This chapter describes the two Oracle Secure Backup tape management editions along with feature availability and the Oracle Secure Backup Cloud Module.
This chapter contains these sections:
Oracle Secure Backup is a centralized tape backup management solution providing high performance, heterogeneous data protection in distributed UNIX, Linux, Windows, and Network Attached Storage (NAS) environments. Protecting file-system and Oracle Database data, Oracle Secure Backup provides a complete tape backup solution for your IT environment. In addition to tape backup, Oracle Secure Backup delivers an integrated Oracle Database backup to third-party cloud (Internet) storage, through the Oracle Secure Backup Cloud Module.
Oracle Secure Backup offers two tape management editions, each suitable for different development and deployment scenarios:
Oracle Secure Backup is ideally suited for distributed environments consisting of multiple servers with advanced data protection requirements such as encryption, rotation of tapes between multiple locations, and protection of NAS devices.
Oracle Secure Backup Express edition provides reliable data protection for single-server Oracle Database environments. Oracle Secure Backup Express is available free with the Oracle Database and is the same core product as Oracle Secure Backup. The Express edition is limited to a single host with one direct-attached tape drive and has some restrictions on advanced feature usage, as shown in Table 1-1.
The Oracle Secure Backup Cloud Module provides Oracle Database backup to cloud storage using Recovery Manager (RMAN) and is independent of the Oracle Secure Backup tape management editions. The Oracle Secure Backup Cloud Module can be used as a complement or replacement for the Oracle Secure Backup tape management solution or other third-party media-management products.
Table 1-1 lists the features available in Oracle Secure Backup and Oracle Secure Backup Express. This table explains the differences between Oracle Secure Backup and Oracle Secure Backup Express and helps you to determine which deployment is best for your business.
Table 1-1 Feature Availability of Oracle Secure Backup and Oracle Secure Backup Express
| Feature | Oracle Secure Backup Express | Oracle Secure Backup |
|---|---|---|
|
Integrated with RMAN for online tape backup and restore of Oracle Database |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Backup and restore of non-database file-system data |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Integrated with Oracle Enterprise Manager starting with Oracle Database 10g Release 2 |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Backup of Oracle Real Application Clusters (Oracle RAC) environments |
No |
Yes |
|
Integrated with Oracle Enterprise Manager Grid Control starting with Oracle Database 10g Release 2 |
No |
Yes |
|
Multiple tape drive usage within the backup environment |
No |
Yes |
|
Fibre attached device support |
No |
Yes |
|
Backup encryption to tape |
No |
Yes |
|
RMAN advanced backup compression levels |
No |
Yes |
|
ACSLS support |
No |
Yes |
|
Vaulting support (automates rotation of tapes between multiple locations) |
No |
Yes |
|
Networked backup of distributed servers and/or tape devices |
No |
Yes |
The Oracle Secure Backup Cloud Module delivers Oracle RMAN integration with Amazon S3 using an SBT library specific to Amazon S3. Initially, the Oracle Secure Backup Cloud Module has been qualified with Amazon S3 and might be expanded to other cloud storage vendors in the future.
The Oracle Secure Backup Cloud Module is licensed for each RMAN channel simultaneously used by the backup domain to an Amazon S3 destination. An Oracle Secure Backup Cloud Module license can be shared among multiple Oracle Database backups, as long as the number of RMAN channels for backup to the cloud does not exceed the number of Oracle Secure Backup Cloud Module licenses. For example, if one environment has 12 Oracle Secure Backup Cloud Module licenses, then 3 Oracle Database backups could each use 4 RMAN channels simultaneously or 1 Oracle Database backup could use all 12 RMAN channels at one time as long as no other RMAN channels were being used.
Cloud storage costs associated with Oracle Database backups are set by Amazon S3 and are independent of Oracle. An Amazon S3 user account must be established before performing Oracle RMAN backups directly to Amazon S3 using the Oracle Secure Backup Cloud Module.
Note:
The Oracle Secure Backup Cloud Module is not available with Oracle Secure Backup Express edition.The Oracle Database Enterprise Edition (EE) offers licensed options for some advanced database management technologies. Oracle Secure Backup includes use of two optimizations at no additional cost. These optimizations are normally available only with the purchase of the Oracle Advanced Security Option or the Oracle Advanced Compression Option. This Oracle Secure Backup special-use licensing includes:
RMAN backup encryption beginning with Oracle Database 10g Release 2
Direct to tape is available only when using Oracle Secure Backup. It is not available when using third-party media-management products.
Direct to cloud storage, using Amazon S3, is available when using the Oracle Secure Backup Cloud Module.
RMAN backup compression algorithms that would otherwise require Oracle Advanced Compression option
The RMAN backup compression special-use licensing is available when using the Oracle Secure Backup Cloud Module or the Oracle Secure Backup tape-management solution and is not available with the Oracle Secure Backup Express edition.
The Oracle Secure Backup special-use licenses apply to RMAN backup encryption, which is a component of the Oracle Advanced Security Option, and RMAN backup compression levels, which are components of the Oracle Advanced Compression Option. To use additional features of the Oracle Advanced Security Option or the Oracle Advanced Compression Option, you must license those options separately. In addition, the Oracle Advanced Security Option must be licensed when performing RMAN encrypted backups directly to disk (not cloud), whether or not Oracle Secure Backup is the media manager.
While Oracle Secure Backup supports all editions of Oracle Database, special-use licensing is only available when backing up an Oracle Database Enterprise Edition.
Note:
Oracle Secure Backup release 10.4 provides the ability to encrypt Oracle9i forward and file-system backups.Oracle Secure Backup Express is bundled with the Oracle Database. Support for Oracle Secure Backup Express is provided exclusively through a free Oracle Discussion Forum monitored by Oracle employees as well as community experts.
Updates and technical support are provided only to customers who maintain technical support services for their Oracle licenses in accordance with Oracle's Technical Support Policies. Oracle Secure Backup is a separately licensed product and is supported in accordance with Oracle's Technical Support Policies.