Advanced Backup or Archive Options

Overview

Once you have selected your backup type, you can choose to apply Advanced Backup Options to your operation. These provide media management tools at the operation level, as well as tools to optimize your backups for specific circumstances. The advanced options are listed below.

Data Options

Follow Mount Points

Indicates whether the data in the mount point is included in the backup. This option does not apply to block level backups.

For Windows File System:

Data residing in the mount point is backed irrespective of whether the option is selected or not.
During a restore operation, when selected, both the mount point and the data is restored.

When cleared, each of the mount point is restored as a directory.

For UNIX and Macintosh:

When selected, both the mount point(s) and the data will be included in the backup (and restore).
When cleared, only the mount point(s) will be included in back up (and restore).

For Windows File System, mount points, which point from the directory to the target data, allow you to add new volumes to the existing file system without using new drive letters. Backups follow mount points by default, backing up both the configuration and the data on the mounted volume. For Windows File System, these backups will not duplicate data in any of the following situations:

if more than one mount point on a subclient identifies the same location
if there are mount points to volumes that are not assigned drive letters
if two mount points point to each other

However, for Windows File System, a backup that follows a mount point will duplicate data if the mount point points to a volume with an existing drive letter. In this case, data is backed up via the mount point and by any subclient that scans the existing drive letter. To avoid this duplication, filter the mount point or volume letter, or clear the Follow Mount Points option.

If you schedule a backup job for a default subclient with this option cleared and subsequently initiate another backup, the first job will back up all the data, including the mount point data.

Note

Follow Mount Point restore will not restore the mount point if Follow Mount Point option was selected during backup. In such a case it will recover the data pointed to from the mount point in a defined folder and create a duplicate copy of the data.

Back Up Data in Remote Storage

For Windows file systems, specifies that the backup include the data pointed to in remote storage. By default, the system backs up only the reparse points, pointers to the remotely stored data, and not the data itself. You must select the Backup data in remote storage option in the Advanced Backup Options dialog box in order to back up the actual remote storage data.

The Windows 2000 or Windows Server 2003 Remote Storage feature conserves disk space by moving infrequently used data from the hard disk to directly-attached remote storage; it recalls the data when needed. You specify criteria for moving files to remote storage during Windows installation.

Remotely stored data should not be included in every full backup for the following reasons:

By definition, remotely stored data is data that is rarely accessed or modified. Therefore, it need not be backed up regularly.
Backing up remotely stored data is less efficient than backing up data from the local disk. Including this data in backups decreases backup efficiency.
During a full system restore, all data is restored to the local hard drives. If data in remote storage exceeds the available space on the hard drive, the hard disk space will be inadequate for the restore. Plan for hard disk space accordingly.

Even if this option is not selected, reparse points can be restored if the local disk becomes corrupted. But data is not restored in the event of a disaster to the remote storage device.

It is not recommended that you include remotely stored data in every backup; however, you should deploy a backup scheme that includes some backups of remotely stored data, in accordance with your deployment of the Remote Storage Service. Before instructing the system to back up this data, ensure that the media in the remote storage device will be available at the times of backup and restore.Back Up Files Protected by System File Protection

Specifies the backup is to include those files that are protected by the Windows System File Protection feature. This feature protects shared files that may be overwritten by application installations, such as dynamic link libraries (DLLs). This option is available for any subclient that backs up the System State.Stop DHCP Service when Backing up System State Data

For Windows file systems, specifies the system stop DHCP services on the client computer when System State data is backed up. This option is provided for cases where you cannot use VSS to back up the System State.

For more information, see Using Volume Shadow Service (VSS) to Back Up Files for Windows File System.Stop WINS Service when Backing up System State Data

For Windows file systems, specifies the system stop WINS services on the client computer when System State data is backed up. This option is provided for cases where VSS cannot be used to back up the System State.

See Using Volume Shadow Service (VSS) to Back Up Files for Windows File System for more information.Start Log Backup after Successful Backup

Specifies that a Transaction Log backup will start automatically after a successful Full or Differential backup operation is completed. This is useful when you want to back up logs immediately after a data backup, and allows you to do so without creating two scheduled jobs.

For more information, see SQL - Start a transaction log backup after a successful backup or Sybase - Transaction Log Backups.

SQL Native Backup Compression

Specifies that the SQL Server compresses the backup before the database is backed up by Commvault.

You may want to schedule the backup during off-peak hours or compress only low-priority backups.

Notes:

SQL Server 2008 Enterprise or later supports backup compression.
VSS-enabled and IntelliSnap backups are not supported.
Use a non-deduplicated storage policy with software compression to back up the transaction logs.
Do not use Native SQL backup compression when using deduplication. To improve the SQL backup performance with deduplication, ensure that the Native SQL backup compression option is disabled.

For more information, see Native SQL backup compression.

Copy Only

A copy-only backup is an independent backup and does not affect the usual chaining involved in traditional backups. This type of backup can be performed for a special purpose and does not affect the overall backup and restore procedures. It applies to full backups, fullVolume Shadow Services (VSS)-enabled backups, and full SnapProtect Backups.

At least one regular full backup must exist within our software in order to run differential and transaction log backups, otherwise, the first non-full backup will be converted to full. Subsequent non-full jobs after copy-only backup should run as the backup type specified without any conversion.

Create Backup Copy Immediately

Specifies a backup copy will be created immediately after the completion of the SnapProtect backup job. This option enables you to perform a backup copy operation during the SnapProtect backup job and is referred to as inline backup copy. This option applies to SnapProtect backup only and the backup copy creation is based on the backup copy rules specified for the snapshot copy.

For instructions on creating an inline backup copy, seeConfiguring an Inline Backup Copy for IntelliSnap Backup.

Partial (Excludes read-only Filegroups)

A partial backup resembles a full database backup, but does not contain all the filegroups. Instead, it contains all the data in the primary filegroup, every read/write filegroup, and any optionally-specified read-only files. Partial backups are useful whenever you want to exclude read-only filegroups. A partial backup of a read-only database contains only the primary filegroup. Tail-log Backup (database is left in restoring state)

This advanced backup option is only available if the Transaction Log option was selected in the Backup Option dialog box. Specifies to back up the tail of the log and to leave the database in the RESTORING state.

Optimize Backups for Novell Storage Management Services (SMS)

The OES File System iDataAgent provides the capability to utilize Novell's Storage Management Services (SMS) when backing up data.

When the Optimize for Novell SMS option is selected from the Data tab of the Advanced Backup Options dialog box, Novell's SMS will query the configured subclient content to determine what data will be backed up. Once the data has been queried, SMS then determines the order and conduct of backing up the data. This negates the need for the iDataAgents to generate a collect file during the scan phase, which significantly reduces the amount of time taken for the scan phase to complete.

Note the following before optimizing backups using Novell's Storage Management Services (SMS):

Backup optimization can only be used for full backups.
Backup optimization cannot be used in conjunction with any filter exceptions/exclusions, wild card content, or wild card filters.
Full backups running with this option selected cannot be suspended.

Verify Synthetic Full

When producing a synthetic full backup, the Commvault software uses several methods to obtain files that changed. Use the Verify Synthetic Full option to include files currently in the index (some were placed there by incremental jobs) and files returned from other sources of change information. The Verify Synthetic Full option catches some rare case changes that might otherwise be missed so that all new and changed data is backed up as intended. For example, files aged in the last cycle are included in the backup job. Without the Verify Synthetic Full option, those files would be skipped.

Startup Options

Priority

Use Default Priority

If selected, the default priority for this type of job will be used in determining how the Job Manager will allocate resources for this job.
Change Priority

Use this option to manually specify the priority for the job, between 0 (highest priority) and 999 (lowest priority). The Job Manager will use the priority setting when allocating the required resources. This is useful if you have jobs that are very important and must complete, or jobs that can be moved to a lower priority. For more information, see Setting the Job Priority.

Start up in suspended state

Specifies that this job will start in the Job Controller in a suspended state and cannot run until the job is manually resumed using the Resume option. This option can be used to add a level of manual control when a job is started. For example, you could schedule jobs to start in the suspended state and then choose which scheduled jobs complete by resuming the operation started in the suspended state.

For more information, see Setting the Job Priority.

