For our understanding

Source Database: PRIM (It would be TARGET in case of RMAN Terminology)

Auxiliary/Clone Database: TEST

1) Take FULL backup on source database using RMAN:

Verify Source database is configured in archivelog mode.

SQL> archive log list;

Database log mode Archive Mode

Automatic archival Enabled

RMAN> backup database plus archivelog;

2) Perform following preparation tasks in Auxiliary Database:

Create a password file for the duplicate/Target instance, create password file in source and copy to auxiliary would also work here.

orapwd file=/u01/oracle/product/12c/dbs/orapwTEST password=password entries=10

Configure listener and tnsnames files for Auxiliary/TEST database server. Configure listener and tnsnames files

Create pfile for auxiliary environment and start the database to nomount status:

Add following entries to pfile, in case directory path for Auxiliary server is different for DB and log files when compare to source database.

Db_file_name_convert=’target db(PRIM) oradata path’,’clone db(TEST) oradata path’
Log_file_name_convert=’target db(PRIM) oradata path’,’clone db(TEST) oradata path

SQL> conn /as sysdba
SQL> startup nomount pfile=/u01/oracle/product/12c/dbs/initTEST.ora

 Add tnsentries of source database in Auxiliary, please do vice versa

3) duplicate command to create TEST database:

Veryfy the RMAN connection connecting to TARGET Database(PRIM):

rman TARGET sys/password@PRIM

Veryfy the RMAN connection connecting to TARGET Database(PRIM) and AUXILIARY(TEST):

rman TARGET sys/password@PRIM auxiliary /

Now We can use duplicate database command to create TEST database.

rman > duplicate target database to ‘TEST’;

This process takes a while depending on the size of database and server configuration.

Thank you !!