veritas netbackup for informix - york university · preface this guide describes how to install,...

N15264B

September 2005

VERITAS NetBackup 6.0

for Informix

System Administrators Guide

for UNIX

Disclaimer

The information contained in this publication is subject to change without notice. VERITAS Software Corporation makes no warranty of any kind with regard to this manual, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. VERITAS Software Corporation shall not be liable for errors contained herein or for incidental or consequential damages in connection with the furnishing, performance, or use of this manual.

VERITAS Legal Notice

Copyright 2005 VERITAS Software Corporation. All rights reserved. VERITAS, the VERITAS Logo, and NetBackup are trademarks or registered trademarks of VERITAS Software Corporation or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Portions of this software are derived from the RSA Data Security, Inc. MD5 Message-Digest Algorithm. Copyright 1991-92, RSA Data Security, Inc. Created 1991. All rights reserved.

VERITAS Software Corporation 350 Ellis Street Mountain View, CA 94043 USA Phone 650-527-8000 Fax 650-527-2908 www.veritas.com

Third-Party Copyrights

For a list of third-party copyrights, see the NetBackup Release Notes appendix.

ii NetBackup for Informix System Administrators Guide for UNIX

Contents

Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .vii

Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .vii

Finding NetBackup Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .vii

Accessing the VERITAS Technical Support Web Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii

Contacting VERITAS Licensing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix

Accessibility Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix

Comment on the Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x

Chapter 1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

NetBackup for Informix Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

NetBackup for Informix Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

NetBackup for Informix Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Informix ON-Bar Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

NetBackup for Informix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Sequence of Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Chapter 2. Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Verifying the Installation Prerequisites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Operating System and Platform Compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

NetBackup Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Database Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Cluster Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Installing NetBackup for Informix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Remote Installation of NetBackup for Informix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

iii

Loading the NetBackup for Informix Files onto the Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Pushing the Software to All Clients Currently Specified in an Informix-ON-Bar

Policy Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Pushing the Software to New or Selected Clients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Local Installation of NetBackup for Informix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Specifying the Informix Home Path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Chapter 3. Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

User Interface Terminology Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Configuring the Maximum Jobs Per Client . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Configuring Backup Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Adding a New Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Description of Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Adding Schedules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Types of Backup Schedules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Schedule Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Adding Clients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Adding Backup Selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Configuring a Standard Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Creating Scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Instructions for Modifying Scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Environment Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Configuring bp.conf Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Creating a bp.conf File on the Client . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Testing Configuration Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Chapter 4. Using NetBackup for Informix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Performing a Backup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Backup Strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Automatic Backup of an Informix-ON-Bar Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Manual Backup of an Informix-ON-Bar Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

iv NetBackup for Informix System Administrators Guide for UNIX

Using the onbar Command to Perform a User-directed Backup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Browsing Backups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Performing a Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Restoring Files to the Original Client . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Redirecting a Restore to a Different Client . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Redirected Restore Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Chapter 5. Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

Troubleshooting Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Verifying the Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Verifying Log Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

NetBackup Logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Enabling Logging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Accessing the Log Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

bphdb Directory on the Client . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

infxbsa Directory on the Client . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

NetBackup Server Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Informix ON-Bar Utility Logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Setting the Debug Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Minimizing Timeout Failures on Large Database Restores . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Deleting Expired Backups from the Informix Backup Database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Informix Versions XPS 8.x and IDS 9.x . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Informix Version IDS 7.x . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67

Contents v

vi NetBackup for Informix System Administrators Guide for UNIX

Preface

This guide describes how to install, configure, and use VERITAS NetBackup for Informix on a UNIX platform.

For information about the NetBackup server software, see one of the following platform-specific manuals:

NetBackup System Administrators Guide for UNIX and Linux, Volumes I and II

NetBackup System Adminstrators Guide for Windows, Volumes I and II

Getting Help

You can find answers to questions and get help from the NetBackup documentation and from the VERITAS technical support web site.

Finding NetBackup Documentation

A list of the entire NetBackup documentation set appears as an appendix in the NetBackup Release Notes. All NetBackup documents are included in PDF format on the NetBackup Documentation CD.

For definitions of NetBackup terms, consult the online glossary.

To access the NetBackup online glossary

1. In the NetBackup Administration Console, click Help > Help Topics.

2. Click the Contents tab.

3. Click Glossary of NetBackup Terms.

Use the scroll function to navigate through the glossary.

vii

Getting Help

Accessing the VERITAS Technical Support Web Site

The address for the VERITAS Technical Support Web site is http://support.veritas.com.

The VERITAS Support Web site lets you do any of the following:

Obtain updated information about NetBackup for Informix, including system requirements, supported platforms, and supported peripherals

Contact the VERITAS Technical Support staff and post questions to them

Get the latest patches, upgrades, and utilities

View the NetBackup for Informix Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page

Search the knowledge base for answers to technical support questions

Receive automatic notice of product updates

Find out about NetBackup for Informix training

Read current white papers related to NetBackup for Informix

From http://support.veritas.com, you can complete various tasks to obtain specific types of support for NetBackup for Informix:

1. Subscribe to the VERITAS Email notification service to be informed of software alerts, newly published documentation, Beta programs, and other services.

a. From the main http://support.veritas.com page, select a product family and a product.

b. Under Support Resources, click Email Notifications.

Your customer profile ensures you receive the latest VERITAS technical information pertaining to your specific interests.

2. Locate the telephone support directory at http://support.veritas.com by clicking the Phone Support icon. A page appears that contains VERITAS support numbers from around the world.

Note Telephone support for NetBackup for Informix is only available with a valid support contract. To contact VERITAS for technical support, dial the appropriate phone number listed on the Technical Support Guide included in the product box and have your product license information ready for quick navigation to the proper support group.

3. Contact technical support using e-mail.

viii NetBackup for Informix System Administrators Guide for UNIX

http://support.veritas.comhttp://support.veritas.comhttp://support.veritas.comhttp://support.veritas.com

Accessibility Features

a. From the main http://support.veritas.com page, click the E-mail Support icon.

A wizard guides you to do the following:

Select a language of your preference

Select a product and a platform

Provide additional contact and product information, and your message

Associate your message with an existing technical support case

b. After providing the required information, click Send Message.

Contacting VERITAS Licensing

For license information, you can contact us as follows:

Call 1-800-634-4747 and select option 3

Fax questions to 1-650-527-0952

In the Americas, send e-mail to [email protected].

In the Asia and Pacific areas, send email to [email protected].

In all other areas, send email to [email protected].

Accessibility Features

NetBackup contains features that make the user interface easier to use by people who are visually impaired and by people who have limited dexterity. Accessibility features include:

Support for assistive technologies such as screen readers and voice input (Windows servers only)

Support for keyboard (mouseless) navigation using accelerator keys and mnemonic keys

For more information, see the NetBackup Installation Guide.

Preface ix

mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://support.veritas.comhttp:[email protected]:[email protected]

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Comment on the Documentation

Let us know what you like and dislike about the documentation. Were you able to find the information you needed quickly? Was the information clearly presented? You can report errors and omissions or tell us what you would find useful in future versions of our manuals and online help.

Please include the following information with your comment:

The title and product version of the manual on which you are commenting

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Email your comment to [email protected].

Please only use this address to comment on product documentation. See Getting Help in this preface for information on how to contact Technical Support about our software.

