Duplicate a Database Using RMAN in Oracle Database 11g Release 2

This article is an update of a previous Oracle 9i article.

Introduction
Backup-Based Duplication
Active Database Duplication
Related articles.
Direct NFS (DNFS) Clonedb in Oracle Database 11g Release 2 (Patchset 11.2.0.2)
Introduction
RMAN has the ability to duplicate, or clone, a database from a backup or from an
active database. It is possible to create a duplicate database on a remote serv
er with the same file structure, a remote server will a different file structure
or the local server with a different file structure.
The article assumes the duplicate database is being created on a separate server
, using the same SID (DB11G) and the same file structure as the source database.
Explanations of several other scenarios are available here.
Backup-Based Duplication
Create a backup of the source database, if a suitable one doesn't already exist.
$ rman target=/
RMAN> CONFIGURE CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP ON;
RMAN> BACKUP DATABASE PLUS ARCHIVELOG
All subsequent actions occur on the server running the duplicate database.
Create a password file for the duplicate instance.
$ orapwd file=/u01/app/oracle/product/11.2.0/db_1/dbs/orapwDB11G password=passwo
rd entries=10
Add the appropriate entries into the "tnsnames.ora" file in the "$ORACLE_HOME/ne
twork/admin" directory to allow connections to the target database from the dupl
icate server.
# Added to the tnsnames.ora
DB11G-SOURCE =
(DESCRIPTION =
(ADDRESS_LIST =
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = ol5-112-dup1)(PORT = 1521))
)
(CONNECT_DATA =
(ORACLE_SID = DB11G)
)
)
Create a PFILE for the duplicate database. Since we are duplicating the database
onto a separate server with the same filesystem as the original, we don't need
to convert the file names. In this case, the PFILE is called "initDB11G.ora" and
is placed in the "$ORACLE_HOME/dbs" directory.
# Minimum Requirement.
DB_NAME=DB11G
# Convert file names to allow for different directory structure if necessary.
#DB_FILE_NAME_CONVERT='/u01/app/oracle/oradata/DB11G/','/u01/app/oracle/oradata/
NEWSID/'
#LOG_FILE_NAME_CONVERT='/u01/app/oracle/oradata/DB11G/','/u02/app/oracle/oradata

/NEWSID/'
We don't need all the other parameters as the clone will copy the SPFILE from
e primary database. If you are duplicating a database on the same machine you
ll probably need to create a PFFILE/SPFILE manually from the primary database
FILE, manually change the values and avoid the SPFILE clause in the duplicate
mmand.
Create any
$ mkdir -p
$ mkdir -p
$ mkdir -p

th
wi
SP
co

directories necessary for start the duplicate database.

/u01/app/oracle/oradata/DB11G
/u01/app/oracle/fast_recovery_area/DB11G
/u01/app/oracle/admin/DB11G/adump

Make the backup files from the source database available to the destination serv
er. That can be done by either copying them to the matching location on the dest
ination server, or placing them on a shared drive. If you are copying the files,
you may want to use the following type of commands.
$ scp -r oracle@ol5-112-dup1:/u01/app/oracle/fast_recovery_area/DB11G/archivelog
/u01/app/oracle/fast_recovery_area/DB11G
$ scp -r oracle@ol5-112-dup1:/u01/app/oracle/fast_recovery_area/DB11G/backupset
/u01/app/oracle/fast_recovery_area/DB11G
$ scp -r oracle@ol5-112-dup1:/u01/app/oracle/fast_recovery_area/DB11G/autobackup
/u01/app/oracle/fast_recovery_area/DB11G
Connect to the duplicate instance.
$ ORACLE_SID=DB11G; export ORACLE_SID
$ sqlplus / as sysdba
Start the database in NOMOUNT mode.
SQL> STARTUP NOMOUNT;
With the duplicate database started we can now connect to it from RMAN. For the
duplication to work we must connect to the duplicate database (AUXILIARY), but d
epending on the type of duplication we are doing we may optionally connect to th
e original database (TARGET) and/or the recovery catalog (CATALOG).
$ ORACLE_SID=DB11G; export ORACLE_SID
# No target or catalog. Metadata comes from backups.
$ rman AUXILIARY /
# Target, but no catalog. Metadata comes from target database controlfile.
$ rman TARGET sys/password@DB11G-SOURCE AUXILIARY /
# Catalog, but no target. Metadata comes from the RMAN catalog.
$ rman CATALOG rman/password@rman-catalog AUXILIARY /
# Target and catalog. Metadata can come from the target controlfile or the catal
og.
$ rman TARGET sys/password@DB11G-SOURCE CATALOG rman/password@rman-catalog AUXIL
IARY /
We can then duplicate the database using one of the following commands. Remember
, remove the SPFILE clause if you have manually created a full PFILE or SPFILE.
# Backup files are in matching location to that on the source server.
# Duplicate database to TARGET's current state.
DUPLICATE TARGET DATABASE TO DB11G
SPFILE
NOFILENAMECHECK;
# Duplicate database to TARGET's state 4 days ago.

