Database Parameter File

Either an init.ora file or an spfile can be used for the Oracle database.

If an init.ora parameter file is used then it should be named init<$ORACLE_SID>.ora and located in the $ORACLE_BASE/admin/<$ORACLE_SID>/pfile directory and symbolically linked back to the $ORACLE_HOME/dbs directory.

If an spfile is used then it should be created from the init.ora file and then moved to the $ORACLE_BASE/admin/<$ORACLE_SID>/pfile directory. A one line init.ora file should then be created and placed in the $ORACLE_HOME/dbs directory. Note that this file cannot be linked. Oracle expects it to reside in the $ORACLE_HOME/dbs directory and will not follow a symbolic link. The file should contain a single line of the following format:

spfile=$ORACLE_BASE/admin/DBSID/pfile/spfileDBSID.ora

The following is an example:

initDBSID.ora:

spfile=/oracle/admin/DBSID/pfile/spfileDBSID.ora

# Override parameters go below

NOTE: When using an SPFILE it is possible to get into the situation where the database won't start due to an invalid parameter, and since the database won't start it is not possible to fix the SPFILE. In this case the offending parameter can be overridden in the single line init.ora file above by adding the parameter with the correct value after the "spfile" designation. Oracle will always use the last specified value for any parameter that it finds. Now the database can be started and the SPFILE can be fixed.

We recommend that the SPFILE not be stored on an ASM volume unless absolutely necessary. Since files cannot be accessed directly on ASM volumes, when errors are made it can be difficult to fix them and it is a level of indirection that just doesn't seem to be worth the potential confusion.

Another advantage to keeping the SPFILE in the "admin" directory, or any non-ASM volume, is that it is possible to view the actual file using the UNIX "strings" command.