Re: Physical backup/recovery between different platforms?

From: Peter J. Holzer <hjp-usenet_at_hjp.at>
Date: Tue, 17 Dec 2002 16:34:54 +0100
Message-ID: <slrnavuh0u.8ju.hjp-usenet@teal.hjp.at>

[Fup2 ignored and reset because comp.database.oracle doesn't exist]

On 2002-12-17 14:46, Igor <imerku_at_acegas.ts.it> wrote:

>> 1) Please do not cross-post

> All right, sorry.
>

>> 2) Why would you expect binary files to be compatible accross

> Because it is a binary file used by a specific program in a specific
> version. Why should Oracle (in this case) use different binary file formats
> (for its datafiles) from platform to platform?

Because the platforms use different binary formats: AIX runs on PowerPCs which are AFAIK big-endian (i.e., they store the most significant byte (the "big end") of multi-byte values first) while your Linux box probably has an Intel processor (or compatible) which is little-endian.

There may be other differences, too (e.g., 32 bit vs. 64 bit, or OS-specific data).

It is (relatively) simple to design a binary file format which is portable among platforms whithout adding a lot of overhead, but that obviously wasn't a design criterium for Oracle.

>> plan text files can require conversion such as the fact UNIX ends text
> In this case I am sticking to Unix.

All Unixes are not created equal :-)

-- 
   _  | Peter J. Holzer    | Schlagfertigkeit ist das, was einem
|_|_) | Sysadmin WSR       | auf dem Nachhauseweg einfällt.
| |   | hjp_at_hjp.at         |    -- Lars 'Cebewee' Noschinski in dasr.
__/   | http://www.hjp.at/ |

Received on Tue Dec 17 2002 - 09:34:54 CST