Skip to main content
NetApp solutions for SAP

SnapCenter Integration for IBM DB2 Database

Contributors kevin-hoke
PDFs

This document describes the SnapCenter integration specifics for IBM DB2 Database used in an SAP environment.

Introduction

The document is not intended to be a step-by-step description of how to setup the complete environment but will cover concepts and relevant details related to:

  • Example configuration overview

  • Sample Layout

  • Protect DB2 database

  • Restore and Recover DB2 database

Author: Michael Schlosser, NetApp

Example configuration overview

Example Implementation for SnapCenter DB2 Plugin for an SAP System running on the Azure Platform.

Note This implementation describes the minimal required volume configuration.

Alternatively, the volume structure described in this MS Technical Community blog could be used.

Diagram of the example implementation with IBM DB2

Demo Environment

Software versions

Software Version

Linux OS

SLES for SAP 15 SP5

SAP

SAP NetWeaver 7.5

DB2

10.5.0.7

SnapCenter

6.1

DB2 Volume Design

Following least volume Layout must be used to enable backup / recovery and clone use-cases for the DB2 database. The example configuration use <SID>: D01.

Volume Name Directory (qtree) on Volume Mount Point on Server Comment

<SID>-sapdb2

db2

/db2

/db2/<SID>

Parent directory for DB2 related files

/db2/db2<sid>

Home directory of user db2<sid> and DB2 Software

/db2/<SID>/db2dump

DB2 diagnostic log and dump files

/db2/<SID>/backup

Backup dlocation (might be placed on a different volume)

/db2/<SID>/log_arch

Offline Redo Logs (might be placed on a different volume – snapshot will be triggered)

/db2/<SID>/log_dir

Online Redo Logs (might be placed on a different volume – snapshot will be triggered)

<sid>adm

/home/<sid>adm

Home directory of user <sid>adm

sap<sid>

/home/sap<sid>

Home directory of user sap<sid>

usrsaptrans

/usr/sap/trans

Transport directory

usrsap<SID>

/usr/sap/<SID>

Usr sap

sapmnt<SID>

/sapmnt/<SID>

SAP GlobalHost Dir

<SID>-data

sapdata1

/db2/<SID>/sapdata1

DB Data

sapdata2

/db2/<SID>/sapdata2

DB Data

sapdata3

/db2/<SID>/sapdata3

DB Data

sapdata4

/db2/<SID>/sapdata4

DB Data

saptmp1

/db2/<SID>/saptmp1

DB Temp Files

saptmp2

/db2/<SID>/saptmp2

DB Temp Files

saptmp3

/db2/<SID>/saptmp3

DB Temp Files

saptmp4

/db2/<SID>/saptmp4

DB Temp Files

db2<sid>

/db2/<SID>/db2<sid>

Instance Files

Because auto-discovery is enabled by default for the DB2 plug-in, a snapshot is created for volumes that match the following file paths.

Screen shot of database file paths

Steps to Protect Database D01

  • Check File distribution, according to the sample Layout

  • Check Prerequisites for the Host (vm-d01)

  • Check Prerequisites for the Database (D01)

  • Deploy / Install SnapCenter Agent on Host (vm-d01)

  • Create SnapCenter Instance Resource Configuration

Prerequisites on Host

More current information might be available here:

Before you add a host and install the plug-ins package for Linux, you must complete all the requirements.

  • If you are using iSCSI, the iSCSI service must be running.

  • You can either use the password-based authentication for the root or non-root user or SSH key based authentication.

  • SnapCenter Plug-in for Unix File Systems can be installed by a non-root user. However, you should configure the sudo privileges for the non-root user to install and start the plug-in process. After installing the plug-in, the processes will be running as an effective non-root user.

  • Create credentials with authentication mode as Linux for the install user.

  • You must have installed Java 11 on your Linux host.

  • Ensure that you have installed only the certified edition of JAVA 11 on the Linux host

  • For information to download JAVA, see: Java Downloads for All Operating Systems

  • You should have bash as the default shell for plug-in installation.

Prerequisites for the Database – Enable Logging and Backups

Note to enable offline logs a offline full backup of the database is required. Typically it is already enabled for productive systems.

  • Create Directories for backup and log_arch (/db2/D01/backup, /sybase/D01/log_arch)

  • Enable logarchmeth1 (as OS-user db2d01)

    • db2 update db cfg for D01 using logarchmeth1 DISK:/db2/D01/log_arch/

  • Create offline backup (as OS-user db2d01)

    • db2stop force

    • db2start admin mode restricted access

    • db2 backup db D01 to /db2/D01/backup

    • db2 activate db D01

Deploy SnapCenter Agent to Host vm-d01

Further information could be found in the SnapCenter documentation.

Select IBM DB2 and Unix File Systems Plugins.

Screen shot of adding IBM DB2 and Unix file system plugins

Note After the installation a discovery of the Databases on the host is triggered.

Screen shot of database discovery on the host

Create Resource Configuration for Database D01

Select discovered Resource D01

Screen shot of database discovery on the host

Configure Snapshot Name

Screen shot of configure snapshot name dialog

No specific application settings required, configure policy and notification settings as required.

Screen shot of configure policy and notification settings

And finish the configuration.

Sequence to Recover System D01

  1. Stop SAP System D01 (including database)

  2. Restore SnapCenter Backup (Volume D01-data)

    1. Unmount Filesystems

    2. Restore Volume

    3. Mount Filesystems

    4. Init database as mirror db

  3. Recover Database D01 (using db2 rollforward)

  4. Start SAP System D01

Recover Database D01

  • Stop SAP System + DB D01 on host vm-d01

    • User d01adm: stopsap

  • Restore Backup

    • SnapCenter GUI: Select required Backup for Restore

      Screen shot of SnapCenter GUI to select backup for restore

    • For ANF Deployment – only Complete Resource is available

      Screen shot of SnapCenter GUI to select backup for restore

Summary would be displayed and with Finish the actual restore is started.

Screen shot of summary for backup for restore

Note “db2inidb D01 as mirror” is done as part of SnapCenter Restore Workflow.

  • Check recover status Database D01 (as user db2d01)

    • db2 rollforward db D01 query status

  • Recover database as needed – here an losless recovery is initated (as user db2d01)

    • db2 rollforward db D01 to end of logs

  • Stop database recovery and online database D01 (as user db2d01)

    • db2 rollforward db D01 stop

  • Start SAP System (as user d01adm)

    • startsap

Additional information and version history

Following recoded Demos are available to support the documentation.

Installation and Configuration DB2 Plugin, Backup of DB2 database
Restore and Recovery of DB2 database

To learn more about the information that is described in this document, review the following documents and/or websites:

Version history

Version Date Document version history

Version 1.0

April 2025

Initial version – backup / recovery DB2 database