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Oracle Instant Database Clones That Use Image Copy Followed by IntelliSnap

Use the Oracle Image Copy feature to perform forever incremental backup operations and create instant clones that are independent of the primary Oracle database storage. You can use this feature in the following cases:

  • When the primary database storage resides on volumes that cannot be snapped.

  • When you want to use less expensive storage for the copy.

The Oracle Image Copy feature:

  • Protects any database independent of the primary storage type or server type (physical or virtual machine)

  • Creates backups in the native format so that you can rapidly recover the data

  • Does not force users to place the database in hot backup mode

When you use this feature, the Commvault software uses RMAN to back up the incremental database changes to an image copy volume that can be snapped, and then takes a snap of the volume.

During the backup copy operation, the Commvault software uses the block-level interface.

Best Practice: For enhanced performance, enable Block Change Tracking on the Oracle database because RMAN generates an incremental backup to the image copy location, and then applies that backup to the image copy files that were generated in the first full backup.

To check the status of the block change tracking, run the following query as a sysdba user:

SELECT * FROM v$block_change_tracking 
 STATUS     FILENAME                  BYTES     CON_ID 
 ---------- -------------------- ---------- ---------- 
 DISABLED

If the status is DISABLED, you can enable block change tracking by running the following SQL*Plus command:

ALTER DATABASE ENABLE BLOCK CHANGE TRACKING USING FILE '/path/to/block_change_tracking_file.bct';

Note: The Oracle Express Edition and the Oracle Standard Edition do not support block change tracking.

Configure an Oracle client for IntelliSnap and image copy, create a image copy for the database.

The procedure flow is:

  • Perform a forever incremental backup of the database.

  • You can manually run a backup copy job, or configure the Commvault software to run a backup copy job after the backup completes.

    This operation copies the snapshot to the disk library and provides an additional standby copy.

  • Create the clone

Before You Begin

  1. If you have not done so already, configure a storage policy for the database.

  2. If you have not done so already, configure a storage policy for the logs.

  3. Select and configure the IntelliSnap array.

  4. Configure the Oracle client for IntelliSnap.

  5. If you have not done so already, configure a storage policy for the database.

  6. If you have not done so already, configure a storage policy for the logs.

  7. Create a separate schedule for:

    • The incremental database backups

    • The log backups - Use an automatic log backup schedule for the log backups.

      For information on how to configure an automatic schedule, see Creating an Automatic Schedule for Database Log Backups.

    • The synthetic full database backups

      Synthetic full backups are typically performed on a weekly or monthly basis.

  8. Create a subclient for the database.

Procedure

  1. Perform forever incremental backups.

  2. Create the clone.

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