Exports using Multiple files and Pipes

[jodie]

I have a large database that needs to be exported nightly. Currently we use a Unix Pipe to have the dmp file compress as it's being written. Similar to:

mknod exp_pipe p
nohup cat exp_pipe |compress -f > /oradumps/exp_PROD.dmp.Z &

exp system/password full=Y compress=N direct=Y file=exp_pipe


The problem is that the database is now so large that even compressed the export is ~11 Gig. So when I try to uncompress, it needs > 40 Gig of space. I don't have any filesystems that large.

I have tried using multiple files and FILESIZE in the exp where each file is a separate pipe. However, I have found that this isn't very reliable. It doesn't seem to work consistently with filesize > 2Gig. It writes one file and then dies with "EXP-00002: error in writing to export file". (I can write files larger than 2 Gig).

I would like to use at least 5 Gig, preferably 10 Gig so I don't have to split it into 20 files.

Does anyone know of a way to get this to work consistently? Any other ideas? I need some help because my exports are basically useless until I get this to work.

Thanks so much!!
Jodie

[marist89]

man split

[jodie]

Doesn't split only work on a completed file, and the original is unchanged. I don't have room for a full export on one filesystem.

If I'm incorrect here, please let me know.

[marist89]

no, you can split via a pipe...

http://www.oracle.com/oramag has about 1000 examples of how to do this...

[jodie]

Fantastic!

Thanks so much, Jeff!

[Mr.Hanky]

Why not just enable large file size on the Unix box, this way you are not limited to 2 gigs. Also, if you can not uncompress your backup, or do not have a mount point large enough for it, well, how good is your backup?

Jeff, where did you see an article on man split, I search and come up with nada.

MH

[pando]

Mr Hanky read again the post, this is not a size limit issue