This post covers how to configure your backups of an ExaCC database beyond the web interface.
Configuration - https://docs.oracle.com/en/cloud/cloud-at-customer/exadata-cloud-at-customer/exacc/customize-backup-configuration-using-bkup_api.html
Backup execution - https://docs.oracle.com/en/cloud/cloud-at-customer/exadata-cloud-at-customer/exacc/create-demand-backup.html#GUID-2370EA04-3141-4D02-B328-5EE9A10F66F2
Step #1 - Register my database with my RMAN catalog
If you have been a DBA for a long time (like me), you realize the value of an RMAN centralized catalog, and you are already using one. I am going to start by taking my ExaCC database and registering it with my RMAN catalog.
My database name is DBSG2. In order to register I am going to make a few changes on the host to make the database easier to manage.
- I am going to add my SID to the /etc/oratab file on all hosts. The /etc/oratab contains an entry for the DB name, but not the SID that is running on this host. I am going add the SID entry to allow me to use "oraenv" to set my environment.
- I am going add the RMAN catalog to the tnsnames.ora on all the hosts also. This will allow me to access the RMAN catalog from any host
Now I am going to login into the DB catalog, and my database to register my database
rman target / catalog rco/#####@rmanpdb
> register database;
Step #2 - Configure backup settings in ExaCC
The next step is to configure my database to be backed up using the tooling. This is pretty straightforward. I click on the "edit backup" button and fill in the information for my database and save it. In my case I am using ZFS, and the need to make sure that I change my container to the container where the ZFS is configured.
NOTE : The backup strategy is a Weekly L0 (full) backup every Sunday, and a daily L1 (differential incremental backup) on all other days. The time the backup is scheduled can be found in either the backup settings, or by looking at the crontab file.
Then I just wait until I see complete. If I click on the work requests, I can see the progress until it's finished.
Step #3 - Update the settings to use my RMAN catalog.
First I need to get what the current settings are for my database (dbsg2) and save them in a config file so I can update them.
I log into the first node, and su to root.
Once there I execute "get config --all" and save all the settings to a file that I can update.
NOTE : I an creating a new file under the bakup_api/cfg directory to make it easy to find.
$ sudo su -
Last login: Thu May 6 11:43:46 PDT 2021 on pts/0
[root@ecc ~]## /var/opt/oracle/bkup_api/bkup_api get config --all --file=/var/opt/oracle/bkup_api/cfg/dbsg2.cfg --dbname dbsg2
DBaaS Backup API V1.5 @2021 Multi-Oracle home
-> Action : get_config
-> logfile: /var/opt/oracle/log/dbsg2/bkup_api_log/bkup_api_92303612_20210506125612.006275.log
File /var/opt/oracle/bkup_api/cfg/dbsg2.cfg created
Now I am going to edit it and make some changes.
I changed to RMAN catalog settings to use my catalog.
NOTE: The entry has to be the connect string, not a tnsnames.ora entry.
#### This section is applicable when using a rman catalog ####
# Enables RMAN catalog. Can be set to yes or no.
bkup_use_rcat=yes
## Below parameters are required if rman catalog is enabled
# RMAN catalog user
bkup_rcat_user=rco
# RMAN catalog password
#bkup_rcat_passwd=RMan19c#_
# RMAN catalog conn string
bkup_rcat_conn=ecc-scan.bgrenn.com:1521:rmanpdb.bgrenn.com
Now I am going to commit (set) the changes using the "set config" command
# /var/opt/oracle/bkup_api/bkup_api set config --file=/var/opt/oracle/bkup_api/cfg/dbsg2.cfg --dbname dbsg2
DBaaS Backup API V1.5 @2021 Multi-Oracle home
-> Action : set_config
-> logfile: /var/opt/oracle/log/dbsg2/bkup_api_log/bkup_api_b800281f_20210506130824.084259.log
cfgfile : /var/opt/oracle/bkup_api/cfg/dbsg2.cfg
Using configuration file: /var/opt/oracle/bkup_api/cfg/dbsg2.cfg
API::Parameters validated.