We appreciate your feedback.

x NetBackup for Informix System Administrators Guide for UNIX

http:[email protected]

Introduction
1
NetBackup for Informix integrates the database backup and recovery capabilities of the Informix ON-Bar utility with the backup and recovery management capabilities of NetBackup and its media manager.

This chapter introduces NetBackup for Informix, and it explains how NetBackup for Informix relates to both the Informix ON-Bar utility and NetBackup. It contains the following sections:

NetBackup for Informix Features on page 2

NetBackup for Informix Terminology on page 4

NetBackup for Informix Overview on page 5

Sequence of Operation on page 6

1

NetBackup for Informix Features


The following list shows NetBackup for Informixs main features and introduces some terms used in the NetBackup for Informix documentation. For more information on general NetBackup terminology, see the NetBackup System Administration Guide, Volume I.

Feature Description

Media and device All devices supported by Media Manager are available to NetBackup management for Informix.

Scheduling facilities NetBackup scheduling facilities on the master server can be used to schedule automatic and unattended Informix backups.

This also lets you choose the times when these operations can occur.

For example, to prevent interference with normal daytime operations,

you can schedule your database backups to occur only at night.

Multiplexed backups and NetBackup for Informix lets you take advantage of NetBackups restores multiplexing capabilities. Multiplexing directs multiple data streams

to one backup device, thereby reducing the time necessary to complete the operation.

Transparent execution of All backups and restores run simultaneously and transparently both Informix and regular without any action from the NetBackup administrator. file system backup and The database administrator can run database backup and restore restore operations operations through NetBackup. Alternatively, you can use the

Informix ON-Bar utility as if NetBackup were not present.

An administrator or any other authorized user can use NetBackup to

run database backups and restores.

Sharing the same Media It is possible to share the same devices and media used for other Manager and disk storage backups or to give Informix exclusive use of certain devices and units used for other file media. backups

Centralized and networked From the NetBackup master server, you can schedule database backup operations backups or start them manually for any client. The Informix

databases can also reside on hosts that are different from the devices on which NetBackup stores the backups.

2 NetBackup for Informix System Administrators Guide for UNIX


Feature Description

Graphical user interfaces NetBackup provides the following graphical user interfaces for client users and administrators:

NetBackup Administration Console for Java

NetBackup Administration Console for Windows

A database administrator or NetBackup administrator can start backup or restore operations for Informix from the NetBackup graphical user interface on the master server.

Parallel backup and restore NetBackup for Informix supports the parallel backup and restore operations capabilities of the Informix ON-Bar utility. For example, this permits

the user to run more than one tape device at a time for a single Informix backup or restore, thereby reducing the time necessary to complete the operation.

Chapter 1, Introduction 3

NetBackup for Informix Terminology

NetBackup for Informix Terminology

The following list shows terms that might be new to an Informix database administrator or a NetBackup Administrator.

Term Meaning

Informix ON-Bar utility The Informix ON-Bar utility allows database administrators to back up and restore Informix databases on UNIX systems. This utility, however, does not directly manage storage devices and media. The Informix ON-Bar utility must be integrated with a media management system that can access devices and keep information about the media used in Informix database backups. NetBackup for Informix provides this media-management capability by integrating the utility with NetBackup.

onbar The onbar command starts a backup or restore with the Informix ON-Bar utility. This command is described in the IBM Informix Backup and Restore Guide.

ON-Bar scripts A Bourne-shell script that contains onbar commands.

onsmsync The onsmsync utility is an Informix version XPS 8.x, IDS 9.x, and later feature that synchronizes the NetBackup catalog with the Informix backup catalog. The onsmsync utility deletes images from both Informix backup catalogs and NetBackup catalogs. For more information, see your IBM Informix documentation.


NetBackup for Informix Overview

NetBackup for Informix Overview

The following example network shows the major components in a NetBackup for Informix configuration. The server that is hosting the Informix database must be a NetBackup client, and it must have NetBackup for Informix and the Informix ON-Bar utility installed.

System hosting the Informix database

NetBackup for Informix supplies:

Vendor I/O Library Informix database Sample configuration program

Sample script files

Additional required NetBackup software: Informix database software supplies:

NetBackup Client Informix ON-Bar Utility

Network (TCP/IP)

NetBackup master server Media Manager or

or remote media server disk storage unit

NetBackup software:

NetBackup Master Server

NetBackup Media Server

(if system is a media server)

Informix ON-Bar Utility

During a backup or restore, the Informix ON-Bar utility provides the interface to the databases and performs the actual extraction and insertion of data.

To start a database backup or restore, the database administrator executes a command called onbar. This command is part of the Informix ON-Bar utility, and it can be executed from the command line, from an ON-Bar script, or from an application such as NetBackup. An ON-Bar script includes the onbar command to be executed and defines the database objects to be backed up or restored.


Sequence of Operation

During a backup or restore, the Informix ON-Bar utility controls the data streams going into or out of a database. In order to access the storage devices, this utility must be integrated with a media-management system such as the one provided by NetBackup and its Media Manager.

The onbar command is documented in the IBM Informix Backup and Restore Guide.

For instructions on finding the Informix version level supported, refer to Installation on page 9.

NetBackup for Informix

NetBackup for Informix has a special library that contains the functions necessary for the Informix ON-Bar utility to use NetBackup.


You can execute an ON-Bar script in one of the following ways:

Automatically, from the NetBackup scheduler

From the NetBackup administration interface on the NetBackup master server

From the command line on the NetBackup client

With the exception of the command line method, a NetBackup process named bphdb

starts the ON-Bar script on the client.

The following events occur for a backup:

1. The onbar command starts the requested operation on the databases.

2. If the process requires media to store backup data, onbar starts a user-directed backup by issuing a backup request.

3. The NetBackup media server connects to ON-Bar through the NetBackup library on the client and transfers the database data to secondary storage.

A restore works in essentially the same manner except that onbar issues a restore request. This causes NetBackup to retrieve the data from secondary storage and send it to NetBackup for Informix on the client.

The status for an ON-Bar operation is logged in the Informix BAR_ACT_LOG. A database administrator can use this log to determine if a backup or restore was successful.

NetBackup also logs status, but only for its own part of the operation. This debug log is located in the following directory:



/usr/openv/netbackup/logs/infbsa

A database administrator cannot use NetBackup status to determine whether ON-Bar was successful because errors can occur in ON-Bar that do not affect NetBackup and are not recorded in its logs.


Installation
2
This chapter describes how to perform the following tasks:

Verifying the installation prerequisites for NetBackup for Informix. Perform this task before installing this agent.

Installing NetBackup for Informix.

Enabling functions specific to NetBackup for Informix.

Verifying the Installation Prerequisites

Before installing NetBackup for Informix, verify that you are installing the agent on a supported operating system or platform and that requirements are met for the NetBackup software, the database agent, and, if applicable, the cluster software. These requirements apply for remote and local installations.

Operating System and Platform Compatibility

Verify that NetBackup for Informix will be installed on an operating system or platform supported by NetBackup. A compatibility list for database agents is available on the Technical Support web site.

To verify compatibility

1. Go to the Technical Support web page: http://support.veritas.com.

2. From the Select Product Family list, click NetBackup Products.

3. From the Select Product list in the right pane, click NetBackup Enterprise Server.

4. Under Support Resources, click Compatibility and Reference.

9

http://support.veritas.com


5. In the list of documents, click NetBackup Enterprise Server (tm)/ Server x.x Database Agent Compatibility (updated date).

