a0085 oracle database 10g rman backu morebook vn 2781

Oracle Database 10g RMAN Backup & Recovery
by Matthew Hart and Robert G. Freeman Oracle Press © 2007 (696 pages) CitationISBN:9780072263176

1. Deploy a rock-solid data backup and disaster recovery strategy with the in-depth guidance of this authoritative text.
Learn how to set up RMAN-ready databases, create reliable backup tapes and discs, and perform accurate Oracle
system restores.

TOC

Introduction....................................................................................................................................... 13
Answering the Question…and Asking a New One ...................................................................... 13
A Book for the DBA and the Sys Admin ............................................................................... 13
RMAN: An Evolution into Excellence ................................................................................... 14
What This Book Covers .......................................................................................................... 14
Using This Book Effectively .................................................................................................. 14
RMAN Workshops ................................................................................................................. 15
Part I: Getting Started with RMAN in Oracle Database 10g....................................................... 15
Chapter List................................................................................................................................... 16
Chapter 1: Oracle Database 10g Backup and Recovery Architecture Tour............................... 16
Overview....................................................................................................................................... 16
Backup and Recovery Essentials .................................................................................................. 17
High Availability..................................................................................................................... 17
Backup and Recovery ............................................................................................................. 17
A Few Oracle Terms to Know ...................................................................................................... 18
Controlling the Database Software ............................................................................................... 20
Oracle Architecture ....................................................................................................................... 21
The Oracle Processes .............................................................................................................. 21
Oracle Memory and RMAN ................................................................................................... 22
The Oracle Database ............................................................................................................... 23
ARCHIVELOG Mode vs. NOARCHIVELOG Mode............................................................ 25
Oracle Logical Structures........................................................................................................ 25

The Combined Picture .................................................................................................................. 25
Startup and Shutdown of the Database ................................................................................... 25
Using the Database and Internals............................................................................................ 27
Oracle Backup and Recovery Primer............................................................................................ 29
Logical Backup and Recovery ................................................................................................ 29
Oracle Physical Backup and Recovery ................................................................................... 30
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Backing Up Other Oracle Components .................................................................................. 33
Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 34
Chapter 2: Introduction to the RMAN Architecture .................................................................... 34
Server-Managed Recovery............................................................................................................ 34
The RMAN Utility ........................................................................................................................ 35
RMAN and Database Privileges ............................................................................................. 35
The Network Topology of RMAN Backups................................................................................. 36
Running RMAN Remotely ..................................................................................................... 36
Running RMAN Locally from the Target Database’s ORACLE_HOME ............................. 37
The Database Control File ............................................................................................................ 38
Record Reuse in the Control File ............................................................................................ 39
The Snapshot Control File ...................................................................................................... 40
The RMAN Server Processes ....................................................................................................... 41
RMAN Channel Processes...................................................................................................... 41
The SYS Packages Used by RMAN ............................................................................................. 42
SYS.DBMS_RCVMAN ......................................................................................................... 42
SYS.DBMS_BACKUP_RESTORE....................................................................................... 42
Backing Up the Data Block .......................................................................................................... 43
The Data Block Backup Overview ......................................................................................... 43
The Benefits of Block-Level Backups .................................................................................... 43
RMAN in Memory........................................................................................................................ 44

Input Memory Buffers ............................................................................................................ 45
Memory Buffers on Restore.................................................................................................... 46
RMAN Memory Utilization: PGA vs. SGA ........................................................................... 46
The Recovery Catalog................................................................................................................... 47
The Auxiliary Database ................................................................................................................ 48
Compatibility Issues...................................................................................................................... 49
The Target and the RMAN Executable................................................................................... 49
The Catalog Database and Catalog Schema ........................................................................... 50
The Auxiliary Database .......................................................................................................... 50
The RMAN Process: From Start to Finish.................................................................................... 50
The Flash Recovery Area.............................................................................................................. 52
Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 52
Part II: Setup Principles and Practices........................................................................................... 53
Chapter List................................................................................................................................... 53
Chapter 3: RMAN Setup and Configuration ................................................................................. 53
Configuring Your Database to Run in ARCHIVELOG Mode ..................................................... 53
ARCHIVELOG Destination Directories ................................................................................ 53
The Flash Recovery Area........................................................................................................ 54
Should You Use the FRA?...................................................................................................... 59
Switching Between ARCHIVELOG Modes .......................................................................... 59
If You Created Your Database with the Oracle Database Configuration Assistant ............... 59
RMAN Workshop: Put the Database in ARCHIVELOG Mode ............................................ 59
The RMAN Command Line ......................................................................................................... 61
Connecting via the RMAN Command Line ........................................................................... 61
Using the RMAN connect Command ..................................................................................... 63
Exiting the RMAN Client ....................................................................................................... 63
Configuring the Database for RMAN Operations ........................................................................ 63
Setting Up the Database User ................................................................................................. 63
RMAN Workshop: Create the Target Database RMAN Backup Account............................. 64
Setting Up Database Security ................................................................................................. 64