UUID d0845ea0aea611eb98fb52540068a695 for this set_config(configure-backup)
** process started with PID: 86143
** see log file for monitor progress
-------------------------------------
And after a few minutes, I am going to check and make sure it was successful by using the configure_status command
/var/opt/oracle/bkup_api/bkup_api configure_status --dbname dbsg2
DBaaS Backup API V1.5 @2021 Multi-Oracle home
-> Action : configure_status
-> logfile: /var/opt/oracle/log/dbsg2/bkup_api_log/bkup_api_fa81558e_20210507060019.504831.log
* Last registered operation: 2021-05-07 12:58:41 UTC
* Configure backup status: finished
**************************************************
* API History: API steps
API:: NEW PROCESS 120531
*
* RETURN CODE:0
##################################################
Everything looks good !
Step #4 - Take a manual backup
Now logged in as OPC, and becoming Root, and can run a special backup using bkup_api
# /var/opt/oracle/bkup_api/bkup_api bkup_start --dbname=dbsg2
DBaaS Backup API V1.5 @2021 Multi-Oracle home
-> Action : bkup_start
-> logfile: /var/opt/oracle/log/dbsg2/bkup_api_log/bkup_api_9458c30f_20210510084341.430481.log
UUID 7f6622f8b1a611eb865552540068a695 for this backup
** process started with PID: 336757
** see log file for monitor progress
-------------------------------------
I can see the status while it's running
/var/opt/oracle/bkup_api/bkup_api bkup_status --dbname=dbsg2
DBaaS Backup API V1.5 @2021 Multi-Oracle home
-> Action : bkup_status
-> logfile: /var/opt/oracle/log/dbsg2/bkup_api_log/bkup_api_46545e6f_20210510084812.014419.log
(' Warning: unable to get current configuration of:', 'catalog')
* Current backup settings:
* Last registered Bkup: 05-10 15:44 UTC API::336757:: Starting dbaas backup process
* Bkup state: running
**************************************************
* API History: API steps
API:: NEW PROCESS 336757
API:: Starting dbaas backup process
*
* RETURN CODE:0
##################################################
And I waited a few minutes, and I can see it was successful.
# /var/opt/oracle/bkup_api/bkup_api bkup_status --dbname=dbsg2
DBaaS Backup API V1.5 @2021 Multi-Oracle home
-> Action : bkup_status
-> logfile: /var/opt/oracle/log/dbsg2/bkup_api_log/bkup_api_8acd03e3_20210510085129.207757.log
(' Warning: unable to get current configuration of:', 'catalog')
* Current backup settings:
* Last registered Bkup: 05-10 15:44 UTC API::336757:: Starting dbaas backup process
* Bkup state: running
**************************************************
* API History: API steps
API:: NEW PROCESS 336757
API:: Starting dbaas backup process
*************************************************
* Backup steps
-> 2021-05-10 08:44:20.651787 - API:: invoked with args : -dbname=dbsg2 -uuid=7f6622f8b1a611eb865552540068a695 -level1
-> 2021-05-10 08:44:23.458698 - API:: Wallet is in open AUTOLOGIN state
-> 2021-05-10 08:44:24.204793 - API:: Oracle database state is up and running
-> 2021-05-10 08:44:25.686134 - API:: CATALOG SETTINGS
-> 2021-05-10 08:45:19.767284 - API:: DB instance: dbsg2
-> 2021-05-10 08:45:19.767424 - API:: Validating the backup repository ......
-> 2021-05-10 08:46:38.263401 - API:: All backup pieces are ok
-> 2021-05-10 08:46:38.263584 - API:: Validating the TDE wallet ......
-> 2021-05-10 08:46:41.842706 - API:: TDE check successful.
-> 2021-05-10 08:46:42.446560 - API:: Performing incremental backup to shared storage
-> 2021-05-10 08:46:42.448228 - API:: Executing rman instructions
-> 2021-05-10 08:49:21.161884 - API:: ....... OK
-> 2021-05-10 08:49:21.162089 - API:: Incremental backup to shared storage is Completed
-> 2021-05-10 08:49:21.163822 - API:: Starting backup of config files
-> 2021-05-10 08:49:21.699197 - API:: Determining the oracle database id
-> 2021-05-10 08:49:21.726308 - API:: DBID: 2005517379
-> 2021-05-10 08:49:22.040891 - API:: Creating directories to store config files
-> 2021-05-10 08:49:22.085476 - API:: Enabling RAC exclusions for config files.