For x.x, look for the current release. For date, look for the most recent date.

For information on supported cluster environments for NetBackup for Informix, see NetBackup (tm) x.x Cluster Compatibility (updated date).

6. Click on the link for the PDF document, which is a downloadable file that enables you to view the supported database spreadsheet for this release.

7. Read the document and verify that the software in your environment is compatible with the NetBackup and NetBackup for Informix software.

NetBackup Software

Verify that the following requirements are met for the NetBackup server and client software:

The NetBackup server software is installed and operational on the NetBackup server.

The NetBackup server platform can be any of those that NetBackup supports. For installation information, see the NetBackup Installation Guide.

The NetBackup client software is installed on the client where you will be backing up the databases.

The version of the NetBackup client and the version of NetBackup for Informix to be installed must be the same (for example, 6.0).

There must be adequate disk space on each machine upon which you are installing NetBackup for Informix. Less than two megabytes of additional disk space is required in the /usr/openv/netbackup directory. However, more disk space might be needed at run time.

Make sure that you have configured backup media in a Media Manager or disk storage unit. The amount of backup media required depends on the devices used, the sizes of the databases that you are backing up, the amount of data that you are archiving, the size of your backups, and the frequency of backups or archives. For information on using Media Manager, see the NetBackup Media Manager System Administrators Guide.

Database Software

Verify the following regarding the database software on the NetBackup client:



Informix vendor software must be installed and operational.

One or more Informix instances must exist.

For information on installing Informix and creating instances, see your Informix

documentation.

Cluster Software

Verify the following requirements if you are installing the NetBackup for Informix software on a NetBackup server configured in a NetBackup cluster:

The Informix vendor software is installed and operational on each node to which NetBackup can failover.

The NetBackup server software is installed and configured to work in a NetBackup cluster. Follow the instructions in the NetBackup Installation Guide, including running the cluster_config script after the NetBackup server software has been installed.

You only need to run the cluster_config script after you install the NetBackup server software. You do not need to run cluster_config after installing NetBackup for Informix on a NetBackup server that is part of a NetBackup cluster.

The following additional information also pertains to cluster environments:

Make sure you install the NetBackup client software and the NetBackup for Informix software on each node to which NetBackup can failover.

Run commands such as bpplclients and update_dbclients from the active NetBackup master or media server. If you plan to perform a remote installation, in which you push the database agent software to clients located in a cluster, specify the individual node names, not the virtual names, in the client list.

Chapter 2, Installation 11

Installing NetBackup for Informix


You can install the database agent software in one of the following ways:

A remote installation. The user loads the software onto a master server or a media server and then pushes the database software out to the clients. You can perform an initial or upgrade remote installation in this manner. Remote Installation of NetBackup for Informix on page 12 describes this procedure.

A local installation. The user loads and installs the software onto the local machine only. Local Installation of NetBackup for Informix on page 20 describes this procedure.

Remote Installation of NetBackup for Informix

During a remote installation, you load the NetBackup for Informix files onto either a UNIX master server or media server, and then you push the software to the clients to install it.

Loading the NetBackup for Informix Files onto the Server

To load the NetBackup for Informix files on a UNIX server

1. Review Verifying the Installation Prerequisites on page 9.

If you are installing NetBackup for Informix on a clustered NetBackup server, be sure to read Cluster Software on page 11.

2. (Conditional) Perform this step only if you are installing on a server that is part of a NetBackup cluster.

a. Freeze the active NetBackup node.

When you install NetBackup for Informix, install the software on all the inactive nodes first, then install on the active node. For information on how to freeze the active node in your specific cluster environment, see the NetBackup High Availability System Administrators Guide.

b. Decide which of the inactive nodes to install the software on first.

In the next step, you log in to the first machine and commence the installation process. Because you need to perform the installation on all inactive nodes first, make sure that the first machine you select is an inactive node.

3. Log in as the root user on the master or media server.



If you are already logged in, but are not the root user, run the following command:

su - root

4. Verify that a registered and valid license key for NetBackup for Informix resides on the master server.

You can obtain master server license information from either the master server or the media server. To view or add license keys, perform one of the following actions:

From the master or media server, run the following command:

/usr/openv/netbackup/bin/admincmd/get_license_key

When the system prompts you, type the host name of the NetBackup master server.

Open the NetBackup Administration Console and choose Help > License Keys.

If the NetBackup master server is part of a NetBackup cluster, the license key must be registered on each node.

5. Mount the CD-ROM.

For more information on how to mount a CD-ROM, see the NetBackup Installation Guide.

6. Change the working directory to the CD-ROM directory.

For example:

cd /CD_mount_point

7. Invoke the install script to load and install the software.

For example:

./install

a. Select the NetBackup Database Agent Software option.

The following prompt appears:

Do you want to do a local installation? (y/n) [n]

b. Answer n.

A menu of all database agents available on the CD-ROM displays.

c. Select the NetBackup for Informix option.

d. Type q to quit selecting options.



A prompt appears asking if the list is correct.

e. Answer y.

The install script identifies the types of client software loaded during the installation of the NetBackup server. By default, any matching NetBackup for Informix software is automatically loaded. If there are more platforms available, the script displays a menu that gives you the opportunity to add more client types to the default list. After the list is complete, the installation script copies database agent version files, tar(1) files compressed with gzip(1), and the install_dbext script to directory /usr/openv/netbackup/dbext.

8. (Conditional) Select another node upon which to install the software.

Perform this step under the following circumstances:

If you are installing the NetBackup for Informix software on a server that is part of a NetBackup cluster.

and

If you have nodes that still need to have the software installed.

If there are inactive nodes that do not yet have the software installed upon them, select one of these inactive nodes, and repeat step 3 through step 8 for that node.

If you have installed the software on all the inactive nodes, select the active node and repeat step 3 through step 8 for that node.

If you have installed on all the nodes, proceed to step 9.

9. (Conditional) Unfreeze the active node.

Perform this step if you are installing the NetBackup for Informix software on a server that is part of a NetBackup cluster. Unfreezing the active node is the last step in the installation process. Unfreeze the active node only after all the software has been installed on all nodes.

For information on how to unfreeze the active node in your specific cluster

environment, see the NetBackup High Availability System Administrators Guide.

10. Decide how you want to distribute the NetBackup for Informix software to the clients.

Regardless of whether you are upgrading clients in an existing environment or you are performing a new installation, use one of the following methods:

Distribute to all clients currently specified in an Informix-ON-Bar policy type. This method distributes the NetBackup for Informix software to all clients that are currently included in an Informix-ON-Bar policy type. You can use this method



only if you are pushing from a master server. For information on this method, see Pushing the Software to All Clients Currently Specified in an Informix-ON-Bar Policy Type on page 15.

Distribute to selected clients. This method distributes the NetBackup for Informix software to selected clients only. If you are performing a new installation, and you plan to add clients to an Informix-ON-Bar policy type after you install the software, you can install the software on such clients now and configure the policy later. This method also allows you to skip clients that you do not want to upgrade to 6.0 at this time. You can use this method whether you are pushing from a master server or from a media server. For information on this method, see Pushing the Software to New or Selected Clients on page 18.

