This part mainly talk about these points:

  • Import and export of database
  • Start and Stop database
  • Starting and stopping Nodes in the RAC
  • Manage available sessions

Import and export of database

Oracle’s export (exp) and import (imp) utilities are used to perform logical database backup and recovery. When exporting, database objects are dumped to a binary file which can then be imported into another Oracle database.
This exp/imp is different from expdp/impdp in Data Pump, The detail about datapump will talk in other article.
The export/import utilities are commonly used to perform the following tasks:

  • Backup and recovery (small databases only, say < +50GB, if bigger, use RMAN instead)
  • Move data between Oracle databases on different platforms (for example from Solaris to Windows)
  • Reorganization of data / eliminate database fragmentation (export, drop and re-import tables)
  • Upgrade databases from extremely old versions of Oracle (when in-place upgrades are not supported by the Database Upgrade Assistant any more)
  • Detect database corruption. Ensure that all the data can be read
  • Transporting tablespaces between databases

How to use

Look for the imp and exp executables in your $ORACLE_HOME/bin directory. One can run them interactively, using command line parameters, or using parameter files. Look at the imp/exp parameters before starting. These parameters can be listed by executing the following commands: exp help=yes or imp help=yes.
The following examples demonstrate how the imp/exp utilities can be used:

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exp scott/tiger file=emp.dmp log=emp.log tables=emp rows=yes indexes=no
exp scott/tiger file=emp.dmp tables=(emp,dept)

imp scott/tiger file=emp.dmp full=yes
imp scott/tiger file=emp.dmp fromuser=scott touser=scott tables=dept

-- using a parameter file:
exp userid=scott/tiger@orcl parfile=export.txt

--where export.txt contains:
BUFFER=10000000
FILE=account.dmp
FULL=n
OWNER=scott
GRANTS=y
COMPRESS=y

Export with query

From Oracle 8i one can use the QUERY= export parameter to selectively unload a subset of the data from a table. You may need to escape special chars on the command line.
For example: query=\"where deptno=10\". Look at these examples:

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exp scott/tiger tables=emp query="where deptno=10"
exp scott/tiger file=abc.dmp tables=abc query=\"where sex=\'f\'\" rows=yes

Other Questions

Before one imports rows into already populated tables, one needs to truncate or drop these tables to get rid of the old data. If not, the new data will be appended to the existing tables. One must always DROP existing Sequences before re-importing. If the sequences are not dropped, they will generate numbers inconsistent with the rest of the database.
Note: It is also advisable to drop indexes before importing to speed up the import process. Indexes can easily be recreated after the data was successfully imported.

Start and Stop database

Start database

Ensure oracle other service such as lsnrctl, srvctl, crsctl is work.
Oracle start has thress modes, step by step start oracle:

  • NOMOUNT
    PS. This mode just create instance, does not mount database, And just create memory structures and service processess for oracle instance, It can not open any data file.
    In this mode, only access the dictionary views related SGA, contains VPARAMETER, VSGA, VPROCESS, VSESSION etc. Because these views is get from SGA area.
    What you can do:

    create new database
    rebuild control files

  • MOUNT
    PS. This mode will mount database, but database status is closed, so client user can’t operate the database.
    In this mode, only access the dictionary views related Control files, contains VTHREAD, VCONTROLFILE, VDATABASE, VDATAFILE, V$LOGFILE etc. Because these views is get from Control files.
    What you can do:

    Rename datafile
    Add/Del/Rename rebuild log files
    Execute database recover completely
    Change database to Archive mode

  • OPEN
    PS. Normal mode to start database. If occurred any error, please use STARTUP FORCE
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su - oracle
sqlplus / as sysdba
SQL> HELP STARTUP
[FORCE] [RESTRICT] [PFILE=filename] [QUIET] [ MOUNT [dbname] |
[ OPEN [open_db_options] [dbname] ] | NOMOUNT ]

Stop database

Shutdown the database has four methods:

  • NORMAL
    This mode will forbid new client create connection, the current executing transtracion is still doing.
  • IMMEDIATE
    This mode will not wait users active disconnection and will enforce the transtractions
  • TRANSACTIONAL
    This mode will wait users not commit transactions to commit.
  • ABORT
    This mode will ignore everything. Be careful~
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su - oracle
sqlplus / as sysdba
SQL> HELP SHUTDOWN
SHUTDOWN [ABORT|IMMEDIATE|NORMAL|TRANSACTIONAL [LOCAL]]

Starting and stopping Nodes in the RAC

Start Node

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# check status of instance
$ $CRS_HOME/bin/crs_stat

# seen cases when CRS says OFFLINE but pmon is still running so double checking here
$ ps -ef | grep <instance_name> | grep pmon

# start one of the instance on one of the nodes if not running
$ srvctl start database -d <database name> -i <instance name>

Stop Node

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# verify instance running
$ ps -ef | grep <instance_name> | grep pmon

# shutdown one of the instance on one of the nodes
$ srvctl stop database -d <database name> -i <instance name>

# check status of instance to make sure it’s down
$ $CRS_HOME/bin/crs_stat

# verify instance not running
$ ps -ef | grep <instance_name> | grep pmon

Manage available sessions

Enabling and Disabling Restricted Session

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select logins from v$instance;
alter system enable restricted session;
alter system disable restricted session;

Disconnect session

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SELECT SID, SERIAL#, STATUS
  FROM V$SESSION
  WHERE USERNAME = 'AWSUSER';
alter system disconnect session;

Kill session

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alter system kill session ' sid, serial#' IMMEDIATE;

Resources:
http://docs.oracle.com/cd/B28359_01/server.111/b28319/exp_imp.htm#i1023983
http://www.orafaq.com/wiki/Import_Export_FAQ
https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E11882_01/rac.112/e41960/admin.htm#RACAD812