Methods to move the data

Data Pump uses different methods to move the data in and out of a database; it can use the following methods:

• Datafile copy

• Direct path

• External tables

• Conventional path

• Network link

Now let's take a closer look at each one of these methods.

Datafile copy

This is the quickest way to transport an entire tablespace to a target system; all you will need to do is transfer the tablespace's underlying files to the target environment. With this method, Data Pump export is used to unload only structural information (metadata) into the dump file.

Tip

When using this option, firstly always check if the database character set is the same in the source and target databases and they must also be at same time zone version.

For a tablespace to be transported to a target system, it must be self-contained. Use the TRANSPORT_SET_CHECK procedure in the DBMS_TTS package to determine whether you are moving a self-contained tablespace (or tablespaces). You must have been granted the EXECUTE_CATALOG_ROLE...