SAP MaxDB - Connecting Third-Party Backup Tools

 

Together with SAP MaxDB database tools, you can use third-party backup tools to backup, restore, export, and import data.

 

SAP MaxDB supports a direct connection to a range of third-party backup tools. This requires you to configure the SAP MaxDB software accordingly.

You may also use third-party backup tools which are not directly supported by SAP MaxDB, provided that these tools can retrieve data from pipes.

If, for example, you want to back up the data stored in a database or export data from a database, you can save this data using the SAP MaxDB database tools to files, pipes, or tapes (by means of a tape device).

However, you can also use a third-party backup tool to back up the data on to a data carrier. Even then you can control the necessary actions using the SAP MaxDB database tools. The backup tool provides the data carrier onto which you can save or export your data.

You can use third-party backup tools 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 using data backups, log backups, and archived log backups

• Exporting data to data carriers

  • Exporting the entire database

  • Exporting the entire database catalog

• Importing data from the data carriers

  • Importing the entire database

  • Importing the entire database catalog

 

Recommendation

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

End of the recommendation.

Constraints

With backups and restores, you only can switch from Microsoft Windows to Linux and vice versa. This means that a backup created on the Microsoft Windows operating system can only be restored on the same operating system or on Linux. A backup created on Linux can only be restored on the same operating system or on a Microsoft Windows operating system.

For data migration between different operating systems, in most cases Loader will be the best tool to use. Loaderl does not impose any restrictions on switching operating systems when exporting or importing data. However, there may be restrictions since various backup devices have a limited independence of the operating system. If, for example, you want to switch from Microsoft Windows to Unix, a tape device or a third-party backup tool must be compatible with both operating systems. Check this beforehand in your backup device documentation.