SOS - Space-Optmized Snapshots using vxsfadm

vxsfadm -s sos -a <app_name> --<app_id> <value> --sos_name <config_name> -o <operation> [ --config_param <value> ... ]

vxsfadm -s sos -a <app_name> -c <config_file> -o <operation> [ --config_param <value> ... ]

Space-Optimized Snapshot (SOS) service lets you create a point-in-time copy of an application instance, for example, a database instance. Unlike traditional full-sized snapshot service SOS requires a fraction of the total storage to create a replica of an application instance. On the other hand, being an incremental backup, SO snapshot cannot be moved to off host.

Space-optimized database snapshot service uses VxVM (Veritas Volume Manager) space-optimized instant snapshots. User needs to prepare volumes participating in the snapshot for instant snapshots. Also, at least one cache object per diskgroup is required to exercise space-optimized snapshots.

SETDEFAULTS	Generates the default configuration file for application. By default the output is printed to STDOUT. If the -c option is specified, then the configuration information is populated to the file specified by the -c option. If a file of the same name already exists , then an error regarding the same would be reported. In such a case speficy a different filename or remove the existing file. This operation does not add the configuration to the repository, hence the configuration would not be listed using vxsfadm -o list until the configuration is validated or used for any other operations.
VALID	Validate is the basic validation stage which evaluates the setup of the corresponding application and the system on which the snapshot operations are to be performed. Operation alias : VALIDATE
SNAP	Takes a space-optmized snapshot of volumes using cache object. Operation alias : SNAPSHOT, BREAK
MOUNT	Mounts the volume at specified location (See configuration parameter CLONE_PATH). If the mount location is not specified, it will mount the snapshot in /tmp. Operation alias : SNAPMOUNT
UNMOUNT	Unmount mounted snapshots. Operation alias : UMOUNT, SNAPUMOUNT
CLONE	Clone the application to a new instance. New instance can be named using parameter CLONE_NAME. If no name is specified, a default name for the clone will be generated.
DESTROY	Destroys the snapshot and the configuration information from the repository, and the same would not longer appear in the listing (using vxsfadm -o list). This does not remove the configuration file, if any, that was created using setdefaults or manually.
LIST	Lists available snapshot configurations.

Configuration parameters allow users to control snapshot operation. Almost all of the configuration parameters are optional (with the exception of application instance name and configuration name). Parameters can be specified in a configuration file (using ’-c <configfile>’ option of vxsfadm) or as command-line arguments (command line option) to vxsfadm. Following is the list of parameters for space-optimized snapshot service.

Description	User-defined name of the snapshot configuration. This name is used for referring a particular snapshot for performing any operation. It is also used in listing snapshots (vxsfadm -o list option).
Valid Values	Character string. Ex. snap1. This parameter is not optional.
Command line option	--sos_name <value> or --name <value>

Description	Version of snapplan or snapshot configuration.
Valid Values	<number>.<number> Ex. 6.0
Command line option	none

Description	The name of the source snapshot to use as a golden image for creating this space-optimized snapshot.
Valid Values	This must be the name of a Flashsnap configuration in the snapshot state.
Command line option	--source <value> or --source_snapshot <value>

Description	Mode of application when snapshot operation is to be performed.
Valid Values	Offline, online or instant Default value is online.
Command line option	--app_mode <value> or --online | offline | instant

Description	Name of application instance that is be created during clone operation.
Valid Values	Character string. Ex. clone1 If not specified, clone name is auto-generated.
Command line option	--clone_name=<value>

Description	Filesystem path on which the clone application instance is to be mounted.
Valid Values	Valid path. Ex. /tmp/cln If not specified, clone name is auto-generated.
Command line option	--clone_path <value> or --mount_path <value> or --on <value> or --at <value>

Description	Prefix for snapshot volumes.
Valid Values	Character string. Ex. SNP_ Default prefix is SNAP_.
Command line option	--snapshot_vol_prefix <value> or --prefix <value>

Description	Specifies comma separated values of diskgroup and corresponding cache object.
Valid Values	<dgname>:<cachename>,a\k:^XX. Ex: testdg1:C1,testdg2:C2 By default, cache objects will be auto-detected.
Command line option	--cache_object <value> or --co <value>

vxsfadm (1M), vxsfadm-oracle(1M), vxsfadm-oracle-sos (1M)

vxsfadm-flashsnap(1M), vxsfadm-checkpoint(1M), vxsfadm-filesnap(1M) vxsfadm-oracle-flashsnap(1M), vxsfadm-oracle-checkpoint(1M), vxsfadm-oracle-filesnap(1M)