Setting the CONTROL_FILE_ RECORD_KEEP_TIME Parameter ..................................... 65
Configuring RMAN Default Settings ..................................................................................... 66
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If You Are Using Shared Servers ........................................................................................... 75
Summary of RMAN Configuration Tasks .................................................................................... 75
The Recovery Catalog................................................................................................................... 76
What Is the Recovery Catalog?............................................................................................... 76
Creating the Recovery Catalog ............................................................................................... 77
RMAN Workshop: Create the Recovery Catalog User Account............................................ 77
RMAN Workshop: Create the Recovery Catalog................................................................... 78
RMAN Workshop: Register Your Database in the Recovery Catalog................................... 78
Backing Up and Recovering the Recovery Catalog ............................................................... 80
Other Backup and Recovery Setup and Configuration Considerations ........................................ 80
Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 80
Chapter 4: Media Management Considerations ............................................................................ 80
Overview....................................................................................................................................... 80
Tape Backups in a Disk Backup World ........................................................................................ 81
RMAN and the Media Manager: An Overview............................................................................ 82
The Media Manager Catalog................................................................................................... 83
The Media Manager: Other Software Components ................................................................ 83
Media Management Library.................................................................................................... 83
RMAN Workshop: Test Tape Channels with the Oracle Default SBT Interface ................... 84
Interfacing with the MML....................................................................................................... 85
The SBT API................................................................................................................................. 85
Back Up to Tape: From Start to Finish......................................................................................... 86
Restore from Tape: From Start to Finish ...................................................................................... 87
Using sbttest and loadsbt.exe ........................................................................................................ 87
Media Management Errors............................................................................................................ 88

Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 89
Chapter 5: Oracle Secure Backup................................................................................................... 89
Features of Oracle Secure Backup ................................................................................................ 89
Oracle Secure Backup and Recovery Manager....................................................................... 89
Differences Between OSB and OSB Express ......................................................................... 90
Backup Encryption.................................................................................................................. 90
Oracle Secure Backup Interfaces .................................................................................................. 90
Oracle Secure Backup Components.............................................................................................. 91
Host Access Modes ................................................................................................................. 92
Administrative Data ................................................................................................................ 93
Oracle Secure Backup Users and Classes ............................................................................... 93
Operating System Accounts.................................................................................................... 94
NDMP Hosts ........................................................................................................................... 94
Oracle Secure Backup Rights and Classes.............................................................................. 94
Installing Oracle Secure Backup................................................................................................... 95
RMAN Workshop: Install Oracle Secure Backup .................................................................. 96
Enterprise Manager and Oracle Secure Backup ........................................................................... 99
RMAN Workshop: Configuring and Using Enterprise Manager for OSB Backups ............ 100
Submitting Oracle Secure Backup Jobs from RMAN ................................................................ 105
Configuring Backup Storage Selectors with Enterprise Manager .............................................. 106
Oracle Secure Backup File System Backup and Restore............................................................ 108
Summary ..................................................................................................................................... 108
Chapter 6 : Enhancing RMAN with VERITAS NetBackup™ for Oracle ................................ 108
Key Features ............................................................................................................................... 109
Necessary Components ............................................................................................................... 109
Storage/Media Device Configuration ......................................................................................... 109
NetBackup Installation................................................................................................................ 110
Pre-Installation Tasks for NetBackup for Oracle Agent....................................................... 111
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NetBackup for Oracle Agent Installation Steps .................................................................... 111
How to Link Oracle to NetBackup Media Manager ................................................................... 112
Automatic Link Method........................................................................................................ 112
Manual Link Method ............................................................................................................ 112
Architecture................................................................................................................................. 113
Configuring NetBackup Policies ................................................................................................ 114
Adding New Policies .................................................................................................................. 114
Defining Schedules ............................................................................................................... 116
Defining a Backup Selection................................................................................................. 118
Defining Policy Clients ......................................................................................................... 119
Managing Expired Backup Images ............................................................................................. 120
Delete Expired Backups Using NetBackup Repository........................................................ 120
Delete Expired Backups Using RMAN ................................................................................ 120
RMAN Sample Scripts ............................................................................................................... 120
Troubleshooting .......................................................................................................................... 121
Use NetBackup Logs ............................................................................................................ 121
Determine Which Library Is in Use ...................................................................................... 122
Security Best Practices................................................................................................................ 122
Cost Justification......................................................................................................................... 123
Summary ..................................................................................................................................... 123
References ................................................................................................................................... 123
Chapter 7: Configuring EMC NetWorker Module for Oracle .................................................. 123
Architecture of the Oracle and NetWorker Backup and Recovery System................................ 124
Backup and Restore Operations ............................................................................................ 125
Installing NMO ........................................................................................................................... 125
RMAN Workshop: NMO Installation .................................................................................. 126
Configuring NetWorker for Client Operating System Backups ................................................. 127
RMAN Workshop: Configure NetWorker for OS-Level Backups....................................... 127
Running and Scheduling RMAN Backups ................................................................................. 129

RMAN Workshop: Configuration of the nsrnmo.SID Script ............................................... 129
Configuring NMO for Oracle Backups................................................................................. 129
Creating RMAN Backup Scripts ................................................................................................ 130
Restore Commands ..................................................................................................................... 132
NSR Environment Variables....................................................................................................... 133
Summary ..................................................................................................................................... 133
Chapter 8: RMAN and Tivoli Storage Manager ......................................................................... 133
Overview of Tivoli Storage Manager ......................................................................................... 134
TSM Server System Objects ................................................................................................. 135
TSM Client............................................................................................................................ 136
TSM Administration Center and Web Client ....................................................................... 136
TSM Installation Tasks ............................................................................................................... 137
Storage Manager for Linux Server........................................................................................ 137
IBM Integrated Solutions Console........................................................................................ 137
Storage Manager Administration.......................................................................................... 138
TSM for Databases................................................................................................................ 138
Configuration Tasks .................................................................................................................... 139
Creating a TSM Administrator Account............................................................................... 139
Registering a TSM Client ..................................................................................................... 139
Adding a Server to ISC ......................................................................................................... 140
Adding a Storage Device ...................................................................................................... 141
Configuring TDPO................................................................................................................ 143
Performing an RMAN Backup Using TDPO ............................................................................. 146
Summary ..................................................................................................................................... 149
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Part III: Using RMAN Effectively................................................................................................. 149
Chapter List................................................................................................................................. 149
Chapter 9: RMAN Backups ........................................................................................................... 149

Benefits of RMAN Backups vs. Scripted Backups .................................................................... 150
RMAN Compatibility Issues....................................................................................................... 150
Monitoring RMAN Backup Status ............................................................................................. 151
Offline RMAN Database Backups.............................................................................................. 152
Offline Backups Using Default Settings ............................................................................... 152
RMAN Workshop: Do an Offline Backup ........................................................................... 152
Offline Backups Without Using Configured Defaults .......................................................... 154
Backup Command Options ......................................................................................................... 157
Compression.......................................................................................................................... 157
Tags ....................................................................................................................................... 158
Limiting Backup Impacts...................................................................................................... 158
Limiting the Size of a Backup Set ........................................................................................ 158
Modifying the Retention Policy for a Backup Set ................................................................ 159
Overriding the configure exclude Command........................................................................ 159
Checking the Database for Errors with the backup Command ............................................. 159
Skipping Offline, Inaccessible, or Read-Only Datafiles....................................................... 160
Forcing a Backup of Read-Only Datafiles ............................................................................ 160
Backing Up Datafiles Based on Their Last Backup Time .................................................... 160
Checking for Logical Corruption During a Backup ............................................................. 161
Making Copies of Backups on Your RMAN Copier ............................................................ 161
Capturing the Elusive Control File ....................................................................................... 161
Introducing the Set Command .................................................................................................... 162
Online RMAN Database Backups .............................................................................................. 162
Online Database Backups ..................................................................................................... 163
RMAN Workshop: Do an Online Backup ............................................................................ 163
Tablespace Backups .............................................................................................................. 164
Datafile Backups ................................................................................................................... 165
Archived Redo Log Backups ................................................................................................ 165
Control File and Parameter File Backups ............................................................................. 166
Backup Set Backups.............................................................................................................. 166

