The Basic Backup Process - VERITAS NetBackup White Paper

• Raw database backups (database files or partitions) are configured and executed in the same manner as file backups.
The performance resulting from backing up cold databases is generally greater than that achieved when backing up
through the UNIX file system or through the data extraction utilities supplied by RDBMS vendors.
• Warm database backup is similar to raw database or file backup method described above, except that the database is
placed in "hot backup" mode via the capability of NetBackup to preprocess scripts prior to the raw partition or
database file backup. After the backup is completed, the database is returned to normal mode via a NetBackup post-
processing script.
• Hot database backup requires a VERITAS NetBackup Database backup agent and a corresponding database vendor
backup utility. NetBackup database backup agents exist for Oracle (Oracle EBU/RMAN), Microsoft SQL Server, Sybase,
Informix, and IBM DB2 databases. An example is VERITAS NetBackup for Oracle. This product interfaces to Oracle
RMAN and takes advantage of VERITAS NetBackup and Media Manager features. Administrators can use VERITAS
NetBackup interfaces to schedule and execute Oracle database backups in much the same manner as they can
standard disk files. The Media Manager manages the storage devices and media.
Because VERITAS NetBackup spans backup images across multiple tapes or disks, it can back up very large database files with
any of the above methods.

The Basic Backup Process

When the classes and their associated schedules are configured, the clients in a class can be backed up in any of the
following ways:
• Automatic scheduled backups start automatically at the times specified by the administrator during schedule
configuration.
• Immediate manual backups of a selected class and schedule can be started at any time by the administrator by using
the administrative GUI or the command line interface.
• User-directed backups and archives begin when a user on a client starts the operation through the user interface.
P a g e 20 V E R I TA S N e t B a c k u p R e l e a s e 3 . 4 Te c h n i c a l O v e r v i e w
Figure 14: NetBackup online database backup.
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