DATA PROTECTION AND LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT OF ORACLE DATABASE USING EMC APPSYNC

DATA PROTECTION AND LIFECYCLE
MANAGEMENT OF ORACLE DATABASE
USING EMC APPSYNC
ABSTRACT
This white paper demonstrates how you to complement existing data protection and
lifecycle management strategies using the advanced copy technologies that come with
EMC storage systems using EMC AppSync.
December, 2014
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Part Number H13818
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .............................................................................. 5
Audience ......................................................................................................... 5
Purpose........................................................................................................... 5
APPSYNC OVERVIEW ................................................................................ 5
AppSync Architecture ........................................................................................ 5
Server ............................................................................................................ 5
Plugin ............................................................................................................. 5
User Interface .................................................................................................. 5
DATA PROTECTION ................................................................................... 6
Service Plans ................................................................................................... 6
Data Protection Use Cases ................................................................................. 7
Operational Recovery ........................................................................................ 7
Backup............................................................................................................ 7
RESTORE .................................................................................................. 7
Restoring a Database ........................................................................................ 7
Steps in the Oracle Restore wizard ...................................................................... 8
Restoring Database Objects ............................................................................... 8
LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT ......................................................................... 8
Repurposing Wizard .......................................................................................... 8
Lifecycle Management Use Cases ........................................................................ 9
Copies for Development and Test ........................................................................ 9
Copies for Data Analytics/Reporting .................................................................... 9
USE CASE EXAMPLES ................................................................................ 9
Data Protection ................................................................................................ 9
Creating a Service Plan for Operational Recovery – An Example .............................. 9
Creating a Plan for Backup – An Example ............................................................10
Lifecycle Management ......................................................................................13
Creating Copies for Development and Test – An Example ......................................13
Creating a Copy for Test ...................................................................................16
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On-Demand Refresh ........................................................................................18
CONCLUSION .......................................................................................... 19
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
AUDIENCE
This white paper is intended for EMC customers, partners, and employees who are installing and configuring EMC VNX, VMAX and
XtremIO storage systems for applications that interact with Oracle.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of EMC AppSync and demonstrate how its copy management capabilities can be
used for backup, recovery, deployment of test and development environments, reporting, and analytics.
APPSYNC OVERVIEW
EMC AppSync is a simple, SLA-driven, copy-management application that sits between Oracle databases and storage that utilizes the
storage system’s advanced technologies to create and restore copies of Oracle databases.
APPSYNC ARCHITECTURE
EMC AppSync uses a three-tiered architecture that consists of the following components:
Server
The AppSync server software resides on a physical or virtual Windows machine. It orchestrates the creation of copies and maintains
data about each copy it creates.
Plugin
AppSync installs lightweight plug-in software on hosts; AppSync pushes the plug-in software from the AppSync server to the host
when a user adds the host as a resource. Production, Test, and Mount hosts are examples of hosts on which this plug-in can be
installed. Upon completion of the install, Oracle databases are automatically discovered and displayed as databases that are available
for copy management.
User Interface
The AppSync console is web-based and has the same look and feel as the EMC Unisphere interface.
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DATA PROTECTION
SERVICE PLANS
Users protect their data by subscribing Oracle databases to service plans. Tiered plans named Gold, Silver, and Bronze are included
and work out of the box. Users can customize these plans or use them as templates to create new plans.
Figure 1: Service Plans
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Gold plans: Create both local and remote copies.
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Silver plans: Create remote copies only.
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Bronze plans: Create local copies only.
Plan Phases
AppSync service plans are comprised of multiple phases. Some of these phases can be enabled or disabled, as desired; most phases
can have their settings modified.
Figure 2: Bronze Plan phases
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Phases in an Oracle service plan include:
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Plan startup: Sets a plan to run manually, or defines a scheduled recurrence and recovery point objective.
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Application discovery: Discovers database objects and layouts
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Application mapping: Maps database objects to determine the storage that is to be copied.
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Pre-copy script: Runs a specified script before a copy is created.
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Create copy: Defines select Oracle options, such as whether the database is to be placed in hot backup mode, the
storage type, and copy expiration date/time.
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Post-copy script: Runs a script after a copy is created.
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Unmount previous copy: Unmounts any previously mounted copy of the database.
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Pre-mount script: Runs a script before a copy is mounted.
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Mount copy: Defines a mount operation, such as mounting the copy and adding the copy to the RMAN catalog.
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Post-mount script: Runs a script after a copy is mounted (e.g. RMAN backup).
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Unmount copy: Unmounts a database copy.
Data Protection Use Cases
Operational Recovery
You can create service plans to automate the creation of copies to meet recovery objectives, such as zero data loss and a recovery
time objective of minutes.
Backup
You can create service plans to automate the creation of database copies, mount the copies to an alternate host, and then backup
the copies using RMAN; this removes any backup window requirements and isolates performance impact from the application.
RESTORE
Restoring a Database
You can restore a database to a point in time using AppSync’s Oracle Restore wizard.
Figure 3: Step 1 of the Oracle Restore wizard
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Steps in the Oracle Restore wizard
The following steps are displayed in the restore wizard:
1. Select copy: Select the copy to be used for restore purposes.
2. Restore Options: Select to restore Data, Archive Logs, or Data and Archive logs.
3. Summary: Review your selections before starting the restore.
4. Results: View the progress of the restore and the final results.
Restoring Database Objects
You can restore individual database objects by using AppSync’s Mount Copy of Oracle wizard; this wizard consolidates the steps
needed to mount an Oracle database copy, create an RMAN catalog entry, and then use RMAN to perform a restore operation.