Note Make sure that the NetBackup for Informix version is the same version as the NetBackup client software.

Pushing the Software to All Clients Currently Specified in an

Informix-ON-Bar Policy Type

Use the following procedure if you want to install or upgrade the NetBackup for Informix software on all clients currently configured in an Informix-ON-Bar policy type. You can use this procedure only from a master server.

To push the software to all clients specified in an Informix-ON-Bar policy type

Note If you are pushing the NetBackup for Informix software from a server that is part of a NetBackup cluster, type all commands in this procedure from the active NetBackup node.

1. Run the update_dbclients command to launch the installation script.

Type the following command:

/usr/openv/netbackup/bin/update_dbclients Informix ALL ALL

2. Examine the client list that the update_dbclients command returns.

a. Locate the client list.

The update_dbclients command compiles a list of clients that it detects are included in an Informix-ON-Bar policy type. It presents this list to you. If 9 or fewer clients are in the client list, update_dbclients displays all the client names. If 10 or more clients are on the client list, update_dbclients writes the first 9 to standard output and writes the entire list to



$TMPDIR/NB_DBCLIENT_LIST.identifier, where identifier is a mix of date, time, and process identifier information. If the TMPDIR environment variable is not set, the default is /tmp.

b. Check the client list.

The host names of the clients must be the clients individual node names. They cannot be virtual names. The correct value for the individual node names is returned by the hostname(1) and the domainname(1) commands. The format can be either hostname or hostname.domainname.

If the client list contains virtual names, you cannot complete this procedure. Do one of the following:

To exit this procedure if there are two or more clients, press the Enter key and then type n to stop the upgrade and exit from this installation dialog. To install the software in this situation, use Pushing the Software to New or Selected Clients on page 18.

To exit this procedure if there is only one client, type n. To install the software in this situation, use Pushing the Software to New or Selected Clients on page 18.

If the client list contains only individual node names, proceed to the following step.

c. Check the skipped client list, if any.

If update_dbclients detects that it cannot update a particular client, it does not include the name of that client in the client list. Such clients are skipped for one or more of the following reasons:

The client is a PC client. You cannot install or upgrade NetBackup for Informix on a PC client from a UNIX server.

The database agent does not support the client's platform type.

The database agent software for that client type was not loaded onto the server in To load the NetBackup for Informix files on a UNIX server on page 12.

The client does not belong to an Informix-ON-Bar policy type.

The skipped client list is in $TMPDIR/skipped_clients.PID, where PID is the process identifier. If the TMPDIR environment variable is not set, the default is /tmp. If no file is present, no clients were skipped.

3. (Conditional) Specify the number of simultaneous client updates.



If you are updating more than one client, the installation software displays the number of updates required to distribute the software to the clients. If the software detects the need to update more than one client, it displays the following prompt:

Enter the number of simultaneous updates you wish to take place.

[1 - max] (default: dflt)

max The maximum number of simultaneous updates that is allowed. The value displayed ranges from 1 to 30.

dflt The number the program uses if you press Enter without specifying a number. The value displayed ranges from 1 to 15.

If you want the installation software to perform dflt simultaneous updates, press Enter.

If you want to specify a different number of simultaneous updates, type a number in the range 1 number max, and then press Enter.

For example, if three clients are to be updated, the max and dflt values are 3. If 50 clients are to be updated, the max value is 30, and the dflt value is 15.

update_dbclients starts the number of updates that you specify. If this number is less than the total number of client updates to be performed, new updates start as the previous updates finish until all of the updates have been completed.

4. Indicate whether or not you want to upgrade the clients at this time.

Based on your answer, the time it will take to update the clients is displayed, followed by this question:

Do you want to upgrade the clients now? (y/n) [y]

Type y or n for the prompt.

If you answer n, update_dbclients quits and leaves the list of clients it would have updated in a file. You can use this file later as the argument to the -ClientList parameter. By default, the installation software writes the client list to $TMPDIR/NB_DBCLIENT_LIST.identifier, where identifier is a mix of date, time, and process identifier information. If the TMPDIR environment variable is not set, the default is /tmp.

If you answer y, you continue the installation process. The following actions occur:

The update_dbclients command distributes the software to the client. If it is successful, update_dbclients invokes the install_dbext script on the client.



The install_dbext script runs on each client. If it is successful, it writes a version file in directory /usr/openv/share that contains the version of NetBackup for Informix that was installed.

The update_dbclients command displays a note on whether the update was successful for each client. When the update_dbclients command completes, it displays a file name that contains a complete log of what happened for each client. If the update failed for any client, examine the log file to determine the problem.

Pushing the Software to New or Selected Clients

Use the following procedure if you want to install or upgrade the NetBackup for Informix software on selected clients. You can use this procedure from either a master server or from a media server.

To push the software to new or selected clients

Note If you are pushing the NetBackup for Informix software from a server that is part of a NetBackup cluster, type all commands in this procedure from the active NetBackup node.

1. On the master server, type the following command to ensure that the bpdbm daemon is running:

/usr/openv/netbackup/bin/bpps

If the output shows that the bpdbm daemon is not running, type the following command to start the daemon:

/usr/openv/netbackup/bin/initbpdbm

2. Type the following command to change to the NetBackup bin directory:

cd /usr/openv/netbackup/bin

3. Use the bpplclients(1M) command to create a file that contains a list of clients currently configured in the NetBackup database.

The options to use on this command differ depending on whether you are installing from a master server or from a media server, as follows:

If you are performing the install from the master server, type the following command:

./admincmd/bpplclients -allunique -noheader > file



If you are performing the install from a media server, type the following command:

./admincmd/bpplclients -allunique -noheader -M ms_name > file

ms_name Name of the NetBackup master server in this environment.

file Name of the file to contain the list of unique clients. If no clients have been configured in the NetBackup database, file is empty. Create file using the same format as that generated by bpplclients.

bpplclients writes output to file in the following format:

hardware op_system client

hardware The hardware name. For examples, execute the ls(1) command in directory /usr/openv/netbackup/client.

op_systemThe operating system name. For examples, execute the ls(1) command in directory /usr/openv/netbackup/client/hardware.

client The name of the client.

For example, file might contain a line like the following:

Solaris Solaris8 curry

4. (Optional) Edit file.

Perform this step to change the contents of file. Edit file to contain only those clients you want to update with NetBackup for Informix software.

The host names of the clients must be the clients individual node names. They cannot be virtual names. The correct value for the individual node names is returned by the hostname(1) and the domainname(1) commands. The format can be either hostname or hostname.domainname.

5. Run the update_dbclients command to install the software.

Specify the file you created in step 3 as the argument to update_dbclients. The

command installs the software on the clients listed in file.

For example:

./update_dbclients Informix -ClientList file



6. Answer questions as prompted by the update_dbclients command.

The update_dbclients command initiates a dialog with you. It asks you to confirm actions during the update process and presents options to you if there are choices to be made. For information about this dialog, see the instructions starting with step 2 on page 15.

Note You do not need to run the cluster_config script after installing NetBackup for Informix on a server that is part of a NetBackup cluster.

Local Installation of NetBackup for Informix

During a local installation, the NetBackup for Informix files are extracted and installed. The local machine can be a client or a server that also happens to be a NetBackup for Informix client.

