The file specification for the backup file. The default file
extension is .rbf. Depending on whether you are performing a
backup operation to magnetic tape, disk, or multiple disks, the
backup file specification should be specified as follows:
o If you are backing up to magnetic tape
- Oracle Corporation recommends that you supply a backup
file name that is 17 or fewer characters in length. File
names longer than 17 characters might be truncated. See
the Usage_Notes help entry under this command for more
information about backup file names that are longer than 17
characters.
- If you use multiple tape drives, the backup-file-spec
parameter must be provided with (and only with) the first
tape drive name. Additional tape drive names must be
separated from the first and subsequent tape drive names
with commas.
See the Oracle Rdb Guide to Database Maintenance for more
information about using multiple tape drives.
o If you are backing up to multiple or single disk files
- It is good practice to write backup files to a device other
than the devices where the database root, storage area, and
snapshot files of the database are located. This way, if
there is a problem with the database disks, you can still
restore the database from a backup file.
- If you use multiple disk files, the backup-file-spec
parameter must be provided with (and only with) the first
disk device name. Additional disk device names must be
separated from the first and subsequent disk device names
with commas. You must include the Disk_File qualifier. For
example:
$ RMU/BACKUP/DISK_FILE MF_PERSONNEL.RDB -
_$ DEVICE1:[DIRECTORY1]MFP.RBF,DEVICE2:[DIRECTORY2]
As an alternative to listing the disk device names on
the command line (which, if you use several devices, can
exceed the line-limit length for a command line), you can
specify an options file in place of the backup-file-spec.
For example:
$ RMU/BACKUP/DISK_FILE LARGE_DB "@DEVICES.OPT"
The contents of devices.opt might appear as follows:
DEVICE1:[DIRECTORY1]LARGE_DB.RBF
DEVICE2:[DIRECTORY2]
The resulting backup files created from such an options
file would be:
DISK1:[DIRECTORY1]LARGE_DB.RBF
DISK2:[DIRECTORY2]LARGE_DB01.RBF
Note that the same directory must exist on each device
before you issue the command. Also, if you forget to
specify the Disk_File qualifier, you receive an error
message similar to the following:
$ RMU/BACKUP MF_PERSONNEL DEVICE1:[DIRECTORY1]MFP.RBF, -
_$ DEVICE2:[DIRECTORY2]
%RMU-F-NOTBACFIL, DEVICE1:[DIRECTORY1]MFP.RBF; is not a valid
backup file
%RMU-F-FTL_BCK,Fatal error for BACKUP operation at 2-MAY-2001
09:44:57.04