HowTo - SAP MaxDB Backup with Database Manager CLI

1. Defining a backup template
2. Starting a backup
3. Checking the progress of a backup while it is running
4. Checking a backup after completion

Defining a backup template

At first a backup template (formerly known as backup medium) is required. You can define a template for a serial or a parallel backup. It's not necessary to specify all possible options while creating such a template. For a normal backup most additional options can be left at their default values and don't have to be specified. Please consider that there are differences in syntax depending on database version. The following examples are listed using database version 7.9 (Backing Up Databases).

You can easily define a backup template by using the command backup_template_create.
Preconditions: 
DBM  session is available (Database Manager CLI), example database is named DB1, operating system is Microsoft Windows, backup to file (create backup directories) 
Create a template:
dbmcli on DB1> backup_template_create <backup_template> to <backup_destination> <backup_content> 

Create template d1 for data backup:
dbmcli on DB1> backup_template_create d1 to FILE C:\MaxDB\Backup\DAT0001 CONTENT DATA

Create template l1 for log backup:
dbmcli on DB1> backup_template_create l1 to FILE C:\MaxDB\Backup\LOG CONTENT LOG

Create a template md for a data backup using files in parallel:
dbmcli on DB1> backup_template_create md to FILE C:\MaxDB\Backup\DAT0001 NAMED b1 FILE C:\MaxDB\Backup\DAT0002 NAMED b2 CONTENT DATA

    Please note:
Directories (like in this examples C:\MaxDB\Backup won't be created automatically. So this has to be done before.
Log backups are only possible for types FILE and PIPE.
A parallel backup via a so defined template (using data carriers in parallel) is only possible for backup types DATA and INCREMENTAL.

For operating system Unix the only difference is the corresponding <location> including the required permissions. Enter an absolute path beginning with /.

For more information use DBM command explain:
dbmcli on DB1> explain backup_template_create

Also refer to SAP MaxDB documentation version 7.9: backup_template_create

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Starting a backup

Examples for starting a backup via the backup templates d1 and md:

Start backup via backup template d1:
dbmcli on DB1> db_connect
dbmcli on DB1> backup_start d1

Start parallel backup via backup template md:
dbmcli on DB1> db_connect
dbmcli on DB1> backup_start md

  Please note:
It is not required to specify the type of the backup here. This information comes from the backup template definition. Remember that parallel backups are only possible for backup types DATA and INCREMENTAL. If you would like to create more than one data backup via the same backup template it is required to move the file (in the example above DAT0001) after the first backup to another location or to change the file name within the backup template definition. Log backups will be serially numbered automatically. As long as function AUTOSAVE LOG is switched on no interactiv log backups can be started.

For more information use DBM command explain:
dbmcli on DB1> explain backup_start

Also refer to SAP MaxDB documentation version 7.9: backup_start

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Checking the progress of a backup while it is running

While the backup is running you can check the status as follows:

Precondition: A second DBM session is available.

Check progress of backup via template d1:
dbmcli on DB1> backup_state

Information of interest are for example return code, pages transferred, pages left.

For more information use DBM command explain:
dbmcli on DB1> explain backup_state

Also refer to SAP MaxDB documentation version 7.9: backup_state

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Checking a backup after completion

1. Review the output from command  backup_start after the backup was created.

2. Use DBM command medium_label (in this example for the backup template d1) to display the backup information :

dbmcli on DB1> medium_label d1

You get information about the last backup created via this backup template.

For more information use DBM command explain:
dbmcli on DB1> explain medium_label

Also refer to SAP MaxDB documentation version 7.9: medium_label

3. Check the backup history using DBM command backup_history_list:

dbmcli on DB1> backup_history_list -c label,action,pages,stop,media,error

The column  error shows if and what error occured.

For more information use DBM command explain:
dbmcli on DB1> explain backup_history_list

Also refer to SAP MaxDB documenation version 7.9: backup_history_list

4. Check log files (for example KnlMsgArchive) in the run directory of the database.

Evaluate run directory name using DBM command param_directget:

dbmcli on DB1> param_directget RunDirectoryPath

In this file search for SAVE DATA resp. SAVE LOG. Here you find information about the backup and possible errors.

Also refer to SAP MaxDB Documentation version 7.9: param_directget, Log Files

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