Connecting Backup Tools from Other Providers 

Purpose

You can use backup tools from other providers together with MaxDB database tools to save and restore or export and import data.

See also:

Concepts of the Database System, Using Backup Tools from Other Providers

Features

MaxDB supports the direct connection of a range of backup tools from other providers. This requires that you configure the MaxDB software accordingly.
You may also use backup tools from other providers that are not directly supported by MaxDB, provided these tools can process backups from pipes.

If, for example, you want to back up the data stored in a database instance or export data from a database instance, you can save this data directly to files, pipes or to tapes by means of a tape device.

However, you can also use a backup tool from another provider to backup the data on to a data carrier. You can also control the necessary actions using the MaxDB database tools. The backup tool provides the tapes on to which you can save or export your data.

You can use backup tools from other providers for the following actions:

●     Backing up to data carriers

○     Complete data backups

○     Incremental data backups

○     Log backups

○     Archiving the backup files (for log backups)

●     Restoring backups

○     Restoring the database instance using data backups, log backups, and archived log backups

●     Exporting data to data carriers

○     Exporting the entire database instance

○     Exporting the entire database catalog

●     Importing data from the data carriers

○     Importing the entire database instance

○     Importing the entire database catalog

The procedures for backups and restores using backup tools supported by MaxDB are contained in the following documents (depending on which tools you use):

Database Manager CLI, Backing Up and Restoring Database Instances
Database Manager GUI, Backups with Backup Tools from other Providers and Restoring with Backup Tools from other Providers.

The procedures for exporting and importing data after you have defined the relevant configuration are described in the Loader documentation under Exporting and Importing with Backup Tools from other Providers.

After you have defined the configuration, test all planned actions. This allows you to familiarize yourself with the relevant MaxDB database tool, and test the correct configuration of the MaxDB software for the backup tool. This is a prerequisite for ensuring that no errors occur when the external backup tool is used to back up, restore, import or export data while the system is running in live mode.

Restrictions

When backing up or restoring data, you can switch from Microsoft Windows to Linux and vice versa only. This means that a backup created on a Microsoft Windows operating system can only be restored on the same operating system or on a Linux operating system. A backup created on Linux can only be restored on the same operating system or on a Microsoft Windows operating system.

If you are planning to migrate data between different operating systems, it is generally recommended that you use Loader. This tool does not impose any restrictions on switching operating systems when exporting or importing data. The only restriction relates to the limited independence of the operating systems of the various backup devices. If, for example, you want to switch from Microsoft Windows to UNIX, a tape device or a backup tool would need to be compatible with both operating systems. Check this beforehand in the documentation for your backup device.