Media and device management

All the devices supported by Media Manager are available to NetBackup for SAP.

Scheduling facilities

NetBackup scheduling facilities on the primary server can be used to schedule automatic and unattended SAP backups.

This feature 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 restores

NetBackup for SAP lets you take advantage of NetBackup's multiplexing capabilities. Multiplexing directs multiple data streams to one backup device, thereby reducing the time necessary to complete the operation.

Transparent SAP and regular file system backup and restore operations

All backups and restores run simultaneously and transparently without any action from the NetBackup administrator.

The database administrator can run database backup and restore operations through NetBackup. An administrator or any other authorized user can use NetBackup to run database backups and restores.

Alternatively, if you use NetBackup for SAP on an Oracle database, you can use SAP Tools as if NetBackup were not present.

Sharing the same storage units that are used for other file backups

It is possible to share the same devices and media that is used for other backups or to give SAP exclusive use of certain devices and media. NetBackup for SAP can use Media Manager, disk, and Media Server Deduplication Pool (MSDP) storage units.

Centralized and networked backup operations

From the NetBackup primary server, you can schedule database backups or start them manually for any client. The SAP databases can also reside on hosts that are different from the devices on which NetBackup stores the backups.

User interfaces

A database administrator or NetBackup administrator can start backup or restore operations for SAP from the NetBackup user interface on the primary server.

Parallel backup and restore operations

NetBackup for SAP supports the parallel backup and restore capabilities of SAP Tools. For example, this permits the user to run more than one tape device at a time for a single SAP backup or restore, thereby reducing the time necessary to complete the operation.

Compression

Compression increases backup performance over the network and reduces the size of the backup image that NetBackup writes to the storage unit.

NetBackup for SAP does not support compression for Snapshot Client backups through RMAN.