Hi Chirs , thanks for your questions . Let me provide more deails , as you've asked. I've been request to aid a small team of QA developers in one of the startup i work at. They are testing a product base on Dataguard which aim to ensure that customer won't have not data loss , even if DG work in "maximum performance" . During there test they sometime "corrupt" on propose the Primary-Standby environment . Since they lack the dba knowledge, I've been request to come up with a easy and simple soulation to quick restore the environment. Since it is a development environment , I'm allow to do a cold backup of the databases. Databases are not big (20-30Gb) , backup/restore time is not an issue. as I far as i can see there are 3 options: 1. develop a home make script which use rman to backup PR+standby files (including control file,spfile etc..) 2. use snapshot option of vmware or SAN snapshot 3. DD of the ASM diskgroup (we've only one disk and one diskgroup). option 1 - This option required development effort . opton 2 - our storage is JBOD so we don't have snapshot option , I agree that this is the best option for testing (also snapshots may require more space depends on amount of change). A side note - maybe it worth to use a software solution like openfiler with snapshot capabilities over the JBOD option 3 - I'm not sure if this is possible , and I'm concern of the backup size , since I back the entire disk (device). anyhow, regarding option 3 - I wonder how simple it will be to the following script as backup : 1. stop oracle instances+asm instance 2. dd + gzip the asm disk On Tue, Jul 15, 2014 at 8:34 PM, Ruel, Chris <Chris.Ruel@xxxxxxx> wrote: > How loosely are you using the term “snapshot”? Are you just saying you > want to take a baseline cold backup that you can revert to if you screw up > the database with your testing? > > > > How big is the database? Are you concerned about the backup taking a long > time? > > > > What is the primary reason you are looking for alternatives to RMAN? > > > > Back to the term “snapshot”...are you considering a backend SAN technology > for snapping the disks? We use NetApp Snapshots for backups (not DR > backups) for quick recoveries and cloning. It can be done with the > database running or closed (cold with ASM disk groups stopped). > > > > Chris.. > > > > > > > > > > Chris Ruel * Oracle Database Administrator > > cruel@xxxxxxx * Desk:317.759.2172 * Cell 317.523.8482 > > > > *From:* oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto: > oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] *On Behalf Of *amihay gonen > *Sent:* Tuesday, July 15, 2014 12:25 PM > *To:* ORACLE-L > *Subject:* how to backup ASM diskgroup > > > > HI all , > > I would like to be able to "snapshot" primary database and standby that > are using ASM. > > > > > > since this is a testing environment , I've option to shutdown both > databases and to do cold backup via rman . > > > > I was thinking if it will be easier just close the database (shutdown > immediate) and backup of the askdism group . > > assuming the following : > > 1. I've only one disk in the diskgroup > > 2. I'll shutdown the asm instance as well > > > > > > Notice of Confidentiality: **This E-mail and any of its attachments may > contain > Lincoln National Corporation proprietary information, which is privileged, > confidential, > or subject to copyright belonging to the Lincoln National Corporation > family of > companies. This E-mail is intended solely for the use of the individual or > entity to > which it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient of this > E-mail, you are > hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, copying, or action > taken in > relation to the contents of and attachments to this E-mail is strictly > prohibited > and may be unlawful. If you have received this E-mail in error, please > notify the > sender immediately and permanently delete the original and any copy of > this E-mail > and any printout. Thank You.** >