Overview
XLServer provides powerful database cloning capabilities, enabling teams to create lightweight, secure, and instantly available database copies from production systems.
These clones accelerate development, testing, and analytics while reducing storage and infrastructure costs.
Why Database Cloning?
Cloning is central to modern database lifecycle management. Instead of working directly on production systems or waiting for time-consuming exports/imports, XLServer lets you:
- Provision databases in minutes instead of hours or days.
- Reduce storage usage with space-efficient snapshots and virtual clones.
- Protect sensitive data by applying masking templates during clone creation.
- Enable agile workflows with self-service cloning for developers and testers.
- Support upgrades and migrations by creating clones in newer versions of the database.
Types of Clones
XLServer supports two main types of database clones:
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Virtual Clones
Created in seconds, using redirect-on-write technology and snapshots.- Minimal storage footprint.
- Can be reset to the initial state instantly.
- Shareable across teams.
- Optionally converted to physical clones.
-
Physical Clones
Fully independent copies of the source database.- Require full storage allocation.
- Suitable for long-term use cases, stress testing, or when performance isolation is required.
Key Features
- Snapshot-based provisioning – every clone is created from a recoverable snapshot.
- Integrated data masking – apply masking rules during provisioning.
- Cross-version testing – create clones in higher DB versions for upgrade validation.
- One-click operations – reset, refresh, share, or convert clones easily.
- Project isolation – every clone belongs to a project, respecting user permissions.
Supported Database Engines
XLServer supports cloning for multiple vendors:
💡 Tip: Virtual clones are ideal for agile teams that need quick, disposable environments. Use physical clones for production-like workloads or when complete isolation is required.