With IntelliSnap, Commvault can create storage snapshots for Oracle independently of streaming backups. This provides flexibility in managing recovery points and ensures business continuity without relying solely on backup copies.
This feature is automatically enabled for new companies and new CommCell deployments that have Oracle clients that have IntelliSnap enabled.
Important
Existing Oracle and Oracle RAC clients will continue to function using the configurations set up in your environment.
Key features
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Run snapshot jobs on demand or using a schedule.
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Snapshots and backups are independent operations.
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Full and incremental backups start with a snapshot job and then use that snapshot to complete the backup.
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Configure plan-level snapshot schedules to run snapshot jobs only.
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Browse and restore operations work reliably across snapshot and backup.
Comparison of legacy mode and new snapshot mode
| Legacy mode (traditional approach) | New snapshot mode |
|---|---|
| IntelliSnap is enabled for a subclient | IntelliSnap is enabled by default for a subclient |
| Backup schedule: runs a snap backup job | Backup schedule: runs a snapshot job and, on completion, immediately runs a backup job to copy to media |
| Dependent on a separate backup copy schedule to do actual backup copy to media | Snapshot schedule: Runs a snapshot job (no copy to media) |
How snapshot and backup jobs work
Snapshot-only jobs
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Applies to Oracle clients with Indexing Version 2 and subclients that have IntelliSnap enabled.
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Always runs as a Full job. A snapshot operation runs a job (snapshot), with individual jobs labeled as snapshot.
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Snapshots are registered with snap copies, and retention follows snap copy policies.
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Snapshots can be created even when backup job or synthetic full backup job is in progress.
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On-demand or scheduled explicit snapshot jobs will not be copied to primary copy. By default, snapshot will use primary snap copy.
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Browse and restore operations work seamlessly across snapshot and streaming copies.
Backup job operation with snapshots
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When a full or incremental job runs, Commvault first performs a snapshot job and creates a recovery point.
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After the snapshot job completes, the backup job (full or incremental) then streams data using the same snapshot and recovery point.
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After the backup completes, the backup job no longer depends on the snapshot job.
Synthetic full backups
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Created from existing backup jobs on a primary copy.
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Snapshots can be created even when a Backup job or a synthetic full backup job is in progress.
Configure snapshot-only schedules
You can configure snapshot-only schedules in a plan so snapshots run independently of streaming backups.
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When you create a plan, use the Configure Snapshot option to run snapshot-only jobs.
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For existing plans, add a snapshot schedule.
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Snapshot schedules apply only to IntelliSnap-enabled subclients.
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Snapshot options such as Enable backup copy don’t apply when this feature is enabled.
Considerations
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A job history differentiates snapshot and backup jobs. Independent job history ensures proper tracking of cycles.
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Backup archive files are no longer re-associated with the original snapshot job.
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An additional snap is created as part of the backup schedule. Make sure the retention settings are properly configured to include snapshots generated by backup jobs.
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By default, browsing is performed from the snapshot.
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There is no change in license/metering.