To install NetBackup for Informix on a local machine

1. Review Verifying the Installation Prerequisites on page 9.

If you are installing NetBackup for Informix on a clustered NetBackup server, also see Cluster Software on page 11.

2. (Conditional) Perform this step only if you are installing on a server that is part of a NetBackup cluster.

a. Freeze the active NetBackup node.

When you install NetBackup for Informix, install the software on all the inactive nodes first, then install on the active node. For information on how to freeze the active node in your specific cluster environment, see the NetBackup High Availability System Administrators Guide.

b. Decide which of the inactive nodes to install the software on first.

In the next step, you log in to the first machine and commence the installation process. Because you need to perform the installation on all inactive nodes first, make sure that the first machine you select is an inactive node.

3. Log in as the root user on the machine.

If you are already logged in, but are not the root user, run the following command.

su - root

4. (Conditional) Log into a media server or the master server.



Perform this step if the local machine is a NetBackup client.

5. Verify that a registered and valid license key for NetBackup for Informix resides on the master server.

You can obtain master server license information from either the master server or the media server. To view or add license keys, perform one of the following actions:

From the master or media server, type the following command:

/usr/openv/netbackup/bin/admincmd/get_license_key

When the system prompts you, type the host name of the NetBackup master server.

Open the NetBackup Administration Console and choose Help > License Keys.

If the NetBackup master server is part of a NetBackup cluster, the license key must be registered on each node.

6. (Conditional) Log out of the media server or master server and return to the local client.

Perform this step if you logged into a media server or the master server in step 4 to verify the license.

7. Mount the CD-ROM.

For more information on how to mount a CD-ROM, see the NetBackup Installation Guide.

8. Change the working directory to the CD-ROM directory.

For example:

cd /CD_mount_point

9. Load and install the software by running the install script.

Note Make sure that the NetBackup for Informix version is the same version as the NetBackup client software.

Type the following command:

./install

a. Select the NetBackup Database Agent Software option.

The following prompt appears:

Do you want to do a local installation? (y/n) [n]



b. Answer y.

A menu of all database agents available on the CD-ROM displays.

c. Select the NetBackup for Informix option.

d. Type q to quit selecting options.

A prompt appears asking if the list is correct.

e. Answer y.

The following actions occur:

The script writes the version file, a tar(1) file compressed with gzip(1), and the install_dbext script to directory /usr/openv/netbackup/dbext.

The install script automatically runs the install_dbext script.

If install_dbext completes successfully, it writes a version file in directory /usr/openv/share that contains the version of NetBackup for Informix that was installed.

f. Type q to quit from the script.

Note You do not need to run the cluster_config script after installing NetBackup for Informix on a server that is part of a NetBackup cluster.

10. (Conditional) Select another node upon which to install the software.

Perform this step under the following circumstances:

If you are installing the NetBackup for Informix software on a server that is part of a NetBackup cluster.

and

If you have nodes that still need to have the software installed.

If there are inactive nodes that do not yet have the software installed upon them, select one of these inactive nodes and repeat step 3 through step 10 for that node.

If you have installed the software on all the inactive nodes, select the active node and repeat step 3 through step 10 for that node.

If you have installed on all the nodes, proceed to step 11.

11. (Conditional) Unfreeze the active node.


Specifying the Informix Home Path

Perform this step if you are installing the NetBackup for Informix software on a server that is part of a NetBackup cluster. Unfreezing the active node is the last step in the installation process. Unfreeze the active node only after all the software has been installed on all nodes.

For information on how to unfreeze the active node in your specific cluster environment, see the NetBackup High Availability System Administrators Guide.


After you install NetBackup for Informix, use the procedure in this section to provide additional information about your Informix environment.

To specify the Informix home path

1. Change to the following directory:

/usr/openv/netbackup/bin

2. Run the following set-up script:

./informix_config

The following appears:

Please specify the Informix instance home path name:

3. Supply the appropriate name for the Informix instance home path.

The command finishes, and the set-up step is complete.

4. Verify the Informix ON-Bar configuration.

This script creates the following entry in the Informix instance home paths etc/sm_versions file for each client.

1|1.1.0|VERITAS-NetBackup|1

All Informix versions later than 7.31 UC4 dynamically read the appropriate information from the sm_versions file every time a backup or restore is performed. If you are using a release at this level, you do not need to edit any files.

If you are using Informix version 7.31 UC4 and earlier, perform step 5.

5. (Conditional) Update the bar_version table in the sysutils database

Perform this step if you are using Informix version 7.31 UC4 and earlier.

Insert the following lines into the bar_version table in the sysutils database:



bar_version bsa_version bar_sm sm_version

1 1.1.0 VERITAS-NetBackup 1

6. Make sure $BAR_BSALIB_PATH is correctly linked to NetBackup's infxbsa.[so,sl,a]. For more information, see Troubleshooting on page 57.

7. Set the BAR_RETRY configuration parameter to 5.

The configuration parameter BAR_RETRY in the $INFORMIXDIR/etc/$ONCONFIG file specifies the number of times ON-Bar attempts to back up or restore the storage space or logical log if the first attempt fails. Informix recommends setting BAR_RETRY to 5.


Configuration
3
Before attempting to configure NetBackup for Informix, complete the installation procedure as described in Installation on page 9. After installation is complete, configure the software by completing the following steps:

1. Configuring the Maximum Jobs Per Client

2. Configuring Backup Policies

3. Creating Scripts

4. Configuring bp.conf Files

5. Testing Configuration Settings

The following subsections describe these steps.

User Interface Terminology Notes

You can perform many of the configuration steps in this chapter from the NetBackup Administration Console on the master server. Depending on your master servers platform, the console is available in one or two forms. NetBackup supports a Java interface for both Windows and UNIX master servers. In addition, NetBackup supports a Windows interface for Windows master servers.

The Java and Windows interfaces are nearly identical, but when there are interface differences in the configuration procedures, this manual uses the following headings to identify the interface being described:

From the Windows interface:

From the Java interface:

25

Configuring the Maximum Jobs Per Client

Configuring the Maximum Jobs Per Client

To configure the Maximum jobs per client

1. In the left pane of the NetBackup Administration Console, expand Host Properties.

2. Select Master Server.

3. In the right pane, double-click on the server icon.

The Master Server Properties dialog box displays.

4. In the Master Server Properties dialog box, click Global Attributes.

5. Change the Maximum jobs per client value to 99.

The Maximum jobs per client specifies the maximum number of concurrent backups allowed per client. The default is 1. You can use the following formula to calculate a smaller value:

Maximum jobs per client = number_of_streams X number_of_policies

number_of_streams The number of backup streams between the database server and NetBackup. Each separate stream starts a new backup job on the client.

number_of_policies The number of policies of any type that can back up this client at the same time. This number can be greater than one. For example, a client can be in two policies in order to back up two different databases. These backup windows can overlap.

Tip Enter a large enough value for the Maximum jobs per client attribute to meet the number of jobs executed by Informix. You might need to experiment with different values at your site.


Configuring Backup Policies


A NetBackup policy defines the backup criteria for a specific group of one or more clients. These criteria include:

Storage unit and media to use

Policy attributes

Backup schedules

Clients to be backed up

The script files to be executed on the clients

To use NetBackup for Informix, you need to define at least one Informix-ON-Bar policy with the appropriate schedules. A configuration can have a single policy that includes all clients, or there can be many policies, some of which include only one client.

