Oracle entrprise Linux to Solaris Sparc database migration

DDeb

Hello experts,

                      We have a requirement to migrate database from Oracle enterprise Linux 7 to Solaris Sparc 10 version.As per my initial research from metalink it appears that there is no such support exist for this combination.Since I do not have experience so I just wanted to make sure whether anybody has done this combination of cross platform migration using rman.

Regards

Dhritiman Deb

Maaz Khan

Hello Dhritiman,

Like you said you have already migrated database from Solaris to Linux platform, it is possible to migrate other way around. There are many ways in general to migrate like as follows -

Though in the diagram I have mentioned for Oracle ebs database, they also apply for any other non-ebs database too.

Transportable tablespace is considered for larger database as it is more complicated while expdp/impdp is recommended for smaller databases.

Both methods support different endian formats.

Can you try pl/sql with database in read only mode. AFAIK, DBMS_TDB will only work for database in read-only mode

Please try running it like below once your db is in read only mode -

set serveroutput on

DECLARE
x BOOLEAN;
BEGIN
  x := dbms_tdb.check_db('Solaris[tm] OE (64-bit)', 0);
  IF x THEN
    dbms_output.put_line('TRUE');
  ELSE
    dbms_output.put_line('FALSE');
  END IF;
END;
/

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Maaz

DDeb

Sorry I forgot to mention that we are using 12.1.0.2 database .

Sunny kichloo

What is the current size of your database?

What is downtime provided to you to do this whole activity?

You can look into option like RMAN transportable tablespace

RMAN: https://docs.oracle.com/database/121/BRADV/rcmxplat.htm#BRADV05432

DDeb

Many thanks for your reply.I am sorry that I failed to explain my expectation.I have already migrated database from solaris to Linux platform using cross platform incremental backup method.

My question is whether reverse is possible or not.I did my initial test like below.

SQL> SELECT PLATFORM_NAME

FROM   V$TRANSPORTABLE_PLATFORM

WHERE  PLATFORM_ID =

       ( SELECT PLATFORM_ID

         FROM   V$DATABASE );

  2    3    4    5 

PLATFORM_NAME

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Linux x86 64-bit  {This is my current platform and need to migrate back to Solaris[tm] OE (64-bit)}

Below PL/SQL has been executed in Source Linux host and as per output it is not possible.Please let me know whether you have really gone through such a migration.

DECLARE

  db_ready BOOLEAN;

BEGIN

  db_ready :=

       DBMS_TDB.CHECK_DB('Solaris[tm] OE (64-bit)',DBMS_TDB.SKIP_READONLY);

END;

/

The specified target platform name Solaris[tm] OE (64-bit) is invalid or the

target platform is not transportable.

In my opinion only same endian solaris platform can be migrated.If you have different opinion please explain your thought.

     

PLATFORM_ID	PLATFORM_NAME	ENDIAN_FORMAT	CON_ID
1	Solaris[tm] OE (32-bit)	Big	0
2	Solaris[tm] OE (64-bit)	Big	0
7	Microsoft Windows IA (32-bit)	Little	0
10	Linux IA (32-bit)	Little	0
6	AIX-Based Systems (64-bit)	Big	0
3	HP-UX (64-bit)	Big	0
5	HP Tru64 UNIX	Little	0
4	HP-UX IA (64-bit)	Big	0
11	Linux IA (64-bit)	Little	0
15	HP Open VMS	Little	0
8	Microsoft Windows IA (64-bit)	Little	0
9	IBM zSeries Based Linux	Big	0
13	Linux x86 64-bit	Little	0
16	Apple Mac OS	Big	0
12	Microsoft Windows x86 64-bit	Little	0
17	Solaris Operating System (x86)	Little	0
18	IBM Power Based Linux	Big	0
19	HP IA Open VMS	Little	0
20	Solaris Operating System (x86-64)	Little	0
21	Apple Mac OS (x86-64)	Little	0

Regards

Dhritiman Deb

DDeb

I have found the below link which confirms that this is possible but only doubt here is why then pl/sql is failing.

Regards

Dhritiman Deb

Maaz Khan

Hello Dhritiman,

Like you said you have already migrated database from Solaris to Linux platform, it is possible to migrate other way around. There are many ways in general to migrate like as follows -

Though in the diagram I have mentioned for Oracle ebs database, they also apply for any other non-ebs database too.

Transportable tablespace is considered for larger database as it is more complicated while expdp/impdp is recommended for smaller databases.

Both methods support different endian formats.

Can you try pl/sql with database in read only mode. AFAIK, DBMS_TDB will only work for database in read-only mode

Please try running it like below once your db is in read only mode -

set serveroutput on

DECLARE
x BOOLEAN;
BEGIN
  x := dbms_tdb.check_db('Solaris[tm] OE (64-bit)', 0);
  IF x THEN
    dbms_output.put_line('TRUE');
  ELSE
    dbms_output.put_line('FALSE');
  END IF;
END;
/

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Maaz

Dude!

You can use RMAN convert and transportable tablespace to migrate between different machine endian, including Intel to Sparc. The requirement to migrated from Sparc to Intel, and back to Sparc, sounds like an attempted sense of humor. Like it or not, but the sun has already set for Solaris on Sparc. Intel, Oracle Linux, or Cloud, are the new golden standard for the better or worse. I would say resources are better spent to upgrade from 12cR1 to 19c (12.2.0.3) in your case.

DDeb

Actually you are right but you know money matters for every single decision.We are migrating one of our dw database to ODA but due to budget constraints we have to maintain non-prod instance in Solaris zone even though sun is setting bro.....

Regards

Dhritiman Deb

DDeb

Thanks very much brother.I wonder why oracle has restricted creation of logical standby from little endian to Big endian format.

Dude!

Well, as far as I know, as long as you have a valid Oracle database service contract, you can use any version of the database, so upgrading from 12c to 19c should not reflect on your budget form the perspective of licensing. If you change hardware and use different CPUs, however, it will.

DDeb

No no we have budget for upgrading to 19c but we don't have budget to run non-prod instances to ODA box.Thats why we need to do platform conversion everytime when there is a requirement to refresh  non-prod from prod instance.Hope this clarifies...