Oracle Secure Backup

Oracle Secure Backup is a tape backup management platform that provides for the backing up of Linux, Windows, and UNIX file system data, as well as supports the backing up of Oracle DB data to tape via integration with the vendor's RMAN (Recovery Manager, included with Oracle Database).

A client/server platform, Oracle Secure Backup consists of the Administrative Server, which serves as the centralized management point for the platform, managing the catalog, backup history, and configuration settings, and acting as a Certification Authority; Media servers which transfer data to/from attached tape devices; and the client hosts to be backed up to the drives. Communications--both control messages and backups--are encrypted while in transit across the network via SSL (including certificate-based authentication of host systems).

For the backup of file data, the platform provides a Web tool or a command line tool and includes support for calendar based scheduling (day, date, time) as well as on-demand backups. Full, cumulative, and differential incremental backups are supported; and backups can be performed at the file, directory, file system or raw partition level (the user defines datasets describing the list of files to be backed up). In file system backups, Oracle DB files can automatically be skipped. For restoration, data can be restored to its original location or to an alternate server.

For Oracle DB backups, Oracle Secure Backup integrates with the vendor's Recovery Manager (RMAN), which features the ability to perform backup activities from within the database itself. According to the vendor, this capability allows the platform to read the database block layout structure directly, resulting in increased performance over other backup products.

RMAN is available for Oracle 9i and later; and beginning with Oracle 10g Release 2 encrypted backups are supported, wherein the data to be backed up is encrypted before it actually leaves the DB. Oracle Secure Backup can then store this data in its encrypted form on tape (because the data is already encrypted, separate SSL encryption for the transmission of the data over the network is unnecessary).

Other features of the Oracle Secure Backup platform include integration with Oracle Enterprise Manager, NDMP support for backing up of NAS filers, and support for the dynamic sharing of SAN tape drives.

Multiple tape drives, VTL systems, and NAS devices are listed as supported by the platform, including ADIC, StorageTek, Quantum, Copan, EMC, Overland Storage, Sepaton, Network Appliance, and more.

New features in the latest release of Oracle Secure Backup include:

- Support for policy-based encryption (AES 128/192/256) at the domain, host, backup, or tape level. File system data can now be stored on tape in an encrypted format; with Oracle Secure Backup providing automated (and policy-driven) key management functions including automated decryption during restoration. Supported key-types include randomly generated or passphrase-based.

- Automated, policy-based tape management features, including tape rotation, duplication (also available on-demand), and migration from a VTL to a physical tape

- Optimized Oracle DB backups which backup only currently used blocks and eliminates backup of committed undo

- Support for Sun/StorageTek ACSLS and associated tape libraries

Oracle Secure Backup is available now and is licensed by the number of tape drives utilized (clients are unlimited). Pricing is $3,000 per physical tape drive. A free version of the product, Oracle Secure Backup Express, is bundled with the Oracle Database itself and supports a single DB with a single direct attached tape drive. The Express version also does not support backup encryption.

Visit the Oracle Web site for further information.