Initialization Parameter files: PFILEs vs. SPFILEsSubmitted by
admin on Sun, 2003-08-03 19:29 RDBMS ServerWhen an Ora!e "n#tane i#
#tarted, the harateri#ti# o$ the "n#tane are e#tab!i#hed by
%arameter# #%ei$ied &ithin the initia!i'ation %arameter $i!e(
)he#e initia!i'ation %arameter# are either #tored in a *+",- or
S*+",-( S*+",-# are avai!ab!e in Ora!e 9i and above( .!! %rior
re!ea#e# o$ Ora!e are u#in/ *+",-#(S*+",-# %rovide the
$o!!o&in/ advanta/e# over *+",-#:o .n S*+",- an be ba0ed-u%
&ith RM.1 2RM.1 annot ba0u% *+",-#3o Redue human error#( )he
S*+",- i# maintained by the #erver( *arameter# are he0ed be$ore
han/e# are ae%ted(o -!iminate on$i/uration %rob!em# 2no need to
have a !oa! *+",- i$ you &ant to #tart Ora!e $rom a remote
mahine3o -a#y to $ind - #tored in a entra! !oationWhat is the
difference between a PFILE and SPFILE:. *+",- i# a #tati,
!ient-#ide te4t $i!e that mu#t be u%dated &ith a #tandard te4t
editor !i0e 5note%ad5 or 5vi5( )hi# $i!e norma!!y re#ide on the
#erver, ho&ever, you need a !oa! o%y i$ you &ant to #tart
Ora!e $rom a remote mahine( DB.6# ommon!y re$er to thi# $i!e a# the
"1")(OR. $i!e(.n S*+",- 2Server *arameter +i!e3, on the other hand,
i# a %er#i#tent #erver-#ide binary $i!e that an on!y be modi$ied
&ith the 5.,)-R S7S)-M S-)5 ommand( )hi# mean# you no !on/er
need a !oa! o%y o$ the %$i!e to #tart the databa#e $rom a remote
mahine( -ditin/ an S*+",- &i!! orru%t it, and you &i!! not
be ab!e to #tart your databa#e anymore(How will I know if my
database is sin! a PFILE or SPFILE:-4eute the $o!!o&in/ 8uery
to #ee i$ your databa#e &a# #tarted &ith a *+",- or
S*+",-:SQL> SELECT DECODE(value, NULL, 'PFILE', 'SPFILE') "Init
File Type" FO! "y"#v$%pa&a'ete& ()EE na'e * '"p+ile',7ou an
a!#o u#e the 9:S**.R.M-)-R vie& to he0 i$ you are u#in/ a *+",-
or not: i$ the 5va!ue5 o!umn i# 1;,, $or a!! %arameter#, you are
u#in/ a *+",-("iewin! Parameters Settin!s:One an vie& %arameter
va!ue# u#in/ one o$ the $o!!o&in/ method# 2re/ard!e## i$ they
&ere #et via *+",- or S*+",-3:o )he 5S*!u# 2i(e(: S -LTE S1STE!
SET open$2u&"o&"*344 SCOPE*SPFILE,SQL> -LTE S1STE! SET
ti'e/$"tati"ti2"*TUECO!!ENT*'C0an5e/ 6y F&an7 on 8 9une
:443'SCOPE*;OT)SID*' -LTE S1STE! SET
"$allo=$&ea/$only$2o&&uption"*TUE SCOPE*SPFILE,-4eute
one o$ the $o!!o&in/ ommand to remove a %arameter $rom the
S*+",-:SQL> -LTE S1STE! ESET ti'e/$"tati"ti2" SCOPE*SPFILE
SID*>
