Patent ID: 8554806

Claim:
A method comprising the steps of: converting, within a first collection of physical files, metadata contained in a plurality of database data blocks in the first collection of files from a first format to a second format; wherein the first collection of files includes one or more tablespaces; wherein converting includes, for each database data block of the plurality of database data blocks: reading the each database data block from a corresponding file of the first collection of files into a computer memory, the each database data block read into the computer memory having metadata in the first format, converting, in the computer memory, metadata of the each database data block, from the first format to the second format, and storing the converted each database data block in the corresponding file of the first collection of files, wherein metadata of the converted each database data block stored in the corresponding file of the first collection of files is in the second format; wherein, prior to the converting, the first collection of files is attached to the first database system; after said converting, attaching the first collection of files to a second database system; the second database system using the attached first collection of files to store database data; wherein the first format is compatible with the first database system; wherein the first format is incompatible with the second database system; wherein the second format is incompatible with the first database system; wherein the second format is compatible with the second database system; wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.