Navigating backup and recovery options for Oracle Database@AWS

This article provides a comprehensive guide to backup and recovery options for Oracle Database@AWS, covering both Exadata Database Service and Autonomous AI Database on Dedicated Infrastructure.

• Four backup categories: automated, manual (standalone), user-managed, and long-term backups
• Three backup destinations: Amazon S3, OCI Object Storage, and Autonomous Recovery Service
• Automated backups enabled by default; Oracle-managed and fully integrated with cloud services
• Manual backups are on-demand; stored in same destination as automated backups
• User-managed backups via dbaascli or RMAN; supports third-party tools like NetApp, CommVault, Rubrik
• Long-term backups retained 90 days to 10 years; separate from standard retention policies
• Restore options include point-in-time recovery, timestamp-based, SCN-based, and cross-region restore
• Autonomous Recovery Service enables sub-second RPO with real-time data protection feature
• All backups encrypted by default using Transparent Data Encryption (TDE)
• Customer-managed encryption keys via OCI Vault, AWS KMS, or Oracle Key Vault available
• Retention lock prevents backup deletion during retention period for compliance requirements
• Best practices include scheduling backups during non-business hours and validating restore processes

The guide enables organizations to design robust data protection and disaster recovery strategies aligned with RPO/RTO objectives while maintaining operational simplicity.