Transportable Tablespaces (TTS) is a powerful Oracle migration technique used to move large datasets quickly by transporting datafiles instead of exporting rows.

The migration mainly uses:

• Data Pump → for metadata
• Datafile copy → for actual data
• RMAN CONVERT → only when source and target platforms have different endian formats

Below is the complete step-by-step process, where the RMAN conversion step is included when required.

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Step 1 — Check Platform Compatibility

First determine whether the source and target platforms have the same endian format.

SELECT platform_name, endian_format
FROM v$transportable_platform
ORDER BY platform_name;

Examples:

Platform	Endian
Linux x86 64-bit	Little
Solaris	Big

Interpretation:

• Same endian → No RMAN conversion required
• Different endian → RMAN conversion required

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Step 2 — Identify Tablespaces to Transport

Identify the tablespaces that will be migrated.

SELECT tablespace_name
FROM dba_tablespaces
WHERE contents='PERMANENT';

Example:

SALES_TS
HR_TS
FINANCE_TS

Note: You cannot transport:

• SYSTEM
• SYSAUX
• TEMP
• UNDO

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Step 3 — Verify Tablespaces Are Self-Contained

Oracle requires that transported tablespaces do not reference objects outside the set.

Run the check:

EXEC DBMS_TTS.TRANSPORT_SET_CHECK('SALES_TS,HR_TS', TRUE);

Check violations:

SELECT * FROM transport_set_violations;

If no rows are returned, the tablespaces are safe to transport.

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Step 4 — Put Tablespaces in READ ONLY Mode

To ensure consistency during migration.

ALTER TABLESPACE sales_ts READ ONLY;
ALTER TABLESPACE hr_ts READ ONLY;

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Step 5 — Export Metadata Using Data Pump

Only metadata is exported.

expdp system/password \
TRANSPORT_TABLESPACES=sales_ts,hr_ts \
DIRECTORY=DATA_PUMP_DIR \
DUMPFILE=tts_meta.dmp \
LOGFILE=tts_export.log

The dump file contains:

• Object definitions
• Tablespace metadata
• Ownership information

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Step 6 — RMAN Conversion (Only if Cross-Platform Migration)

If the source and target endian formats differ, convert datafiles using RMAN.

Open RMAN:

rman target /

Run conversion:

CONVERT TABLESPACE sales_ts, hr_ts
TO PLATFORM 'Linux x86 64-bit'
FORMAT '/u02/converted/%U';

This converts the datafile byte order to match the target platform.

If the endian format is the same, this step is skipped.

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Step 7 — Copy Datafiles to Target Server

Identify datafiles:

SELECT file_name
FROM dba_data_files
WHERE tablespace_name IN ('SALES_TS','HR_TS');

Example files:

/u01/oradata/prod/sales_ts01.dbf
/u01/oradata/prod/hr_ts01.dbf

Copy files to the target system:

scp sales_ts01.dbf hr_ts01.dbf target_server:/u02/oradata/

If RMAN conversion was performed, copy the converted files instead.

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Step 8 — Import Metadata in Target Database

Attach the transported datafiles.

impdp system/password \
DIRECTORY=DATA_PUMP_DIR \
DUMPFILE=tts_meta.dmp \
TRANSPORT_DATAFILES='/u02/oradata/sales_ts01.dbf',
'/u02/oradata/hr_ts01.dbf' \
LOGFILE=tts_import.log

Oracle links the datafiles with the metadata.

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Step 9 — Make Tablespaces READ WRITE

After successful import:

ALTER TABLESPACE sales_ts READ WRITE;
ALTER TABLESPACE hr_ts READ WRITE;

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Step 10 — Validate the Migration

Check tablespaces:

SELECT tablespace_name, status
FROM dba_tablespaces;

Check invalid objects:

SELECT owner, object_name, status
FROM dba_objects
WHERE status='INVALID';

Compile if required:

@?/rdbms/admin/utlrp.sql

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Final Workflow Summary

Same Platform Migration

Check platform
Check self containment
READ ONLY tablespaces
expdp metadata
Copy datafiles
impdp metadata
READ WRITE tablespaces

Cross Platform Migration

Check platform
Check self containment
READ ONLY tablespaces
expdp metadata
RMAN CONVERT tablespace
Copy converted datafiles
impdp metadata
READ WRITE tablespaces