Backup MaxDB with HP Data Protector 6.0 on Windows 2003

[matthias_bruning]

Hello together,

we would like to backup our SAP MaxDB Database and autologfiles with HP Data Protector 6.0. Here are some information about our system landscape:

OS: Windows 2003

SAP NW 2004s (ECC5.0)

MaxDB 7.6

HP Data Protector is installed and the MaxDB Agent is pushed to the Server. We need some help because we don't know which tool is better for planing, backup, restore and history for the backup.. DBM Gui or Data Protector.

In the past we have used the DBM Gui for backup to disk. But in future we want to use pipes and direct backup of data and logfiles to media.

I have some documentation from HP and SAP but these are not very helpfully.

We plan to make daily fullbackups and autologs every 2 hours.

I hope somebody can help us.

Regards

Matthias

[markus_doehr2]

> HP Data Protector is installed and the MaxDB Agent is pushed to the Server. We need some help because we don't know which tool is better for planing, backup, restore and history for the backup.. DBM Gui or Data Protector.

We don't use Data Protector but Legato Networker but there was a point where we where about to make that decision too.

Since there are more things to back up than just the database (especially in Java instances) we finally decided to exclusively use Legato to schedule the backups. This enables us to have a central point for all backups (/usr/sap filesystems, /etc/opt/sdb, /usr/spool/sql etc.), be it filesystem or database.

Markus

[matthias_bruning]

Hello Markus,

i think so too but i don't know which possibilities we have to back up logfiles with HP Data Protector. In the past we had produced log medias in the DBM Gui and started backup in DB13. Than a logdump was created in our filesystem. After that we wrote this files to tapes by symantec backup exec.

My question is, how can i make a online backup of database and logfiles once per hour directly to media over pipes in Data Protector???

Regards Matthias

[markus_doehr2]

I would not do log backups over pipes because the OS will return "success" if the pipe is closed but you cannot be sure that all data has been correctly transferred. By default this is also turned off, you have to explicitly allow it (set LOG_BACKUP_TO_PIPE to YES).

We run automatic log backup with a log segment size of 125,000 pages (1 GB). Before we do a complete online backup we switch off automatic logging, create a manual log backup and switch it back on. After the log backup is complete we start the online backup.

Markus

[lbreddemann]

Markus is quite right with that.

Writing logs to a pipe is a bit "unsafe".

Besides the switching off and on of the autolog backup, you can also use the archive_stage command to backup the files that have been created by the autolog backup to the external backup tool.

Anyhow, the solution as described by Markus is quite commonly used - so maybe this one will work for you as well.

regards,

Lars

[matthias_bruning]

Hi together,

ok we will make Database Backups with Data Protector, Logfile with option Autolog in Database Manager to disk and after that Archive Job with Data Protector.

Is this right and a possible solution?

Regards

Matthias

[lbreddemann]

HI Matthias,

yes, you may do it that way.

Anyhow, the single most important aspect for a backup-strategy to take care of is: can you handle it so that you can always recover your database?

It really doesn't matter where the backups had been scheduled but rather that you and your colleagues (and everybody else who may need to do it) is able to successfully bring your data back in case of a desaster.

Therefore better make sure to try and test the recovery of the database again and again.

Try to answer questions like:

What if you've got no front-end?

How to know which tapes to load?

How to make system copies with these backups?

How to verify those backups?

If possible: perform a regular recovery tests.

regards,

Lars

[Former Member]

Hi Matthias,

I am running the backups in that way for nearly a year now.

Full backup every night, incremental Backups (DIFF) from 06am to 06pm every 3 Ours, the Logbackup is done with the autologmode and then the stage files (Trans) per Data Protector .

Every last Sunday in the Month the stage files are deleted at the end of the backup.

The planning is in Data Protector, you see the results in Data Protector Gui and DB13.

I have made 8 Migrations / Systemcopies to our Testsystems until today and all of them worked fine.

The only bad thing is that every EWA says that "According to our check, your log backup strategy is not sufficient. Log backups have not been performed daily or have finished with errors."

So there is somesthing missing.

Greets

Peter

[lbreddemann]

Hi Peter,

do you save the logbackups via archive_stage or is it just the HP Data Protector that copies the files from the folder?

If you use "archive_stage" you shouldn't really get the warnings...

regards,

Lars

[Former Member]

Hi Lars,

I am using the Data Protector TRANS Option.

See the the cutoff of a Logfile from yesterday.

Data Protector finds the Stage files and wirtes them over a pipe to the LTO Tape Drive.

Greets

Peter

Determining stage files in directory 'E:\sapdb_logsicherung'.

Found directory entry '.'. It is not a stage file.

Found directory entry '..'. It is not a stage file.

Found directory entry 'R3P_LOG.265'. It could be a stage file.

