Scheduling RMAN Disk Backup in hpux & Linux using "cron" Utility

The following procedure uses the "cron" utility to schedule daily database RMAN backups at 8:00 a.m EXCEPT Friday.

Task-1: create RMAN Backup Script

Start a text editor and create and save a file with the following contents. Save the file in a directory that is accessible to the Oracle Database software and on which the Oracle software owner has the read permission.

# vi rmandiskbkp.sh

export ORACLE_BASE=/u02/app/oracle

export ORACLE_HOME=$ORACLE_BASE/product/11.2.0.4/dbhome_1

export ORACLE_SID=dcpdb1

export PATH=$ORACLE_HOME/bin:$PATH

export TZ=GMT6

dt=`date '+%d%m%Y%H%M'`

rman target rmanbkp/rmanbkp <<eof

sql 'alter system archive log current';

run{

allocate channel c1  type disk;

allocate channel c2  type disk;

allocate channel c3  type disk;

allocate channel c4  type disk;

allocate channel c5  type disk;

allocate channel c6  type disk;

allocate channel c7  type disk;

backup AS COMPRESSED BACKUPSET full database tag T24_DB_$dt format '/db_rmanbackup/t24_db_%p_%s_$dt.bkp';

sql 'alter system archive log current';

backup current controlfile tag T24_CTL_$dt format '/db_rmanbackup/t24_ctl_%p_%s_$dt.bkp';

backup spfile tag T24_SPF_$dt format '/db_rmanbackup/t24_spf_%p_%s_$dt.bkp'  ;

release channel c1;

release channel c2;

release channel c3;

release channel c4;

release channel c5;

release channel c6;

release channel c7;

}

exit

eof

#

Task-2: Test RMAN backup Script

if script is in the file /u02/app/oracle/rmandiskbkp.sh, then enter this command:

# sh /u02/app/oracle/rmandiskbkp.sh

Task-3: Scheduling RMAN Backup Script

Entry to “crontab”. To entry in “crontab”, then enter this command:

 # crontab –e   [Edit]

In “crontab” below following entry will  place:

# MI HH DD MM DAY CMD

30 08  *  *  0,1,2,3,4,6  sh /u02/app/oracle/rmandiskbkp.sh -b 172.xx.xx.xx

So, By this setting RMAN backup will RUN everyday at 8:30AM except Friday.

Appendix:
# crontab –l   [List]

  Crontab Fields and Allowed Ranges

Field	Description	Allowed Value
MI	Minute field	0 to 59
HH	Hour field	0 to 23
DD	Day of Month field	1 to 31
MM	Month field	1 to 12
DAY	Day of week field	0 to 6
CMD	Command	Any command to be executed

   DAY: 0 to 6: SUN,MON,TUE,WED,THU,FRI,SAT