Techniques for moving data files without interrupting access are described. A first process moves a database file from a first location to a second location while the database file is accessible to one or more other processes for read or write operations. According to one technique, the first process communicates a move status and a copy range into the database file to one or more database server instances executing the one or more other processes. The one or more other processes then perform input/output (IO) operations on the database file based at least in part on the move status and the copy range communicated by the first process.