NetBackup™ for SAP Administrator's Guide

Last Published:
Product(s): NetBackup (11.0)
  1. Introduction to NetBackup for SAP
    1.  
      About NetBackup for SAP
    2.  
      Features of NetBackup for SAP
    3.  
      Technical overview of NetBackup for SAP
    4.  
      Sequence of operation for NetBackup for SAP
    5.  
      Using NetBackup for SAP on Oracle databases without RMAN
    6.  
      Using NetBackup for SAP on Oracle databases with RMAN
    7.  
      SAP tools overview
    8.  
      NetBackup for SAP on MaxDB databases
  2. Introduction to NetBackup SAP HANA
    1.  
      About NetBackup for SAP HANA
    2.  
      NetBackup for SAP HANA databases
  3. Installing NetBackup for SAP
    1.  
      Planning the installation of NetBackup for SAP
    2.  
      Verifying the operating system and platform compatibility
    3.  
      NetBackup server and client requirements
    4.  
      SAP server software requirements
    5.  
      Requirements for using NetBackup for SAP MaxDB, SAP Oracle, and SAP HANA in a NetBackup cluster
    6.  
      Configuration and licensing requirements for NetBackup for SAP with Snapshot Client
    7.  
      License for NetBackup for SAP
    8.  
      Copying the SAP binary file (Windows Oracle databases without RMAN only)
    9.  
      Linking NetBackup for SAP with backint (UNIX or Linux Oracle databases without RMAN only)
    10.  
      Linking the Oracle instances with the SBT library (UNIX or Linux Oracle databases with RMAN only)
  4. Installing NetBackup for SAP HANA
    1.  
      Planning the installation
    2.  
      Verifying the operating system and platform compatibility for NetBackup for SAP HANA
    3.  
      NetBackup server and client requirements for NetBackup for SAP HANA
    4.  
      SAP HANA software requirements for NetBackup for SAP HANA
  5. Configuring NetBackup for SAP
    1.  
      About configuring NetBackup for SAP
    2. About configuring a backup policy for SAP
      1.  
        Adding a NetBackup for SAP policy
      2.  
        About policy attributes
      3.  
        NetBackup for SAP backup types
      4.  
        Configure an application backup schedule
      5.  
        Example application backup schedule
      6.  
        Configure automatic backup schedules
      7.  
        Example automatic backup schedule
      8.  
        Schedule properties
      9.  
        Add clients to a policy
      10.  
        Adding NetBackup for SAP scripts to the backup selections list
      11.  
        Rules for NetBackup for SAP scripts
    3. NetBackup for SAP backup scripts
      1.  
        Modifying the NetBackup for SAP backup scripts
      2.  
        Example NetBackup for nbsapcustomsort utility
      3.  
        Example NetBackup for SAP backup script (Windows)
      4.  
        Example NetBackup for SAP backup script (UNIX)
      5.  
        NetBackup for SAP backup script parameters
    4.  
      Configuring the logon account for the NetBackup Client Service for NetBackup for SAP
    5. About SAP configuration files
      1.  
        Relationships between SAP database configuration files
      2.  
        Modifying the initSID.utl file for NetBackup for SAP
      3.  
        Example NetBackup for SAP initSID.utl file
      4.  
        Modifying the initSID.sap file (NetBackup for SAP Oracle databases only)
      5.  
        Example initSID.sap file (NetBackup for SAP on Oracle databases only)
      6.  
        Modifying the bsi.env file (NetBackup for SAP on MaxDB databases)
    6.  
      Backing up files mounted with LOFS with NetBackup for SAP (UNIX or Linux)
    7.  
      About permissions for NetBackup for SAP log files (UNIX)
    8.  
      Reviewing the auto-discovered mappings
    9.  
      Configuring the Maximum jobs per client
    10.  
      Perform a manual backup
    11.  
      Testing multiple concurrent backup jobs for NetBackup for SAP for Oracle (without RMAN)
  6. Configuring NetBackup for SAP HANA
    1.  
      About configuring the primary and the media servers
    2.  
      Configuring the media server for NetBackup SAP HANA
    3. Configuring the primary server for NetBackup SAP HANA
      1.  
        Setting the logging level
      2.  
        Setting maximum jobs per client
      3.  
        Creating a backup policy for SAP HANA
      4.  
        Configuring redirected restores
    4. Configuring the NetBackup client
      1.  
        Updating the initsap.utl file
    5. Configuring the SAP HANA Agent
      1.  
        Node level configuration
      2.  
        SAP HANA backint configuration
    6.  
      Configuring SAP HANA instance for redirected restore
  7. Performing backups and restores of SAP
    1.  
