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Definition

This section discusses how to use devices when backing up a large Oracle database.

Use

  • Instead of backing up over a network, it is often better to back up to volumes in locally mounted backup devices or directly to hard disks.

  • Backup devices:

    • The maximum number of locally connected tape devices supported by BRBACKUP is 255.

    • Backup devices (for example magneto-optical media) that are addressed with an external backup program can be reached using the BACKINT interface. For more information, see External Backup Programs for Large Databases.

    • BRBACKUP offers only limited support for automatic tape changers such as jukeboxes. However, you can address such devices using the BACKINT interface to external backup programs.

  • Use tape units with a larger capacity and higher throughput rate if possible.

  • Factors other than the performance of the backup device also play a large role, such as:

    • Server throughput, in particular, hard disk access times, system bus speed, I/O bus speed.

    • Do not mount too many backup devices on one I/O bus, so as not to overload it. If hard disks and tape units are mounted on the same I/O bus, the load is split between the mounted devices.