Backup and DR Service for SAP MaxDB

SAP MaxDB is the database management system developed and supported by SAP SE. SAP MaxDB is available on Microsoft Windows, Linux, and Unix, and for the most prominent hardware platforms.

How it works: Backup and DR volume-based backup with Linux CBT

Only changed blocks are tracked in the bitmap—no copy-on-writes or I/O-intensive operations.

Data backup and recovery with volume-based backup images and CBT follows these steps:

  1. The Backup and DR agent has CBT to track changed blocks in the database data area.

  2. The agent calls the database API to freeze or pause database for data backup.

  3. Agent creates LVM snapshot of database data area and synthesizes a bitmap.

  4. Agent call to database API to unfreeze database.

  5. Agent copies changed blocks to backup/recovery appliance, which then deletes the snapshot and catalogs the backup.

  6. The appliance issues an internal snapshot and synthesizes a point-in-time virtual full backup.

  7. For data recovery, Backup and DR instantly mounts a rewritable staging disk and brings the database online.

SAP MaxDB with Linux CBT and LVM snapshot.

How it works: traditional file-based backup

Data backup and recovery with traditional file-based backup images follows these steps:

  1. Backup and DR agent is deployed in the database server.

  2. Mount staging disk on the database server.

  3. Invoke Full+Incremental backup using traditional dump backup command, writing the backup image to the mounted disk.

  4. Backup and DR takes an internal snapshot. Log backups are done in a similar fashion directly from the file-system at any schedule that you configure.

  5. For data recovery, Backup and DR instantly mounts the staging disk to the database server and initiates the database restore operation. Logs can be played to any point in time after the database is restored.

  6. For recovery, Backup and DR instantly mounts the staging disk to the database server and initiates the database restore operation. Logs can be played to any point in time after the database is restored.

SAP MaxDB with traditional file-based Backup.

SAP MaxDB APIs

Backup and DR uses the following SAP MaxDB backup APIs:

  • Linux CBT and LVM snapshot: MaxDB UTIL_EXECUTE SUSPEND LOGWRITER and UTIL_EXECUTE RESUME LOGWRITER API with Linux CBT and LVM snapshot

  • File-based backups: MaxDB dbmcli -d <dbsid> -u <dbm_username>,<dbm_password>backup_start file-based backups API

    This provides the full backup of the database in backup format. The prerequisite for data backup is to define the backup template first. Recovery API restore db recovers the database by physically overwriting the data area.

  • MaxDB log backup: MaxDB autolog backup must be enabled on the application side. Backup and DR copies the log backup files to staging disk with cp command. As Autolog Backup is enabled we use os command to purge the log backup.

What's next

Prepare the database for Backup and DR

Other documentation for Backup and DR for MaxDB

This page is one in a series of pages specific to protecting and recovering MaxDB databases with Backup and DR. You can find additional information at the following pages: