just like the "cp" command at the OS level.

Channel Limits

You can specify one set of channel limits, which applies to all the channels in an image copy configuration. Assigning different limits for different channels in an image copy is not a necessity.

Limits

The Limits page allows you to set the limits for any backup or copy operation. For any setting, you move the slider bar to change its value or type in the value. The number in the field changes according to the position of the slider bar.

Maximum Capacity (Mb)

When checked, it allows you set the maximum number of megabytes that a backup operation can write to a single backup piece.

Maximum Read Rate (Kb/s)

When checked, it allows you to control the number of blocks per second read by a backup or copy operation from or to any input datafile. Controlling the read rate ensures that a backup or copy operation does not consume excessive disk bandwidth, which can degrade online performance.

Maximum Open Files

When checked, it allows you to control the maximum number of input files that a backup operation can have open simultaneously. Setting maximum number of open files is particularly useful when backing up a large number of archivelogs into a single backup set.

Create Backup Configuration: Recovery Catalog Page

The Recovery Catalog page allows you to choose where you want the backup information to be stored.

Note: For Oracle9i, a recovery catalog is created if you specify for the Enterprise Manager repository to be located in a local database. Refer to the Configuration Assistant online help for details.

The recovery catalog contains the following information:

The choices are listed below.

In the target database's control file

The target database's control file. For information regarding the pros and cons of using a recovery catalog rather than a control file, see the Oracle9i Recovery Manager User's Guide and Reference.

In the Recovery Catalog

A repository of information that is used and maintained by the Recovery Manager. For information regarding the pros and cons of using a recovery catalog rather than a control file, see the Oracle9i Recovery Manager User's Guide and Reference.

Username

A user which contains the schema for the recovery catalog.

Password

The password of the user which contains the schema for the recovery catalog.

Service Name

The service name of the database where the recovery catalog resides.

If you have chosen to use a recovery catalog and clicked OK, the Create Backup Configuration checks that:

Important: The recovery catalog and the Oracle Enterprise Manager repository should not reside in the target database (database to be backed up). The recovery catalog can reside in the same database as your Oracle Enterprise Manager repository. Oracle recommends placing the recovery catalog in a separate tablespace. As with any important data, you should back up your recovery catalog regularly.

See the Oracle9i Recovery Manager User's Guide and Reference for information on operating with a recovery catalog.

Create Backup Configuration: Backup Parameters Page

The Backup Parameters page allows you to set storage parameters for the current backup set.

Override Recovery Manager defaults

Check the "Override Recovery Manager defaults" box to use this page to override the Recovery Manager default settings that the Recovery Manager has calculated.

This checkbox is disabled when "Image Copy" on the "Channels Page" is selected. The checkbox is enabled only when "Backup Set" is selected and the page is not read-only.

Maximum files at a time in a backup set

When checked, it allows you to set the maximum number of files that can be placed in a single backup set. If the number of files selected for the current backup exceed this number, multiple backup sets are created. In addition, multiple channels, if defined and available, will also be used.

Maximum size of a backup set

When checked, it allows you to set the maximum file size of a backup set. You can specify file size in megabytes or kilobytes. Specifying a set size for backup sets permits better load balancing when performing backups.

Maximum size of a backup set for archivelogs

When checked, it allows you to set the maximum file size of a backup set for archivelogs. You can specify file size in megabytes or kilobytes. Specifying a set size for backup for archivelogs permits better load balancing when performing backups.

Create Backup Configuration: Preferred Credentials Page

The Preferred Credentials page allows you to specify preferred credentials for running backup jobs. These configurations will take precedence over the preferred credentials set in the Oracle Enterprise Manager Console.

Use Preferred Credentials if you do not want to set the login credentials to SYSDBA in the Oracle Enterprise Manager Console. These credentials will only be used for backup and recovery jobs.

Note: The Backup Configuration you have set become your default backup configuration if you use the Backup and Recovery wizards and submit a job.

Catalog Maintenance Wizard

The Catalog Maintenance wizard helps you perform basic recovery catalog operations like register the database, reset the database, and re-synchronize the catalog.

Before attempting to use the Catalog Maintenance wizard, make sure the following requirements are met:

Note: You can submit a catalog maintenance job directly from the Job System, but the recommended method is through the wizard.

