For backups, you can either use the Oracle Exadata Database Service on Cloud@Customer backup facility, or you can configure a backup location on a location you manage.

Oracle Exadata Database Service on Cloud@Customer provides a backup facility, which you can configure individually on each database.

See: Managing Databases on Exadata Cloud@Customer and Managing Database Backup and Recovery on Exadata Cloud@Customer.

If you want to store backups on a Recovery Appliance, or on a network file storage (NFS) location that you manage, then you must first create a backup destination. Each backup destination defines the properties that are required to connect to the Recovery Appliance or NFS location, and each backup destination must be accessible in your data center from the VM cluster nodes.

The Oracle Exadata Database Service on Cloud@Customer backup facility can also store backups on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure object storage, or on local Exadata storage on your Oracle Exadata Database Service on Cloud@Customer system. However, you do not need to create a backup destination for any of these other locations. Instead, applicable options for backup to cloud object storage or local Exadata storage are available directly when you create a database.

To configure backup destinations on a Zero Data Loss Recovery Appliance location, or an NFS backup location, review the prerequisites.

• For a Zero Data Loss Recovery Appliance backup destination:
  • The appliance must be configured with a virtual private catalog (VPC) user, which is used for taking the backups.
  • The appliance must be configured with the unique database name of the database being backed up, and a mapping to the VPC user.
  • The appliance must be accessible from the Oracle Exadata Database Service on Cloud@Customer system using the Oracle Net Services connection string, which is provided by the Zero Data Loss Recovery Appliance administrator.
• For an NFS backup destination:
  • Oracle Exadata Database Service on Cloud@Customer non-autonomous databases:
    • You must mount the NFS server location to a local mount point directory on each node in the VM cluster.
    • The local mount point directory and the NFS server must be identical across all nodes in the cluster.
    • You must ensure that the NFS mount is maintained continuously on all of the VM cluster nodes.
    • The NFS-mounted file system must be readable and writable by the oracle operating system user on all of the VM cluster nodes.
  • Autonomous Database on Cloud@Customer:

    Note:

    Oracle Autonomous Database on Exadata Cloud@Customer supports NFS versions 3 and 4. Mounts with both versions enabled, however, default to version 4.
    • To ensure that the Autonomous VM cluster can access the NFS server over the (preferred) Backup Network, enter valid Backup Network IP addresses while configuring the VM Cluster Network.

      If the backup destination is not accessible over the backup network but accessible over the client network, the backup traffic will be routed over the client network.

    • The NFS-mounted file system must be readable and writable by the oracle operating system user on all of the VM cluster nodes.
    • If permissions are being controlled at the user level, then the uid:gid of the oracle user for the Autonomous VM cluster is 1001:1001.
    • For NFSv4 servers that restrict port range, you must use the insecure option to enable clients other than an Administrator user to connect to the NFS server.

Learn how to use the console to create, edit, move, and terminate a backup destination for your infrastructure for Oracle Exadata Database Service on Cloud@Customer.

• Using the Console to Create a Backup Destination
  To create a backup destination, be prepared to provide values for the backup destination configuration.
• Using the Console to Edit a Backup Destination
  To edit a backup destination, be prepared to provide values for the backup destination configuration.
• Using the Console to Move a Backup Destination to Another Compartment
  To move a backup destination, be prepared to provide values for the backup destination configuration.
• Using the Console to Delete a Backup Destination
  To delete a backup destination, be prepared to provide values for the backup destination configuration.

Review the list of API calls to manage your Oracle Exadata Database Service on Cloud@Customer backup destinations.

For information about using the API and signing requests, see "REST APIs" and "Security Credentials". For information about SDKs, see "Software Development Kits and Command Line Interface".

For the complete list of APIs, see "Database Service API".

Database backups are managed entirely by the Oracle Exadata Database Service on Cloud@Customer service based on a one-time configuration.

