How to Use Database Links to Copy Databases in Oracle

The Oracle database engine has a "link" feature that links an external database to your local Oracle database. You can use a linked database to copy database tables from one server to another using standard Oracle PL/SQL code. This feature when you need to transfer tables between two Oracle servers to move the data to a new server.

Instructions

1. Open the Oracle command-line utility on a computer that has a connection to both Oracle database servers.

2. Type the following code to link the external database to your primary database:

   CREATE PUBLIC DATABASE LINK external_database
   USING 'remote';

   The code above links "external_database" to the primary database. The link's alias is "remote." You use this alias to copy your tables.

3. Copy the table from the remote database to your local, primary database. The following code copies a "customers" table to the local database:

   select * from remote.customers into local_customers

   The content from the remote table is copied to the "local_customers" table.

References

• Oracle: Create Database Link