Searching for a way to move a database cross platform with minimal down time

Hello All,
We have just moved database A to a new server by taking a hot backup, copying it to the new server, creating a standby database, and at the appointed hour switching over to the new server.

Now the company would like us to do the same with database B. Only there is one little hitch. DB_B is currently on an AIX system. The new server will be Solaris. (they are the same endian) Certainly, we can 1. Stop the database

2. Rman convert
3. Move the files to the new server
4.restore the database to the new server.

But this is a far slower process than the clean switch over to the new server that we were able to use with DB_A.

I keep trying to force a solution that, so far, isn't there. " The convert statement will convert a database, tablespace, or file. Maybe it will convert the archivelog files." "No, the documentation is clear, it converts DATAfiles. " That was a good case of wishful reading.

"Well, maybe we could create a logical standby database and use 'sql apply'. Surely sql is platform independent." Again, the documentation is clear, "The following list describes hardware and operating system requirements for using Data Guard: * The operating system and platform architecture on the primary and standby locations must be the same." (http://stanford.edu/dept/itss/docs/oracle/10g/server.101/b10823/standby.htm#52221)

I give up. Can any of you suggest a cool approach to the issue. Surely a high availability site has converted cross platform before. There must be a way.

The database in question is a single instance, 1Tb, running on Oracle 10.2.0.4.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions you have to offer, Sincerely,
Claudi a Zeiler

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