You can create or clone virtual machines from imported templates (or assemblies) or from an existing virtual machine on Oracle Database Appliance Virtualized Platforms.
Clones and snap clones can be an effective way to provision and clone new databases for test and development systems. They are much more efficient to create than using RMAN scripts, or other cloning approaches.
You can create virtual machines that are a complete clone of the template or assembly, or you can create virtual machines that are snap clones. Snap clones contain only the metadata defined for the virtual machine.
Creating snap clones is a very fast operation compared to cloning the entire template or assembly. However, if you update the contents of a snap clone, then review your space requirements. Unless your changes to the snap clone are carried out on shared virtual disks, you require additional storage on your system for the clone to retain both the original content, as well as changed content.