PowerProtect Data Manager 19.10 Oracle RMAN User Guide

How the Oracle RMAN agent communicates with PowerProtect Data Manager

The Oracle RMAN agent program ddbmcon handles all communication between the Oracle RMAN agent and PowerProtect Data Manager.

When the ddbmcon program performs discovery, backup, or deletion operations, it connects to the Oracle database. The following authentication methods are supported:

1. Database authentication—The ddbmcon program first tries to connect to the Oracle database instance by using database authentication. The program tries to use the database administrator username and password to connect to the database instance.
2. Oracle wallet authentication—If database authentication fails or is not enabled, the ddbmcon program tries to connect by using Oracle wallet authentication. The program tries to use the parameter settings from the configuration file to connect to the database instance.
3. Operating system authentication—If Oracle wallet authentication also fails or is not enabled, the ddbmcon program tries to connect by using operating system authentication. The program tries to change the real process user ID to the Oracle installation user ID, to connect to the database instance.

The ddbmcon program tries all these authentication methods for each Oracle database instance. The program reports a connection error if it cannot connect to the database instance by using any of these methods. If one of these methods succeeds, the ddbmcon program ignores the other authentication methods and proceeds to retrieve the information as used by the PowerProtect Data Manager.

Ensure that you enable one of these three authentication methods for the ddbmcon program. For maximum ease of use, it is recommended that you enable the operating system authentication method. Both the database and Oracle wallet authentication methods require additional configuration steps on the Oracle host and parameter settings in the configuration file rman_agent.cfg.