Backing up catalogs manually

Catalog backups typically run automatically per the NBU-Catalog policy. However, a catalog backup can be started manually.

A manual catalog backup is useful in the following situations:

To perform an emergency backup. For example, if the system is schedule to be moved and you cannot wait for the next scheduled catalog backup.
If there is only one stand-alone drive and the stand-alone drive is used for catalog backups. In this situation, automatic backups are not convenient. The catalog backup tape must be inserted before each catalog backup and removed when the backup is done. (The tape swap is necessary because NetBackup does not mix catalog and regular backups on the same tape.)

To perform a manual online, hot catalog backup

In the NetBackup Administration Console, expand NetBackup Management > Policies.
Select the catalog backup policy you want to run.
Select Actions > Manual Backup.

You can also run the bpbackup command from the command line to perform an online, hot catalog backup.

More information is available in NetBackup Commands.