Re: Database Recovery

"Howard J. Rogers" <howardjr2000_at_yahoo.com.au> wrote in message news:3d5ff74b_at_dnews.tpgi.com.au...
>
> <abc_at_iom.com> wrote in message
> news:3d5fd811.325087451_at_news.sf.sbcglobal.net...
> >
> > Ok, here's a scenario:
> >
> > There is a database--call it "MyDB" on server "A" Server A is Oracle
> > 9i, Release 2 MyDb has never been backed up.
> > However, all the files pertaining to that database (control, data,
> > redo) have been copied to a safe place in another folder on that
> > server.
>
> You mean, you have a backup.

Only if the database was shutdown at the time or the tablespaces were in backup mode.

>
> >
> > Disaster strikes. The database server software installation is
> > hopelessly screwed. No hope in hell of getting it reinstalled on that
> > server.
> >
> > Fortunately, there's Server B! It has Oracle 9i Release 2 as well.
> > In fact, it's the exact same installation as Server A--only this
> > server works. The only instance running on Server B is some test db.
> > I want Server B to "See" my original database, "MyDB". I copy the
> > original physical files from the original database in question over to
> > this new Server B.
> >
>
> You mean, you do a restore onto a second machine.

But not necessarily from a good backup.

> > Now the question: How do I get Server B to recognize this new
> > database?
>
> You start an instance. If these machines are NT, you create a service
first
> (and a password file) by running oradim. If this is a unix box, you set
your
> environment variables (such as ORACLE_SID), modify your init.ora so that
it
> points to the location of the controlfile, and issue the startup MOUNT
> command. It has to be 'MOUNT', because your controlfile needs
adjusting -it
> thinks the datafiles are where they used to be on your first machine. You
> sit there issuing 'alter database rename file 'x' to 'y'; comands so that
it
> becomes aware of their locations on the new machine.

As usual on the money.

Copying datafiles regardless of the instance state is not however a backup strategy but a disaster strategy.

--
Niall Litchfield
Oracle DBA
Audit Commission UK
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