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Oracle Tips by Burleson ConsultingConsultingConsulting |
Monitoring Control Files and
Initialization Parameters
The control files have traditionally been a
“don’t ask, don’t tell” element of Oracle. Everyone knew they were
there but weren’t sure what they were for or how they could be
monitored. Although initialization parameters were easy to monitor,
no one did so. Now, in Oracle8, Oracle8i, and Oracle9i, monitoring
both control files and initialization parameters, which are critical
to database health and well-being, is much easier.
Monitoring Control Files
Oracle7 (from release 7.3 on) and Oracle8
provide the V$CONTROLFILE view to help keep track of the control
files. Oracle8 provides the V$CONTROLFILE_RECORD view that is used
with Recovery Manager. In Oracle9i, the V$CONTROLFILE_RECORD view
becomes the V$CONTROLFILE_RECORD_SECTION view. The script in Source
11.32 can be used to monitor control file status. Its output is
documented in Listing 11.27.
SOURCE 11.32 Script to monitor control file
location and status.
See Code Depot
Note that the Control File Status should
always be blank. If it shows a status, it’s an indication that the
control file is corrupt. That said, because the database can’t start
up if the file is corrupt, this is an unlikely occurrence. You
should confirm that the files are on separate disks or disk arrays.
TIP
In previous versions of Oracle prior to 8,
the control files were usually less than 1 megabyte in size. From
Oracle8on, they can be tens of megabytes in size due to the extra
backup material monitored. Be careful to allow for this in your file
systems.
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