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Oracle® Secure Backup Administrator's Guide
Release 10.2

Part Number E05407-02
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8 Performing Maintenance

This chapter describes how to perform maintenance tasks with Oracle Secure Backup.

This chapter contains these sections:

Managing Backup and Restore Jobs

A backup or restore request is distinct from a job. A request is not yet eligible to run. When you send a file system backup or restore request to the Oracle Secure Backup scheduler, the request becomes a job and is eligible to run.

This section describes Oracle Secure Backup jobs and how to manage them.

This section contains these topics:

Displaying the Jobs Page

In the Manage page, click Jobs to display the page shown in Figure 8-1. You can perform all job-related tasks in this page or in pages to which it provides links.

The central text box contains the following information for each backup job:

  • ID, which specifies the Oracle Secure Backup-assigned job identifier

  • Type, which specifies the type of job

  • State, which specifies the job status: pending, completed, or failed.

Note that you can also monitor and manage jobs from the Oracle Secure Backup Home page, which is shown in Figure 8-2. The Home page contains sections that show failed, active, pending, and completed jobs.

See Also:

Oracle Secure Backup Reference to learn about the job commands in obtool

Displaying Jobs

This section describes how to display information about Oracle Secure Backup jobs.

To display jobs:

  1. In the Jobs page, check one or more of the following job display options:

    • Active

      Select this option to display the status of each backup job currently in progress.

    • Complete

      Select this option to display the status of completed jobs, whether they succeeded or not.

    • Pending

      Select this option if you want to view the status of jobs that are pending, but not presently running.

    • Input pending

      Select this option to view the status of jobs that are running and requesting input now.

    • Today

      Select this option to display the status of each backup job scheduled to run today.

    • Scheduled time

      Select this option to display jobs scheduled within a time range that you select as follows:

      • Check the From date box and enter a date and time to show only jobs whose state was updated at or later than the indicated time.

      • Check the To date box and enter a date and time to show only jobs whose state was updated at or before the indicated time.

        The format for dates is year/month/day.hour:minute[:second], for example, 2005/5/19.12:43.

  2. In the Types box, select one or more job types.

  3. In the Host list, optionally select a host to limit the jobs displayed to those pertinent to a specific host.

  4. In the User list, optionally select an Oracle Secure Backup user to limit the jobs displayed to those instantiated by the specified user.

  5. In the Dataset list, select a dataset file to limit the jobs displayed to a particular dataset file or directory. See "File System Backup Types" to learn about datasets.

  6. Click Apply to accept your selections.

Displaying Job Properties

This section explains how to view job properties. Job properties include the type, level, family, scheduled time, and so on.

To display job properties:

  1. In the Jobs page, select a job from the central text box.

  2. Click the Show Properties button.

    The Job Properties page appears.

  3. Click Close to return to the Jobs page.

Displaying Job Transcripts

This section explains how to view job transcripts. Oracle Secure Backup maintains a running transcript for each job. The transcript describes the details of the job's operation. To display a transcript, you must be a member of a class that has the list any jobs owned by user or list any job, regardless of its owner right.

See Also:

Oracle Secure Backup Reference for more information on Oracle Secure Backup rights

To display a job transcript:

  1. In the Jobs page, select a job and click Show Transcript.

    The Oracle Secure Backup Web tool displays a page with the transcript.

  2. Scroll down the page to view more information.

    At the end of the page, you can modify the transcript viewing criteria.

  3. In the Level list, optionally select a message level.

    Oracle Secure Backup tags each message it writes to a transcript with a severity level. These levels range from 0 to 9. The severity level describes the importance of the message.

    When displaying a transcript, you can direct Oracle Secure Backup to display only messages of a certain severity level or higher. Its default level is 4 (Request), meaning normal messages produced by Oracle Secure Backup. Refer to the catxcr command description in Oracle Secure Backup Reference for more information.

  4. Optionally, check Suppress input to suppress input requests. When a request for input is recognized, Oracle Secure Backup prompts for a response. Specifying this option suppresses this action.

  5. Optionally, check Show line numbers to prefix each line with its message number.

  6. Optionally, select one of the following options to control the transcript display:

    • Start at line

      Select this option and enter a number with which you want the transcript view to start. For example, if you enter '10,' then the view starts with message 10. Message 1 through 9 are not displayed.

    • Head lines

      Select this option and enter a number to display the first specified number of lines of the transcript having a message severity level at or above the value you selected.

    • Tail lines

      Select this option and enter a number to display the last specified number lines of the transcript having a message severity level at or above the value you selected.

  7. In the Page refresh (in seconds) box, optionally enter a number of seconds. The default is 60 seconds.

  8. Choose one of the following:

    • Click Apply to apply your selections.

    • Click Close to close the page.

Backup Statistics

The transcript for a backup job contains the statistics shown in Table 8-1.