Once configured, you need not perform any maintenance such as backup scheduling and deletion of the backups. Oracle manages the backups through well-defined workflows. Certain backup configuration parameters are not fully integrated with the Oracle Managed Backup workflow. If you want to set any of those parameters for the backups, then you can use dbaascli database backup —configure to set them. For more information, see Configuring Database for Backup.

• Backup Destinations
  A backup destination is a target for sending database backups. The target may be a local filesystem, Object store, NFS mount or ZDLRA.
• Automatic Backup and Recovery
  

It is the user's responsibility to configure and execute backup operations using dbaascli according to their preferences.

Backups using dbaascli are not recognized as Oracle managed backups. Use the dbaascli database backup, dbaascli pdb backup, dbaascli database recover, and dbaascli pdb recover commands to configure and perform various backup and recover operations.

If customers configure backups to Object Storage using RMAN without using the OCI Control Plane or OCI APIs, customers are responsible for manually configuring TDE Wallet backups. By default, Oracle cloud automation cleans up archive log files every 24 hours. When you use RMAN to perform manual backups, there is a risk of the archive logs being deleted. Refer to dbaascli database backup for information on how to configure the archive log cleanup. The recommendation is to use Oracle managed backups.

• How to Backup Using dbaascli for User Configured Backup
  
• How to Recover a Database
  

You can customize backup settings for a database deployment by generating a file containing the current customizable settings, editing the file, and then using the file to update the backup settings.

1. Connect to a virtual machine as opc user.

   For detailed instructions, see Connecting to a Virtual Machine with SSH.

2. Start a root user command shell:

   sudo -s

3. Use the dbaascli database backup --getconfig command to generate a file containing the current backup settings for the database deployment:
   dbaascli database backup --getconfig --dbname dbname

   Where:

   • dbname is the database name for the database that you want to act on

   For example:

   • To generate config file:

     # dbaascli database backup --getconfig --dbname <dbname>
     DBAAS CLI version MAIN
     Executing command database backup --getconfig --dbname <dbname>
     vi Session log: /var/opt/oracle/log/v23db8/database/backup/dbaastools_2025-01-28_12-36-04-PM_236081.log
     logfile:/var/opt/oracle/log/dtrs/dcs-dtrs.0.*.log
     File /var/opt/oracle/log/dtrs/staging/tmpl/backup-6b4fff1e-370c-429b-9a28-723e9c3ba953-2025128-03611.cfg created
     dbaascli execution completed

   • To customize backup settings using the config file:

     # vi /var/opt/oracle/log/dtrs/staging/tmpl/backup-6b4fff1e-370c-429b-9a28-723e9c3ba953-2025128-03611.cfg
     # dbaascli database backup --configure --configFile /var/opt/oracle/log/dtrs/staging/tmpl/backup-6b4fff1e-370c-429b-9a28-723e9c3ba953-2025128-03611.cfg --dbname v23db8

4. Edit the parameter values in the generated file to change any settings you want to customize in the backup configuration.

   The following parameters can be modified to customize the backup configuration:

   Note:

   Compatible with Console Automatic Backups=Yes indicates the parameter is safe to change, even when using console-based automatic backups. If using parameters with Compatible with Console Automatic Backups=No, then do not enable backups through the console.

   Table 5-22 Backup Configuration Parameters - Cron Parameters Specific to bkup_api

   Parameter	Description	Compatible with Console Automatic Backups*
   Old name: bkup_cron_entry New name: scheduleBackups	Enables automatic backup configuration. Valid values are yes and no.	No
   Old name: bkup_archlog_cron_entry New name: manageArchivelogs	Enables automatic backups of archived database log files. Valid values are yes and no. Setting manageArchivelogs to no disables automatic archive log clean-up jobs. This setting is valid only when the associated database has no automatic database backups configured.	No
   Old name: bkup_l0_day New name: L0BackupDay	This parameter controls the Level 0 day of the week. Day of the week when a level 0 backup is taken. Valid values are mon, tue, wed, thu, fri, sat, and sun. Longer formats, for example, Monday, Tuesday are also supported. Default: sun.	No

