Access the same oradata from 8i Rel2 and Rel3

[sambavan]

Let me explain my plans and you folks tell me about the feasibility.

As a try, I'm going to install 8.1.7 on the same sun system that has 8.1.6.3 under different home. Now I have a few feasibility issues.

1. Is it possible for me to point the new installation to the Rel 2 oradata and start using the same control, data and redo of Rel 2. Or do I have to go throught the entire migration, since I have things under different homes.

I beleive that this scenario does not fall under the parallel server option.

If it is feasible, could some one let me know of the steps that one had to take in order to achieve this successfully.

Thanx,
Sam

[marist89]

Since 8.1.6 to 8.1.7 is a software upgrade, sure you can do it. The upgrade script "merely" modifies the system catalog but doesn't touch any of the data files.

1. Shutdown your 8.1.6 database
2. shutdown the 8.1.6 listener
3. switch your oracle environment variables
4. startup the database
5. bring up the 8.1.7 listener

If things don't work as expected, reverse the steps above.

You're doing this in development or test, right? As an educational experiment, this would be great. As a production database, I wouldn't recommend it.

[sreddy]

Reminder as usuall. Run catalog.sql and catproc.sql and recompile all the objects, that should work and have remedy/ backup plan as Jeff mentioned, if unforseen situation arise.

[marist89]

Actually, in this case, I would not run catalog and catproc because of any changes they would expect to see in the data dictionary.

[sambavan]

Since this is going to be on my test system, I'm ready to do any kind of experiments you folks suggest. At this point what is confusing me is the following.

Since this is going to live in a different home, do I have to copy the files from the dbs directory into the dbs of Rel 3. appart from the network listener.ora and tnsnames.ora files.

Other wise how would one make the new installation that is going to be under different home to look into the old homes content, though the oradata is a few level above the product/8.1.7.

If I'm not clear on my explanation, let me know, I'll try to be explanative. Do we call it a upgrade.

Reddy as Jeff suggested, I would first try to run it and see whether I'm able to open the database, as Rel 3 is just a fix on 8.1.6.3 with a few modifications.

Any thoughts to light?

Sam

[sreddy]

I wasn't clear in in my posting. I meant, If it works fine and after your testing and if you feel you can go with it and use it for some development/test purpose (Not sure, for production, little scary still what you will be doing is experment), better run those scripts and populate 817 data dictionary...

Please post your feedback... Let's see how it goes.

[sambavan]

Folks guss what oracle support has to say in this case?

I haev to do a migration and not an upgrade. This is going to e a hell, on my production. It seems that the datadictionary are different between the two. Now on my test system, it should be o.k :confused:

Sam

[marist89]

You will have to copy your init.ora from the old $OH to the new $OH (or link it to the old). Other than that, the control files will keep track of where all the data files are. As long as you have permissions on those directories, you should be OK.

[sambavan]

That seems to be a good thing to try Jeff. Any how, I'll put a try on it and let you folks know of how it went. In case, if I come across any new information, I'll keep posting that too.

Thanx :)
Sam