Initialization Parameter Files

What Is an Initialization Parameter File?
Oracle7 Server for Windows NT Initialization Parameters

What Is an Initialization Parameter File?

An initialization parameter file is an ASCII text file containing a list of parameters. Every instance has a corresponding initialization parameter file and ORACLE_SID parameter.

The initialization parameter filenames take the form INITsid.ORA, where sid is the name of the instance. For example, the initialization parameter file for the starter database is named INITORCL.ORA, because the initial database sid is ORCL.

A single instance might also have several initialization parameter files, each having some differences to affect system performance.

Additional Information See Oracle7 Server Referencefor a complete list and descriptions of all initialization parameters.

By changing the parameter values in an initialization file, you can specify, for example, the amount of memory the database uses, whether to archive filled online redo logs, and which control files currently exist for the database.

Location

The computer for which the instance is started must have access to the appropriate initialization parameter files. By default, Oracle7 uses the initialization parameter files located in ORANT\DATABASE, unless you specify a different initialization file with the PFILE option at startup.

Editing

To customize Oracle7 Server for Windows NT databases functions, you may need to edit the initialization parameter files. Use any ASCII text editor to modify the file.

Sample File

The initialization parameter file INITORCL.ORA used by the starter database that you can install with Oracle7 Server for Windows NT is installed in \ORANT \DATABASE. You can use this file as a model for creating a new Oracle7 Server for Windows NT database.

The annotated, sample initialization parameter file contains alternative values for the initialization parameters. These values and the annotations are preceded by comment signs (#), which prevent them from being processed. To activate a particular parameter, remove the preceding # sign. When you no longer want to use a particular parameter, edit the initialization parameter file to add a comment sign.

For example, several initialization parameters are specified with three different values to create small, medium, or large System Global Areas (SGAs), respectively. The parameter that creates a small SGA is active in the following example:

  db_block_buffers = 200		 # SMALL 

# db_block_buffers = 550		 # MEDIUM 

# db_block_buffers = 3200	 	# LARGE

To create a medium-sized SGA, comment out the small parameter definition and activate the medium parameter definition. Edit the initialization parameter file as follows:

# db_block_buffers = 200		 # SMALL 

  db_block_buffers = 550		 # MEDIUM 

# db_block_buffers = 3200	 	# LARGE

Oracle7 Server for Windows NT Initialization Parameters

Oracle7 Server Reference includes descriptions of all initialization parameters and instructions for setting and displaying their values. The following table describes initialization parameters and default values for Oracle7 Server for Windows NT.

Initialization Parameter Name Default Value Range of Values
AUDIT_TRAIL

NONE

TRUE or FALSE

BACKGROUND_DUMP_ DEST

%RDBMSnn%\TRACE\

Any valid directory

COMPATIBLE

7.3.0.0.0

Default release to current release

COMMIT_POINT_ STRENGTH

1

0 - 255

CONTROL_FILES

%ORACLE_HOME%\DATABASE\ CTL1%ORACLE_SID%.ORA

Any valid path and filename

DB_BLOCK_BUFFERS

200

200 to 3200

DB_BLOCK_SIZE

2048

512 - 16384

DB_FILES

20

0 - 1022

DB_FILE_MULTIBLOCK_ READ_ COUNT

8

1 - 31

DB_FILE_SIMULTANEOUS_ WRITES

4

1 - 24

DB_NAME

ORACLE

Any valid database name

DISTRIBUTED_TRANSACTIONS

25 * TRANSACTIONS

0 - TRANSACTIONS

DML_LOCKS

4 * transactions

20 to unlimited

LOG_ARCHIVE_BUFFER_ SIZE

127

1 - 127

LOG_ARCHIVE_BUFFERS

4

1 - 8

LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST

%RDBMSnn%\

Any valid directory

LOG_ARCHIVE_FORMAT

ARC%S.%T

A valid filename format

LOG_ARCHIVE_START

None

TRUE or FALSE

LOG_CHECKPOINT_ INTERVAL

8000

2 - Unlimited

LOG_FILES

255

2 - 255

LOG_SMALL_ENTRY_MAX_ SIZE

800

0 - Unlimited

MAX_DUMP_FILE_SIZE

10240

0 to 4,000,000

MTS_MAX_DISPATCHERS

(unused)

(unused)

MTS_MAX_SERVERS

(unused)

(unused)

MTS_SERVERS

(unused)

(unused)

NLS_LANGUAGE

AMERICAN

Any valid language

NLS_SORT

(Language dependent)

(Language dependent)

NLS_TERRITORY

AMERICA

Any valid territory

OPEN_CURSORS

50

1 - Unlimited

OS_AUTHENT_PREFIX

OPS$

Any character string

PROCESSES

25

3 - Unlimited

REMOTE_LOGIN_ PASSWORDFILE

shared

shared, exclusive, none

SNAPSHOT_REFRESH_PROCESSES

0

0 to 10

SEQUENCE_CACHE_ENTRIES

10

10 to 32000

SHARED_POOL_SIZE

6,500,000

300K - Unlimited

SORT_AREA_SIZE

65536

0 - Unlimited

SORT_READ_FAC

20

0 - Unlimited

SORT_SPACEMAP_SIZES

512

0 - Unlimited

TEXT_ENABLE

TRUE

TRUE or FALSE

TIMED_STATISTICS

None

TRUE or FALSE

TEMPORARY_TABLE_ LOCKS

SESSIONS

0 - Unlimited

TRANSACTIONS_PER_ ROLLBACK_ SEGMENT

30

1 - 255

USER_DUMP_DEST

%RDBMSnn%\TRACE

Any valid directory

Creating a New Database--Initialization Parameters

Check the following initialization parameters when creating a new database; they cannot be modified after you have created the database. See the chapter "Creating a New Database" for details on creating a new database, including the part of the procedure when you modify these parameters.

