Creating a Clone Database Deployment from a Snapshot Master

You can create a clone database deployment that is based on a snapshot master database.

Note:

You must create a snapshot master before you can create a clone. See Creating a Snapshot Master.

When you create a clone deployment, Exadata Cloud Service creates a new database deployment that uses sparse data files based on the snapshot master database.

As data blocks change, the changed blocks are written to sparse files maintained in the SPARSE disk group. Thus the data files are a combination of the original data blocks in the snapshot master and the changed blocks in the sparse files. This mechanism enables multiple clones to share the snapshot master data files while changes are written to separate sparse data files for each clone. This is especially space-efficient when much of the data in the clone remains unchanged from the original values.

Procedure

Open the Oracle Database Cloud Service console.

For detailed instructions, see Accessing the My Services Dashboard and the Oracle Database Cloud Service Console.
Locate the snapshot master you want to use as the basis for your clone deployment and choose Create Database Clone from the snapshot master’s action menu ().

The Instance page of the Create Instance wizard is displayed.
On the Instance page, specify basic attributes for your clone database deployment. Then, click Next.

For a clone deployment, only the following fields may be set. The other fields contain values that are inherited from the snapshot master database deployment and cannot be changed.
- Instance Name — enter a name for your database deployment.
- Description — enter a description for your database deployment. (Optional)
- Notification Email — enter an email address that receives notifications from the database deployment creation operation. (Optional)
- Hostnames — specify one or more compute nodes that you want to host the database instances for this clone database deployment.
- Tags — specifies tags for the database deployment. (Optional)
  
  Tagging enables you to group database deployments that share similar characteristics or are used for a similar purpose. Click the plus icon to create a new tag.
On the Instance Details page, configure details for your clone database deployment. Then, click Next.

For a clone deployment, only the following fields may be set. The other fields contain values that are inherited from the snapshot master database deployment and cannot be changed.
1. In the Database Configuration section, set the following options:
  - DB Name — enter a name for the database instances.
  - Administration Password and Confirm Password — enter and then re-enter an administration password.
    
    The administration password is used to configure administration accounts and functions in the database deployment, including the password for the Oracle Database SYS and SYSTEM users.
    
    Note:
    Ensure that you remember the administration password associated with your database deployment.
2. In the Backup and Recovery Configuration section, choose an automatic backup option and associated backup settings for your clone database deployment.
  
  Backup Destination — select how automatic backups are to be configured:
  - Both Cloud Storage and Exadata Storage — enables two separate backup sets containing periodic full (RMAN level 0) backups and daily incremental backups. The backup to cloud storage uses an Oracle Storage Cloud container, with a seven day cycle between full backups and an overall retention period of 30 days. The backup to Exadata storage uses space in the RECO disk group, with a seven day cycle between full backups and a seven day retention period.
    
    Note:
    This option is only available if you provisioned for database backups on Exadata storage. See Exadata Storage Configuration.
  - Cloud Storage Only — uses an Oracle Storage Cloud container to store periodic full (RMAN level 0) backups and daily incremental backups, with a seven day cycle between full backups and an overall retention period of 30 days.
    
    Note:
    To eliminate possible confusion or contention, do not use a single cloud storage container as a backup destination for multiple database deployments.
  - None — no automatic backups are configured.
  If you select Both Cloud Storage and Exadata Storage or Cloud Storage Only, the following fields and options are displayed:
  - Cloud Storage Container — enter the URL of an Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Object Storage Classic container. To eliminate possible confusion or contention, a separate cloud storage container is recommended for each database deployment.
    
    The URL has the general form:
```
storage-instance-endpoint/container
```
    where storage-instance-endpoint is the REST endpoint URL for the storage service instance, and container is the name of the storage container.
    
    To determine the storage-instance-endpoint value, see Finding the REST Endpoint URL for Your Service Instance in Using Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Object Storage Classic.
  - Username — enter the user name of a user who has read/write access to the container specified in Cloud Storage Container.
  - Password — enter the password of the user specified in Username.
  - Create Cloud Storage Container — select this option to create a new storage container. To use this option you must specify a new Cloud Storage container using the previously specified format. You must also provide the Cloud Storage user name and password in the preceding fields, and the specified user must have the Service Administrator role for the specified Oracle Storage Cloud Service instance.
    
    Note:
    If you select this option, the new storage container is created as soon as you click Next on the Instance Details page, and the storage container remains even if you cancel out of the wizard without creating a new database deployment. If this occurs, you can use the storage container for a future database deployment or you can manually delete the container. If you want to delete the container, see Deleting Containers in Using Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Object Storage Classic for instructions.
On the Confirmation page, review the configuration settings. If you are satisfied, click Create.

If you need to change a setting, use the navigation bar or Back button at the top of the wizard to step back through the pages in the wizard. Click Cancel to cancel out of the wizard without creating a new clone database deployment.

Clicking Create starts the process to create the clone database deployment. This process is fully automated and takes some time to complete. You should not access or manipulate the clone deployment until the creation process is completed and the clone is listed in the Oracle Database Cloud Service console.