   Table 5-23 Backup Configuration Parameters - General RMAN Configuration Parameters (valid for all backup destinations except Local Storage (FRA))

   Parameter	Description	Compatible with Console Automatic Backups*
   Old name: bkup_rman_compression New name: compressionLevel	Level of compression applied to automatic backups. Valid values are NONE, basic, low, medium , and high. Default value is low. A value of NONE disables RMAN compression. If RMAN compression is enabled, then any TDE encrypted datafile will be decrypted, compressed, and RMAN encrypted.	Yes
   Old name: bkup_section_size New name: sectionSize	RMAN section size that is used for automatic backups. Default value is 64G.	Yes
   Old name: bkup_channels_node New name: channelsPerNode	Number of RMAN channels per node used for automatic backups. Valid values are between 1 and 32. Default value is 4.	Yes
   Old name: bkup_daily_time New name: autoBackupTime	Start time of the automatic daily backup expressed in 24-hour time as hh:mm.	Yes
   Old name: bkup_archlog_frequency New Name: backupFrequencyAL	Interval in minutes between automatic backups of archived database log files. Valid values are 15, 20, 30, 60, 120 through 1440 in 1 hour intervals expressed in minutes. Default value is 30 for Exadata Cloud@Customer.	Yes
   Old name: bkup_type New name: backupDestination	The type of the location where the backup resides. Any one of the following values. OSS or ZDLRA or DISK or NFS	Yes
   Old name: bkup_filesperset_regular New name: filesPerSet	Specifies the maximum number of data files that can be included in a backup set for Regular/Archival backups.	Yes
   Old name: bkup_filesperset_al New name: filesPerSetAL	Specifies the maximum number of archive log files that can be included in a backup set for Archivelog Backups.	Yes
   Old name: bkup_encryption New name: encryption	Encryption specifies whether backups should be encrypted or not. By default, encryption is enabled for OSS and NFS, while it is disabled for ZDLRA and DISK. This setting can be modified only for NFS.	Yes
   Old name: rmanBackupOptimization New name: optimization	Optimization is a feature in that reduces the amount of data that needs to be backed up, transferred, and restored. Recommended value is ON.	Yes
   Old name: rmanFraCleanupChannels New name: numberOfChannelsForFraCleanup	Specifies the number of channels used for FRA Cleanup job.	Yes
   Old name: Compress_Archive_Logs New name: compressionAL	Specifies whether to compress the archive log backups are not. By default, the value is set to false for ZDLRA, and this setting cannot be changed.	Yes
   Old name: bkup_archlog_fra_retention New name: archivelogRetentionDays	Specifies the number of days archive log to be retained in FRA.	Yes

   Table 5-24 Backup Configuration Parameters - Local Storage (FRA) Parameters

   Parameter	Description	Compatible with Console Automatic Backups*
   backupDestination=disk	Enables backups to local Exadata storage. Valid values are yes and no.	No
   Old name: bkup_disk_recovery_window New name: diskRecoveryWindow	Retention period for backups on local Exadata storage, expressed as a number of days up to 14. Applicable only when bkup_disk is set to yes or backupdestination is set to DISK Default value is 7.	No

   Table 5-25 Backup Configuration Parameters - Network File System (NFS) Parameters

   Parameter	Description	Compatible with Console Automatic Backups*
   backupDestination=nfs	Enables backups to NFS mounted directory. Valid values are yes and no.	No
   Old name: bkup_nfs_loc New name: nasLocation	The NFS mounted location, the directory provided must be a mountpoint and available on all nodes.	No
   Old name: bkup_nfs_recovery_window New name: nasRecoveryWindow	Retention period for backups on NFS storage, expressed as a number of days up to 90. Applicable only when bkup_nfs is set to yes or backupdestination is set to NFS. Default value is 30.	No

