clone database by copying datafiles

Hi

Placing tablespace's in backup mode would cause the headers of the datafile to be frozen.Enabling us to copy the underlying datafiles.While the writes to the datafile continues during the first change to a block during this period the entire block is recorded into the online redolog.Since the online redolog would anyway go into the archived log after my backup i was just wundering..can we clone a databse something like this..

copy all the datafiles of the database without putting the tablespace in backup mode.And then switch the online logfiles archive them and copy them over too.Now use the usual procedure to clone the database..will this work ?
if not can somebody explain me why..

regards
Hrishy Received on Fri Feb 13 2004 - 00:46:51 CST