Building a new PRD system from an online backup

We currently run SAP R/3 on an Oracle 10.2 and are upgrading to ERP 2005 (Unicode conversion).

Our Basis team has now made us aware that they are intending to build the new PRD system from an online backup with two days transactions rolled in using archive logs.

I don't believe we have ever done this before. Is this an approved and 'safe' method of building a PRD system?

I need some more information to get the picture. I assume that you are going to move to new hardware before the upgrade and Unicode conversion and that you are going to use the backup/restore (with roll-forward) to do this move. In case of disaster recovery, you will also restore your backup and apply the archive logs up to the point the disaster occurred.

The only difference, in your case is that you are doing it on new system. This is an approved and safe method. In my opinion, doing a database restore with roll-forward is something which should be practised at least once a year. Many of my customers are doing this type of disaster/recovery exercise as much as twice a year.