   Table 5-26 Backup Configuration Parameters - Object Storage Service (OSS) Parameters

   Parameter	Description	Compatible with Console Automatic Backups*
   backupDestination=oss	Enables backups to cloud storage. Valid values are yes and no.	No
   Old name: bkup_oss_recovery_window New name: ossRecoveryWindow	Retention period for backups to cloud storage, expressed as a number of days up to 90. Applicable only when bkup_oss is set to yes or backupdestination is set to OSS. Default value is 30.	No
   Old name: bkup_oss_url New name: ossURL	Location of the storage container that is used for backup to cloud storage. Applicable only when bkup_oss is set to yes or backupdestination is set to OSS.	No
   Old name: bkup_oss_user New name: ossUserName	User name of the Oracle Cloud user having write privileges on the cloud storage container specified in bkup_oss_url. Applicable only when bkup_oss is set to yes or backupdestination is set to OSS.	No
   Old name: bkup_oss_passwd New name: ossAuthToken	Password of the Oracle Cloud user having write privileges on the cloud storage container specified in ossURL. Applicable only when bkup_oss is set to yes or backupdestination is set to OSS.	No

   Note:

   Zero Data Loss Recovery Appliance (ZDLRA) parameters are only valid for Exadata Cloud@Customer installations.

   Table 5-27 Backup Configuration Parameters - Zero Data Loss Recovery Appliance (ZDLRA) Parameters

   Parameter	Description	Compatible with Console Automatic Backups*
   backupDestination=zdlra	Enables backups to a Recovery Appliance. Valid values are yes and no.	No
   Old name: bkup_zdlra_url New name: zdlraUrl	Location of the Recovery Appliance that is being used for backups. Applicable only when bkup_zdlra is set to yes or backupdestination is set to ZDLRA.	No
   Old name: bkup_zdlra_user New name: zdlraVpcUserName	The virtual private catalog (VPC) user name for the Recovery Appliance specified in bkup_zdlra_url. Applicable only when bkup_zdlra is set to yes or backupdestination is set to ZDLRA.	No
   Old name: bkup_zdlra_passwd New name: zdlraVpcPassword	Password of the Recovery Appliance user specified in bkup_zdlra_url. Applicable only when bkup_zdlra is set to yes or backupdestination is set to ZDLRA.	No

   Table 5-28 Backup Configuration Parameters - RMAN Catalog Support Parameters

   Parameter	Description	Compatible with Console Automatic Backups*
   Old name: bkup_use_rcat New name: useCatalog	Enables the use of an existing RMAN recovery catalog. Valid values are yes and no.	Yes (only for NFS and OSS backups)
   Old name: bkup_rcat_user New name: catalogUserName	Recovery catalog user name. Applicable only when bkup_use_rcat is set to yes.	Yes (only for NFS and OSS backups)
   Old name: bkup_rcat_passwd New name: catalogPassword	Password for recovery catalog user specified in bkup_rcat_user. Applicable only when bkup_use_rcat is set to yes.	Yes (only for NFS and OSS backups)
   Old name: bkup_rcat_conn New name: catalogConnectionString	Connection string for the RMAN recovery catalog. Applicable only when bkup_use_rcat is set to yes.	Yes (only for NFS and OSS backups)

   Only the above parameters noted with *Compatible with Console Automatic Backups = Yes are safe to alter in conjunction with console-based automatic backups. If any other parameters are to be altered, then do not enable backups through the console.

5. Use the dbaascli database backup --configure command to update the backup settings using the file containing your updated backup settings:

   # dbaascli database backup --configure --configFile <file_name> --dbname
       <database_name>

6. Use the dbaascli database backup --status to check the status of the configuration update:

   # dbaascli database backup --status --uuid <uuid> --dbname
       <database_name>

7. Exit the root user command shell:

   exit