-> 2021-05-10 08:49:22.114211 - API:: Compressing config files into tar files
-> 2021-05-10 08:49:22.173842 - API:: Uploading config files to NFS location
-> 2021-05-10 08:49:22.222493 - API:: Removing temporary location /var/opt/oracle/log/dbsg2/obkup/7f6622f8b1a611eb865552540068a695.
-> 2021-05-10 08:49:22.224071 - API:: Config files backup ended successfully
-> 2021-05-10 08:49:26.052494 - API:: All requested tasks are completed
*
* RETURN CODE:0
##################################################
Step #5 - Check my periodic backups
Now it's been a few days (I started on Thursday and it's now Monday).
I am going to check on the incremental backups, and the archive log backups.
There are 2 ways I can do this.
Using the bkup_api command to list the backups that have run.
# /var/opt/oracle/bkup_api/bkup_api list --dbname=dbsg2
DBaaS Backup API V1.5 @2021 Multi-Oracle home
-> Action : list
-> logfile: /var/opt/oracle/log/dbsg2/bkup_api_log/bkup_api_eddcd4e1_20210510064145.497707.log
-> Listing all backups
Backup Tag Completion Date (UTC) Type keep
---------------------- ----------------------- ----------- --------
TAG20210506T123203 05/06/2021 19:32:03 full False
TAG20210506T131438 05/06/2021 20:14:38 incremental False
TAG20210507T012240 05/07/2021 08:22:40 incremental False
TAG20210508T012315 05/08/2021 08:23:15 incremental False
TAG20210509T012438 05/09/2021 08:24:38 full False
TAG20210510T012322 05/10/2021 08:23:22 incremental False
Using the RMAN catalog
Backup Type Encrypted Tag Backup Piece Backup Time Day Of Week
-------------------- --------- --------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------- --------------------
Full L0 YES DBAAS_FULL_BACKUP20210506122626 /backup/dbaas_bkup_DBSG2_2005517379_0dvu5rp2_13_1 05/06/21 12:29:32 THURSDAY
Differential L1 YES DBAAS_INCR_BACKUP20210506131110 /backup/dbaas_bkup_DBSG2_2005517379_2avu5ud1_74_1 05/06/21 13:14:18 THURSDAY
Differential L1 YES DBAAS_INCR_BACKUP20210507011926 /backup/dbaas_bkup_DBSG2_2005517379_72vu792b_226_1 05/07/21 01:22:27 FRIDAY
Differential L1 YES DBAAS_INCR_BACKUP20210508011939 /backup/dbaas_bkup_DBSG2_2005517379_lbvu9tf3_683_1 05/08/21 01:22:51 SATURDAY
Full L0 YES DBAAS_FULL_BACKUP20210509011940 /backup/dbaas_bkup_DBSG2_2005517379_u3vuchr8_963_1 05/09/21 01:22:59 SUNDAY
Differential L1 YES DBAAS_INCR_BACKUP20210510011940 /backup/dbaas_bkup_DBSG2_2005517379_6rvuf672_1243_1 05/10/21 01:22:49 MONDAY
NOTE: I can see that a periodic L1 (differential) is executed at 1:22 AM, every day but Sunday where a Full backup is executed.
Now to look at archive log backups -- I am going to show a subset.
Again I can use the bkup_api "list_jobs" command and see all the backup jobs that have been run (which include archive logs).
