Creating Hard-Link Local Backups

Before creating a full hard-link local database backup, verify the following:

When you create a full or object-level hard link local backup, that backup contains the following contents.

Backup Catalog Database files

Full backup

Full copy

Hard-file links to all database files

Object-level backup

Full copy

Hard-file links for all objects listed in the configuration file, and any of their dependent objects

Run the vbr script from a terminal using the database administrator account from a node in your database cluster. You cannot run the utility as root.

To create a full or object-level backup, enter the following command:

> /opt/vertica/bin/vbr --task backup --config fullbak.ini

Note: While not required, OpenText recommends that you first create a full backup before creating any object-level backups.

Common Errors in Specifying the Hard-Link Local Backup Location

When you specify the hard-link backup location, be sure to avoid these common errors when adding the hardLinkLocal=Trueparameter to the configuration file:

If ... Then... Solution

You specify a backup directory on a different node

vbr issues an error message and stops processing the backup.

Change the configuration file to include a backup directory on the same host and file system as the database and catalog files. Then, run the backup utility again.

You specify both of the following:

  • A backup destination directory on a different file system from the database and catalog files.
  • That backup destination is on the same node.

vbr issues a warning message

Performs backup by copying the files on the node from one file system to the other.

No action required.

No action required.

Creating Hard-Link Local Backups for Tape Storage

You can use hard-link local backups as a staging mechanism to backup to tape or other forms of storage media. You can also use the hard-link local backup to restore the hard file links to the database files.

The following steps present a simplified approach to saving, and then restoring, hard-link local backups from tape storage:

  1. Create a configuration file using a command such as:

    /opt/vertica/bin/vbr --setupconfig 
  2. Edit the configuration file (localbak.ini in this example) to include the hardLinkLocal=True parameter in the [Transmission] section.
  3. Run the backup utility with the configuration file:

    /opt/vertica/bin/vbr --task backup --config-file localbak.ini
  4. Copy the hard-link local backup directory with a separate process (not vbr) to tape or other external media.
  5. If the database becomes corrupted, create the directory structure that existed when you created the hard-link local backup.
  6. Transfer the backup files from tape to their original backup directory.
  7. Using the configuration file you used to create the hard-link local backup (Step 3), restore the database using the following command:

    /opt/vertica/bin/vbr --task restore --config-file localbak.ini

    When you restore from a hard-link local backup (copied from tape), vbr creates hard links from the backup files to the database directory, if possible. This approach saves significant disk space and time.

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