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Executing Oracle backups

Oracle backups can either be executed immediately or scheduled at a desired frequency. Scheduled backups are more typical; you create a calendar-based schedule which specifies when Oracle backups will occur. Scheduled backups form the foundation of continuous data protection. Immediate backups occur only one time and are executed as soon as possible. This feature is useful for creating a one-time backup, but it is not recommended as the basis for continuous Oracle protection.

Use the following procedures to execute and schedule Oracle backups:

ClosedTo execute an immediate Oracle backup
1 Select an Oracle instance under the Oracle client in the Navigation pane and click Backup.
2 Select the 1-Time Backup tab.
• This retrieves a list of databases available for backup.
• If there is nothing in the Databases to Protect list, verify that the Oracle instance is online and in open status.
• If a database is not online or is not in ARCHIVELOG mode, it cannot be selected for protection.
• Click the reload arrows at the bottom to refresh the list of discovered databases.

Note:  If a Samba client is not installed, when the Oracle client is selected in the Navigation pane and the list of databases is refreshed, no databases will show as available for backup. You are notified that the Oracle Plugin package from the latest agent release must be installed to protect Oracle data.

3 In the Databases to Protect area, check boxes to select the databases to backup.

Note:   A separate backup is created for each database selected, even if they are within the same instance.

4 Choose the type of backup by selecting Full or Incremental.

If incremental backup is chosen and a successful full backup has never run, the system runs a full backup instead. Also, any failed backup will cause the next backup to be promoted to a full backup.

5 By default, backups are stored on the default device. To backup to a different device, select one in the Available Devices area.
6 Click Backup at the bottom of the screen to initiate the backup process.

To view the status of the active backup operations, select Settings > System Monitoring > Jobs. See Monitoring running backup jobs for details. To see the status of completed backup jobs, see Viewing backups.

ClosedTo create an Oracle backup schedule
1 Select an Oracle instance under the Oracle client in the Navigation pane, and click Backup.
2 Select the Schedule Backup tab.
• This retrieves a list of databases available for backup.
• If there is nothing in the Databases to Protect list, verify that the Oracle instance is online and in open status.
• Click the reload arrows at the bottom to refresh the list of discovered databases.
• If an instance is not online or not in ARCHIVELOG mode, it is unavailable for protection.

Note:   If a Samba client is not installed, when the Oracle client is selected in the Navigation pane and the list of databases is refreshed, no databases will show as available for backup. You are notified that the Oracle Plugin package from the latest agent release must be installed to protect Oracle data.

3 Enter a unique Schedule Name.
4 If desired, enter a Schedule Description.
5 In the Databases to Protect area, check boxes to select the databases to protect in the schedule.
• Instances or databases that are offline cannot be selected in the list.
• A database may exist in only one schedule at a time. Attempting to add a single database to multiple schedules will result in failure to save the subsequent schedules.
• A separate backup is created for each database selected. Backups in the schedule execute sequentially.
6 If you would like to add new databases to this schedule automatically, check the Auto-include new Databases box.
• This option can be enabled in only one schedule for each Oracle server that the system is protecting.
• If selected, a process is enabled that detects modifications to the list of available databases on the Oracle instance. Newly detected databases are added to the schedule automatically.
7 In the Schedule area, select a backup strategy from the list.
• Choose Full with Incrementals or Custom.
• Backups for the selected strategy display below.

Note:  For Oracle on Linux - If you are running an incremental forever schedule, you must also exclude Oracle Database directories from journal tracking. See KB 3358 for details.

8 Do one of the following:

For a non-custom strategy, define the frequency at which backups of each type will run using the fields below each backup.

For a custom strategy, click the Calendar icon to define the frequency at which backups of each type will run. Do the following for each backup:

• Drag a backup icon onto the calendar. Drag onto today’s date or later.
• In the Add Backup window, define the backup type, start date, start time, recurrence, and description (optional), then click Confirm.
9 If desired, modify the minimum and maximum retention settings.

Retention settings in the schedule override client-level settings applied on the Backup Retention page. To use client-level settings instead, uncheck Enable Retention Settings here. For details on setting client-level retention, see About retention control.

Modifying retention settings here also updates values displayed on the Backup Retention page. Once you modify this setting in the schedule, you cannot change it again from the schedule itself. Instead, make changes from the Backup Retention page as described in About retention control.

10 Click Advanced Settings and specify optional settings as desired.
• Select the backup device to which backups will be written.
• Check the Email Schedule Report option to receive email notification upon completion of the scheduled backup jobs. You also have the option to receive a PDF attachment of the report in the email.
• Check the Email Failure Report option to receive email notification upon failure of any backup job on the schedule. You also have the option to receive a PDF attachment of the report in the email.
• Click Confirm to save Advanced Settings.

Note:   Reports are delivered to email recipients specified in the report field in Settings > Clients, Networking, and Notifications > Email Recipients. To change the time of day the report is sent, modify the ReportHourMin parameter setting by selecting Settings > System, Updates, and Licensing > General Configuration > Alertman.

11 Click Save to create the schedule.
ClosedTo view or modify an Oracle backup schedule
1 Select an Oracle instance under the Oracle client in the Navigation pane, and click Backup.
2 Select the Schedule Backup tab.
3 In the Schedule Name field, select the desired schedule from the list.
4 Modify settings as desired and click Save.

For a description of each setting, see To create an Oracle backup schedule.

When editing a schedule, only the items being protected are marked in the Databases to protect area. The objects displayed are dependent upon the Oracle instances that are installed and running. If an instance is not online, it is unavailable for protection.

ClosedTo delete an Oracle backup schedule
1 Select an Oracle instance under the Oracle client in the Navigation pane, and click Backup.
2 Select the Schedule Backup tab.
3 In the Schedule Name field, select the desired schedule from the list.
4 Click Delete Schedule.

Note:  You can also delete Oracle schedules from the Enterprise Backup subsystem. See To delete an Enterprise backup schedule for details.

ClosedTo enable or disable an Oracle backup schedule
1 Select an Oracle instance under the Oracle client in the Navigation pane, and click Backup.
2 Select the Schedule Backup tab.
3 In the Schedule Name field, select the desired schedule from the list.
4 Do one of the following:
• To enable the schedule, check the Schedule Enabled box.
• To disable the schedule, uncheck the Schedule Enabled box.
5 Click Save.

Note:  You can also enable and disable Oracle schedules from the Enterprise Backup subsystem. See To enable or disable an Enterprise backup schedule for details.