NetBackup Oracle Copilot – Improving The Backup & Recovery of Oracle Databases

Oracle backups have always been a challenge to manage and support given the disparate administration groups typically involved. If you are a database administrator (DBA), you need the flexibility to efficiently create backups and run restores for development cycles and upgrades. Backup administrators need to balance the backup schedule with resources and prioritized data.

Multi-step processes such as saving a database to local disk and then a secondary operation for the backup system to write to a cataloged target (“Dump and Sweep”) can leave gaps in backup indexes for point in time recovery options. This common practice fragments recovery options leading to undesirable recovery scenarios. It often creates a constant push and pull between IT support departments when their end goal of supporting the business, is the same.

“Multi-step processes such as saving a database to local disk and then another process for the backup system to write to a cataloged target (“Dump and Sweep”) can leave gaps in backup indexes for point in time recovery options.”

The evolution of Recovery Manager (RMAN), data protection features, and integration with deduplication technologies, has matured database backup methodologies. We have come a long way from the traditional daily exports and coordinating file systems backups with database shutdowns that require two step restores. Continual modernization focuses on increased performance through data journaling (NetBackup Accelerator) and smaller required storage footprints (Media Server Deduplication Pools).

NetBackup Appliances will support a new functionality called Oracle Copilot in the new 2.7.1 release slated for January 2016. This new integrated process with Oracle and NetBackup allows for several efficiencies. Here are a few to note:

• Unified visibility from NetBackup (NBU Catalog) and Oracle (RMAN catalog) of all backup copies created for Oracle Databases
• NetBackup Appliances provide an NFS share as a target to move I/O processing away from Oracle client or additional network hops with other external storage
• Accelerator enabled backups integrate with Oracle Incremental Merge to create new full backups from changed blocks only, dramatically reducing the overall storage footprint
• Oracle data restores are restored directly to the database and now eliminate two-step processing
• All backup copies are accessible to the DBA based on set retentions which removes the need to depend on other IT administrators for access to inaccessible backup repositories

“This new integrated process with Oracle and NetBackup allows for several efficiencies”

Veritas’ history of being at the forefront of backup technology coupled with its wide breadth of market experience continually ensures a best in class product. Oracle Copilot is no exception and is one of the most anticipated features of the new 2.7.1 release. Daymark’s deep experience with NetBackup, and strong partnership with Veritas, can help you evaluate new functionality such as Oracle Copilot with NetBackup appliances and confidently determine if it’s a good fit for your environment.

(Click here to download Backup Exec to NetBackup Infographic)