2 Starting and Stopping Oracle Software

2.1.2.1 Identifying the Current Instance

When starting up Oracle Database 10g, you start up the current instance. The current Oracle Database 10g instance is identified by the value of the logical name ORACLE_SID. For example, if the value of ORACLE_SID is currently V9, then the current instance is the instance with the SID V9. If you have not reassigned the ORACLE_SID logical name, then the value of ORACLE_SID is the SID specified during installation. To change the current instance before starting Oracle Database 10g with SQL*Plus, you should run the ORAUSER.COM file with the appropriate SID as parameter.

If ORACLE_SID is undefined or incorrect, then the following error message is displayed:

ORA-07582,  spstp: ORA_SID has an illegal value. 

2.1.2.2 Specifying Startup Parameters

When the current Oracle Database 10g instance is started, the SGA is created and initialized with the startup parameters set in the distributed parameter file, INIT.ORA, in the ORA_DB directory. When using SQL*Plus, you can use another startup file that sets different parameter values by including the PFILE option with the STARTUP command to identify an alternative parameter file. If the file is not in the current default directory, then you must include the directory location of the file:

SQL> STARTUP PFILE=INITsid.ORA 

2.1.2.3 Starting the Server Using SQL*Plus

To start Oracle Database 10g, you must have the process rights identifier ORA_DBA or ORA_sid_DBA assigned to the user account in the OpenVMS rights database. In addition, you must run the COM file that makes the logical name assignments required to run Oracle Database 10g.

Before starting up Oracle Database 10g, run the ORAUSER.COM file to set the instance.

After running the ORAUSER.COM file, run SQL*Plus and run the appropriate STARTUP commands, as documented in Oracle Database Administrator's Guide (B10739-01). You can run the single SQL*Plus command, STARTUP, or run the three separate SQL*Plus commands documented in Oracle Database Administrator's Guide (B10739-01) to start Oracle Database 10g Enterprise Edition.

The SQL*Plus command STARTUP starts the current Oracle instance, creating the SGA in OpenVMS shared memory and creating the detached processes. It then mounts the database and opens it.

2.1.3.1 Steps to Perform on a Remote System Database

The following steps must be performed on the remote system where the database resides:

1. Create a password file using ORAPWD. The password file can be either exclusive or shared. For this example, assume that an exclusive password file is used. The syntax for ORAPWD is as follows:

   $ ORAPWD FILE=fname PASSWORD=password ENTRIES=users
   

2. Define a system logical name to point to the location of the password file. For example:

   For an exclusive password file:

   $ DEFINE/SYSTEM/EXEC ORA_sid_PWFILE -
     @DISK:[directory]fname
   

   For a shared password file:

   $ DEFINE/SYSTEM/EXEC ORA_PWFILE - 
     @DISK:[directory]fname
   

3. Edit INITsid.ORA and add the following line:

   For an exclusive password file:

   REMOTE_LOGIN_PASSWORDFILE = EXCLUSIVE
   

   For a shared password file:

   REMOTE_LOGIN_PASSWORDFILE = SHARED
   

4. Stop and restart the database instance.

5. Copy INITsid.ORA from the server to any directory on the client.

6. Start the SQLNET listener on the local system. The SQLNET listener must be configured to service connections specified by the TNSNAMES.ORA entry, which is defined in the following section.

2.1.3.2 Steps to Perform on a OpenVMS Client System

The following steps must be performed on the client system from which the database is to be started:

1. Ensure that there is a TNSNAMES.ORA entry for the SID on the remote system where the database resides.

2. Define the process logical name ORA_DFLT_HOSTSTR to the Oracle Network Alias for the remote system. For example:

   $ DEFINE ORA_DFLT_HOSTSTR Oracle_Net_Alias
   

3. Define the process logical name that points to the complete file specification for the INIT file copied in Step 5 of the preceding section. For example:

   $ DEFINE ORA_PARAMS - 
     ddcn:[directory]INIT.ORA
     
   

4. Start SQL*PLUS, and run the commands as follows. When prompted for the password, enter the password you specified in Step 1 of the preceding section when the password file was created.

   $ sqlplus "/ as sysdba"
   SQL*Plus: Release 10.2.0.2.0 - Production on Thu Nov 2 07:24:54 2006
   
   Copyright (c) 1982, 2005, Oracle.  All Rights Reserved.
   Connected to an idle instance.
   SQL> startup  pfile=<pfile location>
   ORACLE instance started.
   
   Total System Global Area  555189984 bytes
   Fixed Size                   730848 bytes
   Variable Size              520093696 bytes
   Database Buffers           33554432 bytes
   Redo Buffers                 811008 bytes
   Database mounted.
   Database opened.
   SQL>
   

5. At this point, the remote database is up and running.

2.1.4.1 Steps to Perform on Remote System Database

Perform the steps listed under Section 2.1.3.1, "Steps to Perform on a Remote System Database".

2.1.4.2 Steps to Perform on a Microsoft Windows Client System

The following steps must be performed on the client system from which the database is to be started:

1. Ensure that there is a TNSNAMES.ORA entry for the SID on the remote system where the database resides.

2. Start SQL*Plus on your Microsoft Windows Client System.

   When prompted for the password, enter the password specified in Step 1 of the preceding procedure when the password file was created. Assume the TNSNAMES.ORA alias for the remote database is net_V10_alias.

   SQL> connect @net_V10_alias 
   Password:
   SQL> startup pfile=DOS path to INIT.ORA
   ORACLE instance started.
   Total System Global Area              555189984 bytes
   Fixed Size                               730848 bytes
   Variable Size                         520093696 bytes
   Database Buffers                       33554432 bytes
   Redo Buffers                             811008 bytes
   Database mounted.
   Database opened.
   SQL> exit
   

3. At this point, the remote database is up and running.