Configuring the Oracle Agent on Linux computers

Before you can back up or restore Oracle databases, you must use the Remote Agent Utility to do the following:

Whenever Oracle instance information changes, you must update the Remote Agent Utility. If credential information is not updated or is incorrect, the error "Unable to attach to a resource..." may appear when you run a backup job.

For Oracle RAC, you must run the Remote Agent Utility on each node and add information about the instances before you can perform any backup or restore operations. When Oracle RAC nodes are added or removed, you must enter information about any changes to instances in the Remote Agent Utility.

Note:

When you use the Remote Agent Utility, the user account with which you are logged on should be a member of the Oracle DBA group.

To configure the Oracle Agent on Linux computers

  1. On the Linux computer on which the Oracle instances are installed, open a Terminal window.

  2. Type the following command:

    cd /opt/VRTSralus/bin
    
  3. To start the Remote Agent Utility, type the following command:

    ./AgentConfig
    
  4. Type 2 to select Configure Oracle instance information, and then press Enter.

    Any instances that currently exist on the computer are discovered. You can edit or delete these instances, or view information about the instances.

  5. Do one of the following:

    If an existing Oracle instance is discovered

    Proceed to step 6 to edit or delete the instance, or to view information about the instance.

    If no instances are discovered

    Proceed with step 7.

  6. Do any of the following:

    Edit an existing Oracle instance

    Type 2, and then follow the prompts.

    Delete an Oracle instance

    Type 3, and then follow the prompts.

    View Oracle entries

    Type 4.

    The following information is listed:

    • Name of the instance

    • Logon name for the instance

    • IP address of the default media server name for DBA-initiated operations

    • Name of the DBA-initiated job template

  7. Type 1 to select the Add a new Oracle Instance option, and then press Enter.

  8. Enter the name of the Oracle instance in upper case characters.

    For example, ORACLENAME.

  9. Enter the user name for the Oracle instance.

    If the credentials for the Oracle instance are changed, you must update the credentials in this field. For Oracle RAC nodes, enter the same set of credentials for all of the nodes.

    When you use the Remote Agent Utility to enter the Oracle credentials for an instance, the credentials cannot be verified if the user account with which you are logged in is a member of the Oracle DBA group. If the credentials are incorrect, the error "Unable to attach to a resource..." may appear when you run a backup job.

  10. To display the Oracle database in a media server's backup selection list under Favorite Resources, type the media server name or IP address to which you want the remote computer to publish to.

    The media server lists the Oracle database under Favorite Resources, under the Linux/Unix node, under <computer name> <root>.

    Oracle RAC databases are listed in the media server's backup selection list, under the node Oracle Real Application Clusters. They are not listed under Favorite Resources.

  11. When prompted, specify if you want to use a recovery catalog.

    The Oracle Agent supports the use of the RMAN recovery catalog to manage the backup, restore, and recovery of Oracle databases. If you choose not to use a recovery catalog, RMAN uses the target database control file as the sole repository of metadata.

    If you specify a recovery catalog, any database that you want to back up must be registered in the recovery catalog before you can run backup jobs from the media server.

  12. To use a recovery catalog, type the recovery catalog name and a user name and password for the recovery catalog.

  13. To use a customized DBA-initiated job settings template, type the name of the template.

    See Configuring DBA-initiated job settings for Oracle.

  14. Do one of the following:

    To commit the new entry to the configuration file

    Type Y, and then press Enter.

    To cancel this entry

    Type N, and then press Enter.

  15. To add more instances, repeat step 7 - step 13.

To configure database access for Oracle operations on Linux systems

  1. In the Remote Agent Utility, to select Configure database access, type 1 and press Enter.

  2. Type the user name that is in the beoper group on the Linux system.

    See About creating the beoper group.

    If the authentication fails when the Oracle resources are backed up, the backup job fails. If the authentication fails when you browse the backup sets for a restore job, then the backup sets become unavailable, and you must run a DBA-initiated restore job to restore data.

  3. Type the password for this logon account, and then confirm it.

    The logon credentials are not stored on this computer.

  4. Type the full computer name or IP address for this computer.

    You must use the same form of name resolution for all Oracle operations. For example, if you use the IP address of this computer for backup operations, you must also use the IP address for restore operations. If you use the full computer name for backup operations, you must also use the full computer name for restore operations.

  5. When prompted, specify if you want to use a custom port to connect to the media server communications between this computer and the media server during Oracle operations.

    Port 5633 is used by default. If you change the port number on this computer, you must also change it on the media server, and then restart the Backup Exec Job Engine Service on the media server.

    See Setting default backup network and security options.

  6. Do one of the following:

    To commit the Oracle operation settings to the configuration file

    Type Y, and then press Enter.

    To cancel this entry

    Type N, and then press Enter.

  7. On the media server, add the Oracle server name and the logon account name to the list of authentication credentials.

More Information

Configuring database access on the media server for Oracle operations

About backing up Oracle resources

About backing up Oracle RAC resources

Configuring DBA-initiated job settings for Oracle

Setting application defaults for Oracle