Simplify Log Management For Backup

Currently, there is a cronjob to delete backup logs older than 7 days.

30 23 * * * find /home/oracle/scripts/logs -name "*.log" -mtime +7 -exec rm {} \;

Typically, it not’s a big deal; however, having to update crontab with 50 entries can be cumbersome when not necesary.

$ crontab -l|wc -l
50

Furthermore, there are 1,044 logs accumulated in the directory.

$ ls -l /home/oracle/scripts/logs/*.log|wc -l
1044

Here is an example for level0 / level1 backup log and seems redundant to have timestamp as part of log name.

$ ls -lt backup_$ORACLE_SID_level0*.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall 1004854 Apr  3 07:04 backup_$ORACLE_SID_level0_sbt_202104030700_Sat.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall  839713 Mar 28 05:08 backup_$ORACLE_SID_level0_202103280500_Sun.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall 1292709 Mar 27 07:04 backup_$ORACLE_SID_level0_sbt_202103270700_Sat.log

$ ls -lt backup_$ORACLE_SID_level1*.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall   31694 Apr  3 05:11 backup_$ORACLE_SID_level1_202104030510_Sat.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall  801491 Apr  2 07:33 backup_$ORACLE_SID_level1_sbt_202104020730_Fri.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall   31711 Apr  2 05:11 backup_$ORACLE_SID_level1_202104020510_Fri.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall  767509 Apr  1 07:33 backup_$ORACLE_SID_level1_sbt_202104010730_Thu.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall   31587 Apr  1 05:11 backup_$ORACLE_SID_level1_202104010510_Thu.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall  733961 Mar 31 07:32 backup_$ORACLE_SID_level1_sbt_202103310730_Wed.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall   32797 Mar 31 05:11 backup_$ORACLE_SID_level1_202103310510_Wed.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall  700145 Mar 30 07:32 backup_$ORACLE_SID_level1_sbt_202103300730_Tue.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall   31591 Mar 30 05:11 backup_$ORACLE_SID_level1_202103300510_Tue.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall  666291 Mar 29 07:32 backup_$ORACLE_SID_level1_sbt_202103290730_Mon.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall   31731 Mar 29 05:11 backup_$ORACLE_SID_level1_202103290510_Mon.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall  631891 Mar 28 07:32 backup_$ORACLE_SID_level1_sbt_202103280730_Sun.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall   32925 Mar 27 05:11 backup_$ORACLE_SID_level1_202103270510_Sat.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall 1091718 Mar 26 07:33 backup_$ORACLE_SID_level1_sbt_202103260730_Fri.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall   31523 Mar 26 05:11 backup_$ORACLE_SID_level1_202103260510_Fri.log

Here’s how to improve logging for level0 and level1 backup using date function.

This will keep backup level0 and level1 logs for 7 days.
%a - locale's abbreviated weekday name (e.g., Sun)

$ echo "backup_${ORACLE_SID}_level0_$(date +%a).log"
backup_ORCLCDB_level0_Sat.log

$ echo "backup_${ORACLE_SID}_level0_sbt_$(date +%a).log"
backup_ORCLCDB_level0_sbt_Sat.log

$ echo "backup_${ORACLE_SID}_level1_$(date +%a).log"
backup_ORCLCDB_level1_Sat.log

$ echo "backup_${ORACLE_SID}_level1_sbt_$(date +%a).log"
backup_ORCLCDB_level1_sbt_Sat.log

Basically, the log will be overwritten on a weekly basis.

What will happen Level0 backup failed on the weekend and is performed on Monday?

It’s a one off and will you lose sleep over it?

Next, there are 204 logs for archived log backup.

$ ls -lt backup_$ORACLE_SID_arch*.log|wc -l
204

$ ls -lt backup_$ORACLE_SID_arch*.log|tail
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall 14104 Mar 26 08:51 backup_$ORACLE_SID_arch_202103260850_Fri.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall 14103 Mar 26 07:51 backup_$ORACLE_SID_arch_202103260750_Fri.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall 14108 Mar 26 06:51 backup_$ORACLE_SID_arch_202103260650_Fri.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall 13081 Mar 26 05:51 backup_$ORACLE_SID_arch_202103260550_Fri.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall 14109 Mar 26 04:51 backup_$ORACLE_SID_arch_202103260450_Fri.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall 14104 Mar 26 03:51 backup_$ORACLE_SID_arch_202103260350_Fri.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall 14108 Mar 26 02:51 backup_$ORACLE_SID_arch_202103260250_Fri.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall 14104 Mar 26 01:51 backup_$ORACLE_SID_arch_202103260150_Fri.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall 14108 Mar 26 00:51 backup_$ORACLE_SID_arch_202103260050_Fri.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall 14104 Mar 25 23:51 backup_$ORACLE_SID_arch_202103252350_Thu.log

$ ls -lt backup_WEUMIX1_arch*.log|head
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall 14094 Apr  3 10:51 backup_$ORACLE_SID_arch_202104031050_Sat.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall 14091 Apr  3 09:50 backup_$ORACLE_SID_arch_202104030950_Sat.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall 14092 Apr  3 08:51 backup_$ORACLE_SID_arch_202104030850_Sat.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall 14096 Apr  3 07:51 backup_$ORACLE_SID_arch_202104030750_Sat.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall 14100 Apr  3 06:51 backup_$ORACLE_SID_arch_202104030650_Sat.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall 13631 Apr  3 05:51 backup_$ORACLE_SID_arch_202104030550_Sat.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall 14082 Apr  3 04:51 backup_$ORACLE_SID_arch_202104030450_Sat.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall 14084 Apr  3 03:51 backup_$ORACLE_SID_arch_202104030350_Sat.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall 14104 Apr  3 02:51 backup_$ORACLE_SID_arch_202104030250_Sat.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 oracle oinstall 14093 Apr  3 01:51 backup_$ORACLE_SID_arch_202104030150_Sat.log

Here’s how to improve logging for archived log using date function.

This will keep backup archived logs for 7 days.
%H - hour (00..23)

$ echo "backup_${ORACLE_SID}_arch_$(date +%a"_H"%H).log"
backup_ORCLCDB_arch_Sat_H11.log

What if 2 versions of log are required? Rename current log file and append .1 before creating new one.

What if 3 versions of log are required? Hmm?

How can there be 3 versions for level0 and level1 backup logs when backup logs older than 7 days are deleted?