      Using NetBackup for SAP to perform a backup
    2. Using BRTools to start an SAP backup (for Oracle database only)
      1.  
        Performing an SAP offline backup with SAPDBA
      2.  
        Performing brbackup online SAP backups
    3. Performing an SAP archive
      1.  
        Using the NetBackup multiple copies feature to create an SAP archive
      2.  
        Using two brarchive commands in sequence to create an SAP archive
    4.  
      Performing SAP restores using the SAPDBA utility (SAP on Oracle databases only)
    5.  
      Redirecting a restore to a different client (SAP on Oracle databases only)
    6.  
      SAP redirected restore sample environment (UNIX)
    7.  
      Disaster recovery using BRRECOVER
    8. Restarting failed NetBackup for SAP backups and restores
      1. Restarting NetBackup for SAP backups
        1.  
          Configuring the checkpoint restart option in a NetBackup for SAP policy
        2.  
          Restarting a NetBackup for SAP backup with the brbackup -f command
        3.  
          Example: Restarting a failed NetBackup for SAP backup job (UNIX or Linux)
        4.  
          Example: Restarting a failed NetBackup for SAP backup job (Windows)
      2. Restarting SAP database restores on Oracle
        1.  
          Restarting a restore with the brrestore -f option
        2.  
          Example: Restarting a NetBackup for SAP restore job (UNIX or Linux)
        3.  
          Example: Restarting a NetBackup for SAP restore job (Windows)
  8. Performing backups and restores of SAP HANA
    1.  
      About backups and restores of SAP HANA
    2.  
      Using the SAP HANA studio for backup
    3.  
      Using the SAP HANA studio for restore
    4.  
      Using SAP HANA studio for SAP HANA instance redirected restore
  9. NetBackup for SAP with Snapshot Client
    1.  
      NetBackup for SAP with Snapshot Client overview
    2.  
      Using NetBackup for SAP with Snapshot Client to back up large databases
    3. How the NetBackup for SAP Snapshot Client works
      1.  
        How NetBackup for SAP performs a split mirror backup using backint
      2.  
        How NetBackup for SAP performs a split mirror backup using RMAN
      3.  
        The util_file parameter incompatible with Snapshot Client
      4.  
        About the NetBackup for SAP restore process
      5.  
        SAP database objects supported by advanced backup methods
    4.  
      Configuration requirements for snapshot backups with NetBackup for SAP
    5. About configuring Snapshot Client with NetBackup for SAP
      1.  
        Configuring a snapshot policy for NetBackup for SAP
      2.  
        About NetBackup for SAP backup types
      3.  
        Prerequisites for instant recovery backups (UNIX or Linux)
      4.  
        Configuring a snapshot policy with Instant Recovery for NetBackup for SAP
      5.  
        Additional configuration required for NetBackup for SAP with Network Attached Storage (NAS) on UNIX or Linux
      6.  
        Configuring a NAS snapshot policy for NetBackup for SAP on UNIX/Linux
    6. About configuring NetBackup for SAP block-level incremental backups on UNIX
      1.  
        How BLI works with NetBackup for SAP (UNIX)
      2.  
        About Nodata Storage Checkpoint and NetBackup for SAP
      3.  
        About Fulldata Storage Checkpoint and NetBackup for SAP
      4.  
        Storage Checkpoint configuration on the NetBackup for SAP client
      5.  
        Configuration requirements for BLI backups with NetBackup for SAP
      6. Configuring policies for BLI backups with NetBackup for SAP
        1.  
          About the types of NetBackup for SAP BLI backups
    7.  
      About restoring individual files from a NetBackup for SAP snapshot backup
    8. About NetBackup for SAP restores of volumes and file systems using snapshot rollback
      1.  
        Performing a NetBackup for SAP snapshot rollback
      2.  
        Notes on NetBackup for SAP instant recovery restores
      3.  
        Performing SAP restores of volumes and file systems using block-level restore (Unix/Linux) or Fast File Resync (Windows)
      4.  
        Troubleshooting NetBackup for SAP rollback restores
    9.  
      About NetBackup for SAP sample backup scripts (UNIX or Linux)
    10.  
      About NetBackup for SAP sample backup scripts (Windows)
    11.  
      Mixing RMAN stream and RMAN proxy NetBackup for SAP backups
    12.  
      Performing user-directed snapshot backups with NetBackup for SAP
  10. NetBackup for SAP on MaxDB databases
    1.  
      About NetBackup for SAP on MaxDB databases
    2.  
      About configuring NetBackup for SAP on MaxDB databases
    3.  