# /var/opt/oracle/bkup_api/bkup_api list_jobs --dbname dbsg2 | more
DBaaS Backup API V1.5 @2021 Multi-Oracle home
-> Action : list_jobs
-> logfile: /var/opt/oracle/log/dbsg2/bkup_api_log/bkup_api_b2532724_20210510070545.552300.log
UUID | DATE | STATUS | TAG | ACTION
e7ad1ef6aea011eb9c8252540068a695 | 2021-05-06 19:26:23 | success | TAG20210506T123203 | create-backup-full
03616d68aea211eba5aa52540068a695 | 2021-05-06 19:34:12 | success | TAG20210506T123516 | archivelog-backup
33fae162aea611eba0ed52540068a695 | 2021-05-06 20:04:12 | success | TAG20210506T130518 | archivelog-backup
267c21daaea711eb9d3852540068a695 | 2021-05-06 20:11:07 | success | TAG20210506T131438 | create-backup-incremental
650fd222aeaa11ebb58652540068a695 | 2021-05-06 20:34:12 | success | TAG20210506T133516 | archivelog-backup
961831e4aeae11ebb0d452540068a695 | 2021-05-06 21:04:11 | success | TAG20210506T140517 | archivelog-backup
c6919f28aeb211eb957e52540068a695 | 2021-05-06 21:34:12 | success | TAG20210506T143518 | archivelog-backup
f7ce0d0caeb611eb97c552540068a695 | 2021-05-06 22:04:12 | success | TAG20210506T150522 | archivelog-backup
286e8ea6aebb11eb864c52540068a695 | 2021-05-06 22:34:11 | success | TAG20210506T153516 | archivelog-backup
598f77eeaebf11eb92c052540068a695 | 2021-05-06 23:04:11 | success | TAG20210506T160518 | archivelog-backup
89f4919aaec311eb9a9452540068a695 | 2021-05-06 23:34:11 | success | TAG20210506T163516 | archivelog-backup
bb5ba95eaec711ebb1ed52540068a695 | 2021-05-07 00:04:11 | success | TAG20210506T170518 | archivelog-backup
Step #6 - On demand backups
Now that I have my database configured, I am going to demonstrate some of the options you can add to your backup.
I am going to create a keep backup and give it a tag using bkup_start
$ /var/opt/oracle/bkup_api/bkup_api bkup_start --dbname=dbsg2 --keep --tag=Maymonthlybackup
DBaaS Backup API V1.5 @2021 Multi-Oracle home
-> Action : bkup_start
-> logfile: /var/opt/oracle/log/dbsg2/bkup_api_log/bkup_api_7d923417_20210507113940.052080.log
UUID 958a58beaf6311eba98a52540068a695 for this backup
** process started with PID: 262102
** see log file for monitor progress
-------------------------------------
Now to list it.
$ /var/opt/oracle/bkup_api/bkup_api list --dbname dbsg2 --keep
DBaaS Backup API V1.5 @2021 Multi-Oracle home
-> Action : list
-> logfile: /var/opt/oracle/log/dbsg2/bkup_api_log/bkup_api_19714a18_20210507114254.007083.log
-> Listing all backups
Backup Tag Completion Date (UTC) Type keep
---------------------- ----------------------- ----------- --------
Maymonthlybackup20210507T113125 05/07/2021 18:31:25 keep-forever True
Step #7 - Restore my database
The last step I'm going to do in my database is to restore it to a previous point in time.
Below is what you see in the console.
NOTE - If you chose a specific time it will be in UTC time.
I pick a time to restore to, and click on the 'Restore Database' option. I can follow the process by looking at 'Workload Requests'.
Step #8 - Validating backups
A great feature of the command tool is the ability to validate backups that have been taken. This is easy to do with the 'bkup_api reval_start' command.
I started my validate for my database dbbsg and I saved the uuid to monitor it.
# /var/opt/oracle/bkup_api/bkup_api reval_start --dbname=dbbsg
DBaaS Backup API V1.5 @2021 Multi-Oracle home
-> Action : reval_start
-> logfile: /var/opt/oracle/log/dbbsg/bkup_api_log/bkup_api_d0647aa8_20210511032638.300613.log
UUID 5f204c4cb24311eb887252540068a695 for restore validation
** process started with PID: 15281
** Backup Request uuid : 5f204c4cb24311eb887252540068a695
Now to monitor it using the uuid until it's done, and I can see it completed successfully.
