# US 10,769,022 B2 · Database backup from standby DB > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,769,022 B2 - Document ID: US10769022B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/164,665 - Filed: 2018-10-18 - Published: 2020-04-23 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-10-18 - Assignees: Oracle International Corporation - Applicants: Oracle International Corporation - Inventors: Tao Mao; Yanfei Fan; Wanding Li; Prasad V. Bagal - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10769022B2 ## CPC - G06F 11/1448: {Management of the data involved in backup or backup restore} - G06F 11/1456: {Hardware arrangements for backup} - G06F 11/1464: {for networked environments} - G06F 11/1466: {to make the backup process non-disruptive} - G06F 16/27: Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor - G06F 11/1662: {the resynchronized component or unit being a persistent storage device (re-synchronization of failed mirror storage G06F11/2082; rebuild or reconstruction of parity RAID storage G06F11/1008)} - G06F 11/2094: {Redundant storage or storage space (G06F11/2056 takes precedence)} - G06F 11/2097: {maintaining the standby controller/processing unit updated (initialisation or re-synchronisation thereof G06F11/1658 and subgroups)} - G06F 2201/80: Database-specific techniques - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract Disclosed is an improved system, method, and computer program product for generating backups in a database system. This is accomplished by using a disaster recovery infrastructure of a database system to generate the database backup, where the backup activities are performed on a standby database system, thereby freeing up the primary database system. To avoid authorization/authentication requirements between the primary and standby that may require human intervention to type passwords when backups are performed on the standby, a backup solution is provided that does not require human intervention to enter passwords when automating the backup process. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for backing up a database, comprising: maintaining a database system having a primary database and a standby database, the primary database generating redo records that are copied to the standby database; receiving a request to back up the standby database; and backing up the standby database by copying standby database datafiles and archived redo log files to a backup storage device, wherein backing up the standby database does not initiate a switch operation at the primary database to transfer online redo log records to an archived redo log file. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the action of backing up the standby database comprises: stopping redo apply at the standby database; checking for a fuzzy file at the standby database; copying the standby database datafiles to the backup storage device; copying the archived redo log files to the backup storage device; and starting redo apply at the standby database. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the fuzzy file is identified by identifying a datafile that contains a block whose system change number (SCN) is more recent than the SCN of a file header. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein identification of a fuzzy file causes back up processing to fail out with a later restart. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the action of backing up the standby database comprises: stopping redo apply at the standby database; checking for a fuzzy file at the standby database; starting archived redo apply at the standby database; copying the standby database datafiles to the backup storage device; copying the archived redo log files to the backup storage device; stopping archived redo apply at the standby database; and starting the redo apply at the standby database. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein physical replication is implemented to such that the standby database corresponds to a block-by-block replica of the primary database. ### Claim 7 A system for backing up a database in a database system, comprising: a primary database that generates redo records; a standby database that receives a copy of the redo records from the primary database, the standby database comprising a processor and a memory for holding programmable code, wherein the programmable code includes instructions executable by the processor receiving a request to back up the standby database and backing up the standby database by copying standby database datafiles and archived redo log files to a backup storage device, wherein backing up the standby database does not initiate a switch operation at the primary database to transfer online redo log records to an archived redo log file. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the programmable code includes further instructions executable by the processor to perform: stopping redo apply at the standby database; checking for a fuzzy file at the standby database; copying the standby database datafiles to the backup storage device; copying the archived redo log files to the backup storage device; and starting redo apply at the standby database. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the fuzzy file is identified by identifying a datafile that contains a block whose system change number (SCN) is more recent than the SCN of a file header. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein identification of a fuzzy file causes back up processing to fail out with a later restart. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the programmable code includes further instructions executable by the processor to perform: stopping redo apply at the standby database; checking for a fuzzy file at the standby database; starting archived redo apply at the standby database; copying the standby database datafiles to the backup storage device; copying the archived redo log files to the backup storage device; stopping archived redo apply at the standby database; and starting the redo apply at the standby database. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein physical replication is implemented to such that the standby database corresponds to a block-by-block replica of the primary database. ### Claim 13 A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium, the computer readable medium having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which, when executed by a processor, executes a method for backing up a database, comprising: maintaining a database system having a primary database and a standby database, the primary database generating redo records that are copied to the standby database; receiving a request to back up the standby database; and backing up the standby database by copying standby database datafiles and archived redo log files to a backup storage device, wherein backing up the standby database does not initiate a switch operation at the primary database to transfer online redo log records to an archived redo log file. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the sequence of instructions which, when executed by the processor, further executes the action of backing up the standby database by: stopping redo apply at the standby database; checking for a fuzzy file at the standby database; copying the standby database datafiles to the backup storage device; copying the archived redo log files to the backup storage device; and starting redo apply at the standby database. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the fuzzy file is identified by identifying a datafile that contains a block whose system change number (SCN) is more recent than the SCN of a file header. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The computer program product of claim 14, wherein identification of a fuzzy file causes back up processing to fail out with a later restart. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the sequence of instructions which, when executed by the processor, further executes the action of backing up the standby database by: stopping redo apply at the standby database; checking for a fuzzy file at the standby database; starting archived redo apply at the standby database; copying the standby database datafiles to the backup storage device; copying the archived redo log files to the backup storage device; stopping archived redo apply at the standby database; and starting the redo apply at the standby database. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The computer program product of claim 13, wherein physical replication is implemented to such that the standby database corresponds to a block-by-block replica of the primary database.