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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.

Note

The BACKINT program is part of the certified BACKINT interface. Make sure that you only use this BACKINT implementation, which is officially certified by SAP.

As of SAP BR*Tools 7.10, you can use the BACKINT interface to:

  • Better support snapshot and cloning technology, which is increasingly becoming the industry standard

  • Fully implement split-mirror disk technologies in BACKINT, instead of using the SPLITINT interface

  • Enable use of BRRECOVER procedures for backup based on snapshot or cloning technologies

  • Run backups at the level of disk volume (volume backups) in addition to the currently available backups at file level (file backups)

Prerequisites

BACKINT Interface Functions

The link from SAP BR*Tools to the external backup and restore program is based on the interface program BACKINT.

BACKINT processes the requests for backup, restore, and inquire, and executes them using the corresponding backup tool. If the Media Management Software (MMS) is a client/server program, BACKINT communicates with the server program running on the backup server.

The BACKINT interface supports the following functions:

  • Backup

    This function defines a backup request including all files specified in a list. If the backup request cannot be processed completely, the interface program informs the user which files have been backed up successfully (partial backup). MMS determines the sequence in which the files are saved. On return, MMS generates a backup ID (BID) for each saved file, clearly identifying the backup. A backup file is uniquely identified by:

    • User ID

    • Backup ID

    • File name

  • Restore

    This function is used to pass a restore request to MMS, consisting of a backup ID (BID), a list of files to be restored, and a list of directories where files are to be created. The last parameter is optional. If it is not set, the file is restored to its original location. If the backup ID is not set, the last backup of the related file is used. The return information indicates which files were restored successfully and which backup IDs were used.

  • Inquire

    This function provides information about the backups managed by the Media Management Software (MMS). It is called using the BID and the file name. If both optional parameters are specified, the system checks whether this file was saved with a specific BID. If the BID is not set, a list of available backup IDs (BIDs) is provided, including the specified file. If a file name is not specified, a list of files belonging to a specific BID is generated. If neither of the two parameters is set, a list of available backups with BIDs is generated. In general, the BID does not always identify a backup run, although this is normally true. It can also identify the backup of a single file or a group of files.

After a function has been executed, the interface program always returns an integer return code indicating whether the call was successful.

Disk-Volume Backup

By “disk volume” we normally mean a “logical volume” (file system, mount point, or drive). This is the smallest unit that can be backed up with a snapshot or clone. Depending on the hardware and implementation, the smallest volume unit might also be bigger - for example, a “logical volume group”. The BR*Tools parameter util_vol_unit defines which volume unit is used in a specific configuration.

In the event of a restore, the database files are normally reset to the state of a selected snapshot or clone, which is known as “snap-back” or “clone-back”. However, it is often necessary to access such backups without overwriting the original files - for example, for verification purposes or to copy back into other directories. This type of additional access is controlled by the BR*Tools parameter util_vol_access. This access normally uses a separate mount action. However, depending on the implementation, the copying of individual files might be possible.

Recommendation

To make the handling of disk volume backups easier, we recommend only complete backups. However, partial backups are still permitted. For partial backups BRBACKUP extends the list of database files to be backed up so that it always includes all database files on the selected volume units.

To create backups at disk-volume level, you need to meet the following prerequisites:

  • All database files are in sub-directories of sapdata directories or in sapraw for raw disks.

  • All online redo log files are in origlog or mirrlog directories, or in sapraw for raw disks.

  • All control files are in sapdata, origlog, or mirrlog directories, or in sapraw for raw disks.

  • Normally sapdata, origlog, or mirrlog are mount points (UNIX) or are on separate drives (Windows).

  • There are no other non-database files in these directories.

The use of the new functionality is only allowed with the corresponding certified backup tools.

Features

By using external backup programs you have 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:

Figure 1: Backup of the Oracle Database Using an External Backup Tool

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.

    Note

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

    • backup_dev_type = util_file|util_file_online|

      util_vol|util_vol_online

    • Parameter file, for example:

      util_par_file = initC11.utl

      For more information, see backup_dev_type and util_par_file.

    • Additional parameters for disk-volume backups:

      • util_vol_par_file

      • util_vol_options

      • util_vol_unit

      • util_vol_access

      • util_vol_nlist