Flash Recovery Area Backups .............................................................................................. 167
Copies.......................................................................................................................................... 167
Introducing Image Copies ..................................................................................................... 167
Database, Tablespace, and Datafile Image Copies ............................................................... 167
Control File Copies ............................................................................................................... 168
ARCHIVELOG Image Copies ............................................................................................. 168
Incremental RMAN Backups...................................................................................................... 168
The Block Change Tracking File .......................................................................................... 169
The Base Backup .................................................................................................................. 169
Differential vs. Incremental Backups.................................................................................... 170
RMAN Workshop: Do an Incremental Backup .................................................................... 172
Getting Started ............................................................................................................................ 172
RMAN Workshop: Get Your Database Backed Up! ............................................................ 172
Summary ..................................................................................................................................... 174
Chapter 10: RMAN Restore and Recovery .................................................................................. 174
RMAN Restore and Recovery Basics ......................................................................................... 175
Before You Can Restore the Database........................................................................................ 176
Before RMAN Can Get Going ................................................................................................... 176
Restoring the SPFILE ........................................................................................................... 177
Restoring the Control File..................................................................................................... 180
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In addition, try scaling down the memory utilization of these test boxes to be as low as possible. You won’t actually be
doing that much processing, so you don’t need a lot of buffer cache available. The smaller you keep the System Global
Area (SGA), the better off your little test box will be.
You also need a recovery catalog database that is separate from the target databases that you are using for testing. We
always recommend that your recovery catalog database be the most recent version, so put this in a 10.2 home. In a pinch,
this can also be used as a target database, but try to keep your recovery catalog database out of the mix of databases that
you blow away and rebuild. It just makes life easier. If at all possible, put your recovery catalog database on a different

server. Put it on a Windows workstation or an old Linux box. Keep it out of the crash-and-burn destruction path.

Using Oracle ASM
If you plan to test out Oracle’s volume manager, Automatic Storage Management (ASM), you have to make preparations
when you first configure your RMAN test box. In a production environment, you would simply add full, raw disks to an
ASM disk group. In a test environment, if you want to test multiple ASM disk groups, you can simply use logical
partitions on a single disk. But this means you have to think ahead and create some unused, raw partitions on your disks
before you get too far into your OS setup.

Oracle Enterprise Manager
If you plan to use OEM, make sure there is enough memory to do so. As you learned in Chapter 11, there are two flavors
of OEM you can choose from: Database Control and Grid Control. From a testing perspective, it might make sense to go
with Database Control to save on resources and administration headaches. However, make the choice that matches your
production environment: If you deploy Grid Control management in production, use Grid Control to manage RMAN
backups in the test environment.
That being said, try to avoid using production Grid Control for RMAN test environments. The databases will be down, up,
down, lost, trashed, crashed, and lost. This means lots of alerts will be sent to the Oracle Management Service (OMS) and,
consequently, e-mailed out to people. Avoid bot spam! If you have not already deployed a test Grid Control environment
for your enterprise, get one set up for your RMAN backups and then offer it to others for testing purposes.
For Database Control, expect a memory hit of 150 to 200MB per instance. Also, Database Control makes heavy use of
CPUs and uses up database space. Database Control generates about 200MB of archive logs per day just by itself, with an
idle database.
For Grid Control, you need a 2GB system all by itself for the repository database and OMS. Factor it in as a separate
system. On the RMAN test system itself, the agent will use only about 60MB of memory and enough CPU to run its Perl
scripts.
OEM, either Database or Grid Control, is highly dependent on a stable and predictable networking sublayer, which means
you cannot constantly change the hostname or IP address. Sorry. It’s just easier that way. If you have to, create your own
subnet and manually assign dummy IP addresses in the hosts files. The easiest check you can implement to ensure
everything will operate correctly is the nslookup command on the hostname, and a reverse lookup on the IP address.

