Configuring Oracle RMAN backups with HP Data Protector to use deduplication on the VLS

Abstract
The purpose of this document is to describe the necessary steps to modify Oracle Backup
Specifications within Data Protector to support deduplication in the VLS.
Introduction
In order to perform deduplication of Oracle RMAN Database backups on the HP StorageWorks
Virtual Library System (VLS), specific configuration steps are required. The VLS depends on a specific
naming for Oracle objects being backed up. This is important to the VLS to be able to identify
identical objects of different backup sessions to do deduplication on them. The document describes
how to accomplish this by modifying HP Data Protector backup specifications to support Oracle.
The
Background section describes this specific naming convention for the Oracle objects.
The
Oracle 10g configuration section describes the required modifications that are necessary for
Oracle 10g RMAN backups.
The
Oracle 9i configuration section describes special modifications that are necessary for Oracle 9i.
Background
To identify related Oracle objects the VLS uses a specific Oracle RMAN string format. This format can
be seen in the middle column below. The left column shows the default HP Data Protector settings. The
backup must include the controlfile backup, and therefore, two more configurations have to be used
as else errors will occur during the backup session.
HP Data Protector default Necessary VLS configuration Comments
NA. CONFIGURE CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP ON;
CONFIGURE CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP
FORMAT FOR DEVICE TYPE 'SBT_TAPE' TO '%F';
'oracle backup
specification<DBNAME_%s:%t:%p>.dbf'
'oracle backup
specification<DBNAME_%s:%t:%p:%f>.df'
data file backups
'oracle backup
specification<DBNAME_%s:%t:%p>.dbf'
'oracle backup
specification<DBNAME_%s:%t:%p>.al'
archive log backups
'oracle backup
specification<DBNAME_%s:%t:%p>.dbf'
'oracle backup
specification<DBNAME_%s:%t:%p:%f>.cntrl'
controlfile backups
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