Found directory entry 'R3P_LOG.266'. It could be a stage file.

Found directory entry 'R3P_LOG.267'. It could be a stage file.

Found directory entry 'R3P_LOG.268'. It could be a stage file.

Stage file E:\sapdb_logsicherung\R3P_LOG.265 has label LOG_000000265 and the backup started at 2008-12-01 08:41:16.

Stage file E:\sapdb_logsicherung\R3P_LOG.266 has label LOG_000000266 and the backup started at 2008-12-02 21:15:07.

Stage file E:\sapdb_logsicherung\R3P_LOG.267 has label LOG_000000267 and the backup started at 2008-12-05 10:25:54.

Stage file E:\sapdb_logsicherung\R3P_LOG.268 has label LOG_000000268 and the backup started at 2008-12-09 13:10:46.

Found 4 stage files.

2008-12-10 23:05:20

Filling reply buffer.

Constructed the following reply:

OK

Processed Stage Files 4

Bytes processed 8389394432

Deleted Stage Files 0

Remaining Stage Files 4

Reply buffer filled.

• DBA Action ends:

Timestamp: 20081210230520 State: Success

[lbreddemann]

Hi Peter,

did you open a support message for that?

Usually even if just autolog is used the log backups are still valid and should be treated so in the EWA report.

Of course, if you generate only a small amount of log information each day, so that the autolog function does not start at least once each day, than the warning is still relevant.

In that case you should think about configuring the logbackup on a time interval instead of filled up log segments.

best regards,

Lars

[Former Member]

Hi Lars,

no, I did not open a Message until now.

I just started a new Trans Backup to see if Data Protector uses the archive_stage Command. I was not shure

But it does.

[Normal] From: OB2BAR_SAPDBBARATsapr3cl1.sell.net "R3P" Time: 12/11/2008 5:26:55 PM

Executing the dbmcli command: `archive_stage BACKDP-Archive AUTO_LOG NOVERIFY KEEP'.

Thanks for the tipp with the autolog by time. Maybe this can solve that EWA problem.

Also the Database Studio shows only the Entries

Log ==> Saved Warm ==> Medium AUTO_LOG

I will create a OSS Message to be shure what the Problem is.

Thanks for your Replies

Peter

[lbreddemann]

Hi Peter,

please check first, whether the EWA report reported something wrong here, e.g. that the logbackups haven't been taken at least once each day although that was the case.

See, such a support message is likely to come to my desk anyway...

regards,

Lars

[matthias_bruning]

Hi together,

we have made some tests and it works fine. We have started autolog on maxdb with intervall of 2 hours. At the evening we have one fullbackup with dataprotector (pipe) and the logfiles will be saved with "archive_stage" every 3 hours. I have done some backup & restore tests (Backup+logs) and it works without some error messages.

The best way to make restores is, to start it from Database Manager with initialization.

Regrads Matthias

[Former Member]

Hi Matthias,

fine that it works.

I agree with you that the restore over the Database Manager is one the best ways.

But the easiest way is the Restore with Data Protector. Read the Migration Chapter in the Data Protector Integration Guide SAP.

Greets

Peter

[matthias_bruning]

Hello Peter,

today i have made an backup check by database manager, it works fine but i don't understand why data protector make a restore??? Restore?? Where?? Is this an internal Restore to temp on HP VLS??

Regards Matthias

[lbreddemann]

Hi Matthias,

basically you don't have to choose between any of the options.

Every option will use the MaxDB DBMServer to trigger the backups.

The standard setup for a MaxDB in a NetWeaver instance is to schedule the backups via DB13/DBACockpit.

The external backuptool is then used via the backup medium definition.

Concerning the "direct backup of data and logfiles": this is not Oracle or Informix.

If you want to have a backup, don't copy files. Instead use the backup-facility that is provided (begin_backup command... ).

Maybe you want to read the documentation on this topic before implementing your backup ... [Using Backup Tools from Other Providers (SAP Library - Basic Information)|http://maxdb.sap.com/doc/7_6/1e/5d27401544ed01e10000000a155106/content.htm]

best regards,

Lars

[matthias_bruning]

Hi Lars,

that means we have to manage backups (mediums...) only in the MaxDB - DBM Gui and start Backups from DB13. That also means,there is no chance to backup MaxDB database + log without integration into DBM GUI?

Regards

Matthias

[lbreddemann]

>That also means,there is no chance to backup MaxDB database + log without integration into DBM

> GUI?

The DBMGui is just the front end to the database management.

You can also use DBMCLI or the DB Studio if you like it better.

Of course you can still (as Markus wrote) schedule the backups in your external backup tool.

The MaxDB-connector/agent/interface (whatever) of this external tool will then use dbmcli to have the backup created.

It's not the question of "how the backup is done" but only "where it is triggered" with MaxDB.

regards,

Lars