Catalog Maintenance Wizard: Introduction Page

The Catalog Maintenance wizard guides you through the process of defining the recovery catalog operation and submits a catalog maintenance job through the Enterprise Manager to complete the operation.

A checkbox "Display this page next time" is available where you can specify not to show this page once you are familiar with the Catalog Maintenance Wizard. By default, the checkbox is selected. If you deselect the checkbox, the wizard starts on the Operation Choice page the next time.

You can view the status of the job by selecting the Active and History page tabs in the Console's Job window.

Press Next to continue. The Catalog Maintenance Wizard: Operation Choice Page appears.

Catalog Maintenance Wizard: Operation Choice Page

The Operation Choice page allows you to manage the recovery catalog.

In order for the Backup wizard to use the recovery catalog, the database must be registered first.

Register database

Register the target database with the Recovery Catalog. The target database must be registered with the Recovery Catalog before the Backup wizard can use it. You only need to register the database once.

Resync catalog

Re-synchronizes the Recovery Catalog with the target database so that the recovery catalog is updated with current information from the control file of the target database. The recovery catalog must be periodically resynced from the target database in order to ensure the catalog is up-to-date. The recovery catalog is not updated automatically when a log switch occurs or when an log is archived. Also, any structural changes to the target database would require re-synchronization of the Recovery Catalog.

Depending on how often your target database structure changes (including archive logs), you must decide how often to resynchronize the catalog. It is recommended that you should resynchronize the catalog at least once a day. If your site generates many archived logs each day, then you should resynchronize the catalog more frequently.

Reset database

Reset the Recovery Catalog for the target database. Resetting the database is rarely performed and should only be done if all the information has been lost. You must reset the recovery catalog if the target database had been previously opened with the RESETLOGS option.

Press Next to continue. The Catalog Maintenance Wizard: Configuration Page appears.

Catalog Maintenance Wizard: Configuration Page

The Configuration page allows you to choose the configuration which has the recovery catalog information that you have set up previously using the Create Backup Configuration option.

Choose the configuration

Allows you to choose a configuration you have previously set up using the Create Backup Configuration Property Pages.

Description of the configuration

The description of the configuration.

Summary of the configuration:

For users registering a database or resynchronizing a catalog, press Next continue.

Proceed to Catalog Maintenance Wizard: Multiple Targets on page 11-31 if you have chosen to register a database.

Proceed to Catalog Maintenance Wizard: Schedule on page 11-31 if you have chosen to resynchronize the catalog.

For users resetting the database, press Finish to submit a catalog maintenance job through the Enterprise Manager to complete the operation.

Catalog Maintenance Wizard: Multiple Targets

The Multiple Targets page allows you to specify the target database(s) to submit the job. You can select from the list of databases shown on the Available targets window.

Move the selection(s) to and from the Available targets and Selected targets windows by using arrow buttons between them. By default, the database to which you are connected is shown in the Selected targets window.

Catalog Maintenance Wizard: Schedule

The Schedule page enables you to schedule the execution of a catalog maintenance job.

Run Job

Select the frequency of catalog maintenance job. The choices are Immediately, Once, On Interval, On Day of Week, and On Date of Month.

Note: If you choose a day, such as 31, that is not in a month, the job will not be run in that month. Choose the first day of the next month instead.

Start Execution

Choose the first date and time that you want the task executed. This is the starting time for any task scheduled on an interval.

End Execution

Choose the last date and time that you want the task executed. This option does not apply if you chose the Immediately or Once execution options.

Time Zone

Shows the time zone. The agent schedules the task execution at each destination based on the actual system time of each agent. Tasks are not necessarily run simultaneously.

Run on Multiple Targets

The Run on Multiple targets option allows you to access the Choose Targets page so that you can specify the target(s) to submit the job.

Catalog Maintenance Wizard: Summary

The Summary page appears when you click the Finish button. Information about the backup management job you just created using the Wizard is summarized before submission to the Oracle Enterprise Manager job system.

Clicking OK submits the job the Oracle Enterprise Manager job system.

Backup Configuration Library

The Backup Configuration Library page displays configurations created and saved using the Backup Configuration option.

Note: If you are connected to an appliance database, you can only view backup configurations for appliance databases. If you are connected to a normal database, you can only view backup configurations for normal databases. Refer to the Oracle9i Appliance Administrator's Guide for information on features unique to appliance backups.

