Ingesting an Oracle database into Velocity from the command line
Velocity Help
Velocity provides an application named ingest_dba that you can run from the command line to ingest an Oracle database from an Oracle server to an NFS mount path on the Velocity Storage Server. The ingest_dba application performs a differential, incrementally updated ingest (RMAN incremental level 1) to ingest an Oracle database to an NFS path.
This topic does not apply to using NetBackup to ingest databases.
On the first ingest of an Oracle database, Velocity performs an image copy backup of the database. On subsequent ingests of the same database, Velocity backs up only changed data blocks from individual database pages. These incremental changes are rolled forward and merged into the data files on the NFS mount path on the Velocity Storage Server. The first backup that runs with the full parameter is a full backup, and all subsequent backups are level 1 incrementals. To see all available parameters for the ingest_dba application, use the -h parameter to view the help.
Velocity also provides an automated method to ingest databases.
In an ASM environment, the ingest_dba application automatically detects databases on ASM storage, dynamically creates the destination ASM disk group, and mounts it in the local ASM instance.
When you run the script, the database can be in either an open state or a mounted state.
Databases that are ingested are listed on the Database Sources window on the Velocity Console.
Table: What to do before you use the command line to ingest a database
Before you run the ingest_dba application, review the following options:
More information
Review the best practices for improving the performance of the Velocity ingest process.
To ingest from an Oracle database that is hosted on ASM to a regular file system that is hosted on the Velocity Storage Server, you must set the 'StorageType' option to 'FS' in the ingest_options.json file.
If you use the ingest method on the Velocity Console, then you must save the ingest without running it, set the 'StorageType' Option to 'FS', and then run the ingest.
Decide if you want to use a custom parameter file to control the startup behavior of a sandbox. When a database is ingested to Velocity, the custom parameter file is stored with the database copy. Then, the custom parameter file is automatically applied to a sandbox when it is created from the database copy.
To run the application, you must have the following rights and assignments:
On the host Oracle Database server:
You must be an oracle user who belongs to the oinstall group and the dba group.
When the Oracle DBA ingests an Oracle database that uses ASM storage, the DBA must be part of the Oracle Grid Infrastructure user group. Otherwise, the ingest_dba application prompts you to enter the password for the Oracle Grid Infrastructure user when the destination ASM disk group is created, mounted, and dismounted.
In Velocity, you must have at least a DBA role.
Refer to your Oracle documentation for best practices on how to configure backups for an Oracle RAC environment.
To ingest an Oracle database into Velocity by using the command line
From the Velocity Console, in the left pane, click Database Sources.
On the Database Sources dialog, click +, and then click Add Database to Ingest.
On the Choose Method dialog, select whether you want to use Velocity or NetBackup to ingest this database source.
On the Add a Database Source dialog, enter the hostname or IP address of the Oracle database server that hosts the database that you want to add to Velocity.
Click + to add the hostname or IP address to the Added Hosts list.
To specify a database in a RAC environment, enter each node name or IP address one at a time. Then, click + to add each node to the Added Hosts list.
(Optional) For the option Enable Copy Preparation, click Yes if you want to change data in a database before users can access the database copies from their sandboxes.
Enter the name of the Oracle database that you want to add to Velocity.
(Optional) Enter a name for the Oracle database that is meaningful or easy to remember.
(Optional) Enter a description of the Oracle database that is meaningful or easy to remember.
Click Save to save the database information that you added and return to the Database Sources window without starting the ingest process.
On the Oracle host server, log in as an oracle user who belongs to the oinstall group and the dba group.
Type the following command to change the directory to the NFS mount path on the Oracle Server:
cd /<NFS mount path>
Where NFS mount path is the path name that displays in the Database Source Details dialog.
To find the NFS mount path, on the Velocity Console, in the left pane, click Database Sources, select the database source that you want to ingest, and then click Details.
Type one of the following commands to run the ingest application:
To run the default for the first ingest and for all subsequent ingests
/tools/bin/ingest_dba
To start a full backup
/tools/bin/ingest_dba --full
If necessary, you can cancel an ingest process after you have started it.
If you are prompted, enter the Oracle Grid Infrastructure user password.
After the application has run, to view the database that was ingested into Velocity, sign in to the Velocity Console, and then in the left pane, click Database Sources.
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