In addition to the Informix-ON-Bar policy, you need to back up the $INFORMIXDIR/etc files specified in the backup scripts. Define a Standard policy with a User Backup schedule type to back up these files.

Most requirements for Informix-ON-Bar policies are the same as for file system backups. In addition to the attributes described here, there are other attributes for a policy to consider. For configuration instructions and information on all the attributes available, see the NetBackup System Administrators Guide, Volume I.

Adding a New Policy

To add a new policy

1. Log on to the master server as administrator (Windows) or root (UNIX).

2. Start the NetBackup Administration Console.

3. If your site has more than one master server, choose the one on which you want to add the policy.

4. From the Windows interface: In the left pane, right-click Policies and choose New Policy.

From the Java interface: In the left pane, click Policies. In the All Policies pane, right-click the master server, and click New.

The Add a New Policy dialog box displays.

5. In the Policy name field, type a unique name for the new policy.

Chapter 3, Configuration 27


6. Click OK.

A dialog box displays in which you can specify the general attributes for the policy.

7. From the Policy Type box, select the Informix-ON-Bar policy type.

Note The Informix-ON-Bar policy type does not appear in the drop-down list unless your master server has a license key for NetBackup for Informix.

8. Complete the entries on the Attributes tab. For more information, see Description of Attributes, which follows this procedure.

9. Add other policy information.

To add schedules, see Adding Schedules on page 29.

To add clients, see Adding Clients on page 34.

To add scripts to the Backup Selections list, see Adding Backup Selections on page 35.

10. When you have added all the schedules, clients, and Backup Selections you need, click OK. The new policy is created.

Description of Attributes

With a few exceptions, NetBackup manages a database backup like a file system backup. The following table shows the policy attributes that are different for Informix backups. This information is used when you are adding a new policy.

Other policy attributes vary according to your specific backup strategy and system configuration. For more information on policy attributes, see the NetBackup System Administrators Guide, Volume I.

Description of Policy Attributes

Attribute Description

Policy type Determines the types of clients that can be in the policy and, in some cases, the types of backups that NetBackup can perform on those clients. To use NetBackup for Informix, you must define at least one policy of type Informix-ON-Bar.

Keyword phrase For NetBackup for Informix, the Keyword phrase entry is ignored.



Adding Schedules

Each policy has its own set of schedules. These schedules initiate automatic backups and specify when a user can initate operations.

An Informix backup requires an Application Backup schedule, which is created automatically when you create an Informix policy. The Application Backup schedule manages the backup operation. You also need one or more automatic backup schedules if you plan to have NetBackup perform automatic or scheduled backups.

To configure an Application Backup schedule

1. In the Policy dialog, click the Schedules tab.

To access the Policy dialog, double-click the policy name in the Policies list in the NetBackup Administration Console.

2. Double-click on the schedule named Default-Application-Backup.

A dialog box displays. The title bar shows the name of the policy to which you are adding the schedule.

All Informix backup operations are performed through NetBackup for Informix using an Application Backup schedule. This includes backups that start automatically.

Configure an Application Backup schedule for each Informix-ON-Bar policy you create. If you do not do this, you cannot perform a backup. To help satisfy this requirement, an Application Backup schedule named Default-Application-Backup is automatically created when you configure a new Informix-ON-Bar policy.

3. Specify the other properties for the schedule as explained in Schedule Properties on page 32.

The backup window for an Application Backup schedule must encompass the time period during which all NetBackup for Informix jobs, scheduled and unscheduled, can occur. This is necessary because the Application Backup schedule starts processes that are required for all NetBackup for Informix backups, including those started automatically.

For example, assume the following:

Users perform Informix-ON-Bar backup operations during business hours, 0800 to 1300.

Automatic backups that use this policy commence between 1800 and 2200.



The Application Backup schedule must have a start time of 0800 and a duration of 14 hours.

Example Settings for an Application Backup schedule

Type of Backup Schedule settings Description Settings

Application Backup

Retention The length of time the backup images are retained in the NetBackup catalog for restore.

2 weeks

Backup Window The time during which a NetBackup operation can be initiated.

Sunday through Saturday

00:00:00 - 24:00:00

Note Specify the Application Backup schedule name in the bp.conf file on the client. This is optional. See Configuring bp.conf Files on page 42 for details.

Tip Set the time period for the Application Backup schedule for 24 hours per day, seven days per week. This ensures that your NetBackup for Informix operations are never locked out due to the Application Backup schedule.

To configure an automatic backup schedule

1. On the Policy dialog, click the Schedules tab.

2. Click New.

A dialog box displays. The title bar shows the name of the policy to which you are adding the schedules.

3. Specify a unique name for the schedule.

4. Select the Type of backup.

For information on the types of backups available for this policy, see Types of Backup Schedules on page 31.

5. Specify the other properties for the schedule as explained in Schedule Properties, which follows this procedure.



The following table shows example settings for an automatic backup schedule:

Type of Backup Schedule settings Description Settings

Automatic Full Backup

Retention The length of time to store the record of a backup, which NetBackup uses to determine if the schedule needs to be run.

2 weeks

Frequency Frequency determines how often a backup should be performed.

every week


Sunday, 18:00:00 - 22:00:00

Automatic Incremental Backup

Retention The length of time to store the record of a backup, which NetBackup uses to determine if the schedule needs to be run.

1 week

Frequency Frequency determines how often a backup should be performed.

every day


Sunday through Saturday

18:00:00 - 22:00:00

6. If this is the last schedule, click OK. To add other schedules, repeat step 1 through step 6.

Types of Backup Schedules

You can perform backups with the following types of schedules:

Informix Backup Types

Application Backup The Application Backup schedule enables user-controlled NetBackup operations from the client, both those initiated from the client and those initiated by an automatic schedule on the master server. NetBackup uses the Application Backup schedule when the Informix-ON-Bar user starts a backup manually. Configure at least one Application Backup schedule for each Informix-ON-Bar policy. The Default-Application-Backup schedule is configured automatically as an Application Backup schedule.



Informix Backup Types (Continued)

Automatic Full Backup

An Automatic Full Backup copies all blocks into the backup set, skipping only datafile blocks that have never been used. Note that a full backup is not the same as a whole database backup; full is an indicator that the backup is not incremental.

This type of backup corresponds to an Informix Level-0 backup, which is a baseline backup.

Automatic Incremental Backup

An Automatic Incremental Backup is a backup of only those blocks that have changed since the last Automatic Full (baseline) backup. This kind of backup takes less time and space than a full backup because the Automatic Incremental Backup contains only the changed data.

This type of backup corresponds to an Informix Level-1 backup.

Schedule Properties

Some of the schedule properties have a different meaning for database backups than for a regular file system backup. The following table explains the schedule properties:

Description of Schedule Properties

Property Description

Type of backup Specifies the type of backup that this schedule controls. The selection list shows only the backup types that apply to the policy you are configuring.

For more information, see Types of Backup Schedules on page 31.

Frequency This setting is used only for scheduled backups and not for user-directed backups. Frequency specifies the period of time that can elapse until the next backup or archive operation begins on this schedule. For example, if the frequency is seven days and a successful backup occurs on Wednesday, the next full backup does not occur until the following Wednesday. Typically, incremental backups have a shorter frequency than full backups.

