Writing to a directory versus writing to a storage unit

One important aspect of the parameter file is the DIRECTORY parameter. If you specify the DIRECTORY parameter, the bporaexp (bporaexp64 on some platforms) command writes the backup files to the operating system directory you specify. NetBackup does not write the files to a storage unit.

For example, assume that the archive test1 contains one table, USER1. If the directory parameter is specified, NetBackup creates certain files when you run the bporaexp command.

Windows:

DIRECTORY=\db\netbackup\xml

UNIX:

DIRECTORY=/db/netbackup/xml

Table: NetBackup files for example table USER1 shows the files NetBackup creates when you run the command.

If the DIRECTORY parameter is not specified, NetBackup writes the backup images to a storage unit. A NetBackup backup set is created and cataloged under the name:

Windows:

\Oracle\XMLArchive

UNIX:

/Oracle/XMLArchive

All NetBackup for Oracle bporaexp backups are cataloged using this convention.

Alternatively, if the parameter file does not contain the DIRECTORY parameter, NetBackup creates and catalogs the following files:

Windows:

\Oracle\XMLArchive\test1\test1.xsd
\Oracle\XMLArchive\test1\USER1\TEST1.xsd
\Oracle\XMLArchive\test1\USER1\TEST1.xml

UNIX:

/Oracle/XMLArchive/test1/test1.xsd
/Oracle/XMLArchive/test1/USER1/TEST1.xsd
/Oracle/XMLArchive/test1/USER1/TEST1.xml

In production, do not use the DIRECTORY parameter in the bporaexp parameter file. When you write to a storage unit, NetBackup offers the features that include searching and cataloging with the NetBackup catalog and automatic handling of output that exceeds file system limits. With the DIRECTORY parameter, file system limits, such as a 2 GB maximum, can cause an error.

To run bporaexp on the client, run the following command:

bporaexp [username/password] parfile = filename | help=y

On some UNIX platforms, the bporexp64 command is used.