Table 8-1 Job Transcript Backup Statistics

Statistic Description

status

Overall status of backup. See samples/obexit.h in your Oracle Secure Backup home directory for more information on status codes

devices

Name(s) of tape drive(s) used during the backup

devices

Number of tape drives used

volumes

Volume ID(s) used during the backup

voltags

Volume tags (barcodes) used during the backup

file

File number

host

Name of client host

encryption

Encryption used. Values are off, on, transient, forcedoff, or RMAN. If the value displayed is on or transient, then the algorithm used is also shown as aes128, aes192, or aes256.

start_time

Time at which backup started

end_time

Time at which backup completed

backup_time

Time at which backup started. This is normally the same as start_time. It might differ if an archive is being read, in which case the backup_time comes from the archive label.

entries_scanned

Number of file system entries scanned

kbytes_scanned

Number of file system kilobytes scanned

entries_excluded

Number of file system entries excluded, either because the file matches an exclusion statement in the dataset or it is an Oracle file that is being excluded

entries_skipped

Number of file system entries skipped, either because the file was not modified sufficiently recently during an incremental backup or because the file is an obfuscated wallet

mount_points_skipped

Number of file system entries that were skipped because they were mount points, either local or remote, and obtar was told to skip that mount point type

files

Number of files scanned

directories

Number of directories scanned

hardlinks

Number of hard links scanned

symlinks

Number of symbolic (soft) links scanned

sparse_files

Number of files that were discovered to be sparse. A sparse file is a file that has areas that do not correspond to any valid data.

filesys_errors

Number of file system errors encountered

unknown_type

Number of files of unknown type that were encountered

file_kbytes

Total kilobytes of file system data written to tape

dev_kbytes

Total kilobytes of data written to tape

dev_iosecs

Total seconds that the tape drive was open, beginning with the open() operation and ending with the close() operation

dev_iorate

Rate at which data was written to tape

wrt_iosecs

Total seconds during which data was being written to tape. This excludes time spent on such activities as positioning the tape and reading labels.

wrt_iorate

Rate at which data was written to tape during write operations

physical_blks_written

Number of physical blocks written, as reported by the tape drive

write_errors

Number of physical blocks that encountered unrecoverable write errors and therefore had to be rewritten to tape

physical_blks_read

Number of physical blocks read, as reported by the tape drive

read_errors

Number of physical blocks that encountered unrecoverable read errors and therefore had to be reread from tape

error_rate

The sum of read errors and write errors divided by the sum of total blocks read and total blocks written

path path_name

Final status of the backup of the path path_name. There are separate entries for each path named in the dataset.


Note:

Both dev_iorate and wrt_iorate are calculated using the same amount of data written, but the elapsed times used in the calculations are different. Because dev_iosecs is typically larger than wrt_iosecs, dev_iorate is typically less than wrt_iorate.

Removing a Job

This section explains how to remove a job. Removing a job has the effect of canceling it and deleting all record of its, and its subordinates, existence. You can remove a job only if it is not running. After removing a job, you can no longer view its status.

Note:

As explained in "Canceling a Job", you can cancel a job and retain its history and transcript.

To remove a job:

  1. In the Jobs page, select a job from the central text box.

  2. Click the Remove button.

    The Oracle Secure Backup Web tool prompts you to confirm the job removal.

  3. Click Yes to remove the job.

Running a Job

This section explains how to direct Oracle Secure Backup to run a job at other than the scheduled time or priority, or using a specific tape device. To use this function, you must be a member of a class that has the modify any jobs owned by user or the modify any job, regardless of its owner right enabled.

See Also:

Oracle Secure Backup Reference for more information on Oracle Secure Backup rights

You can direct Oracle Secure Backup to start a job:

  • Immediately

  • In an order different from that chosen by the scheduler

  • On a specific tape device or a tape device from which the job was previously restricted

To alter when Oracle Secure Backup runs a job:

  1. In the Jobs page, select a job from the central text box.

  2. Click Run.

  3. In the Devices list, optionally select a tape device on which to run the job. If the job was restricted to another tape device or set of tape devices, then your selection here overrides that restriction. Note that if you select Now in the next step, then you must choose a tape device.

  4. Optionally select one of the following options:

    • Now

      Select this option to run the job immediately. If the preceding tape device you selected is not currently available, then Oracle Secure Backup displays an error and this operation has no effect.

    • ASAP

      Select this option to run the job as soon as possible by lowering it to priority 1.

    • Job Priority

      Select this option and enter a new job priority in the Priority box. The default priority is 100.

      The priority for a job is a positive numeric value. The lower the value, the greater the priority assigned to the job by the scheduler. For example, priority 20 jobs are higher priority than priority 100 jobs. The scheduler dispatches higher priority jobs over lower priority ones, providing all resources required to run the job are available.

