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Protection methods
The most common protection method for SAP HANA databases and logs in
Backup and DR is the SAP HANA savepoint API (Persistent Disk snapshot)
for SAP HANA on a Compute Engine instance.
You can also protect HANA databases using either of the two following alternative
protection methods:
SAP HANA savepoint API (LVM backup)
SAP backint API (Full+Incremental backup)
These methods are preferable only if you require HANA Scale-Out or if you have
need for application-aware mounts or mount-and-migrate ability for HANA
databases.
SAP HANA savepoint API (Persistent Disk snapshot) for SAP HANA on a Compute Engine instance
Backup and DR uses Persistent Disk snapshots to incrementally back up data
and log volume from your persistent disks with application consistency.
Backup and DR stores multiple copies of each snapshot across multiple
locations with automatic checksums to ensure the integrity of your data.
Backup and DR supports SAP HANA 2.0 Scale-up and SAP HANA 2.0 HA (1+1)
replication system.
SAP HANA savepoint API (volume-level backup)
This method leverages an SAP HANA database internal snapshot based
on savepoint stored in the data volumes area and in Linux change block tracking
to take an efficient, space saving, incremental forever backup.
SAP HANA data is captured in application first format, according to a specified
backup plan. A golden copy of that data is created and stored once, and is then
updated incrementally with only the changed blocks of data in an incremental
forever model. This provides the advantage of instantaneous mount and recovery
of SAP HANA databases. Virtual copies of the data can be made available
instantly for use, without proliferating physical copies and taking up
additional storage infrastructure.
SAP Backint API (Full+Incremental backup)
The older way of backing up SAP HANA is using the Backint API using
hdbsql. The Backint API sends backups to a staging disk mapped to the SAP HANA
host over iSCSI or NFS. In both approaches, there is a periodic full backup and
the data captured is in a proprietary backup format and not in block
format.
Backup and DR supportability of different SAP HANA configurations
Backup and DR can virtualize and protect the following:
Single container system (HANA 1.0 or 2.0) dedicated: In a
single-container system the system database and tenant database are seen as a
single unit and are administered as one.
Multiple-container systems (HANA 2.0): Multiple isolated databases in a
single SAP HANA system. These are referred to as multi-tenant database
containers. A multiple-container system always has exactly one system
database used for central system administration, and any number of
multi-tenant databases (including zero), also called tenant databases.
This table lists all the supported HANA configurations and the backup methods
that apply with each one.
HANA SavePoint API method is the preferred method when available, for all HANA
configurations except for scale-out with shared storage.
The backint method is available for all HANA configurations.
HANA log backups are always handled automatically for all configurations and
options.
Backup and DR Service documentation for SAP HANA Scale-Out
This page is one in a series of pages specific to protecting and recovering
SAP HANA Scale-Out instances with Backup and DR Service.
You can find additional information in the following pages:
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Hard to understand","hardToUnderstand","thumb-down"],["Incorrect information or sample code","incorrectInformationOrSampleCode","thumb-down"],["Missing the information/samples I need","missingTheInformationSamplesINeed","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2025-08-29 UTC."],[[["\u003cp\u003eThis document details protection methods for SAP HANA Scale-Out instances using Backup and DR Service, with distinct methods available for Scale-Up and HA 1+1 configurations.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eThe preferred protection method for SAP HANA Scale-Out is either the SAP HANA \u003ccode\u003esavepoint\u003c/code\u003e API (LVM backup) or the SAP \u003ccode\u003ebackint\u003c/code\u003e API (Full+Incremental backup), particularly for application-aware mounts or mount-and-migrate capabilities.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eBackup and DR Service utilizes Persistent Disk snapshots for data and log volume backups, ensuring application consistency and storing multiple data integrity-checked snapshot copies.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eSAP HANA configurations supported include single container systems (HANA 1.0 or 2.0) and multiple-container systems (HANA 2.0), with the \u003ccode\u003eSavePoint\u003c/code\u003e API method being generally preferred except for scale-out with shared storage.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eHANA log backups are automatically handled across all supported configurations and options, irrespective of the chosen backup method, for both single and multiple-container systems.\u003c/p\u003e\n"]]],[],null,["# Backup and DR Service for SAP HANA Scale-Out\n\n| **Note:** This information is for SAP HANA Scale-Out instances. For Scale-Up and HA 1+1 configurations, see [Backup and DR Service for SAP HANA](/backup-disaster-recovery/docs/concepts/backupdr-for-sap-hana).