Oracle Snap Management Utility

The Oracle corporation announced in February, 2013 Oracle Snap Management Utility — the utility which is developed for optimization and automation of critical tasks for users of Oracle Database with a storage system of Oracle Sun ZFS Storage Appliance.

According to representatives of Oracle, the Oracle Snap Management Utility utility which is closely integrated with storage system of Sun ZFS Storage Appliance allows to automate and accelerate creation and management of copies based on instant pictures and clones of Oracle databases due to reduction of number of the steps required for creation of instant pictures from nine to one, and for creation of clones — from twelve to one.

"The Oracle Snap Management Utility utility allows to create almost unlimited number of the instant pictures allowing infinite scalability in comparison with the competing offer offering at most 255 pictures" — said in corporation.

Snap Management Utility is available as an option to the software to Sun ZFS Storage Appliance and allows database managers to create instant pictures and clones directly via the web interface.

"Storage systems of Oracle Sun ZFS Storage Appliance are closely integrated with Oracle Database that allows to optimize configuring, to simplify management and to provide performance, best in a class — Phil Bullinger, the senior vice president of Oracle for storage systems told CNews. — The Oracle Snap Management Utility utility simplifies creation and management of instant pictures and clones of Oracle DBMS and provides full control to the database manager. Eventually, it allows the companies to reduce risks due to optimization of data protection and to improve totals thanks to increase in flexibility in processes of testing, development, quality control and training".

Snap Management Utility is certified for work with Oracle Database 10g, Oracle Database 11g and the optimized hardware and software systems of Oracle, including Oracle Exadata Database Machine, Oracle SPARC SuperCluster and Oracle Database Appliance. According to developers, it helps to minimize risks due to more frequent and systematic creation of backup copies, increases the level of protection of critical data and accelerates recovery in case of failure. The utility also supplements the functions of availability and protection which are built in storage systems of Sun ZFS Storage Appliance and Oracle Database.

In addition to data protection process optimization the Oracle Snap Management Utility utility for Oracle Database with storage system of Sun ZFS Storage Appliance allows to create the clones initiated by the user for processes of testing, development, quality control, a reporting preparation and training for only one additional step. "It accelerates a development cycle of products, providing to developers new environments in minutes, but not hours or weeks which were required for independent coordination of databases and resources for storage earlier" — claim in Oracle.

The utility also automates management of instant pictures thanks to planning, control of the terms of their storage based on politicians and adding of metadata. All this simplifies accomplishment of routine tasks of database managers, the practician allows to enter quickly into use use of front lines and facilitates management of own unique environments.

Snap Management Utility is also capable: recover the database from the picture at any moment, easily returning to the previous state in case of errors that promotes acceleration of development process of software; save means and a valuable space for data storage due to use of virtual copies of data in the set control point instead of storage of physical copies of each data array.