Populating staging database with production data
You can update the staging database with the latest data from the source database by either restoring source database backups over it or, by setting it up as a physical standby.
Pre-requisites
While populating the data on the staging database, make sure that all the data files go to the below Delphix Engine mounted location:
For non-multitenant Databases:
MOUNT_BASE/<Database_Unique_Name>/datafile
For multitenant Databases:
For CDB and PDB$SEED: MOUNT_BASE/<CDB_Unique_Name>/datafile
For PDB: MOUNT_BASE/<PDB_Name>-<CDB_Unique_Name>/datafile
The Delphix appliance provides storage savings via combination of compression and storing new data by only writing file system blocks that are different from the current blocks. For Staging Push, Delphix operates, not at the file level, but file system level. Anything updating data on the filesystem would need to leave unchanged blocks untouched in the same place and apply updates by modifying or appending existing files. For this reason, it is recommended to choose a data synchronization method that leaves datafiles in place and only modifies or appends them.
If a data synchronization method is used which effectively recreate the datafiles, then even if the bulk of the data is unchanged, unless written to the exact same block offset on the filesystem (there is no way to guarantee that when creating new files), it is going to appear as new data to the Delphix appliance and data deduplication is going to be less effective and the results extremely variable in terms of storage impact.
Restoring and recovering the source database
For non-multitenant database, after linking the dSource, restore your existing source database backups onto the mount location.
For multitenant databases, after linking the CDB and PDB dSources:
Restore CDB and PDB$SEED backups to the CDB mount location.
Restore PDB backup to the PDB mount location.
Partial Ingestion of production data
The production database backup can be partially restored on the staging database by skipping the undesired tablespaces during restore and recovery process.
Automating the data population
You can automate the data population process on the staging database in the following ways:
Create automation scripts and schedule/execute them outside of Delphix Engine.
Configure pre/post-sync hooks to restore a backup or start/stop managed recovery process.