Job Retry Options

Enable Total Running Time

The maximum elapsed time, in hours and minutes, from the time that the job is created. When the specified maximum elapsed time is reached, as long as the job is in the "Running" state, it will continue; if the job is not in the "Running" state when the specified time is reached, Job Manager will kill the job.

For more information, see Setting the Total Running Time for Jobs.

Enable Number of Retries

The number of times that Job Manager will attempt to restart the job. Once the maximum number of retry attempts has been reached, if the job has still not restarted successfully, Job Manager will kill the job. Note that this job-based setting will not be valid if restartability has been turned off in the Job Management Control Panel.

For more information, see Configuring Job Restart for Specific Jobs.

Kill Running Jobs When Total Running Time Expires

Option to kill the job when the specified Total Running Time has elapsed, even if its state is "Running". This option is available only if you have specified a Total Running Time.

For more information, see Setting the Total Running Time for Jobs.

Media Options

Start New Media

This option starts the backup/archive operation on a new media, which causes the following to occur:

If removable media is used, the current active media is marked as Appendable and a new media is used for the backup/archive.
If disk media is used, a new volume folder is created for the backup/archive.

If cleared, the operation automatically uses the current active media or volume.

This media management feature provides a degree of control over where the data physically resides, for example helping you to meet security or performance goals. This feature is useful in situations where you would like the data to reside on a new media, not appended to a media already containing backup/archive data.

Another form of the Start New Media option is available from the library properties. See Library Properties - Start New Mediafor more information.

For related information, see Creating an Exportable Media Set.

Mark Media Full On Success

This option marks media full, 2 minutes after the completion of the backup/archive operation. If any jobs are initiated within the 2 minutes, they are allowed to write to the media. If the job was associated with the prior media, new media (such as a new tape) will be used for subsequent jobs. (Applies to all backup/archive types.)

This media management feature provides a degree of control over where the data physically resides, for example helping you to meet security or performance goals. This feature prevents any other data from being written to the media. If the job was associated with the prior media, new media (such as a new tape) will be used for subsequent jobs. (Applies to all backup/archive types.)

For related information, see Export Media.

Allow other Schedule to use Media Set

This option allows jobs that are part of a schedule policy or schedule and using a specific storage policy to start a new media and also prevent other jobs from writing to the set of media. It is available only when the Start New Media and Mark Media Full options are enabled, and can be used in the following situations:

When one scheduled job initiates several jobs and you only want to start new media on the first job.
When you want to target specific backups to a media, or a set of media if multiple streams are used.

For related information, see Export Media.

Reserve Resources Before Scan

Normally, media is reserved for a job before the operation phase (backup or archive). When selected, this option will reserve the media before the scan phase. This reserves the media earlier because the scan phase precedes the operation phase.Wait for Inline Backup Resources

If you are performing a data protection/archive operation on a subclient with a storage policy that has the Inline Copy option enabled, then this option specifies that the operation should wait until resources are available for both the data protection/archive operation and the Inline Copy. (This option is available only if an Inline Copy is created on the storage policy that is being used for this data protection operation).

If cleared, the data protection operation will create the Primary copy even if there are not enough resources to create the Inline Copy.

For more information, see Enabling Inline Copy on a Storage Policy Copy.

Data Path Options

Data path options enable you to execute the data protection operations to a specific data path. You can select the following data path options in this tab.

Use Library
Use MediaAgent
Use Drive Pool
Use Drive

See Change the Data Path for a Backup/Backup Schedule for more information.

Vault Tracking Options

Several Vault Tracking options are available to export and track media. These options are available only when a Vault Tracker Enterprise license is available in the CommServe, and are only applicable for data protection operations using a storage policy associated with a library containing removable media (e.g., tape or stand-alone.)

For additional information, see Vault Tracker Feature.

Backup Archive Logs Options

Backup ArchiveLog

This option specifies whether the archive logs will be backed up. When selected, the archive logs get backed up based on the criteria set below.

