This preface contains:
The following are changes in Oracle Secure Backup Administrator’s Guide for Oracle Database 12c Release 1 (12.1.0.3).
New Features
Backup job ownership
You can transfer the ownership of file-system backups to an Oracle Secure Backup user who is different from the user who created the backup.
See Adding an On-Demand Backup Request and Adding a Backup Schedule.
The following are changes in Oracle Secure Backup Administrator's Guide for Oracle Database 12c Release 1 (12.1).
The following features are new in this release:
Disk as a Storage Medium for Backup and Restore Operations
Oracle Secure Backup provides integrated disk backup and restore capabilities. You can use disk as a backup target or a restore source for both file-system and Oracle Database backup and restore operations. Storing backup on disk provides improved performance for file-system backup and restore operations. Tape device utilization can be improved by first creating backups on disk and then moving them to tape.
You can create multiple instances of a particular backup. Oracle Secure Backup distinguishes the metadata that defines the backup from the actual backup data. A backup image refers to the metadata that includes device-independent information about the backup. The actual data that is backed up is called a backup image instance. A single backup image can have multiple backup image instances.
Automatic Device Discovery
Oracle Secure Backup simplifies the process of configuring and monitoring devices by automatically discovering devices that are attached to media servers and then configuring them as devices in the administrative domain.
Enhancements to Browsing Backup Data from the Catalog
You can now search for multiple backup entries while browsing the backup catalog. You can use Oracle Secure Backup wildcard pattern matching while providing required backup details. Wildcard pattern matching uses a set of character patterns to search for related backups without providing complete information.
Enhancements to Restoring Data from the Catalog
Oracle Secure Backup now also enables you to restore multiple backup entries using wildcard pattern matching.
Storing Catalog Information on Tape
Importing backup catalog from tape to the Oracle Secure Backup domain was possible with the previous product architecture. The new method, introduced in 12.1, of importing and cataloging volume sets is much faster.
This process stores the backup catalog data after the backup image instance on tape. The backup catalog data contains the information required to rebuild that backup image instance in the current Oracle Secure Backup domain. This makes it easier for the user to view the details of a stored backup and select it for restore.
Password Lifetime Management
With Oracle Secure Backup 12.1, you can set advanced settings for your user password. Three new settings and password policies have been introduced.
Password lifetime determines the duration of validity of a password, in number of days. Password grace time determines the duration for which a user can continue using a password after its lifetime expires. Password reuse time specifies the duration after which a user can reuse an old Oracle Secure Backup password.
The option to force a password change has also been introduced.
Volume Status
Oracle Secure Backup 12.1 supports a volume status for each individual volume. A volume's status can be usable (default), read only, or out of service. Only a volume that is marked as usable will be considered during the backup volume selection process. A volume marked as read only or out of service will not be considered for any tape write operation.
See Also: