RDF System Management Manual

Table Of Contents
Managing RDF
HP NonStop RDF System Management Manual524388-003
5-27
Reading the Backup Database
Note that if you have an RDF Network, there are some situations where File Recovery
with the TOMATPOSITION option is not possible. If that is the case, RDF logs an RDF
Event 858 at the end of the takeover operation.
Offline Method of Resynchronizing the Primary Database
When the failed primary system is restored to operable condition, you can take the
following steps to restore the original RDF configuration and make the old primary
database the current primary database again (where \A is the old primary system and
\B is the old backup system):
1. Stop the applications and TMF on \B.
2. Save the database on \B to tape.
3. Restart the applications and TMF on \B.
4. Initialize RDF on \B to the shutdown timestamp generated in Step 1.
5. Configure RDF to go from \B to \A.
6. Start RDF (\B to \A) with update off.
7. Restore the database on \A.
8. Turn on updating.
9. When RDF has caught up, do a planned switchover from \B to \A (as described
earlier in this section).
Reading the Backup Database
Unlike databases protected by TMF, backup databases for RDF protection have no
locks on rows or records, even while these rows or records are being updated.
Therefore, applications can read the backup databases at any time; the data can,
however, be inconsistent because reading and updating can occur simultaneously.
Except immediately after a takeover operation, after the updaters have stopped as the
result of a STOP TMF command, or after the updaters have stopped as the result of a
STOP UPDATE, TIMESTAMP command (discussed in the next topic, below), you only
have the equivalent of BROWSE ACCESS to the backup database. BROWSE
ACCESS, a NonStop SQL/MP access option for transaction consistency, provides
immediate access to the data; however, the data can be inconsistent because a
transaction might not be completely applied to the backup database when the query is
in progress. This access provides the lowest consistency but the highest concurrency.
Immediately after a takeover operation or after the updaters have stopped as the result
of a STOP TMF or STOP UPDATE, TIMESTAMP command, you have the equivalent
of STABLE ACCESS to the backup database; at those points, the backup database is
consistent with regard to all transactions whose outcomes (commit or abort) are known
at the backup system.