      Creating a backup medium for NetBackup for SAP
    4. Using NetBackup for SAP on a MaxDB database to perform backups and restores
      1.  
        Performing a MaxDB database backup
      2.  
        Performing a MaxDB database query
      3.  
        Performing a MaxDB database restore
      4.  
        Performing SAP backups and restores using parallel medium groups
  11. Troubleshooting NetBackup for SAP and SAP HANA
    1.  
      About troubleshooting NetBackup for SAP
    2. NetBackup debug logs and reports
      1.  
        Enabling the debug logs for a NetBackup for SAP client automatically (Windows)
      2.  
        Enabling the debug logs manually (Windows) (NetBackup for SAP)
      3.  
        Enabling the debug logs manually (UNIX)
      4.  
        About the bphdb directory on the Windows database client
      5.  
        About the bphdb directory on the UNIX database client
      6.  
        About the backint directory on the UNIX database client
      7.  
        About the backint directory on the Windows database client
      8.  
        Setting the debug level on a Windows client
      9.  
        Setting the debug level on a UNIX client
      10.  
        About NetBackup server reports
    3. sapdba logs and messages (Oracle-based SAP environments only)
      1.  
        NetBackup for SAP backup and restore log files
      2.  
        NetBackup for SAP archive log files
    4.  
      NetBackup SAP Oracle backup jobs fail with error 90
    5.  
      NetBackup for SAP Oracle backup fails
    6.  
      Minimizing time-out failures on large database restores
    7. About troubleshooting NetBackup for SAP HANA
      1.  
        NetBackup SAP HANA backup jobs fail with error 41 and 25
      2.  
        Recovery of SAP HANA database from tape storage fails
      3.  
        Log backup fails with status 50 for SAP HANA
    8.  
      Disaster recovery of an SAP Hana database
  12. Appendix A. backint command line interface
    1. About backint command line interface for SAP
      1.  
        About the BC-BRI BACKINT Interface
    2.  
      About backint command line interface for SAP HANA
  13. Appendix B. Input and output files for SAP HANA
    1.  
      About input and output files for SAP HANA
  14. Appendix C. backint -i in_file contents
    1.  
      About backint -i in_file contents
  15. Appendix D. backint -o out_file contents
    1.  
      About backint -o out_file contents
  16. Appendix E. NetBackup for SAP environment variables for backint
    1.  
      NetBackup for SAP backint interface environment variables
  17. Appendix F. NetBackup for SAP configuration or bp.conf file settings
    1.  
      NetBackup for SAP configuration or bp.conf file settings
  18. Appendix G. Parameters used in initSID.utl
    1.  
      About parameters used in initSID.utl
    2.  
      initSID.utl parameter summary
    3.  
      backup_stream_buffersize <size>
    4.  
      client <client_name>
    5.  
      custom_sort_file <file_path>
    6.  
      drives <number_of_drives>
    7.  
      inquiry_query_period <months>
    8.  
      master_time_offset <minutes> (UNIX or Linux)
    9.  
      multistream_restore
    10.  
      policy <policy_name>
    11.  
      policy2 <policy_name>
    12.  
      restore_stream_buffersize <size>
    13.  
      retry_backup <number_of_retries>
    14.  
      schedule <schedule_name>
    15.  
      schedule2 <schedule_name>
    16.  
      server <server_name>
    17. sort_backup_type <value>
      1.  
        sort_backup_type custom
      2.  
        sort_backup_type device
      3.  
        sort_backup_type drive
      4.  
        sort_backup_type size (default)
    18. sort_restore_type <value>
      1.  
        sort_restore_type custom
      2.  
        sort_restore_type drive
      3.  
        sort_restore_type image (default)
    19.  
      switch_list <control_file_path>
    20.  
      switch_log <control_file_path>
    21.  
      switch_sem <control_file_path>
  19. Appendix H. Configuring split mirror backups
    1.  
      About configuring split mirror backups
    2.  
      Local-host snapshot method: nbu_snap (Solaris SPARC platform only)
    3.  
      Local-host snapshot method: VxVM (Solaris SPARC, HP-UX, Windows)
    4.  
      Local-host snapshot method: VxFS_Checkpoint (UNIX or Linux)
    5.  
      Off-host alternate client, FlashSnap method
    6.  
      Off-host alternate client, VVR method (Solaris SPARC, HP-UX)
    7.  
      Hardware array-based snapshot method: Hitachi Shadow Image, EMC TimeFinder, HP Business Copy (UNIX or Linux)
  20. Appendix I. Register authorized locations
    1.  
      Registering authorized locations used by a NetBackup database script-based policy

