tape_copy_cmd 

Command used to copy database files (not to raw devices) and non-database files from disk to tape.

Syntax: tape_copy_cmd = cpio|dd|rman|rman_dd|cpio_gnu|dd_gnu|
rman_gnu|rman_dd_gnu

Default: cpio

cpio: Data is copied by cpio command

dd: Data is copied by dd command

rman: Backup with Oracle Recovery Manager. Data is copied by SAP backup library directly to tape.

rman_dd: Backup with Oracle Recovery Manager. Data is copied by SAP backup library piped through dd command to tape.

gnu suffix: GNU command syntax is used to copy files. On some platforms, GNU tools offer better performance.

For more information on rman and rman_dd, see  RMAN Backup with the SAP Backup Library.

This parameter does not affect either raw devices (they are always copied with dd) or directories (they are always copied with cpio). Tape header files (tape file label, init_ora, init_sap) and tape end files (space_log, det_log, sum_log) are always written with cpio.

The use of dd commands to back up the database can improve performance and so reduce the backup time.

The dd command reports an I/O-Error on UNIX platforms when it reaches the physical end of the tape. This message should not be confused with the same message when it is output for hardware problems. Check whether the end of the tape was really reached, taking the tape capacity into consideration. Reduce the value of parameter tape_size in this case. If a hardware problem is suspected, however, start the same backup to the same tape with tape_copy_cmd = cpio to identify the situation.

If you set the parameter tape_copy_cmd = dd, we recommend that you set parameters dd_flags and dd_in_flags as follows:

·         Unix

dd_flags = "obs=xk bs=xk"

dd_in_flags = "ibs=xk bs=xk"

·         Windows

dd_flags = "bs=xk"

dd_in_flags = "bs=xk"

where x >=16

The dd options obs and ibs are not supported on Windows.