Thanks everyone for sharing your views on this topic. After reviewing the advantages of each configuration, it looks like we will initially go with scripts that are local to target server. We are backing up to disk, and using image copies for cold backups. We are also looking at online image file copies in the future. It seems 10g is enhancing the imagefile copy capability. When I mentioned where the executable runs, I mis-spoke (thanks Mladen), and really should have mentioned the RMAN Client Compatibility. In the 10g documentation there is a compatibility discussion of the RMAN client versions. My understanding is that with a local script, the local RMAN client is used, so there should be no compatibility issues. We have also found character set issues that we feel are due to using a remote client. Again, thanks everyone for your input. Dennis Williams DBA Lifetouch, Inc. -----Original Message----- From: Mercadante, Thomas F [mailto:thomas.mercadante@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2005 7:24 AM To: 'Paula_Stankus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx'; Mercadante, Thomas F; DENNIS WILLIAMS; oracle-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: RE: RMAN - Local vs. central backup script I don't telnet to each machine every day. The shell scripts are installed on each machine, the cron schedule is set up, and things run just fine. But I would be interested in seeing your parameterized Rman scripts you store in the catalog. -----Original Message----- From: Paula_Stankus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:Paula_Stankus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2005 4:05 PM To: thomas.mercadante@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; DWILLIAMS@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; oracle-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: RE: RMAN - Local vs. central backup script Right there is the issue - why telnet to each machine if you don't have to. Why manage - upgrade X number of RMAN databases???? Why duplicate the code on X number of machines..... Why...why...why....??? -----Original Message----- From: oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Mercadante, Thomas F Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2005 2:37 PM To: 'DWILLIAMS@xxxxxxxxxxxxx'; Oracle-L Subject: RE: RMAN - Local vs. central backup script Dennis, I find it just as easy to have a standard Rman cron script and simply have it installed on each box. Cron runs on each box and schedules the backup accordingly. Obviously, if you have something like Tivoli Workload Scheduler, it would be easier to control the backups from one place - this simply runs the shell script on each machine. To me, its 6 of one, half a dozen of the other. We telnet to each machine as needed. Hope this helps. Tom -----Original Message----- From: DENNIS WILLIAMS [mailto:DWILLIAMS@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2005 2:06 PM To: Oracle-L Subject: RMAN - Local vs. central backup script We use RMAN on Oracle9i to back up to disk. No SAN or MML, but use an RMAN catalog. I use cron to initiate the backup (Unix servers). In revising the system, I'm trying to decide whether it is better to use the cron on each server, or just trigger backups centrally, from servers where the RMAN catalogs reside. It seems like most of the advantages go to the local script. You are always running the same RMAN executable as the database. Has anyone else looked at this issue and care to share any thoughts? Dennis Williams DBA Lifetouch, Inc. ______________________________________________________________________ This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System. For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email ______________________________________________________________________ -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l BEGIN-ANTISPAM-VOTING-LINKS ------------------------------------------------------ Teach CanIt if this mail (ID 22912776) is spam: Spam: https://dohsmsi01.doh.state.fl.us/canit/b.php?c=s&i=22912776&m=40c736055 81a Not spam: https://dohsmsi01.doh.state.fl.us/canit/b.php?c=n&i=22912776&m=40c736055 81a Forget vote: https://dohsmsi01.doh.state.fl.us/canit/b.php?c=f&i=22912776&m=40c736055 81a ------------------------------------------------------ END-ANTISPAM-VOTING-LINKS ______________________________________________________________________ This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System. For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email ______________________________________________________________________ -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l