hot backup/online backup

[dvc]

Hi friends,

Hot backup is the same with online backup, right ?
I just want you to pls. check if my way of doing hot backup
is right.

We have a 24 x 7 operations and our database gets updated
even on Sundays, so the only way to back it up is thru "Hot"
backup. It is of course in archivelog mode. What my backup script does every Sunday Morning is just simply copy
the ff. files to tape using tar command
1. All control files
2. All dbf files
3. All redo logs
4. All archived logs
5. init.ora

Am I doing the right thing? Will I be able to recover by
database in case of disk crash? Please comment.

[moff]

Hi,

Do you use a password file? If so it may be worth backing that up.

Are you putting each tablespace into backup mode before you copy the datafile?

Cheers
Moff.

[dvc]

Thanks moff,

I'm not putting each tablespaces in backup mode.
Can I just issue recover database if ever I will restore
the backup? Please comment

[moff]

Hi,

If you don't put the tablespaces into backup mode before you copy them there is a very good chance you can't use them to recover.

Use the 'Alter tablespace xxxxx begin backup' command to place the tablespace xxxxx in backup mode.

Then copy the datafiles associated with this tablespace.

Use the 'Alter tablespace xxxxx end backup' command to take the tablespace out of backup mode.

If you need to use media recovery to recover the database. Copy the required files to the correct location then mount the database - 'startup mount'

Then issue one of the following...

recover database - recovers whole database.
recover tablespace xxxxx - recovers the xxxxx tablespace.
recover datafile '/oracle/datafile1' - recovers datafile datafile1.

Then open the database - 'alter database open'.

Hope this helps

Cheers
Moff.

[dvc]

Thanks for the details moff,

I made a test db, then fire some update programs, while doing this, I ran the backup script (without issuing
the backup mode).

I simulated the recovery. deleted all the files and load
the backup files to their respective places. I started the
database and there is a message that some dbf files were
not in sync with the control files. So I
startup mount...recove database....alter database open...
and it worked.

Is it just by chance or my test is just incomplete and nonsense ?

Cheers

[marist89]

You managed to recover by luck. Sure, you might be able to recover sometimes without putting the tablespace in backup mode, but now that you know the right way to do it, why would you do it any other way?

[dvc]

Of course i'll follow my idol's advice....Thanks Jeff