Figure 4: Step 2 of the Mount Copy of Oracle wizard
Steps in the Mount wizard
The following steps are displayed in the Mount copy of Oracle wizard:
1. Select copy: Select the copy to be mounted.
2. Mount Options: Select the type of mount operation to perform and desired settings.
3. Summary: Review your selections before starting the mount operation.
4. Results: View the progress of the mount and the final results.
LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT
Repurposing Wizard
AppSync uses a Repurposing wizard to create First- and Second-Generation copies. A First Generation Copy is a copy that is taken
from a database, whereas a Second Generation Copy is a copy that is taken from a First Generation Copy.
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Figure 5: Step 1 of the Repurposing wizard
Steps in the wizard
The following steps are displayed in the wizard:
1. Intention: Create first generation copies, or first and second generation copies, and the site (local or remote).
2. Settings: Select phases (similar to service plans) and specify settings such as copy options, mount options, and scripts to
execute.
3. Schedule: Select to create the copy now or later, on a scheduled basis.
4. Summary: Review your selections and start or schedule the creation of the copy.
Lifecycle Management Use Cases
Copies for Development and Test
You can create a copy of an Oracle database for development and test groups, or you can create a master copy and make it the
responsibility of the development and test teams to create their own personal copies using the master copy.
Copies for Data Analytics/Reporting
You can automate the process of creating a copy, mounting the copy to an alternate host, and running analytics or reports on the
mounted copy.
USE CASE EXAMPLES
Data Protection
Creating a Service Plan for Operational Recovery – An Example
This plan will create a local copy every hour, and keep up to 12 copies. With the ability to roll forward, it will deliver zero data loss, a
recovery time of minutes, and the ability to maintain a recovery window of twelve hours.
Creating the Plan
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To create a plan, go to Service Plans, click Oracle, and click Create. The Create New Plan dialog will be displayed; in this dialog select
Bronze as a template, enter a plan name, description, and click OK.
Edit the Plan
To edit a plan, click the plan name.
Set the Plan Startup phase to recur every 1 hour with a Recovery Point Objective of 1 hour.
Figure 6: Plan Startup phase settings
In the Create local copy phase, deselect Place the database in hot backup mode and set the expiration to always keep 12 copies.
Click Apply to save the changes.
Figure 7: Create local copy phase settings
Creating a Plan for Backup – An Example
This plan will be configured to create a daily copy of a database, mount and recover the copy to an alternate host, perform an RMAN
backup of the copy, and then unmount the copy.
Creating the Plan
To create the plan, go to Service Plans, click Oracle, and click Create. The Create New Plan dialog will be displayed. In the dialog
select Bronze as a template, enter a plan name and description, and then click OK.
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Figure 8: Create New Plan dialog
Edit the Plan
To edit the plan, click the plan name.
Set the Plan Startup phase to run every 24 hours with a Recovery Point Objective of 24 hours.
Figure 9: Plan Startup phase settings
In the Create local copy phase, deselect the Place the database in hot backup mode checkbox and set the expiration to always keep
one copies.
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Figure 10: Create local copy phase settings
Select the Mount copy phase checkbox, the Mount operation, Mount on standalone server and recover, and the appropriate mount
server.
Figure 11: Mount copy phase settings
Select the Post-mount script check box and phase, and enter the path of the script used to start the RMAN backup.
Figure 12: Post mount script phase settings
Select the Unmount copy checkbox to have the copy unmounted upon service plan completion.
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Click Apply to save the settings.
Subscribing to a Service Plan
Protect your Oracle database in a few clicks by selecting the database, clicking Protect, and selecting Subscribe to Plan and the plan
that meets your recovery objectives.
Figure 13: Oracle Databases Protect popup menu
LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT
Creating Copies for Development and Test – An Example
To see how AppSync can be used for development and test, consider the next example. It creates a master copy of an Oracle
production database, and then allows testers to use the master copy to create their own personal copies.
Creating the Master Copy
Select the production database, click Repurpose, select Create Repurpose Copy, and complete the wizard as follows:
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Figure 14: Oracle Databases page Repurpose popup menu
In step 1 of the wizard, select Create a First Generation Copy and the site, and click Next.
Figure 15: Step 1 of the Repurposing wizard
In step 2, name your copy, select a copy type of the clone, and click Next.
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Figure 16: Step 2 of the Repurposing wizard
In step 3, select Run Now and click Next
Figure 17: Step 3 of the Repurposing wizard
In step 4, review the setting and click Finish. The progress dialog is displayed and the copy is created.
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Figure 18: Step 4 of the Repurposing wizard
Creating a Copy for Test
To create a copy of the production database using the master copy, select the copy in the copy view, click Repurpose, and complete
the wizard as follows:
Figure 19: Database copies page
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Step 1 is for informational purposes only. Click Next to proceed.
Figure 20: Step 1 of the Repurposing wizard
In step 2, name your copy, select the copy type, and click Next.
Figure 21: Step 2 of the Repurposing wizard
In Step 2, select the Mount copy checkbox, the Mount operation Mount on standalone server and recover, the mount server, and set
Open-mode to Read-write.
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Figure 22: Step 2 of the Repurposing wizard
In step 3, review your settings and click Finish. The progress dialog will be displayed.
Figure 23: Step 3 of the Repurposing wizard
On-Demand Refresh
To perform an on-demand refresh of a first and second generation copies, select the copy in the Copy page and click Refresh. Note:
To enable the Refresh button, you must first unmount the copy.
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Figure 24: Database copies page
CONCLUSION
EMC AppSync is a simple, SLA-driven application that is easy to install, deploy, and configure. You can use it decrease recovery
times, remove backup windows, decrease development times by quickly creating copies for development and testing, and automate
the creation of copies for data analytics and reporting.
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