Backup Media
You require a pool of tapes for database and offline redo log file backups to back up your Oracle database. Ensure that enough tapes are provided in each tape pool to cover the entire backup cycle. We recommend having 20% more tapes than required to cover database growth and additional backups. Backup tapes can be reused at the end of a backup cycle (that is, normally after 28 days).
Of course, you can also back up the database to disk if you have enough storage space available and later copy it to tape.
The following graphic shows the factors you need to consider when making up a tape pool:
Backup media are normally locally connected to the database server. Only back up a production database to a remote host if the database is not too large, and the network is stable. You should be able to back up a test database to a remote host without any major problems. You might want to back up the test database to backup devices that are connected to the host on which the production database is running.
For more information on how to manage the tape volumes, see Volume Management.
For more information on data compression, see:
If you use an external backup tool, BRBACKUP calls BACKINT to manage backup media. For more information, see External Backup Programs.