To: Guy Dallaire 
> Hi !
> 
> I have a couple of oracle instances here that really need to be defragmented,
> also, many tablespaces are scattered accross many datafiles and I would like
> to reconsolidate the whole thing.  I think I know how to do that, but I also
> have a couple of questions:
> 
> Here is what I'm planning to do:
> 
> a) Export the database (FULL)
> b) Shut down the database
> c) Get rid of the database 
> d) Recreate the database (Run the necessary SQL Scripts)
> e) Recreate the tablespace that had many files with a single file
> f) Import the database
> 
> I think this is the correct way to do this, but I have a couple of questions
> regarding point d) above.
> 
> This particular database has the context option installed. The DBA that
> created this database left 6 months ago and is unreachable. I presume that
> creating a database and having it use the context option requires the
> creation of a special account + tables and/or packages ? Am I right to
> believe that the FULL database import at point f) will recreate all the
> necessary stuff for context to run ?
> 
> What about if I had to create a brand new database that requires context ? I
> did not find anything in the context documentation that explains what a DBA
> needs to do for an instance to be "context ready". The orainst script will
> ask me if I want to use the context option I think, but what if I don't want
> to use orainst ? I've read somewhere else that oracle installer will also ask
> you if you want to install the context option. I think this has to do with
> software installation proper, not database creation, am I right ?
> 
> Thank you for your precious time !
> 
Guy,

Thanks for the email. I have been through the Context export/import many
times before and my advice is to shutdown the database and make a full
cold backup first.

I have had many problems with ConText, most of which were caused by
exporting from an Oracle7 database and importing into an Oracle8 database.
This was due to data dictionary changes.

You can either select to install the ConText option using Orainst or use
SQL scripts in the $ORACLE_HOME/ctx/admin or $ORACLE_HOME/ctx/install
directories.

If you are simply recreating the same database (same version of Oracle)
then export/import will work (with FULL=Y).

Best regards,

-Ari Kaplan
Independent Oracle DBA Consultant

<-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><->
<-> For 310+ Oracle tips, visit my Web Page:                      <->
<->                                                               <->
<->             http://www.arikaplan.com                          <->
<->                                                               <->
<->             email: akaplan@interaccess.com                    <->
<-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><->

Back to Ari Kaplan's Home Page Back to Ari Kaplan's Home Page