Check staging disk format and backup method for other databases

These two settings determine the type of backup image that you get. It is important to make sure they are set properly.

Ensure that the staging disk format is set correctly

You set the staging disk format when you added the host. Before continuing, check the staging disk format to be sure that you can get the backup image type that you need.

To check the staging disk format, follow these steps:

1. From Manage, Hosts list, right-click the host and select Edit.

2. Halfway down the Edit Host page, the Staging Disk Format is either NFS or Block:

   • Block: Block-based staging disks are the most useful for both Backup and DR and TDM usage. Backup and DR changed-block tracking is only available on block-based staging disks, and virtual databases can only be mounted to block-based staging disks.

   • NFS: NFS based staging disks permit only traditional file-based backup with Full+Incremental file system backup. Select NFS only if Block is not an option in your network.

3. If the staging disk format is set incorrectly, change it now and click Save before continuing.

   Note: System databases on a root partition can be backed up as logical volume manager snapshots and later mounted as virtual databases, but they cannot be used in a traditional Restore operation as the root partition cannot be unmounted. This needs manual restore and recovery from a standard mount back to the same host.

Check the backup method to be used for this database or instance

The backup method determines the type of backup image you get, either volume-level or file-based.

You set the backup method when you filled in the details and settings for this database. Before continuing, check the backup method to ensure that you get the backup image type you need.

To configure the database backup plan settings, follow these instructions:

1. Click App manager > Applications.

2. Right-click the database and select Manage backup plan.

3. Select Details & settings.

4. Go to Backup capture method. Choose between two backup methods:

   • Volume level backup: Use volume level logical volume manager snapshots with change block tracking on Linux to a block-based staging disk. This option lets you create application aware virtual databases from the snapshot images. The production instance or database must be present on the logical volume manager volume.

   • Full+Incremental backup: This is the traditional file-based backup and recovery. This file dump method does not support the creation of virtual databases. Use this for both block and NFS staging disks. If you need to use NFS staging disks, then use this backup method. For most purposes, volume-level backup images are a better choice.

   A virtual database can be protected individually and the protection applies on the entire instance. You can include or exclude specific databases during the process using a database inclusion rule from the Manage backup plan pages.

5. Click Save at the bottom of the page if changes were made to your settings.

Note: With one exception, protection is set for the entire Db2 instance. You can include or exclude specific databases during the process using a Database Inclusion Rule from the Manage Backup Plan pages. The exception is that a virtual database can be protected individually.

What's next

Protect the database or instance and its logs