Delphix v5.0
Delphix v5.0 introduced many new feature including Secure Replication, SDD (Selective Data Distribution) and Oracle E-Business Suite Multi-Node, but in this Blog I am going to give the new DB2 functionality a test drive.
Delphix and DB2
The Delphix DB2 solution uses DB2 High Availability Disaster Recovery (HADR) capability to synchronise data from a Production DB2 database into a Delphix managed DB2 ‘Standby’ server. Delphix is able to automatically ingest data and keep the standby server in sync with only a minimal impact on the Production system. DB2 HADR is configured to be Super-Asynchronous (SUPERASYNC) so that log writes are considered successfully transmitted when the log records are sent from the primary database and therefore does not cause any Production delay.
Delphix strongly recommends the use of DB2 a High Availability Disaster Recovery (HADR) Standby as this provides an far superior RPO (Recovery Point Objective) and provides Delphix a fully automated sync with Production.
Getting Started
Being an Oracle guy with little DB2 experience I thought I was the perfect person to see how easy it is to get going with Delphix and DB2. After checking out the Delphix DB2 Docs, Rahul Nair’s excellent YouTube DB2 video I felt pretty confident to use Delphix and DB2.
DB2 Air Gapped
Whilst working with an existing Delphix customer and providing an update on the exciting support of DB2 within Delphix v5.0 I was given an edge case challenge.
The customer shared that they were unable to implement HADR and we needed to treat Production as ‘Air Gapped’, they were able to take backups and arrange for the transport of these but Delphix would not be able to interact with Production or a Standby server.
To demonstrate the process I performed the below on my Linux DB2 10.5.5 SAMPLE database.
Performed an On-Line backup using the following:
db2 connect to SAMPLE
db2 backup database SAMPLE online compress include logs
I then manually transferred the SAMPLE database backup file using scp with SHH Password less configuration.
Updated my Delphix Engine environment details, and then added a dSource using the Delphix UI.
Adding a DB2 dSource
As we are not planning to use HADR as this solution is ‘Air Gapped’ I have unchecked the HADR box.
I then clicked the ‘+’ to add the additional database information – Database Name and Backup Path
Click’ next and at the next screen provide a dSource name and click next again.
On the following screen specify the Staging server and Staging Mount Path
We can now ‘Click’ next and finally ‘Finish’ after reviewing the summary.
Delphix will now ingest the backup and create the initial dSource
Provisioning a Virtual Instance
To Provision a new Virtual Instance select either a dSource or existing virtual instance and click on the ‘+’ provision icon.
Select DB2 installation path and environment user, then click next.
Provide vFiles name and select folder, then click next until you get to the summary screen and click ‘Finish’
Performing Manual SnapShots
As we are not using HADR, we can’t use Delphix’s in-built policies to schedule and Snapshots so these need to be initiated manually.
This can be triggered via the Delphix CLI or automated using the Delphix SSH password less authentication.
e.g.
Grant access for the target user if not same as source user
db2 grant dbadm on database to user ${TARGETUSR}
Take a Full on-line backup
db2 backup database ${DATABASE} online compress include logs
Initiate backup file transfer
scp ${NEWBACKUP} ${STANDBYUSR}@${STANDBYSVR}:/home/${STANDBYUSR}/
Perform SnapShot
ssh delphix_admin${DELPHIX_ENGINE}”
${SSH_CMD} “version 1.7.0; cd database; select STANDBY; sync; set resync=true; commit; exit;”