How to Backup Oracle oratab, .bash_profile, and Environment Variables

3 min read

Before performing system-level or Oracle patching activities, it’s a best practice to back up not only your Oracle binaries and inventory but also critical configuration files such as oratab, .bash_profile, and the environment variables. These files play a vital role in defining Oracle instance behavior and user environment settings.

📑 Why These Backups Matter

  • oratab: Lists installed Oracle instances and is used by utilities like dbstart and dbshut.
  • .bash_profile: Contains user-specific environment settings, especially for oracle OS user.
  • Environment variables: Define how Oracle tools behave (e.g., ORACLE_HOME, ORACLE_SID, PATH).

📂 Backup Location Recommendation

Create a dedicated backup directory to store these configuration files:

mkdir -p /u02/oracle/backup/config

🔧 Step-by-Step Backup Guide

✅ 1. Backup oratab File

This file is typically located at /etc/oratab.

📌 Command:

cp -p /etc/oratab /u02/oracle/backup/config/oratab.bak

📤 Example Output:

[oracle@dbhost ~]$ cp -p /etc/oratab /u02/oracle/backup/config/oratab.bak
[oracle@dbhost ~]$ ls -l /u02/oracle/backup/config/oratab.bak
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 215 Mar 27 10:45 /u02/oracle/backup/config/oratab.bak

✅ 2. Backup .bash_profile for Oracle User

Make sure you’re logged in as oracle or switch to the Oracle user.

📌 Command:

cp -p ~/.bash_profile /u02/oracle/backup/config/bash_profile.bak

📤 Example:

[oracle@dbhost ~]$ cp -p ~/.bash_profile /u02/oracle/backup/config/bash_profile.bak

💡 Note: You can also backup .bashrc if it’s used for environment settings.

✅ 3. Backup Current Environment Variables

You may want to record the current shell environment for reference, especially variables like ORACLE_HOME, ORACLE_SID, and PATH.

📌 Command:

env > /u02/oracle/backup/config/env_backup_$(date +%Y%m%d).txt

📤 Example:

[oracle@dbhost ~]$ env > /u02/oracle/backup/config/env_backup_20250527.txt

🔎 This will create a plain text file with all environment variables set for the current session.

📥 Optional: Create a Tarball of All Config Backups

You can also compress everything into a single file for easy storage or migration.

📌 Command:

cd /u02/oracle/backup/config
tar -czvf oracle_env_config_backup_$(date +%Y%m%d).tar.gz ./*.bak ./*.txt

📤 Example:

oracle_env_config_backup_20250527.tar.gz

✅ Restore Steps (if needed)

  1. Restore oratab:
cp /u02/oracle/backup/config/oratab.bak /etc/oratab
  1. Restore .bash_profile:
cp /u02/oracle/backup/config/bash_profile.bak ~/.bash_profile
source ~/.bash_profile
  1. Review environment:
cat /u02/oracle/backup/config/env_backup_20250527.txt

📝 Final Notes

  • Always take these backups before any patching or upgrade.
  • Automate this process in your patching pre-checklist or script.
  • Store backups in a secure, versioned location.