Create a PDB directly from a stand-alone database?

The documentation offers a well hidden feature for migrating a database into the universe of Oracle Single-/Multitenant:

Remote Cloning with the NON$CDB option.

If you’ll read the documentation it doesn’t say much about this option, neither the requirements nor the exact syntax or an example:
http://docs.oracle.com/database/121/SQLRF/statements_6010.htm#SQLRF55686

Scroll down to the FROM clause:

… FROM NON$CDB@dblink … this option will be able to plugin a stand-alone database and make it a pluggable database. Sounds interesting, let’s try it.

Test 1 – Try to plugin an Oracle 11.2.0.4 database

Well, the documentation doesn’t say anywhere anything about source release limitans. So I tried it simply with an Oracle 11.2.0.4 database.

1. Created a database link from my existing CDB pointing into my 11.2.0.4 database
2. Started my SOURCEDB in read-only mode
3. Tried to create a pluggable database from my SOURCEDB – and failed …

   SQL> create pluggable database PDB1 from non$cdb@sourcedb;
   create pluggable database PDB1 from non$cdb@sourcedb
   *
   ERROR at line 1:
   ORA-17627: ORA-28002: the password will expire within 7
   days
   ORA-17629: Cannot connect to the remote database server

Test 2 – Try to plugin an Oracle 12.1.0.2 database in file system 

Thanks to Tim Hall – his blog post did the magic trick for me:
http://oracle-base.com/articles/12c/multitenant-clone-remote-pdb-or-non-cdb-12cr1.php#cloning-remote-non-cdb

First of all, the reason why my Test 1 failed is simply that I can’t have a user in an Oracle 11.2.0.4 database with the privilege CREATE PLUGGABLE DATABASE – but this is a requirement as I learned later on.

1. You’ll need a user in SOURCEDB with the privilege to CREATE PLUGGABLE DATABSE:

   GRANT CREATE PLUGGABLE DATABASE TO sourcedb_user;

2. Start SOURCEDB in read-only mode after shutting it down:

   SHUTDOWN IMMEDIATE
   STARTUP OPEN READ ONLY;

3. Create a database link pointing from the CDB back into the SOURCEDB:

   CREATE DATABASE LINK sourcedblink CONNECT TO sourcedb_user IDENTIFIED BY password USING 'upgr12';

4. Now create the pluggable database from the stand-alone UPGR12 database:

   CREATE PLUGGABLE DATABASE pdb_upgr12 FROM NON$CDB@sourcedblink
   FILE_NAME_CONVERT=('/oradata/UPGR12','/oradata/CDB2/pdb_upgr12');

5. But when you check the status of the new PDB you’ll realize it is OPEN but only in RESTRICTED mode. Therefore noncdb_to_pdb,sql needs to be run. Connect to the new PDB and start the script:

   ALTER SESSION SET CONTAINER=pdb_upgr12;
   @?/rdbms/admin/noncdb_to_pdb.sql