Older than n Days

This option allows you to back up the archive logs older than the specified number of days. Use the space provided to enter the number of days.
Not older than n Days

This option allows you to back up the archive logs that are not older than the specified number of days. Use the space provided to enter the number of days.
By Log Time

This option allows you to back up the archive logs based on the time they were created. Use the Start Time and End Time fields to specify the time range when the logs were created. This time range will be used as the criteria for archive logs to be backed up.
By Log Sequence Number

This option allows you to back up the archive logs based on the specified range of Log Sequence Numbers (LSN). Use the Start LSN and/or End LSN fields to specify the range of LSNs used as the criteria for archive logs to be backed up.
By System Change Number

This option allows you to back up the archive logs based on the specified range of System Change Numbers (SCN). Use the Start SCN and/or End SCN fields to specify the range of SCNs used as the criteria for archive logs to be backed up.
LIKE

This option allows you to back up archive logs that match the specified string pattern, or partial string pattern. Use the space provided to enter the string pattern. Note that when you select this option and leave the field blank, all the archive logs from the selected destinations get backed up. Refer RMAN documentation for information on how to enter a pattern.

For example:

To back up the log file DB1_1_2355.arch, you can specify the pattern as %2355% with or without the destination selected. The log file DB1_1_2355.arch will be backed up from the default or selected destination.
All

This options allows you to back up one copy of all the archive logs, from any of the available destinations randomly, regardless of any criteria.

Select ArchiveLog destinations

This option allows you to select the location from where the archive logs will be backed up. Note that, this option is disabled when you select the All criteria. Use the Add button to select an archive log destination from the Select ArchiveLog destinations drop-down list. Similarly, use the Delete button to remove an archive log destination from the previously selected list of archive log destinations. If you select the LIKE option with no string to be matched and do not select any destination, one copy of all the archive logs will be backed up from any of the available destinations randomly.

The Select ArchiveLog destinations drop-down box lists all the destination paths configured for the instance (including USE_DB_RECOVERY_DEST path). However, if you need to use the database recovery file destination, you need to manually type in the exact path in the space provided instead of choosing the USE_DB_RECOVERY_DEST path from the list.While defining the destination path in the Oracle SPFile, if you do not end the destination path with a slash symbol, the last name in the destination path will get added to the archive log file name. Therefore, in the Select ArchiveLog destinations option, if you select the destination path that includes part of the file name and also specify a pattern for the file name using the LIKE option, the operation will fail. However, if you select the LIKE option without specifying the pattern, the operation will succeed.

Note

The value in this field will overwrite the value in the Select ArchiveLog Destinations for Backup fieldthe Subclient Properties (Log Destinations) tab.

Not Backed Up n times

This option allows you to back up the archive logs that have not been backed up for at least n number of times.

For related information, see Start an Archive Log Backup for Oracle and Oracle RAC iDataAgents.

Delete Archive Logs Options

Delete ArchiveLog

This option specifies whether the archive logs will get deleted. When selected, the archive logs get deleted based on the criteria set below

Older than n Days

This option allows you to delete the archive logs that are older than the specified number of days. Use the space provided to enter the number of days.
Not older than n Days

This option allows you to delete the archive logs that are not older than the specified number of days. Use the space provided to enter the number of days.
By Log Time

This option allows you to delete the archive logs based on the time they were created. Use the Start Time and End Time fields to specify the time range when the logs were created. This time range will be used as the criteria for deleting the archive logs.
By Log Sequence Number

This option allows you to delete the archive logs based on the specified range of Log Sequence Numbers (LSN). Use the Start LSN and/or End LSN fields to specify the range of LSNs used as the criteria for deleting the archive logs.
By System Change Number

This option allows you to delete the archive logs based on the specified range of System Change Numbers (SCN). Use the Start SCN and/or End SCN fields to specify the range of SCNs used as the criteria for deleting the archive logs.
LIKE

This option allows you to delete archive logs that match the specified string pattern, or partial string pattern. Use the space provided to enter the string pattern. Note that when you select this option and leave the field blank, all the archive logs from the selected destinations get deleted. Refer RMAN documentation for information on how to enter a pattern.

For Example:

To delete the log file DB1_1_2355.arch, you can specify the pattern as%2355% with or without the destination selected. The log file DB1_1_2355.arch will be deleted from the default or selected destination.
All

This option allows you to delete one copy of all the archive logs, from any of the available destinations randomly, regardless of any criteria.

Delete Instance Archive Log

This option allows you to delete the archive logs of the selected instance in the Oracle RAC node. You can delete the instance archive logs based on the Log Time, Log Sequence Number, or System Change Number. You will also require to provide the archive log destination location from where the logs will be deleted.

