Oracle Incremental Backup: What it is & How to Perform

Oracle Database is one of the most widely used relational database management systems, storing large amounts of sensitive and mission-critical information. It is an important asset for an organization and can be secured with an efficient backup strategy. Incremental backup is one strategy that provides a more efficient and faster way of backing up data. In this article, you will learn what Oracle incremental backup is, how to implement it, and the best practices to help you use it better.

What is Oracle Incremental Backup

Oracle incremental backup is a backup method that captures only the data that has changed since the last backup rather than copying the entire database. This method greatly reduces the time and storage requirements for backups, a trait that makes it an ideal solution for large databases with frequent data modifications.

Two Types of Incremental Backup in Oracle

• Differential Incremental Backup: Differential backups include all changes made since the last full or incremental backup. These backups grow in size over time but recover faster than cumulative backups.
• Cumulative Incremental Backup: A cumulative backup backs up all changes made since the last full backup, regardless of whether an intermediate incremental backup was performed. It simplifies the recovery process, but it requires more storage space than a differential backup.

Incremental Backup Levels in Oracle

Oracle RMAN (Recovery Manager) uses a level-based approach for incremental backups:

• Level 0: Equivalent to a full backup, capturing the entire database.
• Level 1: Includes only changes made since the last Level 0 or Level 1 backup.

A level 1 incremental backup can be:

• Differential (default): Backs up changes made since the last Level 0 or Level 1 backup.
• Cumulative backup: Backs up changes made since the last level 0 backup.

How to Perform an Incremental Backup in Oracle RMAN

The following are some commands to create incremental backup in Oracle RMAN.

1. Create a Level 0 Backup (Baseline Full Backup)

2. Create a Level 1 Differential Backup

3. Create a Level 1 Cumulative Backup

Best Practices for Oracle Incremental Backup

👉Enable block change tracking: This can significantly improve the performance of incremental backups.

👉Schedule regular full backups: Performing full backups regularly ensures a reliable baseline.

👉Backup archive redo logs: Ensure full recovery by backing up archive redo logs.

👉Monitor backup performance: Use RMAN reports to monitor backup duration and success rates.

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Conclusion

Oracle incremental backups reduce backup time and optimize storage by simply capturing changes since the last backup. By following best practices and leveraging RMAN capabilities, organizations can increase database availability and minimize downtime.