Calendar This setting is used only for scheduled backups. It is not used for user-directed backups. The Calendar option allows you to schedule backup operations based on specific dates, recurring week days, or recurring days of the month.



Description of Schedule Properties (Continued)

Property Description

Retention Frequency-based scheduling

The retention period for an Application Backup schedule refers to the length of time that NetBackup keeps backup images.

The retention period for an Automatic Full Backup or Automatic

Incremental Backup schedule controls how long NetBackup keeps records

of when scheduled backups have occurred.

Set a retention period that is longer than the frequency setting for the

schedule. For example, if the frequency setting is set to one week, set the

retention period to be more than one week. The NetBackup scheduler

compares the latest record of the Automatic Backup schedule to the

frequency of that Automatic Backup schedule to determine whether a

backup is due. This means that if you set the retention period to expire the

record too early, the scheduled backup frequency is unpredictable.

However, if you set the retention period to be longer than necessary, the

NetBackup catalog accumulates unnecessary records.

Calendar-based scheduling

The retention period for an Application Backup schedule refers to the length of time that NetBackup keeps backup images.

The retention period for an Automatic Full Backup or Automatic Incremental Backup schedule controls how long NetBackup keeps records of when scheduled backups have occurred. However, this setting is not significant for calendar-based scheduling.

Multiple copies If you want to specify multiple copies for your Informix-ON-Bar policy, configure Multiple copies on the Application Backup schedule.

Other schedule properties vary according to your specific backup strategy and system configuration. For more information on schedule properties, consult the NetBackup System Administrators Guide, Volume I.



Adding Clients

The client list is the list of clients on which your ON-Bar scripts are run during an automatic backup. A NetBackup client must be in at least one policy but can be in more than one.

The following software must be installed on the client:

Informix

NetBackup client or server

NetBackup for Informix

The backup or restore ON-Bar script(s)

To add clients to a policy

1. In the Policy dialog, click the Clients tab.


2. Click New.

3. Enter the name of the client you want to add.

If Informix is installed in a NetBackup cluster, specify the virtual Informix name as the

client name.


Type the name into the client list and press Enter.

If NetBackup cannot detect the hardware and operating system, a dialog box displays so you can specify this information.

OR

Click the Browse for Computer button to choose the client from the network.


a. The Add Client dialog box displays. In the Client name field, type the name of the client you are adding.

b. Choose the Hardware and operating system type and click Add.

4. To add another client, repeat step 2 and step 3.

5. If this is the last client, click OK.



Adding Backup Selections

The backup selections list in a database policy has a different meaning than for non-database policies. For example, in a Standard policy, the list contains files and directories to be backed up. In a NetBackup for Informix database policy, you specify scripts to be run.

Observe the following when using scripts:

Make sure the scripts reside on each client in the client list. Scripts can reside in any location. Make sure that NetBackup can access the location you choose and that NetBackup can run the scripts.

NetBackup installs sample scripts when you install the software, and you can modify these scripts for your own use. As part of the modification process, write the scripts to a location outside of the original installation location so future NetBackup installations do not overwrite your sites scripts.

If you are using NetBackup for Informix in a NetBackup server cluster, make sure that the scripts reside in a location that is available after a failover.

Add scripts only if you are setting up a policy for automatic scheduling. All scripts listed in the backup selections list are run for manual backups and for Automatic Full Backup or Automatic Incremental Backup schedules as specified under the Schedules tab. NetBackup runs the scripts in the order that the scripts appear in the Backup Selections list.

For more information on backup scripts, see Creating Scripts on page 38.

To add scripts to the backup selections list

The following steps show how to perform this procedure from both the Java interface and from the Windows interface.

Caution Be sure to specify the correct script names in the Backup Selections list to prevent an error or possibly a wrong operation. Make sure that the script resides on the client before you try to add it to the Backup Selections list.


1. Open the Policy dialog.


2. Click the Backup Selections tab.



3. Click New.

A dialog box displays.

4. Specify the names of the scripts that you want NetBackup to use.

a. In the Script: box, type the full path name of a script on the client.

For example:

/backup_scripts/db/cold_backup.sh

b. Click Add to add the script to the list.

c. Repeat step a and step b until all scripts are added.

5. Click OK.


1. In the Policy dialog, click the Backup Selections tab.


2. Click New.

3. Specify the names of the scripts you want NetBackup to use.

Use one of the following methods:

Type the full path name of the script on the client.

For example:

/backup_scripts/db/cold_backup.sh

Click the Remote Folder button.

The Browse window displays the hosts in the client list. Navigate to and select the script file. Click OK.

4. Click OK.

Configuring a Standard Policy

In addition to the Informix policy, you must also configure a Standard type policy. A Standard policy enables the backup of the $INFORMIXDIR/etc files specified in the scripts.



Note The name of the policy must be specified in the backup scripts you modify on the client.

To create a Standard policy

1. Add a new policy, as specified in Configuring a NetBackup Policy.

2. Specify the general attributes for the policy.

a. Select Standard for the policy type.

b. Specify other attributes as desired.

3. Add a schedule.

a. Type the name of your schedule.

b. In the Type of Backup box, select User Backup.

A User Backup schedule enables user controlled NetBackup operations performed on the client.

c. In the Retention box, set the time period needed to retain two full backups of your database.

For example, if your database is backed up once every Sunday morning, select a retention period of at least two weeks.

d. In the Start Window section of the Schedules dialog, set the time of day when you want backup operations to be available to the user.

Set this window to the same time periods as the Application Backup schedule in the Informix-ON-Bar policy.

Note You do not need to configure a file list for this policy because it will be a User Backup type schedule.

4. Specify the clients to be backed up.

The client must have both Informix and NetBackup for Informix installed.

5. Click OK.

The Add New Policy dialog box closes. The policy you just configured appears in the policy list.


Creating Scripts

Creating Scripts

The following example scripts are included with the NetBackup for Informix installation:

informix_dbspace_list

informix_logical_log_backup

informix_onbar_backup_of_dbspace1

informix_onbar_backup_of_rootdbs

informix_onbar_backup_of_rootdbs_and_dbspace1

informix_onbar_backup_using_file_list

informix_onbar_restore_dbspace1

informix_onbar_restore_rootdbs

infx_remove_expired_backup

These scripts are installed in the following directory:

/usr/openv/netbackup/ext/db_ext/informix/scripts

Be sure to modify these scripts for your environment.

Although each script can perform multiple ON-Bar operations, each type of operation requires a separate script. For example, you need separate scripts for backups and restores.

Caution Always specify the correct script when configuring automatic backups or when starting operations through NetBackup. NetBackup for Informix does not generate an error if a restore script is used for a backup operation or a backup script is used for a restore operation.

For more information on ON-Bar scripts, see your Informix documentation.

Instructions for Modifying Scripts

The following procedure shows the steps for modifying one script. Repeat this procedure for each script that you modify.

To modify NetBackup for Informix scripts

1. Copy the example scripts from /usr/openv/netbackup/ext/db_ext/informix/scripts to a different location on your client.

The Informix scripts can reside anywhere on the client. Do not store your scripts in the sample directory because your modifications are lost if you upgrade or reinstall. Always relocate your scripts to a safe location. In a NetBackup cluster, the script must be available after a failover.


