Performing Test Backup and Recovery Operations

After you enroll the protected database with a Recovery Appliance, it is recommended that you perform a test backup and recovery operation. This testing helps confirm that your configuration settings are accurate and that the backup to and recovery from the Recovery Appliance are performed successfully. If you encounter any problem with the test backup or recovery, you may correct your settings and reconfigure your protected database.

Running a Test Backup Using the Command Line

After configuring a protected database for Recovery Appliance, you can test the connection to the Recovery Appliance by attempting a test backup.

To create a test backup of the protected database:

Connect to the protected database as TARGET and to the Recovery Appliance catalog as CATALOG as described in "Connecting to the Protected Database and Recovery Appliance Using CLI".
Configure an RMAN SBT channel for the Recovery Appliance as described in "Configuring RMAN SBT Channels for Recovery Appliance".

A good guideline for choosing the number of channels is to start with the number of channels that are currently used for incremental backups or a default of 2 or 4 channels per node depending on the number of cores or CPUs.
Use the following RMAN command to perform a full backup:
```
BACKUP DEVICE TYPE SBT CUMULATIVE INCREMENTAL LEVEL 1 DATABASE
    PLUS ARCHIVELOG FORMAT %d_%U;
```
This BACKUP command creates a new level 0 backup, if one does not already exist, when it is run for the first time.

Note:

Archive redo logs can be included with regular backups because the Recovery Appliance keeps track of which logs may need to be backed up and avoids backing up the same archived redo logs twice. The benefit of including archived redo logs is in the case where there is a gap. Without archived redo logs, gap detection may be delayed.

Running a Test Recovery Using the Command Line

After creating a test backup of the protected database to Recovery Appliance, you can test this backup by performing a test recovery.

To perform a test recovery of the protected database:

Shutdown and restart the protected database in NOMOUNT mode.
Connect to the protected database as TARGET and to the Recovery Appliance catalog as CATALOG.

See "Connecting to the Protected Database and Recovery Appliance Using CLI".
Configure an RMAN SBT channel for the Recovery Appliance as described in "Configuring RMAN SBT Channels for Recovery Appliance".
Use the following RMAN command to restore the previously created test backup from the Recovery Appliance. Because the VALIDATE option is used, this can be done without interfering with the production database.
```
RESTORE VALIDATE DATABASE;
```

If these backup and recovery procedures succeed, then the client database is ready to perform regular backups to the Recovery Appliance.

Performing a Test Backup Using Cloud Control

After configuring the protected database, verify that the configuration is accurate by performing a test backup.

To perform a test backup using Cloud Control:

Access the home page for the protected database as described in "Accessing the Protected Database Home Page Using Cloud Control".
From the Availability menu, select Backup & Recovery, then Backup Settings.

The Device tab of the Backup Settings page is displayed. Figure 3-4 displays the Recovery Appliance Settings section of this page.

Figure 3-4 Recovery Appliance Settings Section of Backup Settings Page

Description of "Figure 3-4 Recovery Appliance Settings Section of Backup Settings Page"
In the Recovery Appliance Settings section, click Test Backup.

A test backup is initiated by Cloud Control and the Processing: Test Recovery Appliance Backup page is displayed.

If the backup is successful, the following message is displayed: Recovery Appliance backup test successful.

If there is an error when performing the backup, then an error message stating "Recovery Appliance backup test failed" is displayed. Click View Error Details to display the View Error Details page containing detailed information about the cause of the error. Rectify the problem and then perform a test backup.