Name: The name of the configuration

Description: The description of the configuration

Use Recovery Catalog: Whether the configuration uses a recovery catalog

This is useful if you want to perform the following tasks:

Double-click an entry in the Backup Configuration Library list to start the Backup Configuration option with the stored parameters.

Configuring a Remote Database for Backup or SYSDBA Administration

For target databases which are pre-8.1.x, before using one of the backup management wizards or starting up or shutting down a database through Oracle Enterprise Manager, you need to set up your database for remote SYSDBA management.

The following procedure outlines the operations you may need to perform on both the server and client if they have not been performed already through the Database Configuration Assistant. These steps are not necessary for Oracle 8.1.x and later databases.

Additional Information:

Refer to the operating system-specific documentation for your Oracle database for the exact name of the password file creation utility for your system.

Server Side (Windows NT)

  1. From the command prompt, run the ORAPWD executable to create a new password file.


    Note:

    The name of the ORAPWD executable depends on the database version.

    • Oracle 7.3.X: ORAPWD73

    • Oracle 8.0.X: ORAPWD80


    For example,

    $ORACLE_HOME\bin\orapwd file=<fname> password=<password> entries=<users>
    

    where

    fname is the name of password file (mandatory),

    password is the password for SYS (mandatory),

    entries is the maximum number of distinct DBAs and OPERs (optional),

    There are no spaces around the equal-to (=) character.

    The <fname> will be created in the Oracle_Home/Database directory.

  2. Edit the init.ora file located in the Oracle_Home/Admin/<SID>/pfile directory. Add or change the following parameter remote_login_passwordfile=exclusive in the init.ora file.

  3. Shut down your database and then restart it from Control Panel > Services.

  4. Grant SYSDBA and/or SYSOPER roles to users who will be performing remote DBA operations.


    Note:

    The grant is necessary even if the user already has this privilege set. The GRANT command will flush the username and the password to the password file if one is defined. After each reset/recreate of the password file, grants for all users with SYSOPER and SYSDBA have to be reset to ensure that the password file has all the necessary usernames stored.


  5. Check which users are defined in the password file by using the V$PWFILE_USERS view. The view will show which users are currently present in the password file.

Server Side (UNIX)

  1. Login as the owner of the software (for example, Oracle) and set your environment variables. The following is a CSH example.

    setenv ORACLE_HOME  the_database_home
    setenv ORACLE_SID   the_database_sid
    
    
  2. Change to the dbs directory in your Oracle home.

    cd $ORACLE_HOME/dbs
    
    
  3. Edit the init.ora file. Add or change the following parameter remote_login_passwordfile=exclusive in the init.ora file.

  4. Shut down your database and then restart it.

    1. Start SQL*Plus Worksheet.

    2. Log in as a user with the SYSDBA role.

    3. Type

      shutdown immediate 
      startup
      
      

    Shutting down the database is necessary for the database to pick up the changes in the init.ora file.

  5. Run the ORAPWD executable to create a new password file.


    Note:

    The name of the ORAPWD executable depends on the database version.

    • Oracle 7.3.X: ORAPWD73

    • Oracle 8.0.X: ORAPWD


    For example,

    $ORACLE_HOME/bin/orapwd file=<fname> password=<password> entries=<users>
    

    where fname is the name of password file (mandatory),

    password is the password for SYS (mandatory),

    entries is the maximum number of distinct DBAs and OPERs (optional).

    There are no spaces around the equal-to (=) character.

    The <fname> will be created in the $Oracle_Home/dbs directory.

    
    
  6. Grant SYSDBA and/or SYSOPER roles to users who will be performing remote DBA operations


    Note:

    The grant is necessary even if the user already has this privilege set. The GRANT command will flush the username and the password to the password file if one is defined. After each reset/recreate of the password file, grants for all users with SYSOPER and SYSDBA have to be reset to ensure that the password file has all the necessary usernames stored.


  7. Check which users are defined in the password file by using the V$PWFILE_USERS view. The view will show which users are currently present in the password file.

Recovery Catalog Setup and Registration

The recovery catalog is a repository of information that is used and maintained by Recovery Manager. Recovery Manager uses the information in the recovery catalog to determine how to execute requested backup and restore actions.

