Getting Started with the Oracle Agent

Step 1: Review the Requirements

See the following sections to learn more about the capabilities and requirements of the Oracle Agent:

• System Requirements

• License Requirements

• Supported Features

Step 2: Install the Oracle Agent

For your computer's operating system, review each of the following topics to get started with the installation.

You can watch videos about deploying the Oracle agent and assigning the correct Unix or Linux group in the Command Center.

Windows

• If you use Oracle 12c, grant full control permission to the Oracle home user.

• Plan the Installation on Windows Computers

  Review general guidelines to prepare for the installation, which include configurations that your computer might need before the installation.

• Preinstallation Checklist for the Oracle Agent

  Review agent specific guidelines to prepare for the installation, such as gathering the information that you must provide during the installation.

• Installation Methods

  Select the installation method that is most appropriate for your environment.

• After you complete the installation, review and make any necessary changes to the user permissions. For more information, see Database Group and Folder Permissions for Windows Configurations.

UNIX

• Plan the Installation on UNIX

  Review general guidelines to prepare for the installation, which include configurations that your computer might need before the installation.

• Preinstallation Checklist for the Oracle Agent

  Review agent specific guidelines to prepare for the installation, such as gathering the information that you must provide during the installation.

• Installation Methods

  Select the installation method that is most appropriate for your environment.

• After you complete the installation, review and make any necessary changes to the client UNIX groups and permissions.

  • Review the required permissions. For more information, see Database Group and Folder Permissions for UNIX Configurations.

  • Change permissions as needed. For more information, see Changing UNIX Groups and Permissions on UNIX Clients.

Step 3: Prepare for Your First Backup and Restore

Plan your backup by considering the following configuration items:

1. Open the CommCell Console.

2. Configure a storage device.

3. Decide whether to schedule backups. Scheduling backups has the advantage of ensuring data is automatically backed up at regular intervals. Use a schedule to regularly back up the Oracle Flash Recovery Area.

   1. Gather the following information prior to configuring schedules:

      • The schedule name

      • The schedule frequency

      • The schedule start time and start date

      • The schedule exceptions

   2. Create a schedule policy with client group association and add the following schedules:

      • Automatic Database Log Backup Schedule. The schedule will automatically back up the logs when a condition is met, for example, before the archive log destination fills up to 80% of the space.

      • Daily incremental backup schedule

      • Weekly full backup schedule

      For more information, see Scheduling.

4. Configure instances for the Oracle databases. Do this by manually discovering all existing Oracle databases, or by enabling Automatic Instance Discovery.

   If you have more than one instance on the client or if you are using shared resources, configure client level job throttling to allow only “n” number of jobs or streams per client.

Step 4: Run the Check Readiness Report

You can use the Check Readiness report to verify that the client and MediaAgent are connected to the CommServe computer and that the database agents are properly configured to run backup and restore jobs. For more information, see Check Readiness for File System Clients and Database Clients - Overview.

Step 5: Run Your First Backup and Restore

1. Perform an online full backup of the default subclient.

2. Perform an initial restore.

Step 6: Where to Go from Here

1. Optional: You must complete the following tasks when you are running reports against the Oracle database.

   1. Configure the Oracle database as an external data source when you want to run reports against the Oracle database. See Configuring External Data Sources.

   2. You can create a report to view Oracle tablespace details. See Creating a Report to View Data from Oracle Tablespaces.

2. Optional: If database administrators are performing backups, you must also complete the following tasks for each administrator:

   1. Configure a CommCell User for each database administrator.

   2. Configure the User Group Permissions for each CommCell Oracle database administrator.

   3. Configure a Storage Policy for backups.

   4. Pass the following information to the Database Administrator:

      • The CommCell user name and password for the database administrator

      • The storage policy name

3. To properly plan for rapid recovery of critical data and restoration of business functions in the event of a disaster, review Full System Recovery: Oracle Agent.