Testing our backups

[Former Member]

Hi there,

We recently migrated our SAP R/3 instances to IBM AIX + Oracle 10g. IBM consultants set up the backup using BR*Tools (RMAN is NOT used) and Tivoli Data Protection for my SAP.

We have an AIX server for testing purposes, and in order to make sure that backups are being done correctly, we we would like to do a recovery test into that server. Here are some questions we have:

1) We have Oracle 10g installed on the test server, but since BRRECOVER and BRRESTORE are used to recover the database, for sure the BRTools must be installed on the test server in order to recover the database from backup. Does that mean we have to previously install SAP R/3 on our test server, or can we install and run the BRTools standalone?

2) If we need to install R/3, is it possible to restore from backup the SAP executables into the test server instead of installing? We have never installed R/3 by ourselves, and for sure we would run into trouble.

Thanks a lot for your help,

Carlos

[stefan_koehler · Accepted solution]

Hello Carlos,

my suggestion is the following:

1) Restore your database installation from a full/incremental backup (in your case "dsmc restore" with TSM client)

2) Restore your SAP installation from a full/incremental backup (in your case "dsmc restore" with TSM client)

3) Restore the relevant TDP for mySAP backup log files with "backfm"

4) Restore the database itself with the BR*Tools and recover it

Why do i suggest the restore from full/incremental backup for the DB and SAP installation?

- In the case of a crash you don't know all installed patches

- If you restore your DB installation you also have restored the relevant TDP for mySAP settings (init<SID>.utl, init<SID>.bki, init<SID>.sap) .. if you don't have a standard for that configuration you need to know all the settings

- If you restore your SAP installation you already have the correct profiles, kernel patches, etc.

Regards

Stefan

[Former Member]

I understand, we are going to give it a try, it will take us a while.

Thanks again for your kind help.

Carlos

[Former Member]

Thank you both for helping me so quick.

So, Stefan, I understand that after following your suggested steps, I will be able to start SAP on the restored test server, is that right?

Thanks again,

Carlos

[stefan_koehler]

Hello Carlos,

> I will be able to start SAP on the restored test server, is that right?

If the hostname is the same yes, if not you have to rename the profiles, the environment files in the home directories and change the tnsnames entries ... but then you can start your sap system easily.

Regards

Stefan

[former_member204746]

1) you can install BR*Tools standalone.

2) you need Oracle binaries/executables to be installed.