Because most of this information is also available from the target database's control file, you have the option of using the control file instead of creating a recovery catalog. This operational mode is appropriate for small databases. No setup is required if you are using the control file. However, Oracle recommends using a recovery catalog. If the control file is lost, the database cannot be recovered.

To use Oracle9i Recovery Manager with a recovery catalog, you must first install the recovery catalog and then register your database. It is recommended that you install the recovery catalog on a different location than the target database.

Note: For Oracle9i, a recovery catalog is created if you specify for the Enterprise Manager repository to be located in a local database. Refer to the Configuration Assistant online help for details.

For more information on recovery catalog maintenance, Recovery Manager, and backup and recovery strategies, see the Oracle9i Recovery Manager User's Guide and Reference.

Important:

Your Oracle Enterprise Manager Job system must be functioning properly before attempting to install the recovery catalog. You will need the Job system to register the target database in the recovery catalog.

9i Procedure

For Oracle9i, a recovery catalog is created if you specify for the Enterprise Manager repository to be located in a local database. Refer to the Configuration Assistant online help for details.

The recovery catalog will be created in the CATTBS tablespace for you by default with the recovery catalog user and password of rman/rman.

If you want to create the recovery catalog user and schema with a script, follow the procedure below:

  1. SQL Statements

    CREATE TABLESPACE "CATTBS" 
        LOGGING 
        DATAFILE 'CATTBS.dbf' SIZE 10M AUTOEXTEND
        ON MAXSIZE UNLIMITED EXTENT MANAGEMENT LOCAL;
    CREATE USER rman IDENTIFIED BY rman
    DEFAULT TABLESPACE CATTBS
    TEMPORARY TABLESPACE TEMP QUOTA UNLIMITED ON CATTBS;
    GRANT RECOVERY_CATALOG_OWNER TO rman;
    GRANT CONNECT, RESOURCE TO rman;
    
    
  2. RMAN Commands

    1. Start RMAN from command-line using

      rman CATALOG rman/rman@<database alias>
      
    2. After RMAN has started, issue the following command

      CREATE CATALOG;
      

The creation of the catalog could take several minutes.

Pre-8i and 8i Procedures

To set up a recovery catalog, you must complete the following procedures:

Create a Tablespace

  1. Start Storage Management.

  2. Log in as a user with the DBA role.

  3. Select Create from the Tablespace menu. The Create Tablespace property sheet appears.

  4. In the Name field, type the name of the new tablespace. For example, cattbs.

  5. Click the Add button in the Datafiles section. The Create Datafile property sheet appears, allowing you to specify a new datafile which will belong to the new tablespace.

  6. In the Name field, type in complete path and name of the datafile. For example: c:\orant\oradata\cattbs.dbf.

  7. In the Size section, enter the size of the new datafile. For example, 10 M. The datafile size will depend on the number of databaes and how often they are backed up.

  8. Click the OK button in the Create Datafile property sheet.

  9. Click the Create button in the Create Tablespace property sheet.

Create a User

  1. Start Security Management.

  2. Log in as a user with the DBA role.

  3. Choose Create from the User menu. The Create User property sheet appears.

  4. In the General Page, fill in the following information:

    In the Name field, enter the name of the new user. For example, rman.

    In the Password and Confirm Password fields, enter a password. For example, rman.

    Choose the default tablespace. For example, CATTBS.

    Choose the temporary tablespace. For example, TEMPORARY_DATA or TEMP.

  5. In the Roles Page, grant the RESOURCE and RECOVERY_CATALOG_OWNER roles to the user.

  6. In the Quotas Page, specify an unlimited quota for the default tablespace. In this example, the default tablespace is CATTBS.

  7. Click the Create button after specifying the requisite parameters.

Run the catrman Script (for pre-8i only)

  1. Start SQL*Plus on the machine where the database resides.

  2. Log in as the recovery catalog user you created. For example, user=rman, password=rman.

  3. Execute spool create_rman.log so that errors will be written in a log file.

  4. Execute the catrman script located in the Oracle_Home/rdbms/admin or Oracle_Home\rdbms\admin directory.

    If you are using SQL*Plus Worksheet, type @<full pathname and name of script> in the SQL*Plus Worksheet input panel and press the Execute button. For example, type @<Oracle_Home>/rdbms/admin/catrman and press the Execute button.

