Oracle7 Server Administrator's Guide
Startup Procedures
This section includes the following topics:
To start up a database or instance, use either the Server Manager Startup Database dialog box or the STARTUP command (after you connect to Oracle7 with administrator privileges). You can start an instance and database in a variety of ways:
- start the instance without mounting a database
- start the instance and mount the database, but leave it closed
- start the instance, and mount and open the database in:
- unrestricted mode (accessible to all users)
- RESTRICTED mode (accessible to DBAs only)
Attention: You cannot start a database instance if you are connected to the database via a multi-threaded server process.
In addition, you can force the instance to start, or start the instance and have complete media recovery begin immediately. If your operating system supports the Oracle7 Parallel Server, you may start an instance and mount the database in either exclusive or shared mode.
See Also: Trusted Oracle7 Server Administrator's Guide, for more information about database startup and Trusted Oracle7.
Preparing to Start an Instance
There are several tasks you need to perform before you attempt to start an instance.
To Prepare to Start an Instance
1. Start Server Manager and connect with administrator privileges.
2. Specify a database name.
- specifying DB_NAME in the parameter file that starts the instance
3. Specify the parameter filename.
See Also: The specification of filenames is operating system-specific. See your operating system-specific Oracle documentation. If no filename is entered, Oracle7 uses the default filename.
Starting an Instance: Scenarios
The following scenarios describe the many ways in which you can start up an instance.
Note: You may encounter problems starting up an instance if control files, database files, or redo log files are not available. If one or more of the files specified by the CONTROL_FILES parameter do not exist or cannot be opened when you attempt to mount a database, Oracle7 returns a warning message and does not mount the database. If one or more of the datafiles or redo log files is not available or cannot be opened when attempting to open a database, Oracle7 returns a warning message and does not open the database.
Starting an Instance Without Mounting a Database
You might want to start an instance without mounting a database; this is usually the case only during database creation. To do this, use one of the following options of Server Manager:
Starting an Instance and Mounting a Database
You might want to start an instance and mount a database, but not open the database because you want to perform specific maintenance operations. For example, the database must be mounted but not open during the following tasks:
- adding, dropping, or renaming redo log files
- enabling and disabling redo log archiving options
- performing full database recovery
Start an instance and mount the database, but leave it closed using one of the following options of Server Manager:
Starting an Instance, and Mounting and Opening a Database
Normal database operation means that an instance is started and the database is mounted and open; this allows any valid user to connect to the database and perform typical data access operations.
Start an instance, and mount and open the database, using one of the following options of Server Manager:
Restricting Access to a Database at Startup
You might want to start an instance, and mount and open a database in restricted mode so that the database is available only to administrative personnel (not general database users). Use this mode of database startup when you need to accomplish one of the following tasks:
- perform structure maintenance, such as rebuilding indexes
- perform an export or import of database data
- perform a data load (with SQL*Loader)
- temporarily prevent typical users from using data
Typically, all users with the CREATE SESSION system privilege can connect to an open database. Opening a database in restricted mode allows database access only to users with both the CREATE SESSION and RESTRICTED SESSION system privilege; only database administrators should have the RESTRICTED SESSION system privilege.
Start an instance (and, optionally, mount and open the database) in restricted mode using one of the following options of Server Manager:
Later, you can make the database accessible to users who do not have the RESTRICTED SESSION system privilege.
Forcing an Instance to Start
In unusual circumstances, you might experience problems when attempting to start a database instance. A database instance should not be forced to start unless you are faced with the following:
- The current instance cannot be successfully shut down using either the Normal or Immediate radio buttons of the Shutdown Database dialog box (or an equivalent SHUTDOWN statement).
- You experience problems when starting an instance.
If one of these situations arises, you can usually solve the problem by starting a new instance (and optionally mounting and opening the database) using either of the following options of Server Manager:
Starting an Instance, Mounting a Database, and Starting Complete Media Recovery
If you know that media recovery is required, you can start an instance, mount a database to the instance, and have the recovery process automatically start by using the STARTUP command with the RECOVER option.
Starting in Exclusive or Parallel Mode
If your Oracle7 Server allows multiple instances to access a single database concurrently, you must choose whether to mount the database exclusively or in parallel.
Starting Up an Instance and Database: Example
The following statement starts an instance using the parameter file INITSALE.ORA, mounts and opens the database named SALES in exclusive mode, and restricts access to administrative personnel. The DBA is already connected with administrator privileges.
STARTUP OPEN sales PFILE=INITSALE.ORA EXCLUSIVE RESTRICT;
Automatic Database Startup at Operating System Start
Many sites use procedures to enable automatic startup of one or more Oracle7 instances and databases immediately following a system start. The procedures for doing this are specific to each operating system.
Starting Remote Instances
If your local Oracle7 Server is part of a distributed database, you might need to start a remote instance and database. Procedures for starting and stopping remote instances vary widely depending on communication protocol and operating system.
See Also: For more information about making a database available to non-privileged users, see "Restricting Access to an Open Database" ![[*]](jump.gif)
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For more information about recovering control files, database files and redo logs, see Chapter 24.
For more information about the side effects of aborting the current instance, see "Aborting an Instance" .
For more information about starting up in exclusive or parallel mode, see the Oracle7 Parallel Server Concepts & Administration manual.
For more information about the restrictions that apply when combining options of the STARTUP command, see the Oracle7 Server SQL Reference.
For more information about automatic startup procedure topics, see your operating system-specific Oracle documentation.