Using NetBackup for SAP with Snapshot Client to back up large databases

Cohesity recommends that customers with production databases back up their environments on a daily basis. This daily backup often is not feasible for databases of a size between 100 GB to over 1 TB.

This issue exists due to the following concerns:

  • Server performance. The backup process for large databases can cause severe performance problems because the process consumes the database server's resources. CPU time, the system bus, the I/O bus, hard disk controllers, and volume controllers become saturated. As a result, online use of the SAP system is limited and system performance is unpredictable during the backup.

  • System availability. Traditionally, backup activities were carried out when there was little or no system activity. This time window usually occurred at night. In today's production environments, which require little or no system downtime, this window is small, if one even exists.

  • Network performance. Instability and further performance loss may be experienced with a backup of large databases from the production host and over the network.

NetBackup for SAP with Snapshot Client supports split mirror backups. Split mirror backups are the recommended backup method for large databases because these backups overcome the preceding concerns.

Figure: SAP split mirror backup scenario

SAP split mirror backup scenario

In SAP environments, the Snapshot Client technology supports the following major backup strategies:

  • Off-host backup, which offers more performance. It offloads database backup activity and CPU cycles from the production host to the backup host. Thus, it improves the performance of the production environment.

  • Snapshot backup, which requires no downtime of your production system. SAP supports both offline split mirror and online split mirror backups. In an online split mirror backup, the production database remains available for user transactions. The need for backup windows is eliminated and 24/7 uptime functionality is provided for continuous business transactions.

  • (UNIX or Linux) Block-Level Incremental (BLI) Backup. BLI backups decrease the amount of backup media that is required for incremental backups and to significantly reduce CPU and network overhead during backups. BLI, may not be used for incremental backups with SAP with RMAN.

  • Split mirror backups. Because the mirrors are split from their standard devices and mounted on the backup server, the backup does not overload the network. The backup is run on the backup server without affecting the network.