RMAN Duplicate To Another Server With Different SID

Cloning MYDBPROD → MYDBTEST with RMAN DUPLICATE

Sometimes we need a quick, up‑to‑date copy of production for troubleshooting or functional testing. The fastest route is RMAN duplicate from active database, which streams the data files over the network—no backup & restore cycle required.

Environment snapshot
oracle1 → production server (SID MYDBPROD)
oracle2 → test server (SID MYDBTEST)
Database names: MYDBP (prod) → MYDBT (test)
OS: Oracle Linux 8
SELinux Permissive, firewalld disabled.
Only the Oracle binaries are installed on the test host—no database.

1  Configure the listener on the test server

LISTENER =
  (DESCRIPTION_LIST =
    (DESCRIPTION =
      (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = oracle2.localdomain)(PORT = 1521))
    )
  )

SID_LIST_LISTENER =
  (SID_LIST =
    (SID_DESC =
      (ORACLE_HOME = /u01/app/oracle/product/19.0.0/dbhome_1)
      (SID_NAME    = MYDBTEST)
    )
  )

Start (or reload) it:

lsnrctl start listener

2  Add tnsnames.ora entries on prod

# ── MYDBPROD ───────────────────────────
MYDBPROD =
  (DESCRIPTION =
    (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = oracle1.localdomain)(PORT = 1521))
    (CONNECT_DATA =
      (SERVER = DEDICATED)
      (SERVICE_NAME = MYDBPROD)
    )
  )

# ── MYDBTEST ───────────────────────────
MYDBTEST =
  (DESCRIPTION =
    (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = oracle2.localdomain)(PORT = 1521))
    (CONNECT_DATA =
      (SERVER = DEDICATED)
      (SERVICE_NAME = MYDBTEST)
    )
  )

Verify connectivity:

tnsping MYDBTEST

3  Ship pfile and password file to the test host

-- on oracle1 (prod)
CREATE PFILE='/tmp/pfile_mydbp.ora' FROM SPFILE;
EXIT;

scp /tmp/pfile_mydbp.ora oracle@oracle2:$ORACLE_HOME/dbs
scp $ORACLE_HOME/dbs/orapwMYDBPROD \
    oracle@oracle2:$ORACLE_HOME/dbs/orapwMYDBTEST

# (or create a fresh file if none exists)
orapwd file=$ORACLE_HOME/dbs/orapwMYDBTEST force=y

4  Edit the copied pfile on oracle2

Change MYDBP → MYDBT, adjust paths, and add the name‑conversion rules:

MYDBT.__oracle_base = '/u01/app/oracle'
...
*.control_files         = '/u02/oradatatest/MYDBTEST/control01.ctl','/u02/oradatatest/MYDBTEST/control02.ctl'
*.db_name               = 'MYDBT'
*.db_unique_name        = 'MYDBTEST'
...
*.db_file_name_convert  = '/u02/oradata/MYDBPROD','/u02/oradatatest/MYDBTEST'
*.log_file_name_convert = '/u02/oradata/MYDBPROD','/u02/oradatatest/MYDBTEST'

5  Create the required directories

mkdir -p /u01/app/oracle/admin/MYDBTEST/adump
mkdir -p /u02/oradatatest/MYDBTEST

6  Start the auxiliary instance in NOMOUNT

export ORACLE_SID=MYDBTEST
sqlplus / as sysdba
STARTUP NOMOUNT pfile='$ORACLE_HOME/dbs/pfile_mydbt.ora';
CREATE SPFILE FROM PFILE='$ORACLE_HOME/dbs/pfile_mydbt.ora';
SHUTDOWN IMMEDIATE;
STARTUP NOMOUNT;

7  Kick off the duplicate from the production host

rman target sys auxiliary sys@MYDBTEST

Provide the same SYS password for both prompts, then at the RMAN> prompt run:

DUPLICATE TARGET DATABASE TO 'MYDBT'
  FROM ACTIVE DATABASE
  NOFILENAMECHECK;

RMAN streams the control file, datafiles, and redo, adjusts the DBID, and finally opens the new test database.

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