Create the Recovery Catalog (for 8i) on the Target Machine

  1. Connect to the recovery catalog from the operating system command line:

    %> rman catalog rman/rman@<service name for database>
    

    The correct output is shown below:

    RMAN-06008: connected to recovery catalog database
    RMAN-06428: recover catalog is not installed
    
  2. Issue the create catalog command to create the catalog.

    • For UNIX, type:

      RMAN> create catalog tablespace 'cattbs';
      
    • For Windows NT, type:

      RMAN> create catalog tablespace 'CATTBS';
      

Registering the Recovery Catalog

To register the recovery catalog for the first time, follow the steps 1 through 7.

  1. Start the Oracle Enterprise Manager Console.

  2. Click the right mouse button on the database in the Navigator tree. The context-sensitive Backup Management menu appears.

  3. Modify a backup configuration you are already using or choose Create Backup Configuration from the Backup Management menu so that you can create a backup configuration that uses a recovery catalog. The Create Backup Configuration property sheet appears.

  4. Fill out the General and Channels property pages.

  5. In the Recovery Catalog Page, fill in the following information:

    Choose "in a recovery catalog" as where you want your backup information stored.

    In the Username field, enter the name of the user. For example, rman.

    In the Password field, enter a password. For example, rman.

    In the Service field, enter the database where the Recovery Catalog resides.

  6. Fill out the Preferred Credentials page.

  7. Press the Create button. The database you selected will automatically be registered with the recovery catalog.


Note:

You only need to register the database once.


To use the same configuration on subsequent databases, follow steps 8 through 16.

  1. Click the right mouse button on the database in the Navigator tree. The context-sensitive Backup Management menu appears.

  2. Choose Catalog Maintenance from the Backup Management menu so that you can register the target database in the recovery catalog. The Catalog Maintenance appears. Click Next.

  3. In the Operation Choice Page, choose Register Database. Click Next.

  4. In the Configuration Page, ensure that you are using the Backup Configuration you have created/modified. Click Next.

  5. In the Multiple Targets Page, choose the destination target(s) to submit the job.

  6. Click the Finish button. At this point, the database registration is sent as a job to the Oracle Enterprise Manager Job system.

  7. When the summary screen appears, click OK to complete the operation.

  8. In the Console, click the registration job in the Active Jobs list to see the current state of the job.

  9. Once the job is completed, check the job history in the Jobs property sheet to make sure that the job completed successfully.

When the job completes successfully, your backup and recovery environment is configured. For more information on recovery catalog maintenance, Recovery Manager, and backup and recovery strategies, see the Oracle9i Recovery Manager User's Guide and Reference.

Dropping the Recovery Catalog

If you do no want to maintain a recovery catalog, then you can drop the recovery catalog schema from the tablespace. The drop catalog command deletes all information from the recovery catalog. Hence, if you have no backups of the recovery catalog schema, then all backups of all target databases managed by this catalog become unusable.

The drop catalog command is not appropriate for "unregistering" a single database from a catalog that has multiple target databases registered. If you try to delete the information for one target database by dropping the catalog, you thereby delete the information for all target databases.

To drop the recovery catalog schema:

  1. Use RMAN to connect to the target and recovery catalog databases.

    %> rman cattbs rman/rman@cattbs
    
  2. Issue the drop catalog command:

    RMAN> drop catalog
    

For drop catalog command syntax, see the Oracle9i Recovery Manager User's Guide and Reference.

Upgrading the Recovery Catalog

If you use a version of the recovery catalog that is older than that required by the RMAN executable, then you must upgrade it. For example, you must upgrade the catalog if you use an Oracle9i RMAN with an Oracle9i recovery catalog.

Note: You will receive an error if the recovery catalog is already at a version greater than that required by the RMAN executable. RMAN permits the command to be run if the recovery catalog is current, however, so that you can re-create packages if necessary. Check the message log for error messages generated during the upgrade.

To upgrade the recovery catalog:

  1. Use RMAN to connect to the target and recovery catalog databases.

    %> rman cattbs rman/rman@cattbs
    

  1. Issue the upgrade catalog command:

    RMAN> upgrade catalog
    

  1. Enter the update catalog command again to confirm:

    RMAN> upgrade catalog
    

For upgrade catalog command syntax, see the Oracle9i Recovery Manager User's Guide and Reference.


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