  5. Choose one of the following:

    • Click Apply to accept your changes and remain in the page.

    • Click Cancel to void the operation and move back one page.

Canceling a Job

This section explains how to cancel a job. Canceling a job aborts the job if it is running, then marks its job record as "canceled." Oracle Secure Backup considers canceled jobs as no longer runnable. If you cancel a job that has subordinates, then each of its subordinate jobs is also canceled.

To cancel a job:

  1. In the Jobs page, select a job from the central text box.

  2. Click the Cancel button.

Browsing Volumes

Volumes are the media on which backup data is stored. This section describes how to display information about a volume.

This section includes these topics:

Displaying the Browse Volumes Page

In the Manage page, click Volumes to display the page shown in Figure 8-3. This page lists every volume in the volume catalog.

Note:

To list volumes in a specified tape library, go to the Libraries page described in "Running Library Commands" and click List Volumes.

Figure 8-3 Browse Volumes Page

Shows the Users page.
Description of "Figure 8-3 Browse Volumes Page"

See Also:

Oracle Secure Backup Reference to learn about the lsvol command in obtool

Displaying Volumes

This section describes how to display information about Oracle Secure Backup volumes and media families.

By default, the Browse Volumes page displays the attributes of each volume in the catalog.

To restrict display of volume and media family information:

  1. In the Viewing Options section of the Browse Volumes page, optionally check one or more of the following volume display options:

    • Group volume set members

      Check this box to group volumes in the same volume set.

    • Show whole volume sets

      Check this box to display all volume set members for each volume displayed.

    • Show volumes with no volume IDs

      Check this box to display volumes with no volume IDs.

    • Show volumes with no barcodes

      Check this box to display volumes with no tags.

  2. In the Viewing Options section of the Browse Volumes page, optionally enter text in the following boxes to restrict output:

    • VID

      Enter a volume ID in this box to restrict output to the specified VID. Separate multiple volume IDs with commas.

    • Barcode

      Enter a barcode in this box to restrict output to the specified barcode. Separate multiple barcodes with commas.

    • Volume set ID

      Enter a volume set ID in this box to restrict output to the specified volume set. The set ID represents the volume ID of the first volume in the volume set. Separate multiple volume set IDs with commas.

  3. In the Viewing Options section of the Browse Volumes page, optionally select options from the following lists:

    • Media families

      Select one or more media families in this list to restrict output to volumes in the specified families.

    • Attributes

      Select one of the attributes in this list to restrict output to volumes in the specified families. Valid values for this placeholder are the following:

      • open, which means that the volume is open for writing

      • closed, which means that the volume is closed for writing

      • expired, which means that the volume is expired (see "Volume Expiration Policies")

      • unexpired, which means that the volume is not expired

    • OID

      Enter a volume catalog identifier in this box to restrict output to the specified volume. Separate multiple volume OIDs with commas.

  4. Click Apply to accept your selections.

Displaying Backup Sections

This section describes how to display backup section information on a volume.

To display the backup sections on a value:

  1. In the Browse Volumes page, select a volume from the main window.

  2. Click List Backup Sections.

    The List Sections property page appears. This page displays the file number, section number, and volume ID for every backup section on the volume.

  3. Click Close after you have finished reviewing the information.

Managing Backup Images

The backup of an Oracle database performed with RMAN results in a backup set. The physical files are called backup pieces. When you use Oracle Secure Backup to store database backups on tape, each backup piece is created as one backup image.

This section includes these topics:

Displaying the Backup Images Page

In the Manage page, click Backup Images to display the page shown in Figure 8-4. This page lists the backup images generated by RMAN.

Figure 8-4 Backup Images Page

Shows the Users page.
Description of "Figure 8-4 Backup Images Page"

See Also:

Oracle Secure Backup Reference to learn about the lspiece command in obtool

Displaying Backup Images

This section describes how to display information about RMAN backup images. By default, the main box in the Backup Images page displays each backup image recorded in the catalog.

To restrict display of backup images:

  1. In the Viewing Options section of the Backup Images page, you can restrict the display as follows:

    • hosts

      Select one or more hosts in the list to show only the backup images of databases on the selected hosts.

    • Content

      Select a content type to restrict the display to full, incremental, autobackup, or archivelog.

    • Database name

      Enter a database name to restrict the display to backups of the specified database.

  2. Click Apply to accept your selections.

Managing Backup Sections

A backup section is the part of a backup image that fits on one tape. If a single backup image spans multiple tapes, then the portion of the image on each tape is a separate section.

This section includes these topics:

Displaying the Backup Sections Page

In the Manage page, click Backup Sections to display the page shown in Figure 8-5. This page lists every backup section recorded in the catalog.

