Clone (backup) WinServer2003 with Oracle database

[Irdeto2]

I have guest OS on WinServer2003 with Oracle database runnig. How i can backup this VM to prevent damage database with out stopping VM?

[scottgus1]

Virtualbox doesn't come with anything that can do a live backup. You'd have to use an in-guest imaging or backup program that is compatible with a live Oracle database. I'm not sure of what program you could use. Macrium Reflect, Acronis True Image, etc. can take images of live systems and they do work inside a Virtualbox guest. But that running database is the trick - You'll need to see if someone has a version that handles such things. If you can stop the database for a few minutes, you could do an image with the database off, but that's up to your requirements.

[Irdeto2]

Can i use "Copy virtual HD" from menu "Manage virtual ..."?

[scottgus1]

I'm not up to version 4.3 yet, but if what you're referring to is the "copy" command in the Virtual media Manager, then that only works when the guest is shut down.

[mpack]

And just to add: even when backing up a VM that has been shut down, the proper way to make a backup is simply to copy the entire VM folder to secondary storage. Cloning has a slightly other purpose, and in any case you mustn't think that the disk image is the only important file.

[Irdeto2]

I'm not up to version 4.3 yet, but if what you're referring to is the "copy" command in the Virtual media Manager, then that only works when the guest is shut down.

in my 4.3.6 it active while guest runnig. i made copy .vdi and clone in command line. try open on other computer.

[scottgus1]

Let us know how it works! I would like to know. As I see such a live-copy, it seems the copy would be of the running system, not a "shadow-copied" one, and so would be as if the guest crashed then rebooted, which may be really hard on databases.

[Irdeto2]

Hey! It works and database not corrupt. Guest OS run only same version VB. I try newest version, no sucsess.

[scottgus1]

Fascinating that it works - I'm going to have to try that. Regarding newer versions, anything after 4.3.14 may have problems because of the security-hole issue the developers are working on - read over the forum for more info. 4.3.12 might work for you if you feel you have to upgrade - of course there's the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" principle, too.

[mpack]

I was just going to let it go, but lets not propagate the message that what the "Irdeto2" describes is a good idea. It may have worked for him, but that is anecdotal. We know from first principles that in general this method copies crash consistent states. It will cause corruption and should not be encouraged.