Entering content frame

Procedure documentation Backing Up the Database Instance Locate the document in its SAP Library structure

Use

You backup the database instance.

If you want to use an external backup tool, proceed as described in the section Backing Up with External Backup Tools. Otherwise, use the backup_start command described below.

The backup result contains information about the backup that is supplied by the database kernel. This information is only output when the backup has been ended or interrupted. For this reason, the response to this DBM command can take a long time.

Prerequisites

·        You have the server authorization Backup.

·        You have opened a database session (see: Opening a Database Session).

Syntax

backup_start <medium> [<type>] [AUTOIGNORE]

<medium>

Name of the backup medium (see: Creating or Changing a Backup Medium).
If you are backing up to a group of parallel backup media, enter the name of the media group here.

Make sure that you follow the current rules regarding naming conventions for backup media to avoid error messages.

<type>

Type of Backup:
Possible values:
DATA (complete data backup), PAGES (incremental data backup), or LOG (log backup)

AUTOIGNORE

The backup is to continue automatically without the last backup medium reported as full (see: Continuing the Backup Without the Medium Last Reported as Full)

Reply

OK<NL>
Returncode              <value><NL>
Date                    [<value>]<NL>
Time                    [<value>]<NL>
Server                  [<value>]<NL>
Database                [<value>]<NL>
Kernel Version          [<value>]<NL>
Pages Transferred       [<value>]<NL>
Pages Left              [<value>]<NL>
Volumes                 [<value>]<NL>
Medianame               [<value>]<NL>
Location                [<value>]<NL>
Error text              [<value>]<NL>
Label                   [<value>]<NL>
Is Consistent           [<value>]<NL>
First LOG Page          [<value>]<NL>
Last LOG Page           [<value>]<NL>
DB Stamp 1 Date         [<value>]<NL>
DB Stamp 1 Time         [<value>]<NL>
DB Stamp 2 Date         [<value>]<NL>
DB Stamp 2 Time         [<value>]<NL>
Page Count              [<value>]<NL>
Devices Used            [<value>]<NL>
Database ID             [<value>]<NL>
Max Used Data Page      [<value>]<NL>

Values for the Fields of the Reply

Value

Description

Date

Date

Time

Time

Server

Name of the database server

Database

Name of the database instance

Kernel Version

Kernel version of the database

Pages Transferred

Number of pages transferred

Pages Left

Number of pages still to be transferred

Volumes

Number of backup media used

Medianame

Name of the backup medium

Location

File or device name

Errortext

Error message text

Label

Backup ID

Is Consistent

For data backup only: backup is internally consistent

First LOG Page

For data backup: first page of the log backup to be read

For log backup: first page saved in log

Last LOG Page

For log backup only: last page saved in log

DB Stamp 1 Date
DB Stamp 1 Time

Time stamp for first page of log backup

DB Stamp 2 Date
DB Stamp 2 Time

Time stamp for last page of log backup

Page Count

Total number of pages saved

Devices Used

Number of backup devices used

Database ID

Database ID used to identify data and log backups that belong together

Max Used Data Page

Maximum page number (indication of minimum database size when backup is imported)

Reply in the Event of an Error

If an error occurs while you are using an external backup tool, you receive a reply in the following format:

ERR<NL>
<errcode>, <err_description><NL>
[<extended_description><NL>]

Values for the Fields of the Reply

Value

Description

<errcode>

Error message number

See also: Messages

<err_description>

Description of the error

<extended_description>

Cause of the error

 

The following errors may occur:

Error message number

Error message text

Explanation

-24927

ERR_TOOLCHK: the external backup tool was not found

The external backup tool could not be found or has been installed incorrectly.

-24926

ERR_MEDIUMCHK: the medium cannot be used with an external backup tool

The specified backup medium cannot be used with the backup tool referred to by the medium name (Creating or Changing a Backup Medium).

-24925

ERR_PREPARE: prepare of the backup operation failed

The preparations necessary to use the backup tool were not made correctly.

-24924

ERR_DBREQ: cannot start database kernel request

The database instance was unable to start the backup.

-24923

ERR_TOOLREQ: cannot start external backup tool correctly

The backup tool could not be started correctly.

-24922

ERR_OPCHK: cannot check state of backup operation

Unable to check the status of the database instance or the backup tool.

-24921

ERR_POSTOP: cannot finish backup operation correctly

Although the backup was successful, the post-processing steps required could not be performed.

-24920

ERR_BACKUPOP: backup operation was unsuccessful

The backup failed due to a problem with the database or the backup tool.

-24919

ERR_CLEANUP: cannot clean up correctly after backup operation

Although the backup was successful, the temporary system resources that were used could not be freed up again.

Note

If it is clear from the message number that the backup was just interrupted, the session must be continued with the continuation command: (backup_replace, backup_ignore), or terminated with backup_cancel.

 

Leaving content frame