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user-directed RMAN backups - schedule type, associating streams

bills
Level 5

We are running NetBackup 6.5.3 on RHEL4.7.

For a variety of reasons, we need to run our RMAN backups as user-directed - basically due to the number of databases we run and the desire to use a common backup script.

First question - Am I correct that the schedule referenced by the RMAN script must be an application type schedule?  I tried referencing an automatic schedule, but NetBackup reports an invalid schedule type (error #241).

Second question - The RMAN scripts generate multiple streams from multiple hosts, each of which shows up in NetBackup as its own job - each has its own jobid, etc.  Is there any way to tie these together from NetBackup's perspective?  I know that for automatic schedules, each stream shows up as a child job, and they can be tied together by the parent job (which is why I was trying to run the auto schedule).  Is there any easy way to do this for?  I can get it done by working with the DBAs to make sure the filelist for each set of jobs is unique in some way, script the bpflist, and get the jobs grouped that way, but I was wondering (hoping) that NetBackup would help me out with this...

I need to be able to group the jobs together so I can manage duplication and expiration - we have some requirements that require some manual intervention.

Any help is appreciated.

Bill

2 REPLIES 2

NBUTSE
Level 4
Employee Accredited Certified
   Bills,
In regards to your questions:

First question - Am I correct that the schedule referenced by the RMAN script must be an application type schedule?  I tried referencing an automatic schedule, but NetBackup reports an invalid schedule type (error #241).

You are correct, automatic type schedules are only used for starting the backups, not for transferring the data from RMAN to the media server.  The automatic schedules start .tpl (template), .sh (shell script), or .cmd (modern batch file) files.  The scripts or templates run, and the automatic job inheirits the return code of RMAN, and then returns that same exit code.  If RMAN was happy the automatic job is too.

The application backup schedule is the one which RMAN uses for backing up the backup set pieces.  The application backup schedule is the one who's retention, storage unit, and volume pool requirements matter.

Second question - The RMAN scripts generate multiple streams from multiple hosts, each of which shows up in NetBackup as its own job - each has its own jobid, etc.  Is there any way to tie these together from NetBackup's perspective?  I know that for automatic schedules, each stream shows up as a child job, and they can be tied together by the parent job (which is why I was trying to run the auto schedule).  Is there any easy way to do this for?  I can get it done by working with the DBAs to make sure the filelist for each set of jobs is unique in some way, script the bpflist, and get the jobs grouped that way, but I was wondering (hoping) that NetBackup would help me out with this...

When the backups are not initiated by RMAN, the tracking becomes difficult.  NetBackup doesn't know that these backups are from a particular RMAN backup session, it just knows what RMAN was sending to NetBackup to be backed up, i.e., the file list, or the name of the backup set piece RMAN is sending, along with the client name used for the backup.

I would suggest formatting the backup set piece name to include the SID, database ID, and timestamp in the name.  Ensure that the Oracle timestamp is on the right hand extent.

DBID_RealTimeStamp_BackupSet_BackupPiece_OracleTimeStamp
FORMAT = "DBID-%d_DATE-%T_SET-%s_PIECE%p_ORATIME%t";

You can use the following bplist command to show the files backed up from an Oracle type policy:
bplist -C <source client> -t 4 -R -l /

That will list all of the backed up files, you can optionally at -s and -e for start and end times.

Hope this helps.

-Sean

bills
Level 5
Sean:

Thanks for the info - it is as I thought then.

Another question - if I have multiple application schedules defined, how does the automatic script know which one to use?  Or is it specified in the shell script on the client side?

Bill