Re: How best to move oracle9 db and binaries between similiar unix servers?

ianm2_at_shaw.ca (Ian) wrote in
news:23b28adc.0307102258.6c3128bd_at_posting.google.com:

> Thanks for all your responses - yes, the 'Server B' destination is a
> production machine. This production server already contains Oracle7
> and we don't feel comfortable firing up the Oracle9 installation
> outside of a change window. Hence why we are looking at other options
> such as restoring the $ORACLE_BASE tarball from Server A into an
> Oracle9 $ORACLE_BASE directory on Server B ( obviously different from
> Oracle7's $ORACLE_BASE). This procedure could be done almost anytime
> as we know those tarball files would not interfere with Oracle7's
> files. The change window to migrate to Oracle9 would then really only
> involve modifying things like oratab, environmental variables,
> post-wait kernel extenstions giving us much more time for the data
> import and resolving any issues and problems that come up.
>

You worry overmuch. As long as you are sure to install the 9i binaries into a separate ORACLE_HOME, you will not impact your running system. I STRONGLY advise against going the 'tarball' route. When it does not work you will have no idea where to start looking for resolution. And finally, it's simple does not take *that long* to install from the CD.

> I forgot to mention that some time ago we performed a similar move
> (perhaps naively) with Oracle 7.3.4 binaries and datafiles to a
> different production server without incident...so i guess my question
> really is if this is an advisable practice on AIX especially with
> Oracle9?
>

Well, OK, but it wasn't supported then either. At version 6.0.36 I did the same thing on a VAX, but since then I have tried similar steps out of urgency on HP-to-HP and Solaris-to-Solaris transfers and they were all failed miserably.

> I have been going through the backup and recovery manuals as well as
> Oracle9's AIX specific documentation and haven't had luck finding
> specifics on backup and bare metal recovery of binaries other than
> using installation media.
>

In a bare metal recovery, you're restoring the whole kit and kaboodle from backup media to a system. The same O/S, the same patches, the same Oracle, the same *everything*. Here, you're trying to pick and choose a few pieces and hope that it works.

> We are doing some sandbox testing to see if we can get it to work but
> by no means decided if we will use it even if it does seem to be ok.
> Again any information or experience appreciated...thanks.
>

For what you want to do, *especially* since this will be a production server, you should install from the media, add patches from the media, get a good cold backup before you start. This is PRODUCTION. Do it right the first time and you'll not have to always have a silly thought in the back of your mind "what did I miss?" when calling Oracle Support.

I really don't mean to rain on your parade. You sound like you have an urgent need and are looking for shortcuts. However, my experience tells me this:

1. This is (or will be) Production. Do you want it done right or with some hack?
2. Oracle seems to have taken a page from Microsoft's install manual. Not all pertinent files are under $ORACLE_BASE. What will you miss? How will you know?
3. You CAN install a new rev of Oracle onto your server while it is running. If you're concerned about impacting the running system, do it after hours. We're IS - we don't sleep!
4. As my 97-year-old Gramma always says...if you haven't time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?

Good Luck
Mike Received on Wed Jul 23 2003 - 22:21:02 CDT