Re: Raw device

In article <MPG.e5477553f61b26f9896b6_at_news.internetmci.com>, Neil Greene replace dev.null with laoc.SHL.com <ngreene_at_dev.null> wrote:
>[This followup was posted to comp.databases.oracle.server and a copy was sent
>to the cited author.]
>
>lewis_at_hongkong.ml.com wrote....
>> Folks,
>>
>> 1) I have a database running on raw device, is it possible to convert
>> the database files to file system without doing a database export
>> and then import.
>
>There is no difference between a raw file system and a unix file system. With
>the exception of the small fact there is no file system. You do the same
>thing to move the file from a raw partition as if you were to move the file
>that was already located on a unix file system.
>
> 1) Take the tablespace offline
> 2) dd the raw partition to a file
> % dd if=/dev/vx/rdsk/raw_partition_name of=/foo/filename.dbf
> 3) Rename the datafile in Oracle
> 4) Bring the tablespace back on line.

UN*X has changed over the dozen or so year that I have been working with it so this may be out of date but raw was different from cooked. The fact that you would dd instead of cp is a good indicator. I'm not trying to quibble but if you treat raw as cooked then you could be in for some very unpleasant surprises when you write past the end of the raw partition.

>> 2) For oracle 7.3, it is possible to resize a datafile in a file system.
>> However, what is the syntax of resizing a raw device file ?
>
>You can not resize a raw partition.
>

Neil

Are you saying that this is an Oracle limitation or a UN*X limitation?

I have not tried this but in theory (and of cousrse all things are possible in theory) you could move the data file from one raw partition to another. If the second raw partition is large it should be possible to extend the datafile.

Remember you should always backup everything before trying this kind of sillyness. In fact if you have a test DB that would be the place to start.

As always just my $0.02 worth

mjr Received on Fri Aug 08 1997 - 00:00:00 CDT