exp as backup recovery plan for production

[learning_bee]

even the company doesn't care about Point In TIme REcovery, how can I prove it to them that full EXP IS NOT a good method for backup???

[DaPi]

Demonstrate/estimate the time required to create the db and do an import, compared to a restore & recover.

[Mr.Hanky]

WOW!

Where is Jeff when you need him.

Despite what he will tell you, you CAN use an export as a backup but it depends on how critical the database is and what their SLA is with the DBA group.

We have several prod DB's that rely on export as a backup.

[marist89]

Sure, you CAN use exp as a backup methodology. You CAN pound nails with a wrench, but it's the wrong tool for the job.

[Mr.Hanky]

Pansy!!

Where is your sense of adventure?

[DaPi]

Originally posted by Mr.Hanky
We have several prod DB's that rely on export as a backup.

I bet they're little ones!

[marist89]

Originally posted by Mr.Hanky

Where is your sense of adventure?

I once went into a place where they were using exp as a backup method. I told them it was much faster to do a hot backup. No, they felt safer with exp.

It took 21 hours every day to export the entire database. I asked them if they ever validated their backup and they said "It's exp, what could go wrong?" My first task was to imp the dump file on a host that matched production; 3 days. My next task was to "tune the imp process so we can recover in 1 day"; 12 days, got the imp down to 2 days. After paying me for 15 days of time they decided to take a look at hot backups. I scripted a poor-man's hot backup to disk in about 2 hours. I took a hot backup in another 2 hours. I restored the backup to another machine and recovered a cloned database in 4 more hours. Four months later they called me and one of their filesystems died. Dialed-in, restored, recovered, and they were back in business in about 2 hours.

Don't take my advice, I don't care.

[Mr.Hanky]

Yeah big deal, I took a huge dump today.
what do you do for an encore?

[gandolf989]

Originally posted by Mr.Hanky
Yeah big deal, I took a huge dump today.
what do you do for an encore?

It's time for you to clean up your potty mouth Mister!

[gandolf989]

Just to throw in my 2 cents, I would not use export as a backup for any database other than a small test database. Databases as useful because they can provide data quickly, efficiently, and consistantly. Using and testing a proven, valid backup method should be a prerequisite for any database of importance. IMHO, It seems like hot backup technology has definitely improved over the last few versions. So it seems that there is no excuse for having good backups and testing them often.