Parameter Description
DB_NAME

Specifies the name of the database to be created. The database name is a string of eight characters or less. You cannot change the name of a database.

CHARACTER SET ¹

Specifies the database NLS character set to use. This parameter can be set only when you create the database.

CONTROL_FILES

Designates the names and locations of all control files to be created and maintained. By default, Oracle7 Server for Windows NT installs a single control file for the initial database, CTL1ORCL.ORA, in ORANT\DATABASE.
If you created your database with the CREATE DATABASE command, Oracle7 Server for Windows NT creates the control file, CTL1sid.ORA, where sid is the SID of that database unless you specify an existing control file with the CONTROL_FILES parameter in the INITsid.ORA file.
Use at least two (identical) control files, each located on a separate storage device. The size of Oracle7 Server for Windows NT control files varies according to the complexity of your database structure. The maximum size of an Oracle7 Server for Windows NT control file is 2500 database blocks.

Not an initialization parameter, but rather a clause in the CREATE DATABASE statement. Refer to "Creating a New Database" for an example of using this clause.

Advanced Replication Initialization Parameters

Certain default initialization parameter values must be set for the replication database. For a complete list of these parameters, see the section "Initialization Parameters" in the chapter "Post-installation Tasks" of this Getting Started.

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Initialization Parameter Name	Default Value	Range of Values
AUDIT_TRAIL	NONE	TRUE or FALSE
BACKGROUND_DUMP_ DEST	%RDBMSnn%\TRACE\	Any valid directory
COMPATIBLE	7.3.0.0.0	Default release to current release
COMMIT_POINT_ STRENGTH	1	0 - 255
CONTROL_FILES	%ORACLE_HOME%\DATABASE\ CTL1%ORACLE_SID%.ORA	Any valid path and filename
DB_BLOCK_BUFFERS	200	200 to 3200
DB_BLOCK_SIZE	2048	512 - 16384
DB_FILES	20	0 - 1022
DB_FILE_MULTIBLOCK_ READ_ COUNT	8	1 - 31
DB_FILE_SIMULTANEOUS_ WRITES	4	1 - 24
DB_NAME	ORACLE	Any valid database name
DISTRIBUTED_TRANSACTIONS	25 * TRANSACTIONS	0 - TRANSACTIONS
DML_LOCKS	4 * transactions	20 to unlimited
LOG_ARCHIVE_BUFFER_ SIZE	127	1 - 127
LOG_ARCHIVE_BUFFERS	4	1 - 8
LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST	%RDBMSnn%\	Any valid directory
LOG_ARCHIVE_FORMAT	ARC%S.%T	A valid filename format
LOG_ARCHIVE_START	None	TRUE or FALSE
LOG_CHECKPOINT_ INTERVAL	8000	2 - Unlimited
LOG_FILES	255	2 - 255
LOG_SMALL_ENTRY_MAX_ SIZE	800	0 - Unlimited
MAX_DUMP_FILE_SIZE	10240	0 to 4,000,000
MTS_MAX_DISPATCHERS	(unused)	(unused)
MTS_MAX_SERVERS	(unused)	(unused)
MTS_SERVERS	(unused)	(unused)
NLS_LANGUAGE	AMERICAN	Any valid language
NLS_SORT	(Language dependent)	(Language dependent)
NLS_TERRITORY	AMERICA	Any valid territory
OPEN_CURSORS	50	1 - Unlimited
OS_AUTHENT_PREFIX	OPS$	Any character string
PROCESSES	25	3 - Unlimited
REMOTE_LOGIN_ PASSWORDFILE	shared	shared, exclusive, none
SNAPSHOT_REFRESH_PROCESSES	0	0 to 10
SEQUENCE_CACHE_ENTRIES	10	10 to 32000
SHARED_POOL_SIZE	6,500,000	300K - Unlimited
SORT_AREA_SIZE	65536	0 - Unlimited
SORT_READ_FAC	20	0 - Unlimited
SORT_SPACEMAP_SIZES	512	0 - Unlimited
TEXT_ENABLE	TRUE	TRUE or FALSE
TIMED_STATISTICS	None	TRUE or FALSE
TEMPORARY_TABLE_ LOCKS	SESSIONS	0 - Unlimited
TRANSACTIONS_PER_ ROLLBACK_ SEGMENT	30	1 - 255
USER_DUMP_DEST	%RDBMSnn%\TRACE	Any valid directory

Parameter	Description
DB_NAME	Specifies the name of the database to be created. The database name is a string of eight characters or less. You cannot change the name of a database.
CHARACTER SET ¹	Specifies the database NLS character set to use. This parameter can be set only when you create the database.
CONTROL_FILES	Designates the names and locations of all control files to be created and maintained. By default, Oracle7 Server for Windows NT installs a single control file for the initial database, CTL1ORCL.ORA, in ORANT\DATABASE. If you created your database with the CREATE DATABASE command, Oracle7 Server for Windows NT creates the control file, CTL1sid.ORA, where sid is the SID of that database unless you specify an existing control file with the CONTROL_FILES parameter in the INITsid.ORA file. Use at least two (identical) control files, each located on a separate storage device. The size of Oracle7 Server for Windows NT control files varies according to the complexity of your database structure. The maximum size of an Oracle7 Server for Windows NT control file is 2500 database blocks.