How can I copy a database to a new machine using RMAN?

Hello All,

We have to move a database to a new machine. We are using Oracle 10.2.0.4 on both machines. Machine1 (source) is AIX. Machine 2 (target) is Solaris. Both are big-endian I am trying to do it using RMAN. As a proof of concept I am trying to copy test database (DB1) to a second machine. The trouble is that machine2 already has a DB (Test_DB). I have made a full hot backup of DB1 and copied the backupset files to Machine2. On Machine2 I have set the ORACLE_SID=DB1. Now my instructions say I should issue

RUN
{
allocate auxiliary channel c1 DEVICE TYPE disk; DUPLICATE TARGET DATABASE to test nofilenamecheck ; }

However, I feel that I should be doing a RESTORE command, on Machine 2. Also, I am afraid to proceed with any command because I don't want to trash DB2a which is already on Machine2.

Has anyone done this sort of thing? Can you please advise me?

Thank you.
Claudia Zeiler

--
http://www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l