Hello All,
I am part of a planning process to migrated 40+ Sparc(Solaris8) server from site 'A' to site 'B', these server house oracle databases. We will setup a staging environment in site B, then go thru a cutover process. Currently we are thinking of TARing the ORACLE datafiles, saving them USBdrive or tape, then overnighting from site A to site B. Network transfer is not an option at this point.

What does everyone think of this approach?

TIA,
Vada010

You have bottlenecks:
writing to tape
restoring from tape

You may need to plan a production shutdown starting Friday at noon, and expect the new system up by 9 am Monday - if you have Sunday delivery. You have to migrate applications. You have to migrate users. You have to update TNSnames settings and file protections on the new boxes. You will have to update software on PC's to use the correct forms servers, etc.
Don't forget ftp/sftp/ssh processes and their keys, etc.

We just did this. We did a trial run, had problems, corrected them, did another trial run had a few problems, then did a real push. For each trial run we had to get users out of production Friday early on.

It is NOT just the Oracle dbf files you have to worry about.

I am familiar with the process, but, I am looking for transport options.

For example:
1. COPY DATA FROM EMC SAN(BCV)
I. setup a LINUX system which is attached to the SAN.
II. Insert an ESTATA card
III. import filesystem
IV. COPY FS to external ESTATA drive.
V. SHIP esata drive to site B and restore

2. NAS appliance
I. purchases a portable NAS appliance
II. bring it online on network
III. mount on server
IV. copy files datafile or export dump
V. SHIP esata drive to site B and restore

Any other ideas are welcome? Or thought on these?