Hi,

EMC has a feature whereby you can take a copy of data. If it is configured on your disk array, then put all the tablespaces in backup mode, take a snapshot and remove the tablesapces from backup mode. You can then backup the copy to tape.

Putting tablespaces in backup mode is ORACLE feature and should be used considering the options available and the database activity level. If your database activity is very high and you do not have the BCV feature enabled on EMC, then put one tablespace at a time in backup mode and backup the datafiles.

Also consider what Pando has said on redo logs and recovery issues.

Hope this helps.

Baliga