Creating Scripts

2. Enable proper permissions on the script files so NetBackup can access the script files.

Set the access permissions of the scripts to 775. For example:

chmod 775 script_name

3. Open the script file with a text editor.

For example, you can use the following command if you are modifying the informix_onbar_backup_of_rootdbs script:

vi informix_onbar_backup_of_rootdbs

4. Modify the script according to the instructions in the file.

In particular, remember to edit lines that starts with su. If you do not include an su - user (where user is the Informix administrator account) in your script, the script does not run with the proper permissions and environment variables. This situation leads to problems with database backups and restores.

For example, the informix_onbar_backup_of_rootdbs script contains the following lines:

#!/bin/sh

# Replace xxxxx below with the extention used for your onconfig file.

ONCONFIG=onconfig.xxxxx

# Replace yyyyy below with the Informix home path.

INFORMIXDIR=/yyyyy/informix

# Replace zzzzz below with the name of the Informix server.

INFORMIXSERVER=zzzzz

# Replace informix_etc below with the name of the NetBackup server policy

# to be used to back up the $INFORMIXDIR/etc directory.

INFX_ETC_POLICY=informix_etc

echo "Started `date`"

export ONCONFIG

echo "exported ONCONFIG"

export INFORMIXDIR

echo "exported INFORMIXDIR"

export INFORMIXSERVER

echo "exported INFORMIXSERVER"

echo "INFXBSA_SERVER = $INFXBSA_SERVER"

echo "INFXBSA_SCHEDULED = $INFXBSA_SCHEDULED"

echo "INFXBSA_USER_INITIATED = $INFXBSA_USER_INITIATED"


Creating Scripts

echo "INFXBSA_FULL = $INFXBSA_FULL"

echo "INFXBSA_INCR = $INFXBSA_INCR"

echo "INFXBSA_POLICY = $INFXBSA_POLICY"

RETURN_STATUS=0

if [ "${INFXBSA_INCR}" = "1" ]

then

# Netbackup has started an incremental backup.

echo "$INFORMIXDIR/bin/onbar -b -L 1 rootdbs"

$INFORMIXDIR/bin/onbar -b -L 1 rootdbs

RETURN_STATUS=$?

else

echo "$INFORMIXDIR/bin/onbar -b -L 0 rootdbs"

$INFORMIXDIR/bin/onbar -b -L 0 rootdbs

RETURN_STATUS=$?

fi

if [ "$RETURN_STATUS" -eq "0" ]

then

# Initiate a backup of the directory that contains the onconfig,

# sqlhosts, oncfg_$INFORMIXSERVER.SERVERNUM, and ixbar.SERVERNUM

# files after doing the backup.

echo "bpbackup -p $INFX_ETC_POLICY -w 0 $INFORMIXDIR/etc"

/usr/openv/netbackup/bin/bpbackup -p $INFX_ETC_POLICY -w 0 $INFORMIXDIR/etc

BPBACKUP_STATUS=$?

if [ "$BPBACKUP_STATUS" -ne "0" ]

then

echo ""

echo "bpbackup of $INFORMIXDIR/etc returned $BPBACKUP_STATUS"

fi

fi

echo "Finished `date`"

echo "exit $RETURN_STATUS"

echo ""

exit $RETURN_STATUS

5. Test the scripts you just created.

For information on testing, see Testing Configuration Settings on page 43.


Creating Scripts

Environment Variables

When a schedule executes, NetBackup sets environment variables for the local shell scripts to use when performing the backup. The echo lines are used to show what Informix environment variables are available.

You can use the Informix environment variables in the following lists to perform conditional functions inside the scripts. These variables are local to the Informix shell script.

NetBackup sets the following variables:

Environment Variable Purpose

INFXBSA_FULL Set to 1 if this is a full backup (Automatic Full Backup).

INFXBSA_INCR Set to 1 if this is an incremental backup (Automatic Incremental Backup).

INFXBSA_SCHEDULED Set to 1 if this is a scheduled backup (Automatic Full Backup or Automatic Incremental Backup).

INFXBSA_USER_INITIATED Set to 1 if this is a user-initiated backup (Application Backup backup).

The Informix user can set the following variables either in the script or manually from the command line in the same environment from which onbar is issued:

Environment Variable Purpose

INFXBSA_SERVER Name of the NetBackup server.

INFXBSA_LOGICAL_POLICY Name of the policy to be used for a logical logs backup. If this variable is set, NetBackup backs up the logical logs using this policy.

INFXBSA_LOGICAL_SCHED Name of the schedule to be used for a logical logs backup. If this variable is set, NetBackup distinguishs and backs up logical logs using this schedule.

INFXBSA_POLICY Name of the Informix-ON-Bar policy. If this variable is set, NetBackup backs up Informix databases using this policy.

INFXBSA_SCHED Name of the Application Backup schedule. If this variable is set, NetBackup backs up Informix databases using this schedule.


Configuring bp.conf Files

Configuring bp.conf Files

The administrator can add options to the NetBackup bp.conf file on the NetBackup master server. The administrator can create an additional bp.conf file in the home directory of the Informix users account used for the backup or restore.

Creating a bp.conf File on the Client

Before using NetBackup for Informix, you can create a bp.conf file in the home directory of the Informix users account used for the backup on the NetBackup client. The path to this directory can be equal to the value of the $INFORMIXDIR variable.

For example, if the home directory is /informix, the path is as follows:

/informix/bp.conf

After creating a bp.conf file in the Informix home directory, add the following options to the file and replace the italicized text with information that pertains to the client:

BPBACKUP_POLICY=informix_policy

BPBACKUP_SCHED=informix_sched

SERVER=server_name

CLIENT_READ_TIMEOUT=1800

informix_policy The name of the Informix-ON-Bar policy that was configured in Configuring Backup Policies on page 27.

informix_sched The schedule name for the informix_policy. By default, it is Default-Application-Backup.

server_name The name of the NetBackup master server.

Note NetBackup uses the bp.conf file in the Informix users home directory only for backups and restores initiated by this Informix user.


Testing Configuration Settings


After configuring the master server for NetBackup for Informix, test the configuration settings by performing a manual backup (or backups) using the automatic backup schedules you have created.

To test the configuration settings

1. Log onto the master server as administrator (Windows) or root (UNIX).

2. Start the NetBackup Administration Console.

3. In the left pane, click Policies.

From the Windows interface: The policy list appears in the right pane.

From the Java interface: The right pane splits into an All Policies pane and a details pane.

4. Click the policy you want to test.

5. Choose Actions > Manual Backup.

The Manual Backup dialog box appears.

The Schedules pane contains the name of an automatic schedule (or schedules) configured for the policy that you are going to test. The Clients pane contains the name of the client(s) listed in the policy that you are going to test.

6. Follow the directions in the Manual Backup dialog box.

7. Click Activity Monitor on the NetBackup Administration Console.

If the manual backup does not exit with a successful status, see Troubleshooting on page 57.

For a description of status codes and other troubleshooting information, see the NetBackup Troubleshooting Guide.


Using NetBackup for Informix
4
When all installation and configuration is complete, you can start Informix backups and restores through NetBackup or execute the onbar command directly.

This chapter contains the following sections:

Performing a Backup

Browsing Backups

Performing a Restore

Caution Always specify the correct ON-Bar script when configuring automatic backups or when starting operations through NetBackup. NetBackup for Informix does not generate an error if a restore ON-Bar script file is used for a backup operati

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