Best practices for Backup Exec 12.5 Agent for SAP Applications

Best practices include tips and recommendations to help you use the Backup Exec 12.5 Agent for SAP Applications (SAP Agent). For more information about Backup Exec's SAP Agent, see the Backup Exec for Windows Servers Administrator's Guide.

Ensure that you install the SAP Agent to the Brtools directory for RMAN or BACKINT. You must manually enter the path to the Brtools directory. The default path is as follows:

x:\usr\sap\<SID>\sys\exe\run

If you enter an incorrect path to the Brtools directory, SAP backup jobs fail.

The following best practices can help ensure the effective configuration of the SAP Agent for RMAN:

• Ensure that the credentials you enter on the Backup Exec media server and the SAP server are identical when you configure the Remote Agent Utility.

• Complete the information on the Oracle tab in the Remote Agent Utility for SAP on Oracle configurations. These credentials are required to properly authenticate the Oracle database.

• Enter the rman_send command in the Init<SID>.sap file. The path statement is case sensitive and invalid parameters cause errors. Enter the command as follows:

  rman_send = ( "channel sbt_1 'NBBSA_SAP_AGENT_CONFIG_PATH=C:\A\B\C\biparam.ini'")

The following best practices can help ensure effective backups from the SAP Agent:

• Test recovery scenarios often to become familiar with the procedures. SAP/R3 recovery can be complex and it is often time-sensitive because of the nature of the data. Coordinate testing and configuration with database administrators to ensure that recovery procedures are understood.

• Run a full backup whenever you make structural changes to a database.

• Ensure that the Remote Agent Utility is running before you submit an RMAN job. If the Remote Agent Utility is not running, the job fails. The Remote Agent Utility is not necessary if you use BACKINT to run backup jobs.

• Confirm that you have at least two successful backups of archived log files before you delete them from the server. Oracle recommends that you save at least two copies of each log on external media. The loss of Oracle redo records can cause significant loss of data in a recovery scenario.

• Configure biparam.ini to back up the SAP Agent catalog frequently. You should back up the catalog with every backup job, if possible, or at least each week. The SAP Agent catalog is important for restore jobs since it associates Oracle catalog data with Backup Exec catalog data.