\n\nProtection methods\n------------------\n\nThe most common protection method for SAP HANA databases and logs in\nBackup and DR is the SAP HANA `savepoint` API (Persistent Disk snapshot)\nfor SAP HANA on a Compute Engine instance.\n\nYou can also protect HANA databases using either of the two following alternative\nprotection methods:\n\n- SAP HANA `savepoint` API (LVM backup)\n- SAP `backint` API (Full+Incremental backup)\n\nThese methods are preferable only if you require HANA Scale-Out or if you have\nneed for application-aware mounts or mount-and-migrate ability for HANA\ndatabases.\n\nIf you can use the Persistent Disk snapshot backup method, then go to [Backup and DR Service for SAP HANA](/backup-disaster-recovery/docs/concepts/backupdr-for-sap-hana).\n\n### SAP HANA `savepoint` API (Persistent Disk snapshot) for SAP HANA on a Compute Engine instance\n\nBackup and DR uses Persistent Disk snapshots to incrementally back up data\nand log volume from your persistent disks with application consistency.\nBackup and DR stores multiple copies of each snapshot across multiple\nlocations with automatic checksums to ensure the integrity of your data.\nBackup and DR supports SAP HANA 2.0 Scale-up and SAP HANA 2.0 HA (1+1)\nreplication system.\n\n### SAP HANA `savepoint` API (volume-level backup)\n\nThis method leverages an SAP HANA database internal snapshot based\non savepoint stored in the data volumes area and in Linux change block tracking\nto take an efficient, space saving, incremental forever backup.\n\nSAP HANA data is captured in application first format, according to a specified\nbackup plan. A golden copy of that data is created and stored once, and is then\nupdated incrementally with only the changed blocks of data in an incremental\nforever model. This provides the advantage of instantaneous mount and recovery\nof SAP HANA databases. Virtual copies of the data can be made available\ninstantly for use, without proliferating physical copies and taking up\nadditional storage infrastructure.\n\n### SAP `Backint` API (Full+Incremental backup)\n\nThe older way of backing up SAP HANA is using the Backint API using\nhdbsql. The Backint API sends backups to a staging disk mapped to the SAP HANA\nhost over iSCSI or NFS. In both approaches, there is a periodic full backup and\nthe data captured is in a proprietary backup format and not in block\nformat.\n\n### Backup and DR supportability of different SAP HANA configurations\n\n| **Note:** See the important information at [SAP HANA studio, metadata, and backup images](/backup-disaster-recovery/docs/access-data/recover-sap-hana#SAP-HANA-studio,-metadata,-and-backup-images).\n\nBackup and DR can virtualize and protect the following:\n\n- **Single container system (HANA 1.0 or 2.0) dedicated**: In a\n single-container system the system database and tenant database are seen as a\n single unit and are administered as one.\n\n- **Multiple-container systems (HANA 2.0)**: Multiple isolated databases in a\n single SAP HANA system. These are referred to as multi-tenant database\n containers. A multiple-container system always has exactly one system\n database used for central system administration, and any number of\n multi-tenant databases (including zero), also called tenant databases.\n\nThis table lists all the supported HANA configurations and the backup methods\nthat apply with each one.\n\n- HANA `SavePoint` API method is the preferred method when available, for all HANA\n configurations except for scale-out with shared storage.\n\n- The `backint` method is available for all HANA configurations.\n\n- HANA log backups are always handled automatically for all configurations and\n options.\n\nWhat's next\n-----------\n\n[Prepare the database for Backup and DR](/backup-disaster-recovery/docs/configuration/prepare-sap-hana-scaleout)\n\nBackup and DR Service documentation for SAP HANA Scale-Out\n----------------------------------------------------------\n\nThis page is one in a series of pages specific to protecting and recovering\nSAP HANA Scale-Out instances with Backup and DR Service.\nYou can find additional information in the following pages:\n\n- [Backup and DR for SAP HANA Scale-Out](/backup-disaster-recovery/docs/concepts/backupdr-for-sap-hana-scaleout)\n- [Prepare SAP HANA Scale-Out instances for backup](/backup-disaster-recovery/docs/configuration/prepare-sap-hana)\n- [Add an SAP HANA Scale-Out host, and discover and protect its databases](/backup-disaster-recovery/docs/configuration/discover-sap-hana-scaleout)\n- [Configure staging disk format and backup method for SAP HANA Scale-Out](/backup-disaster-recovery/docs/backup/backup-method-staging-disk-sap-hana-scaleout)\n- [Set application details and settings for SAP HANA Scale-Out instances](/backup-disaster-recovery/docs/backup/app-details-settings-sap-hana-scaleout)\n- [Back up HANA 1+n and HANA scale-out databases](/backup-disaster-recovery/docs/backup/back-up-sap-hana-scaleout)\n- [Restore and recover SAP HANA Scale-Out instances](/backup-disaster-recovery/docs/restore-data/restore-sap-hana-scaleout)\n- [Mount an SAP HANA Scale-Out backup as a standard mount](/backup-disaster-recovery/docs/access-data/mount-sap-hana)\n- [Mount an SAP HANA Scale-Out backup as a virtual database](/backup-disaster-recovery/docs/access-data/mount-sap-hana-virtualdb)\n- [Mount and migrate an SAP HANA Scale-Out backup for instant recovery to any target](/backup-disaster-recovery/docs/access-data/mount-and-migrate-sap-hana)"]]
