Large databases contain 110 GB - 1 TB of data. For various reasons, you may not be able to back up the database daily:

• Performance problems: A heavy load is place on database server resources (particularly CPU time, system and I/O buses, disk and volume controllers); online operations in the R/3 System are restricted.

• You do not have enough time; you should make backups when there is little activity in the R/3 System, usually at night, however you may easily exceed the 12 hours available.

• The amount of database data is much greater than all other data managed by the system.

The system is normally configured so that there is a single server for the database, where no other large applications run.

You should not back up large databases across a network because of instability and performance problems.

Your ability to make backups of large databases with BRBACKUP (and cpio for the copy processes) depends on the following factors:

• Capacity and maximum throughput of the tape devices

• Disk access times

• Maximum throughput of the I/O (SCSI) buses

• Maximum throughput of the system bus

• cpio performance; determined by internal buffering and blocking

BRBACKUP itself places minimal load on the backup process. Any hardware-specific restrictions can only be improved by the hardware vendor.

The hardware configuration for a large database needs careful planning for an optimal backup. This may require multiple tape changes and the management of hundreds of volumes. If possible, use tape jukeboxes supported by the BACKINT interface and external backup programs.

You are informed of the support provided by the SAP utility program BRBACKUP when backing up large databases.