Migrating to the Server Parameter File in Real Application Clusters Environments

Migrate to the server parameter file by creating and editing the server parameter file using the procedures described in this section.

Server Parameter File Placement in Real Application Clusters
For single-node cluster-enabled configurations, or if you are using a cluster file system, place the server parameter file on a file system. Otherwise, place the server parameter file on a shared raw device that is at least 5MB in size.

Procedures for Migrating to the Server Parameter File
Migrate to the server parameter file by completing the following procedures:


Note:

The following procedures show examples for Linux systems only.


Combine the initialization parameter files for all instances into one initdbname.ora file by copying all shared IFILE contents as is. All parameters defined in your IFILE parameter files are global. Therefore, create them as "parameter=value" without sid prefixes.

Copy all instance-specific parameter definitions from initsid.ora files using the following syntax where sid is the sid of the instance:

sid.parameter=value
If you are using a cluster file system, then create the server parameter file using the CREATE SPFILE statement as in the following example:

CREATE SPFILE='?/dbs/spfile_dbname.ora'
FROM PFILE='?/dbs/initdbname.ora'

If you use ASM, then use the following syntax to create the server parameter file:

CREATE SPFILE='/+disk_group_name/db_uniquename/spfiledbname.ora'
FROM PFILE='?/dbs/initdbname.ora'

If you use raw storage, then use the following syntax to create the server parameter file on a raw device:

CREATE SPFILE='/dev/vx/rdsk/oracle_dg/dbspfile'
FROM PFILE='?/dbs/initdbname.ora'

These statements read your combined initdbname.ora file that you created by merging your IFILEs. Then it transfers the settings for the parameters from the merged file into your server parameter file.

Oracle recommends that you use the server parameter file by executing the STARTUP command as in this example:

STARTUP PFILE=$ORACLE_HOME/dbs/initsid.ora

Where the file initsid.ora contains the entry:

SPFILE='/dev/vx/rdsk/oracle_dg/dbspfile'

If you use this STARTUP command syntax, then Oracle uses the server parameter file entry specified in initsid.ora.

Server Parameter File Errors in Real Application Clusters
Oracle reports errors that occur during server parameter file creation or while reading the file during startup. If an error occurs during a parameter update, then Oracle records the error in your ALERT.LOG file and ignores subsequent parameter updates to the file. If this happens, then do either of the following:

Shut down the instance, recover the server parameter file, and restart the instance.

Enable the instance to continue running without regard for subsequent parameter updates.

Oracle displays errors for parameter changes that you attempt when you incorrectly use the ALTER SYSTEM SET statement. Oracle does this when an error occurs while reading from or writing to the server parameter file.