Database cloning with hot backup (if directory structure is same)

Posted by Pavan Kumar on March 26, 2010

Here are the steps for performing database cloning using hot backup to a different server. I am assuming you are using same directory structure in the target server also.
Assumed Oracle version : 10.2.0.4, OS version : Linux 5
Step 1 : Take database hot backup as follows
sql> alter system switch logfile;
sql> alter database begin backup;
$ cp *.dbf to backup location (as it is hot backup, we will not take backup of redolog files)
sql> alter database end backup;
sql> alter system switch logfile;
$ cp *.ctl to backup location
Note: If you are using 9i database, use “tablespace begin backup/end backup” clauses
step 2 : Take backup of spfile or pfile of source database and also archives
step 3 : Install oracle software in target server (select “software only” option in OUI)
step 4 : copy the files to target server either using FTP or any methods
step 5 : place pfile or spfile in dbs directory
step 6 : copy all files (datafiles, controlfiles and archives) to respective locations
step 7 : do the following
sql> startup nomount
sql> alter database mount;
sql> recover database using backup controlfile until cancel;
here it will ask to apply archives and will give suggestion as file name and path. apply required archives
step 8 : finally, open your database with resetlogs option
sql> alter database open resetlogs;
Sometimes you may get following error while doing hot backup cloning
ORA-01194 file 1 needs more recovery to be consistent error
in such cases, do a switch logfile in source server and copy & apply that archive logfile in target server