# /var/opt/oracle/bkup_api/bkup_api --uuid=5f204c4cb24311eb887252540068a695 --dbname=dbbsg
DBaaS Backup API V1.5 @2021 Multi-Oracle home
@ STARTING CHECK STATUS 5f204c4cb24311eb887252540068a695
[ REQUEST TICKET ]
[UUID -> 5f204c4cb24311eb887252540068a695
[DBNAME -> dbbsg
[STATE -> success
[ACTION -> start-restore-validate
[STARTED -> 2021-05-11 10:26:39 UTC
[ENDED -> 2021-05-11 10:28:00 UTC
[PID -> 15281
[TAG -> None
[PCT -> 0.0
[LOG -> 2021-05-11 03:26:39.780830 - API:: invoked with args : -dbname=dbbsg -reval=default
[LOG -> 2021-05-11 03:26:42.324669 - API:: Wallet is in open AUTOLOGIN state
[LOG -> 2021-05-11 03:26:42.996885 - API:: Oracle database state is up and running
[LOG -> 2021-05-11 03:28:00.857565 - API:: ....... OK
[LOG -> 2021-05-11 03:28:00.857645 - API:: Restore Validation is Completed
[ END TICKET ]
Step #9 - Restoring with API
There are many options to restoring with the API for both the "database" which consists of the CDB and all PDBs, or just a specific PDB.
Below are some of the commands that help with this.
NOTE: All commands are executed using "bkup_api" from /var/opt/oracle/bkup_api as "oracle"
| Command | Options | Description |
| bkup_start | Start new special backup now | |
| bkup_start | --keep | Create keep backup |
| bkup_start | --level0 | Perform a new FULL level 0 backup |
| bkup_start | --level1 | Perform a new level1 incremental backup |
| bkup_start | --cron | Creates an incremntal backup through Cron |
| bkup_chkcfg | Verifies that backups have been configured | |
| bkup_status | Shows the status of the most recent backup | |
| list | Shows the list of the most recent backups | |
| reval_start | Starts a restore validation of datafiles | |
| archreval_start | Starts a revalidation of archive logs | |
| recover_start | --latest | Recover from latest backup |
| recover_start | --scn | Recover to SCN # |
| recover_start | --b | Recover using a specific backup tag and defuzzy to archivelog following |
| recover_start | -t | Recover to time. Specify --nonutc to use a non-UTC timestamp |
| recover_status | Show status of most recent recover of this database |
With recovery you can also just recover a single PDB
- --pdb={pdbname} - Recovery just a single PDB
You can also specify if the config files should be restored
- --cfgfiles - store the configuration files (controlfiles, spfiles etc) along with database files.
Step #10 - Configuration changes
You can execute the "bkup_api get config --dbname={dbname}" to create a file containing the current configuration. In that file you can see some of the other changes you can be.
Below is what I see it using the version at the time of writing this.
| Config Parameter | Settings | Description |
| bkup_cron_entry | yes/no | Enable/Disable automatic backups |
| bkup_archlog_cron_entry | yes/no | Enable automatic archive log cleanup when not using tooling |
| bkup_cfg_files | yes/no | Enable backup of Config files |
| bkup_daily_time | hh24:mi | Time to execute daily backup |
| bkup_archlog_frequency | 15,20,30… | How many minutes apart to execute archive log backups |
| bkup_disk | yes/no | Backups to the FRA |
| bkup_disk_recovery_window | 1-14 | Recover window of FRA |
| bkup_oss_xxx | Backup settings when backing up to Object Store in Public Cloud | |
| bkup_zdlra_xx | Backup settings when backing up to a ZDLRA | |
| bkup_nfs_xxx | Backup settings when backing up to NFS | |
| bkup_set_section_size | yes/no | Set to yes to over ride the default setting |
| bkup_section_size | Value for Over riding the default setting for section size | |
| bkup_channels_node | xx | Number of channels to be used by RMAN |
| bkup_use_rcat | yes/no | If you are using an RMAN catalog |
| bkup_rcat_xxx | RMAN catalog settings |