Yes you can split the BCV set without stooping the database. Simply put
all tablespaces in backup mode, split the BCVs and take the tablespaces out
of backup mode. The BCVs will contain a hot backup of the database that can
be restored and recovered like a traditional one. One caveat though,
restoring from those BCVs will encompass all of the tablespaces. This
limits you to a full database restore (unless you mount the BCVs on another
host and transfer individual files). I mention this because your question
implies that you what to keep the database available as much as possible.
Restoring from a BCV copy limits the types of recovery option available to
you; individual datafile and tablespace recoveries are no longer an option
unless you mount the BCVs on another server and ftp/tar/etc. the files you
need to the original server. For example, if you loose one data file, do
you want to keep the entire database down while you roll back to the BCV
copy and apply all of the redo since the last BCV syncup? Most likely, you
can keep most of the application running by making the damaged file offline
and bring up the database with the remaining ones.
"Henry Wollman" <hwollman_at_moody.edu> wrote in message
news:3B1D2BAE.19C06A2C_at_moody.edu...
> Does anyone know if I can split off a BCV of a volume containing an
> Oracle Database without having to stop the oracle database in order to
> maintain the consistency of the database?
>
> Splitting off the BCV would give me an almost instantaneous backup of
> the database. I know I could do a hot db backup of the oracle database
> but that takes time and puts a load on the system. Whereas the BCV is
> almost instantaneous. I could then backup the BCV at my leisure without
> putting any load on the production database.
>
> Thanks,
> Henry
