•If the database fails as a result of a corrupt data file, the database can only be restored to the last export backup available. This requires recreating the database along with the import.

Architectural Overview of RMAN Backups

By default the management server does not backup the database automatically. If you enabled the database archive mode and RMAN backup as described in ”Changing the Archive Mode” on page 240, the management server backs up the Oracle instance for the management server every three days and saves the backup for two weeks. When the management server first performs a scheduled backup, the backup is saved in %ORA_HOME%\rman\backup1 on Microsoft Windows and $ORACLE_HOME/rman/backup1 on UNIX systems. The next time the management server performs a scheduled backup, it is saved in %ORA_HOME%\rman\backup2 on Microsoft Windows and as $ORACLE_HOME/rman/backup2 on UNIX systems. The management server saves the backup in alternating directories (backup1 and backup2), so you always have a copy of the last backup and the previous backup. To learn how to change the frequency of the scheduled backups, see ”Scheduling RMAN Hot Backups” on page 231.

You can back up the database at any time by clicking the Backup Now button on the Database tab. When you back up the database using this technique, the backup is saved only in %ORA_HOME%\rman\current on Microsoft Windows and in $ORACLE_HOME/rman/current on UNIX systems. To recover the database, contact customer support. See Table 25 on page 226.

Assume you recently installed the management server and you have not done any backups. You have schedule the backups to take place every three days. You performed a backup, and it is stored in the backup1 folder. The next scheduled backup occurs on day 4, and it is saved in the backup2 folder. If your database fails, you can restore the database from day 1 or day 4. If you have a scheduled backup on day 7, it is saved to the backup1 folder. This backup replaces the backup from day 1. The available backups are now from day 4 and 7. If you click the Backup Now button on day 8, the backup is saved in the CURRENT folder because the backup is recording the current state of the database. If your database fails, you can restore the database from day 4, 7, or 8, as described in Table 27 on page 229:

Table 27 Sample Backup Example

Day

Backup Type

Backup 1

Backup 2

Current

Available

 

 

 

 

 

Backup

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 1

Scheduled

Day 1 backup

----------

----------

Day 1

 

 

 

 

 

Backup

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 4

Scheduled

----------

Day 4 backup

----------

Backups from

 

 

 

 

 

Days 1 and 4

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 7

Scheduled

Day 7 backup

----------

----------

Backups from

 

 

 

 

 

Days 4 and 7

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 8

Backup

----------

----------

Day 8

Backups from

 

Now

 

 

 

Days 4, 7,

 

 

 

 

 

and 8

 

 

 

 

 

 

HP Storage Essentials SRM 6.0 User Guide 229