Figure 8-5 Backup Sections Page

Shows the Users page.
Description of "Figure 8-5 Backup Sections Page"

See Also:

Oracle Secure Backup Reference to learn about the lssection command in obtool

Updating the Catalog After Deletion of Backup Sections

This section describes how to update the Oracle Secure Backup to reflect backup sections that have been deleted. This action is meaningful only for a content-managed volume.

When you click Remove, Oracle Secure Backup does not physically remove the section from the volume, but updates the catalog to indicate that the backup section has been removed. Typically, you click Remove only when the catalog requires manual update. This action is meaningful only for content-managed volumes. When all sections are deleted from a content-managed volume, Oracle Secure Backup considers the volume eligible for overwriting.

Note:

If you remove a backup section that contains an RMAN backup piece, then Oracle Secure Backup responds to RMAN queries concerning the backup piece by saying that it does not exist.

To update the catalog concerning deleted backup sections:

  1. In the main box of the Backup Sections page, select the backup sections that have been deleted.

  2. Click Remove.

    A confirmation page appears.

  3. Click Yes to confirm the deletion.

    The Backup Sections page appears. The deleted backup section no longer appears in the main box.

Managing Checkpoints

You can restart some filer backups from a mid-point if they fail before completing. A checkpoint is a collection of state information that describes a specific mid-point in a backup job and how to restart from it. Some information for each checkpoint resides on the Oracle Secure Backup administrative server; the remainder resides on the client.

Displaying the Checkpoints Page

In the Manage page, click Checkpoints to display the page shown in Figure 8-6. This page displays all checkpoints for hosts in the administrative domain.

Figure 8-6 Manage Checkpoints Page

Description of Figure 8-6 follows
Description of "Figure 8-6 Manage Checkpoints Page"

See Also:

Oracle Secure Backup Reference to learn about the checkpoint commands in obtool

Removing a Checkpoint

Although normally not required, you can manually remove checkpoint data for any job. This action has the effect of reclaiming disk space as follows:

Note:

If you remove a checkpoint for an incomplete backup job, then the job restarts from its beginning if it fails before completing.

To remove a checkpoint:

  1. In the main box, select the job whose checkpoint you want to remove.

  2. Click Remove.

    A confirmation page appears.

  3. Click Yes to confirm the deletion.

    The Status area displays the result of the operation.

Managing Daemons

Daemons are background processes that perform Oracle Secure Backup operations.This section explains how to view the status of and manage Oracle Secure Backup daemons.

This section contains these topics:

Displaying the Daemons Page

In the Manage page, click Daemons to display the page shown in Figure 8-7. This page enables you to manage the Oracle Secure Backup daemons.

See Also:

Oracle Secure Backup Reference to learn about the daemon commands in obtool

Performing Daemon Operations

Oracle Secure Backup daemons respond to a common set of control commands. Sending these commands is rarely needed and is considered advanced usage.

To send a command to a daemon:

  1. In the Type list, select the daemon that you want to control.

  2. In the Host list, select the host on which the daemon runs.

  3. In the Command list, select one of the following options:

    • dump

      Directs the daemon to dump internal state information to its log file.

    • reinitialize

      Directs the daemon to reread configuration data.

    • debugon

      Directs the daemon to generate extra information to its log file.

    • debugoff

      Cancels debugon. This is the default state.

  4. Click Apply to accept your selections.

    A Success or Error message displays the result of the operation.

Viewing Daemon Properties

This section explains how to view daemon properties.

To view daemon properties:

  1. In the Type list, select the daemon that you want to control.

  2. In the Host list, select the host on which the daemon runs.

  3. Click the Show Properties button.

    The Daemon Properties page displays the following information:

    • Process ID

      Specifies an integer number assigned by the operating system identifying the process in which the daemon is running.

    • Daemon/Service

      Specifies the name of the daemon.

    • Qualifier

      Specifies a text string that augments the daemon/service name. For example, for obrobotd, this is the name of the tape library that the daemon is servicing. For obixd, this is the name of the client on whose behalf obixd is running.

    • Listen port

      Specifies the TCP port number on which the daemon or service is listening.

Suspending and Resuming Job Dispatching

This section explains how to temporarily suspend and later resume Oracle Secure Backup's dispatching of jobs. When job dispatching is suspended, running jobs will be allowed to complete, but the scheduler will start no new jobs.

The scheduler resumes job dispatching for suspended jobs when you click Resume or restart Oracle Secure Backup on the administrative server.

To suspend job dispatching:

  • Click Suspend button on the Daemon Operations page.

    In the Status area, a confirmation displays the result of the operation.

    Any pending backup and restore (scheduled or one-time) are no longer dispatched. Jobs that are already running are permitted to finish.

To resume job dispatching:

  • Click Resume on the Daemon Operations page.

    In the Status area, a confirmation displays the result of the operation.