NetBackup for DB2 backup overview

After you have completed installing and configuring NetBackup for DB2, you can start DB2 backups and restores through NetBackup. You can also run DB2 commands directly.

Note:

Always specify the correct DB2 script or template when configuring automatic backups or when starting operations through NetBackup. NetBackup for DB2 does not generate an error if a restore DB2 script file is used for a backup operation. Also, NetBackup for DB2 does not generate an error when a backup DB2 template or script is used for a restore operation.

NetBackup for DB2 provides the following ways to perform a backup:

Issue a DB2 command from the DB2 control center or command-line processor. The DB2 BACKUP and RESTORE commands use the policies, schedules, and settings that are specified in the following sources:
- The NetBackup for DB2 vendor I/O library.
  On UNIX, this library is named nbdb2.ext, where ext differs depending on your platform.
  On Windows, this library is named nbdb2.dll.
- The NetBackup for DB2 configuration file. This file is named db2.conf.
Run a script from the operating system command line. You can create scripts from scratch, or you can base a script on a template that you created earlier.
Use the templates that are initiated from the template wizards or Template Administration interface.
Use the templates and the scripts that are specified in policies. When you back up a NetBackup policy, it uses the templates and scripts that are specified in the policy.
You can specify a catalog name during a database copy backup and an archive log backup.

The main types of DB2 backups are as follows:

database backup

A copy of the entire DB2 database or tablespace. This backup is accomplished by issuing a DB2 BACKUP DATABASE command. A database backup can be initiated through NetBackup by an automatic backup of a DB2 policy, manual backup of a DB2 policy, or user-directed backup.

You can specify the CATALOG_HOST in the db2.conf or the DB2_CATALOG_HOST in the VENDOROPT of the DB2 database configuration parameters or in the OPTIONS on the command line.

See About backups from the NetBackup master server.

See About user-directed backups.

archive log backup

An archive log backup is a backup of an archive log file for DB2. If VENDOR is enabled in the DB2 configuration files, NetBackup for DB2 backs up the archive logs along with the database files. If the user exit program is enabled in the DB2 configuration file, you need a separate policy and schedule to back up the archive logs.

If you specify LOGARCHMETH1 and or LOGARCHMETH2 equal to VENDOR, you can specify theCATALOG_HOST in the db2.conf or specify the DB2_CATALOG_HOST in the LOGARCHOPT1 and or LOGARCHOPT2 respectively.

These CATALOG_HOST and DB2_CATALOG_HOST keywords do not apply to the archive log backups that use the user exit program.

configuration file backup

A configuration file backup is a backup of the DB2 configuration files that you need to recover the database in the case of a disaster.

You can use a Standard policy (UNIX) or MS-Windows policy with a User Backup schedule to back up the files.

For information on which files to back up, see your IBM DB2 documentation.

More Information

Using the DB2 template administration interface to run a user-directed backup

BACKUP DATABASE command options

Performing a database restore

NetBackup for DB2 backup overview

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