Really worried - am I justified? Roll forward of archive logs

[simon_broome]

Hi

We currently run SAP R/3 Enterprise on Oracle 10.2 and are upgrading to ERP 2005 (with unicode conversion).

Our basis team have now made us aware that they are intending to build the new PRD system from an online backup with two days transactions rolled in using archive logs.

I dont believe we have ever done this before (always used an offline backup). Is this an approved and 'safe' method of building a PRD system?

Thanks in advance

[markus_doehr2 · Accepted solution]

I don't quite get your question.

Are you asking about a restore of the database with archive logs applied and you are setting your production system back two days?

--

Markus

[simon_broome · Accepted solution]

Hi,

We are undertaking an upgrade. The plan is to take an online backup today (Monday) continue letting users have access to the old PRD system till end of Wednesday.

Then on Wednesday begin the upgrade from Mondays online backup, apply archive logs and unicode & upgrade.

Basically will applying the archive logs to Mondays backup be the same as taking an offline backup on Wednesday after all the users have finished. It worries me that we are going back to Mondays 'file'.

Will applying two days archive logs give us an identical and complete system (no missing document postings) to that of taking an offline backup?

Is this recongnised SAP practice?

Thanks for your interest and sorry not to be clear initially.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hello Simon,

this method is normal, I already used it before without problem. The archivel logs contain every modifications in the database, so applying them gives consistent database - as like the offline backup.

I suggest you to make a few logswitch after shuting down SAP to be sure (copy all the last minute modifications into archive logs from online redo logs). Another suggestion, if your techical team is not familiar with this process, first practice it in a non productive environment if possible.

BTW this process is the same as when you make an emergency restore from online backup.

Best regards

Tamás

ps.: Checking the dates I realized that you already began the process, I hope everything goes fine.

[simon_broome · Accepted solution]

Thank you for your helpful reply.

As you spotted we have started the process now. Our technical team decided to do a dsik to disk copy in the end and there were problems with the archive logs (the old PRD system went offline during ats last day and had to be power cycled!)

Unfortunately this added some hours to the process - I guess that was why the initial plan was to use the logs. As you say the same process should have been used to build another system first.