Media Management Conside rations
If possible, you should install a version of the media management client that you will be using in production. Then, install
the Oracle Plug-In and do the backups to tape the same as you would in production. This gives you the best opportunity to
anticipate what to expect when you implement your strategy in your enterprise.
If you can’t get access to the media management product that is used for your enterprise, there is little alternative left. The
best option is to try out Oracle Secure Backup, as outlined in Chapter 5 of this book.
If you simply need to test tape channel allocations, or the process of staging the flash recovery area to tape, you still have
access to the Oracle SBT API, which enables you to write “tape” backups to a disk location. This is described in the

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RMAN Workshop “Test Tape Channels with the Oracle Default SBT Interface” in Chapter 4.

The RMAN Configuration
Now that you have your system set up with Oracle installed and databases built, we have a few hints on the testing process
itself:
•

•

•

Have a cold backup that remains untouched. Before you do any RMAN testing, shut down your database and take
a cold OS copy backup and place it in a folder that doesn’t get touched. This is your last line of defense if you
completely mess everything up during your RMAN testing.
Switch your redo logs a lot. One of the biggest mistakes that happens with RMAN testing is that the timeframe
between the backup and restore is unrealistically short. Confusion sets in because there is no space between the
completion time of the backup and the “until time” of the restore operation. So, after any backup, make sure you
switch the log file three or four times, just to put a little “distance” between operations.

Set the NLS_DATE_FORMAT environment variable. This is good advice for RMAN in general, but particularly in
a test situation, where the timeframe between a backup and a restore will be unrealistically short and you will
want to know the timeframe of a backup to the second. So, before starting RMAN, be sure to run the following:
export NLS_DATE_FORMAT='mon-dd-yyyy hh24:mi:ss'

Then, when you start RMAN and issue a list backup command, the time will always show details to the minute and
second.
•

•

•

•

•

Leave your catalog database alone. You will be tempted to use the database that houses your catalog as a target
and perform some tests with it. That is fine—that’s why it’s called a test environment. But you can seriously
undermine your testing if you foul up your catalog. Do yourself a favor and leave the catalog database alone. And
export your catalog schema with a user-level export before any new test session begins.
Keep up with catalog maintenance. This may be your test environment, but you will be creating a lot of backups
over time, and you have a limited amount of space on your little test box. Take the opportunity to test out using
retention policies to get rid of old backups.
Remove clones as soon as possible. Attack of the clones! If you use the duplicate command, you can end up with
numerous different instances running and taking up precious memory and disk space. Hey, it’s a clone, and you’re
in a test environment—get rid of it as soon as you make it.
Leave a clone file system in place. You don’t need to go through the steps of building the file system and the
init.ora file for your duplicate database every time you want to test the duplicate or duplicate…for standby
command. Leave the file system and supporting files in place, and use the same DB_NAME and SID. On

Windows, be sure to leave the Oracleservice<sid> in place in the Services control panel.
Don’t get attached to your test environment. Sometimes you need to just blow everything away and start over
from scratch, particularly if you don’t have good maintenance habits. Eventually, your database will get to the
point that it has had tablespaces dropped, has had re-created, dropped, and forgotten files placed in the wrong
directory, has had archive logs stored all over the place—basically a rambling mess. Don’t worry. That’s why
they call it testing. Don’t get too wrapped up in the environment you have; just whack everything and start over
from the cold backup you took prior to testing.

You’ll surely find some of your own valuable lessons after you’ve done a bit of testing. After you go through the
conceptual learning, take the scripts you’ve built and the knowledge you’ve gained and schedule some time on a
production-grade system to make sure that everything is going to scale up to your enterprise. You’ll be glad you took the
time to learn it before you went live.

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