Select ArchiveLog Destinations

This option allows you to specify the location from where the archive logs will get deleted. Note that, this option is disabled when you select the All criteria. Use the Add button to select an archive log destination from the Select ArchiveLog destinations drop-down list. Similarly, use the Delete button to remove an archive log destination from the previously selected list of archive log destinations. If you select the LIKE option with no string to be matched and do not select any destination, one copy of all the archive logs will be deleted from any of the available destinations randomly.

Note

The value in this field will overwrite the value in the Select ArchiveLog Destinations for Delete fieldon the Subclient Properties (Log Destinations) tab.

Backed Up n times

This option allows you to delete the archive logs that have been backed up for at least n number of times.

For related information. see Delete Archive Logs for Oracle and Oracle RAC iDataAgents.

Note

Always ensure that the archive logs are backed up prior to deleting them.

Oracle Options

Max DB Block Corruption Threshold

This threshold specifies the maximum number of database block corruptions a backup process can encounter before stopping. By default, this threshold applies to all datafiles of the database. You can customize this behavior by adding the sSetMaxCorruptOnDataFiles additional setting, defining a comma-separated list of datafile numbers. The threshold is then applied only to that list of datafiles during the backup operation. For more information on setting the sSetMaxCorruptOnDataFiles additional setting, see Configuring a List of Datafile IDs for Allowed Block Corruptions.

RMAN ignores the specified number of database block corruptions before terminating a backup process. Once the specified threshold value is reached, RMAN stops the backup process and logs an error message similar to the following:

LISTING 2: r_20030520213618.log 
RMAN-00571: =========================================================== 
RMAN-00569: =============== ERROR MESSAGE STACK FOLLOWS =============== 
RMAN-00571: =========================================================== 
RMAN-03009: failure of backup command on d1 channel at 05/20/2003 21:36:26 
ORA-19566: exceeded limit of 0 corrupt blocks for file 
/u01/app/Oracle/oradata/MRP/sales_data_01.dbf

Set this threshold to match the number of corrupted database blocks identified by RMAN for the database file being backed up. By default, the value for the maximum number of allowed database block corruptions is 0. In this case, even one corrupted database block will terminate the backup operation. For more information on determining the number of corrupted database blocks, see the Oracle documentation.

Enable RMAN Disk Ratio

When this option is selected, RMAN reads data files across disks and groups them in a backup set. This way, the backup load is distributed across disks thus increasing the backup performance. By default, this option is disabled in the Advanced Backup Options (Oracle Options) tab. Once you have enabled this option, you must also specify a disk ratio value greater than zero in order for RMAN to utilize this option. The disk ratio option is applicable only when you are backing up data files or control files.

RMAN Disk Ratio

Specifies the number of disks from which data files are included in each backup set. For example, consider data files distributed across 10 disks that supply data at 10 bytes/second and a tape drive that needs 40 bytes/second to keep streaming. In this case, you can set the disk ratio value to 4, which will direct RMAN to include data files from 4 disks in each backup set. RMAN compares the disk ratio value with the number of disks available for backup and uses the lowest value. For example, if the disk ratio value is set to 4 and the data files are available in 3 disks, RMAN attempts to include data files from 3 disks in each backup set. If you set the option to 0, disk ratio will be disabled. When the disk ratio option is disabled, RMAN reads the files as specified in Data Files per BFS option in the Subclient Properties (Backup Arguments) tab.

Oracle TagYou can configure the Oracle Tag for backups to uniquely identify a particular backup copy. The Oracle Tag specified for a backup can be used during a restore operation to tell the system which particular backup to restore the data from. The Oracle Tag backup argument provides an alternative to point-in-time restores.

You can assign an Oracle tag to all the backup jobs of a subclient from the Subclient Properties (Backup Arguments) tab. However, the tag defined at the backup job level will override the tag defined at the subclient level.

Custom RMAN Script Option

Customize Script

When this option is selected, you can view the RMAN scripts for the selected data/log backup options and edit them as required from the CommCell Console.

This option is extremely useful when you want to include RMAN commands in the script that are not supported by the software.

For more information, see Customized RMAN Scripts.