Re: Backup from 64 bit and restore to 32 bit

sybrandb wrote:
> rinaldof_at_gmail.com wrote:
> > Hi.
> >
> > We have an oracle 10g database running on a Windows 2003 64 bit server
> > and another oracle 10g database running on a Windows 2003 32 bit
> > server. The databases are identical, except from the fact that the 32
> > bit version is used as a test server, so the data is different.
> >
> > We need to make the test server really identical to the production
> > server. How can we export the data/structures from the 64 bit database
> > to the 32 bit database? I have read some articles about backup policies
> > and it seems that it is necessary to downgrade the 64 bit database to
> > 32 bit. Is it the only way?
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Rinaldo Ferreira Junior
>
> No. It isn't. One would ask how much sense it makes have a test system
> on 32 bit and a production server on 64 bit. Both upgrading the test
> server to 64 bit or running 32 bit Oracle on both servers would be
> viable solutions.
> However, as the endianness of 64-bit and 32-bit is different, you can't
> use a *backup* (export is not a backup) to sync the databases, you need
> to run export from the 64-bit server and import that export on the
> 32-bit server.
> How to do that is documented, please consult the documentaution.
>
> --
> Sybrand Bakker
> Senior Oracle DBA

32/64 bit Windows endians are both little. It's not a bit size issue, it's a processor core issue. You are confusing throughput with action.

SQL> select * from v$transportable_platform order by platform_id;

PLATFORM_ID PLATFORM_NAME                       ENDIAN_FORMAT
----------- ----------------------------------- --------------
          1 Solaris[tm] OE (32-bit)             Big
          2 Solaris[tm] OE (64-bit)             Big
          3 HP-UX (64-bit)                      Big
          4 HP-UX IA (64-bit)                   Big
          5 HP Tru64 UNIX                       Little
          6 AIX-Based Systems (64-bit)          Big
          7 Microsoft Windows IA (32-bit)       Little
          8 Microsoft Windows IA (64-bit)       Little
          9 IBM zSeries Based Linux             Big
         10 Linux IA (32-bit)                   Little
         11 Linux IA (64-bit)                   Little
         12 Microsoft Windows 64-bit for AMD    Little
         13 Linux 64-bit for AMD                Little
         15 HP Open VMS                         Little
         16 Apple Mac OS                        Big