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BCP Sync using RMAN Incremental Backups

By Yahoo DBA Team

Yahoo! White Paper BCP Sync using RMAN Incremental Backups

1. Purpose
This document explains the steps to sync up a BCP (Standby) with a primary database using RMAN incremental backups.

2. Steps for BCP Sync using RMAN Incremental Backups

Oracle Recovery Manager (RMAN) is used to synchronize a BCP database with a primary database by creating an incremental backup at the primary (source) database that always contain the changed values in the blocks from the time it was created or cloned (refreshed). The incremental backup is then applied to the BCP for keeping it up to date. Incremental Backup using System Change Number (SCN) is the concept used to sync the BCP with the primary.

Step 1: (Standby site)

From the standby that is lagging query the V$DATABASE view and record the current SCN. SQL>column current_scn format 9999999999999 SQL> select current_scn from v$database; Current_scn -----------------------------------14218177179

Step 2: (Primary site)

Prepare command file to take incremental RMAN backup from primary. Connect to the primary database as the RMAN target (RMAN target /) and create incremental backup from the current SCN of the standby database recorded from the step 1 by means of BACKUP INCREMENTAL FROM SCN=n (where n=number). In the illustration the RMAN Backup location on source: /n01/rman_bkup

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rman_bkp.rcv: =============

run { CONFIGURE DEVICE TYPE DISK PARALLELISM 16 BACKUP TYPE TO COMPRESSED BACKUPSET; backup as compressed backupset incremental from scn 14218177179 database filesperset=1 format ='/n01/rman_bkup/stex_%U'; } The files that are backed up contains data blocks that were changed at SCNs greater than or equal to SCN from step 1.

Step 3: (Primary site)

Start the backup nohup rman target / cmdfile rman_bkp.rcv msglog rman_bkp.log &

RMAN backup took 80 min. for 11g files. Step 4: (Primary site)
Use Netcat copy to copy the RMAN backups to the standby and also backup the control file to the standby and note the location of the control files. SQL> select name from v$contolfile; On the Primary, create a new standby control file. SQL> alter database create standby controlfile as '/tmp/standby.ctl';

Netcat copy took 45 min.

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Step 5: (Standby site)
1. Find out if the standby database is performing managed recovery. SQL> select process, status from v$managed_standby; If the MRP process exists, then the standby database is performing managed recovery 2. Cancel the managed recovery process (MRP), stop redo apply on the standby database: SQL> alter database recover managed standby database cancel;

Step 6: (Standby site)

Prepare recovery command file. Connect to the standby database as RMAN target and apply incremental backups.
rman_reco.rcv: ============== run { recover database noredo parallel 16; }

Step 7: (Standby site)

Start the recovery nohup rman target / cmdfile rman_reco.rcv msglog rman_reco.log &

Step 8: (Standby site)

Restore the standby control file.

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cp -p /n01/oradata/STEXPAC2/standby_control01.ctl /n01/oradata/STEXPAC2/standby_control01.ctl.bak cp -p /n01/oradata/STEXPAC2/standby_control02.ctl /n01/oradata/STEXPAC2/standby_control02.ctl.bak cp -p standby.ctl /n01/oradata/STEXPAC2/standby_control01.ctl cp -p standby.ctl /n01/oradata/STEXPAC2/standby_control02.ctl

RMAN apply took 80 mins Step 8: (Standby site)

Start the managed recovery process: SQL> alter database recover managed standby database disconnect from session; Log apply services apply the archived redo logs to the standby database when the database is performing managed recovery.

Step 9: (Primary and Standby site)

Check the SCNs in both Primary and BCP. [Standby site] SQL> select current_scn from v$database; CURRENT_SCN ----------1447474

[Primary site] SQL> select current_scn from v$database; CURRENT_SCN ----------1447478