Backup Exec 2012 and Oracle RAC database tree visualization

[Cristiano_S_]

Hello to everyone,

I was facing problems while configuring a backup exec job with Oracle RAC over Linux environment.
I would like to share how it was solved.

Scenario:

Using Symantec Backup Exec 2012, Oracle RAC and Red Hat 6.3

Problem:

While configuring a backup exec job with oracle RAC, on 'Backup Selection' tab it was not possible expand Oracle RAC database tree.

Error messages: Oracle Database "Instance"(Unavailable) or Authentication failed on connection

Solution:

Add O/S user that has DBA privileges (the owner of oracle binaries) to the beoper group
Copy /etc/oratab to /etc/VRTSralus/beoratab
Do not eeplace the dbname entries in /etc/VRTSralus/beoratab with the name of the instance of the RAC database on that machine. Keep the same.
This example uses the root account to configure the agent.

Note: the user account with which you are logged in the server cannot be a member of the Oracle DBA group.  If root is a member of the Oracle DBA group, expect to see problems verifying the credentials. Make sure you have installed the 64-bit agent if you are running 64-bit O/S.  The 32-bit version will install but it will also exhibit problems verifying the credentials.

Only for information:

Oracle SIDs on each node vs the database instance. Each node of the RAC has an Oracle SID which can be different from the database name
Each node's Oracle SID can be identified by the environment variable ORACLE_SID (echo $ORACLE_SID at a command line).
 

Example (2-node RAC) :
Physical Host Name ORACLE_SID Database Instance Name DatabaseID
OracleServer1 PHAROS1 PHAROS 3514636826
OracleServer2 PHAROS2 PHAROS 3514636826

To find the database instance name and database identifier (DB-ID)

sqlplus SYS as SYSDBA
or to connect to a specific Oracle SID, sqlplus SYS@PHAROS1 as SYSDBA
select DBID,NAME from v$database;

Continuing Solution Item:

Commands to run the agent configuration tool:

su - root
/opt/VRTSralus/bin/AgentConfig

[root@oracle1 bin]# ./AgentConfig
Symantec Backup Exec Remote Agent Utility
 Choose one of the following options:
 1.  Configure database access
 2.  Configure Oracle instance information
 3.  Quit
Please enter your selection: 1

Configuring machine information
 Choose one of the following options:
 1. Add system credentials for Oracle operations
 2. Edit system credentials used for Oracle operations
 3. Remove system credentials used for Oracle operations
 4. View system credentials used for Oracle operations
 5. Quit
 Please enter your selection: 1
 Enter a user name that has local system credentials: root
 Enter the password:
 Re-enter the password:
 Validating credentials.......
 Do you want to use the full computer name/IP address for Oracle operations? (Y/N): Y
 Enter the full computer name or IP address: oracle_node_name.include.fully.qualified.domain.name
 Do you want to use a custom port to connect to the media server during Oracle operations? (Y/N): N
 Commit Oracle operation settings to the configuration file? (Y/N): Y
 SUCCESS: Successfully added the entry to the configuration file.

Configuring machine information
 Choose one of the following options:
 1. Add system credentials for Oracle operations
 2. Edit system credentials used for Oracle operations
 3. Remove system credentials used for Oracle operations
 4. View system credentials used for Oracle operations
 5. Quit
 Please enter your selection: 4
 Entry 1
    ObjectName: DBAID
    Port: 5633
 Entry 2
    ObjectName: Machine
    HostUsername: root
    FQDN: name.include.fully.qualified.domain.name
    Port: 5633

Configuring machine information
 Choose one of the following options:
 1. Add system credentials for Oracle operations
 2. Edit system credentials used for Oracle operations
 3. Remove system credentials used for Oracle operations
 4. View system credentials used for Oracle operations
 5. Quit
 Please enter your selection: 5

Symantec Backup Exec Remote Agent Utility
 Choose one of the following options:
 1.  Configure database access
 2.  Configure Oracle instance information
 3.  Quit
 Please enter your selection: 2
 

If this computer is a RAC node, you must perform additional steps for configuration before you continue.                                                                                At this point the above note is referring to the afore-mentioned prerequisite: copy of /etc/oratab called /etc/VRTSralus/beoratab with the database instance name entries:

The ortab file would contain the following information on both the nodes.
+ASM1:/oracle/product/10.2.0/asm:N
PHAROS:/oracle/product/10.2.0/db:N

The beoratab file on NODE 1 should not be modified to reflect the ORACLE_SID for that node as shown below.                                                               Same thing has to be done on the NODE 2

beoratab file on NODE 1
+ASM1:/oracle/product/10.2.0/asm:N
PHAROS:/oracle/product/10.2.0/db_1:N

beoratab file on NODE 2
+ASM1:/oracle/product/10.2.0/asm:N
PHAROS:/oracle/product/10.2.0/db_1:N

Configuring the Oracle Agent
 Choose one of the following options:
 1.  Add a new Oracle instance to protect
 2.  Edit an existing Oracle instance
 3.  Delete an existing Oracle instance
 4.  View Oracle instance entries that have been added in the Remote Agent Utility
 5.  Quit
Please enter your selection: 1

Select an Oracle instance to configure
 Entry 1. PHAROS
 Enter the number 0 to go back
Enter your selection: 1

Enter the Oracle database SYSDBA user name: SYS
Enter the Oracle database SYSDBA password:
Re-enter password:
Validating credentials.......

If you get to this stage and it reports "failed to login" please check the correct 64bit/32bit agent has been installed and that the account used to execute this AgentConfig is not a member of the OracleDBA group.  Follow the steps on screen and answer the prompts.  To check, select option 4 to view the oracle instance entries that have been added... it should read something like:

Entry 1
 ObjectName: PHAROS
 DatabaseLogin: SYS
 MediaServerName: BE11d.local.domain.net
 JobTemplate: Default

The MediaServerName should be the Fully Qualified Domain Name.  Check that name resolution is working, adding the FQDN to the HOSTS file if appropriate

Repeat for each node of the RAC

....

Let me clarify that I was following the steps indicated by Lilavati(http://www.symantec.com/connect/forums/backup-exec-and-oracle-rac-linux-question), but it was not working for me. So I decided keep the Oracle database instance name PHAROS instead of Oracle instance names PHAROS1 and PHAROS2 of each node in the configuration process. Further more, it was not necessary configure BE Console (Backup Exec Settings -> Oracle).

...

Hope it can really help any colleague.

Hugs,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Cristiano S.