External Backup Programs 

Use

The SAP tools BRBACKUP, BRARCHIVE, and BRRESTORE provide an interface called BACKINT that can be used to access external backup programs. You can only use this interface if the BACKINT interface program is supported by the supplier of the external backup program.

Features

By using external backup programs you gain the following advantages:

●      You can use new, manufacturer-specific backup media. For example, the SAP tools do not support direct backup to or restore from optical storage media. However, you can use such media with an external backup program using the BACKINT interface.

●      You can set up a consistent backup procedure for file systems and databases.

●      Many backup programs are not hardware-specific and can be used in a network, for example, for backup with an automatic tape changer, like tape robots.

Activities

If you use this interface, tasks are distributed as follows:

 

The graphic shows that:

●      BRBACKUP or BRARCHIVE does the database handling for backups.

●      The external backup program manages the backup media.

●      BRBACKUP or BRARCHIVE uses BACKINT to pass a backup request to the external backup program. This request contains a list of the files for backup. BRRESTORE and BRRECOVER also use BACKINT to trigger the external program to restore the requested files.

Any parameters that are passed are contained in a parameter file that you define. The external backup program performs all the backup operations.

●      BRBACKUP, BRARCHIVE, BRRESTORE, or BRRECOVER evaluates the confirmation messages of the external backup program.

Use the following settings in the initialization profile init<DBSID>.sap:

■       Device type:

backup_dev_type = util_file|util_file_online

■       Parameter file, for example:

util_par_file = initC11.utl

For more information, see backup_dev_type and util_par_file.

For more information about SAP partners that support the interface to external backup programs, see the SAP Service Marketplace at:

service.sap.com/partners