Strategies that ensure successful NetBackup catalog backups
Use the following strategies to ensure successful catalog backups:
Use only the methods that are described in this chapter to back up the catalogs. These are the only methods that can track all relevant NetBackup activities and ensure consistency between the catalog files.
Back up the catalogs often. If catalog backup files are lost, the changes that were made between the last catalog backup and the time of the disk crash are lost.
If you back up your catalogs to disk, always back up to a different disk than where the catalog files reside. If you back up the catalog to the disk where the actual catalog resides, both catalog backups are lost if the backup disk fails. Recovering the catalog is much more difficult. Also, ensure that the disk has enough space for the catalogs. Backups to a full disk fail.
Use dynamic multi-streaming for reducing catalog backup duration. Optimal number of streams can reduce overall catalog backup duration.
See Performance tuning of catalog backup with respect to dynamic multi-streaming.
Note:
If a catalog backup is on tape, the tape must be removed when the backup is finished or regular backups cannot proceed. NetBackup does not mix catalog and regular backups on the same tape.