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Will_Restore's avatar
16 years ago

Oracle "bplist -keyword" works "bplist -k" does not

We were trying to confirm some Oracle backups using "bplist -C client -t 4 -R -k policy" are were horrified to find many of the expected files were not there.  Netbackup logs shows Status 0 for recent jobs. Oracle RMAN logs indicates no trouble either.  Client and server are running Netbackup 6.0MP7 and Solaris 9.  Same result as oracle user or as root. 

It finally occured to me to try bplist without the policy name "bplist -C client -t 4 -R" and -- whew! -- the files were indeed listed.   But that includes ALL of the database backups on the client, not just the one we wanted for this task. 

Then I added a keyword to the Oracle policies and tried "bplist -C client -t 4 -R -keyword key" and that produces the desired result.    Anyone seen this?  Why does "bplist -keyword" work and "bplist -k" does not, at least not consistently?

Thanks in advance for your response & suggestions.
  • The "-k" command line switch is case-sensitive.  Are you sure you're EXACTLY matching the name of the policy as it's defined on the master?

    For example:

    This may work...
    # bplist -C client -t 0 -R -k example
    /home/CRZ/
    /home/CRZ/
    /home/CRZ/
    /home/CRZ/

    ...but using an all-caps policy name returns the dreaded "nothin'" result:
    # bplist -C client -t 0 -R -k EXAMPLE
    EXIT STATUS 227: no entity was found

  • But the trouble is we get SOME of the files using "-k" and ALL of the files using "-keyword". 

    Interesting (to me at least) since I just added the keyword to the policies that it picks up even the older backups, but "-k" is just hit or miss.  Specify the policy and it shows last month's files but not this weekend's, or vice versa. :(
  • I think you can only "-k" with one policy name.  If there's more than one policy in play here, "-keyword" may be picking up all of them (since the absence of "-k" means "check out every policy") - I see you said you added the keyword to the plural policIES so I'm wondering if maybe it's something where you're expecting results from a particualr policy, but in reality some other policy is handling what you're looking for.

    Otherwise, I'm stumped.  (Maybe.)  :)
  • some sample output:
    bplist -C client -t 4 -R -k PROD
    /bk_1001
    /al_1002
    /cntrl_1003

    bplist -C client -t 4 -R -k TEST
    /bk_2100
    /bk_2101
    /al_2102
    /cntrl_2103


    But we are expecting /bk_0905, and after updating policy "PROD" to add keyword "FOOBAR":
    bplist -C client -t 4 -R -keyword FOOBAR
    /bk_0900
    /bk_0901
    /bk_0902
    /bk_0903
    /bk_0904
    /bk_0905
    <snip>
    /bk_1001
    /al_1002
    /cntrl_1003


    Hey!  It's there after all.  Now just to double check:
    bplist -C client -t 4 -R -keyword FOOBAR  /bk_0905
    /bk_0905

    bplist -C client -t 4 -R -k PROD  /bk_0905
    EXIT STATUS 227: no entity was found
  • is the RMAN logs said it was backed up.  But we couldn't find it initally because the bplist -k option masked it. 

    Note the new keywords are unique to each Netbackup policy and seem to work fine, providing the proper file list for each database instance, where the policy selection option shows just a subset.


    update: checked a few more servers and those with multiple Oracle instances exhibit the same quirk - "bplist -keyword" displays proper file list while "bplist -k" does not.  The server with just one Oracle instance shows same result with either "bplist -k" or "bplist -keyword".  Hmmm. 
  • No idea now.  Sorry!  I'm left with telling you to open a Support case if it's really aggravating you and find out if it's a bug or just something silly we're both missing.  :)