Overview

IBM Spectrum Protect™ Snapshot provides a method to back up and restore data by using the advanced snapshot technologies of storage systems.

IBM Spectrum Protect Snapshot can back up DB2® databases, Oracle databases, or other applications that are on snapshot-oriented storage systems or file systems.

Backup operations are based on volume-level copy operations that are provided by the storage system. For GPFS™ in combination with Custom Applications, the backup operations are based on GPFS file sets. In this scenario, any storage solution that is supported by the GPFS file system can be used. IBM Spectrum Protect Snapshot takes snapshots at a volume group or GPFS file set level for granular control.

When you use IBM Spectrum Protect Snapshot with other IBM Spectrum Protect products, snapshots can be sent to the server. Depending on the application, snapshots can be transfered by using IBM Spectrum Protect for Enterprise Resource Planning, IBM Spectrum Protect for Databases, or IBM Spectrum Protect backup-archive client. IBM Spectrum Protect Snapshot for Oracle uses Oracle RMAN Media Management API. Using RMAN maximizes the protection of Oracle data, and provides a comprehensive storage management solution. To send snapshot backups to IBM Spectrum Protect, you must configure a backup server or cluster.

The following list identifies the applications that can be protected and cloned with IBM Spectrum Protect Snapshot.

Protect the following database applications with IBM Spectrum Protect Snapshot:
- DB2, DB2 in an SAP environment, DB2 in a partitioned database environment. You can back up and restore data from single-partition databases, and logically or physically partitioned DB2 databases.
- Oracle, Oracle with Automatic Storage Management (ASM), and Oracle in an SAP environment.
- Any database application other than those database applications listed in the preceding list.
- Any other applications that are on file systems that are supported by IBM Spectrum Protect Snapshot.
Clone the following database applications with IBM Spectrum Protect Snapshot:
- DB2, DB2 in an SAP environment, DB2 with the Database Partitioning Feature included.
- Oracle and Oracle in an SAP environment that is on a file system that is supported by IBM Spectrum Protect Snapshot.

IBM Spectrum Protect Snapshot supports specific operating systems. All servers cooperating in an IBM Spectrum Protect Snapshot environment must be at the same operating system release level. Certain high availability (HA) environments are supported.

The following list identifies the storage solutions or file systems that you can use with IBM Spectrum Protect Snapshot software:

IBM® XIV® Storage System
IBM Storwize® family
IBM System Storage® SAN Volume Controller
IBM System Storage DS8000®
GPFS file system in combination with Custom Applications