Oracle DB recovery

[mjd42970]

I would like to ask a question about our Oracle Database backups. We have 7.6 NB Ent. server running on windows 2008. We have solaris v10 with our Oracle DB runninng on that. The backups are completed using RMAN with daily, weekly schedules files selections using templates. I checked and backups are completing sucessfully in NBU, and RMAN shows the backup completes successfully.

I'm currenlty creating a DR document. in the past i've done file level recoveries on windows and unix but never a DB recovery, knock wood. I didn't setup this environment (oracle db) and i'm not an Oracle DB admin. I'm unix/linux/windows guy monitoring and verifying job's complete on the backup server.

For the DB recovery process I open the "Backup, Archive and Restore" program on the NBU Enterprise server, change the server info and the policy type to Oracle. After clicking that i see the restore window open, i see in the "all folders" pane on the left side "Oracle" with a little db icon next to it, but clicking the + to expand the list, it does nothing. No options or files to choose to recover. 

Again we use RMAN templates to facilitate oracle backups kicked off by a schedule on the NBU Enterprise server in turn starting "default application" policy backups.

My question is this: With the scneario I listed above, using the NBU archive and recovery app, should see files available for restore, or is the database restore also facilitated from the RMAN cli, solaris server?

I hope my quesiton makes sense.

[Marianne]

Database restore must be done via rman script or rman commands on the client by oracle user. See NBU for Oracle Guide for more info.

[mjd42970]

Thank you for the info..

[Michal_Mikulik1 · Accepted solution]

I recommend you to work closely with Oracle DB Admin. Recovery scenarios for Oracle are far not as simple as file-level restores are.

Even if general NetBackup admin is often expected to be a skilfull recovery specialist for all the data types and systems he backed up I dont share this expectation.. So backedup systems specialists should be involved.

Regards

Michal

[Nicolai]

Agree with all, RMAN is a very powerful tool. Like a axe, very good at cutting wood, but from time to time you hit yore leg instead of the trunk.

Team up with the DBA, and agree on responsibilities.

The dba usually also have knowledge about the application using the database and the RTO/RPO required. 

Restore of databases should not be the solve responsibility of the Netbackup admin.

[Genericus]

Agree with above. 

Please review scripting of rman restore script. CLIENT variable should be backup source, but script should run from destination client.

90%+ of rman restore issues are typo, the other 10% I see are date related, since they have to use the RMAN conf file to restore.

Here is a tip!

Create a OS policy that has a user schedule that backs up the conf file, then call that from the DB backup.

Like this prtion of an RMAN backup:

export ORACLE_SID

sleep 5
${ORACLE_HOME}/bin/$RMAN nocatalog  cmdfile  "$CMDFILE"

RETURN_STATUS=$?

# added 6/17/2010 (backup the oracle home)
/usr/openv/netbackup/bin/bpbackup -p RMAN.ORACLE_SID.PROD -s scripted.backup -S master /PATH.TO.ORACLE/oracle

echo
echo "`date` ----------------End of Script------------------"