DUPLICATE TARGET DATABASE TO DB11G

UNTIL TIME 'SYSDATE-4'
SPFILE
NOFILENAMECHECK;
# Backup files are in a different location to that on the source server.
# Duplicate database to the most recent state possible using the provided backup
s.
# Works with just an AUXILIARY connection only.
DUPLICATE DATABASE TO DB11G
SPFILE
BACKUP LOCATION '/source/app/oracle/fast_recovery_area/DB11G'
NOFILENAMECHECK;
# Do a point-in-time clone.
DUPLICATE DATABASE TO DB11G
SPFILE
BACKUP LOCATION '/source/app/oracle/fast_recovery_area/DB11G'
NOFILENAMECHECK
UNTIL TIME "TO_DATE('2014-11-17 07:00:00', 'YYYY-MM-DD HH24:MI:SS')";
# Alter some SPFILE parameters during the clone.
DUPLICATE DATABASE TO MYCLONE
SPFILE
parameter_value_convert ('DB11G','MYCLONE')
set db_file_name_convert='/u01/oradata/db11g/','/u01/oradata/myclone/'
set log_file_name_convert='/u01/oradata/db11g/','/u01/oradata/myclone/'
set control_files='/u01/oradata/myclone/control01.ctl','/u01/oradata/myclone
//control02.ctl','/u01/oradata/myclone/control03.ctl'
set db_name='MYCLONE'
set log_archive_dest_1='location=/u01/oradata/myclone/arch'
BACKUP LOCATION '/source/app/oracle/fast_recovery_area/DB11G'
NOFILENAMECHECK;

The time it takes to complete varies depending on the size of the database and t
he specification of the server. Once the process is finished RMAN produces a com
pletion message and you have your duplicate instance.
Active Database Duplication

Oracle 11g introduced the ability to create duplicate databases directly without
the need for a backup. This is known as active database duplication. The proces
s is similar to the backup-based duplication, with a few exceptions.
First, and most obviously, you don't need a backup of the source system, but it
does have to be in ARCHIVELOG mode.
The passwords in the password files must match for both servers, so remember to
set the correct password when creating the password file on the destination serv
er.
Both the source and destination database servers require a "tnsnames.ora" entry
for the destination database. In this case I added the following to each server.
The destination server still requires the source entry shown in the previous se
ction.

# Added to the tnsnames.ora on source and destination server.

DB11G-DESTINATION =
(DESCRIPTION =
(ADDRESS_LIST =
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = ol5-112-dup2)(PORT = 1521))
)
(CONNECT_DATA =
(ORACLE_SID = DB11G)
)
)
The destination server requires static listener configuration in a "listener.ora
" file. In this case I used the following configuration. Remember to restart or
reload the listener.
SID_LIST_LISTENER =
(SID_LIST =
(SID_DESC =
(GLOBAL_DBNAME = DB11G.WORLD)
(ORACLE_HOME = /u01/app/oracle/product/11.2.0/db_1)
(SID_NAME = DB11G)
)
)
LISTENER =
(DESCRIPTION_LIST =
(DESCRIPTION =
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = ol5-112-dup2.localdomain)(PORT = 1521))
)
(DESCRIPTION =
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = IPC)(KEY = EXTPROC1521))
)
)
ADR_BASE_LISTENER = /u01/app/oracle
When connecting to RMAN, you must use a connect string for both the target and a
uxiliary connections.
$ ORACLE_SID=DB11G; export ORACLE_SID
$ rman TARGET sys/password@DB11G-SOURCE AUXILIARY sys/password@DB11G-DESTINATION
Include the FROM ACTIVE DATABASE clause in the DUPLICATE command.
DUPLICATE DATABASE TO DB11G
FROM ACTIVE DATABASE
SPFILE
NOFILENAMECHECK;
For more information see:
Duplicating a Database
Step by Step Guide on Creating Physical Standby Using RMAN DUPLICATE...FROM ACTIV
E DATABASE [ID 1075908.1]
Hope this helps. Regards Tim...