What is DbClone?

What is Oracle Cloning? When do I need to clone a database?  

Oracle Cloning is a process to create a true image of currently running Oracle Database, which has exactly same data structure, same objects and exactly same overall properties and security. The cloned database can then operate independently with the same set of applications or a new set of applications and then can continue to operate or grow as a separate environment.

Oracle Cloning is frequently required to create copies of production or any other critical databases to develop, debug, modify or test applications without using the actual production or critical databases. This ensures that the development, test or reporting teams have the exact data images of the actual parent databases. 

Cloning is also used to setup and update copies of production databases for the purpose of reporting and data warehouse.

Why DbClone?   

DbClone is an Internet-browser-based tool to automate Cloning, Refresh and Oracle platform migration on Unix servers. DbClone quickly automates and makes the complex task of Cloning or Migration of Oracle simple, easy, efficient and secure. DbClone works at Operating System level rather than at SQL, DDL or DML level. It empowers Oracle DBA with advanced tool to manage the frequent need to Clone, Migrate or Refresh large number of Oracle instances running on multiple Unix platforms. It saves Oracle DBA's time by eliminating the need for designing complex cloning processes, then writing and testing scripts. DbClone is a unique tool to clone, refresh or migrate a database across various Unix servers or between Oracle homes on the same Unix server. 

No Additional H/W Required 

DbClone can co-exist with other applications and needs a minimum server resource. A single DbClone installation on a Unix server can migrate databases across multiple operating systems (HP-UX/SUN Solaris/IBM-AIX) and across multiple oracle versions. It supports multiple Unix servers such as Sun Solaris 5.6 – 8, HP-UX 11.x and IBM AIX 4.x, 5.x and multiple Oracle versions 7.x, 8.x, 9.x. 

High Availability Systems

DbClone can Clone, Refresh and Migrate while the source database is on-line and available to users. DbClone is highly scalable and can Clone, Refresh, Migrate small, medium and large oracle databases.,

Web Browser Interface

DbClone has a Internet- browser-based console (Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator)  and can be run on any workstation or PC that has access to network over LAN or internet. It ’s user-friendly Graphical user Interface (GUI) is easy to use, fast and secure. It requires only ten clicks to Clone/Refresh/Migrate any database.

Multiple User Support  

DbClone provides multi-tier access for console operators and can provide a administrative as well as user level access. This helps Oracle DBA to delegate the frequently and repetitively needed cloning needs of development teams. Thus developers themselves can clone a specific oracle database or a set of data bases delegated to them.

Batch Scheduling   

DbClone can schedule individual cloning processes or batches for pre-defined nightly or non prime time processing to ensure maximum availability of databases.

Overview of major operations that can be performed by DbClone:

1.Clone Oracle Instance

            Creates a new database instance from an existing database instance.  This can be done between same operating systems (HP-UX/SUN Solaris/IBM-AIX) and same oracle version only, but across multiple oracle Homes and servers.

2. Refresh Oracle Instance

            Refreshes an existing database instance with another instance.  This also can be done only between same operating system and Oracle Version.

3. Migrate Oracle Instance

            There are two phases in migration of an Oracle Instance. In first phase it creates an empty instance from an existing instance, copying only the database structure but no data. This exactly creates a copy of the original instance with same tablespaces and same sized data files. In second phase it copies the actual data from source instance to target instance via import and export.

            Only empty instance can also be created i.e. copying only database structure not the data. Migration can be done across multiple operating systems (HP-UX/SUN-Solaris/IBM-AIX) and multiple oracle versions (Oracle 7.x, 8.x, 9.x).

4. Clone Oracle Home

            Creates a new copy of the oracle home in to the target location, could be across servers, again between same operating systems.  Does not copy databases.  Only Oracle binaries are copied.

5. Administer DbClone

            Following administration activities can be performed.

·         Edit Oracle Home info: Allows to add/update/delete Oracle homes to DbClone application.

·         Edit Database info: Allows to add/update/delete databases.

·         Edit Dbclone User Info: new users can be created or existing user can be deleted/updated.

·         Edit Mount Point Info: will be able to add/delete mount points of host machines.

·         Edit Password Info: can update password of any database/oracle home.

·         Resolving Cloning Deadlocks: whenever any user doing cloning/migration of any database, that user gets a lock on that database till the end of cloning. No other user can use that database until lock is released. If any cloning/migration operation fails due any reason, the lock on that object is not released. This feature allows to unlock database/oracle homes that are held by any failed operation to permit other users to continue operations on that object

6. Manage Database/Listener

            Allows the DbClone user to test the status of any Database/Listener, Startup/Shutdown of any database/Listener, Granting/revoking privileges on any Oracle home/database, cloning of sub-database components such as users and tables.

7. Administer Schedule

            Allows to Add/Edit/Delete Scheduled Transactions

8. DbClone Reports

Various reports detailing the DbClone Transactions such as

View DbClone History: Displays all operations done by all users listing username, time of transaction, clone type (Clone/Refresh/Migration), Clone method (offline/online), source database, target database.

View User privileges: Displays privileges granted on various oracle homes /databases to all users, listing username, Object type (Oracle Home/database), Object name, granted privilege on database (Clone/Refresh/Migrate) or Oracle home.

View Object Privileges: Displays information about privileges granted on each object(database/Oracle home), listing host name , object name, object type(Database/Oracle Home), grantee of the privilege, granted privilege on database (Clone/Refresh/Migrate) or Oracle home.

User Activity: Displays all user operations, listing user logon time, logoff time, clone type (Clone/refresh/Migration), clone method (offline/online) and status of the corresponding operation.

Current user Activity: Displays the current activities(Cloning/Refresh/Migration) being done by the user.

 DbClone Configuration Management: Displays the hierarchical structure (parent-child) of all cloned/migrated databases starting with root database.