For standalone Oracle databases running on Windows VMs, you can perform application-aware backups from a VSA subclient, then use the Oracle database agent to restore a database.
Application-aware backups using the Virtual Server Agent are supported for Microsoft Windows versions of Oracle that are listed in System Requirements for the Oracle Agent.
If the first application-aware backup installs a plug-in for Oracle for Windows, the backup fails. Restart Oracle services on the virtual machine where Oracle is running after the application-aware workflow completes, and then retry the backup.
For Windows VMs running Oracle, ensure that data and logs are on separate volumes.
Note
You cannot perform application-aware backups for Oracle databases that use Automatic Storage Management (ASM) disk groups.
License Requirements
An Application Class 1 license is required for the initial installation and configuration of application plug-ins. After the initial configuration is complete, application-aware backups release the Application Class 1 license and consume Application Class Virtual licenses instead.
Application Credentials
To perform backups and restores for Oracle for Windows databases, a user account with admin privileges for the application and database is required.
Subclient Configuration
Include Windows virtual machines running Oracle in a separate subclient under a Virtual Server instance.
Note
Perform full or incremental backups for VM groups (subclients) that are configured for application-aware backups. Synthetic full backups are not supported. Scheduled synthetic full backups are converted automatically to full backups for VM groups and subclients that are configured for application-aware backups.
Archive Log Backups
Oracle for Windows database logs are automatically backed up as part of application-aware backups. The following methods provide log protection:
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A snap backup of the archive log volume is taken as part of application-aware backups.
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An automatic log backup schedule is created automatically after you run an application-aware backup successfully for the first time. A backup on the Archive Log Subclient runs immediately after the first successful application-aware backup.
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As part of the automatic log backup schedule, logs are backed up before the archive log destination reaches the available disk space threshold (by default, 70%), or at a regular interval (by default, every 24 hours).
Note
If the Oracle database is in NOARCHIVELOG mode, you must select the Offline Database option on the Content tab of the default subclient properties dialog box for the database to back up the database offline.