Question about Netbackup 7

[ahk_sim]

Hi All:

We are in the midst of planning Symantec Netbackup 7 implementation for Oracle database RAC installation.  It will be 3 nodes database servers with a SAN storage.  I would like to know if Netbackup is able to backup Oracle database from SAN storage directly to Tape drive or the backup must be done using RMAN to local disk on server and then Netbackup will pick up the files from Local disk to Tape drive.

Any help will be very much appreciated.  Many thanks in advance.

Sim

[Marianne · Accepted solution]

The NBU for Oracle manual is your friend: http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH127053

It explains how to link RMAN with NBU. Your script will contain something like this to send the backup to NBU:

 allocate channel t1 type 'SBT_TAPE' 

The Storage Unit that you choose for the backup is configured in the backup policy and can be tape or disk.

Appendix B of this manual deals specifically with protecting RAC with NBU.

[jim_dalton]

Sim,

You can go from oracle server (s) direct to tape if you wish, assuming they are media servers. That'll be rapid. Or you can go across network to the remote media server(s).The Oracle agent is good as described above, but not strictly necessary depending on what your Oracle implementation is built upon. We enjoy its menu-driven configuration and use it extensively with rman, sso across our clusters.

Jim

[ahk_sim]

Hi Marianne, Hi Jim,

Thank you so much for the information.  You are very helpful to me.

Sim

[ahk_sim]

Hi Marianne, Jim & Al:

From the information you provided earlier, we concluded that RMAN is capable of backing up the database from SAN storage directly to Tape.  I have a dedicted Backup server that is installed with Symantec Netbackup 7 aside from the three brand new DB servers.  Am I correct to say that;

1. I just need to configure RMAN script to backup the database to TAPE through the Backup server.

2. I only need Symantec Netbackup 7 software on Backup server and it does not require to install Symantect Netbackup on any of the three DB servers.

Really appreciate your help.  Have a good day.

Sim

[Yasuhisa_Ishika]

Although you need to install NetBackup "server" software on Backup server only, you have to install NetBackup "client" software on each RAC nodes.

[Marianne]

You need to install the NBU client software plus link NBU with RMAN.

Installation and linking is covered in chapter 2 of the manual.

Please also read Chapter 3 - Configuration

and Chapter 4 - Performing Backups and restores.

Chapter 7 tells you which log directories to create on your RAC nodes in case you need to troubleshoot backup problems.

Appendix A & B deal specifically with Oracle RAC.

[Girish_N_]

To backing up the database from SAN storage directly to Tape, you require Netbackup Enterprise Client  you can't do it with Standard Client. 

[jim_dalton]

Clarification...it cant go directly from SAN to tape I dont think so. Would be nice, ie serverless backup going from storage on SAN over switch to tape also on SAN.

You have the option to zone in tape drives to all oracle servers, running SSO (needs licenses hence expense) and much config.

Or each ora server with discrete tape drives. More work. More waste.

This means the data goes from server to tape over SAN fibre, no network.Fast.

---

Or you have netbackup master server with tapes attached making it a media server too. Data goes over network from oracle to netbackup master/media and to tape. Slower but still  decent over gbit.

Either way you need client software on oracle servers. And if using Oracle agent then you need that option - is it called the advanced client these days.

You dont strictly need the Oracle agent...depends on capabilities of your filesystems.

Other options are available. Someone weill chip in and mention FT option.

What are your requirements and specifications?

Jim