Oracle Control Files

Oracle Control Files Version 11.2.0.3

General Information

Current Control Files

col value format a41

SELECT value
FROM gv$parameter
WHERE name = 'control_files';

SELECT RPAD(SUBSTR(name,1,50),51,' ') "CONTROL FILE NAME"
FROM gv$controlfile;

Data Dictionary Objects

V$CONTROLFILE

V$CONTROLFILE_RECORD_SECTION

Create Control File

Reuse previously existing control file(s) if they exist

CREATE CONTROLFILE [REUSE]
DATABASE <database_name>
<RESETLOGS | NORESETLOGS>;

STARTUP NOMOUNT;

CREATE CONTROFILE REUSE
SET DATABASE orabase
RESETLOGS;

ALTER DATABASE OPEN RESETLOGS;

Reuse previously existing control file(s) if they exist

CREATE CONTROLFILE [REUSE]
DATABASE <database_name>
<RESETLOGS | NORESETLOGS>;

STARTUP NOMOUNT;

CREATE CONTROFILE REUSE
SET DATABASE orabase
NORESETLOGS;

Create Standby Control File

Create Control File For Logical Standby

ALTER DATABASE CREATE LOGICAL STANDBY CONTROLFILE
AS <file_name> REUSE;

ALTER DATABASE CREATE LOGICAL STANDBY CONTROLFILE
AS 'c:\oragrid\control03.ctl';

Create Control File For Physical Standby

ALTER DATABASE CREATE PHYSICAL STANDBY CONTROLFILE
AS <file_name> REUSE;

ALTER DATABASE CREATE PHYSICAL STANDBY CONTROLFILE
AS 'c:\oragrid\control03.ctl' REUSE;

Relocate Control Files

Change Control File Location

conn / as sysdba

SQL> show parameter control

SQL> shutdown immediate

SQL> create pfile from spfile;

SQL> host

-- use cp to copy the control file from its current location to the new location
$ cp $ORACLE_BASE/oradata/orabase/control02.ctl /u02/oradata/orabase/control02.ctl

$ vi $ORACLE_HOME/dbs/initorabase.ora
-- change the control file location to the new location save the changes and exit vi

$ exit

SQL> create spfile from pfile;

startup

show parameter control

host

-- remove the copy of the control file in the original location
$ rm $ORACLE_BASE/oradata/orabase/control02.ctl

Backup Control Files

Backup Control File To Text File

ALTER DATABASE BACKUP CONTROLFILE TO TRACE AS <file_name> REUSE <RESETLOGS | NORESETLOGS>;

ALTER DATABASE BACKUP CONTROLFILE TO TRACE;

ALTER DATABASE BACKUP CONTROLFILE TO TRACE AS 'c:\temp\control.bkp';

ALTER DATABASE BACKUP CONTROLFILE TO TRACE AS '/u01/control.bkp' REUSE;

ALTER DATABASE BACKUP CONTROLFILE TO TRACE AS 'c:\temp\control01.ctl' NORESETLOGS;

Backup to Binary File

ALTER DATABASE BACKUP CONTROLFILE TO '/u01/oradata/control.bkp';

ALTER DATABASE BACKUP CONTROLFILE TO 'c:\temp\control.bkp' REUSE;

Sample Backup Control File Script Output

-- The following are current System-scope REDO Log Archival related
-- parameters and can be included in the database initialization file.
--
-- LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST=''
-- LOG_ARCHIVE_DUPLEX_DEST=''
--
-- LOG_ARCHIVE_FORMAT=ARC%S_%R.%T
--
-- DB_UNIQUE_NAME="orabase"
--
-- LOG_ARCHIVE_CONFIG='SEND, RECEIVE, NODG_CONFIG'
-- LOG_ARCHIVE_MAX_PROCESSES=4
-- STANDBY_FILE_MANAGEMENT=MANUAL
-- STANDBY_ARCHIVE_DEST=%ORACLE_HOME%\RDBMS
-- FAL_CLIENT=''
-- FAL_SERVER=''
--
-- LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_10='LOCATION=USE_DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST'
-- LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_10='OPTIONAL REOPEN=300 NODELAY'
-- LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_10='ARCH NOAFFIRM NOEXPEDITE NOVERIFY SYNC'
-- LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_10='REGISTER NOALTERNATE NODEPENDENCY'
-- LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_10='NOMAX_FAILURE NOQUOTA_SIZE NOQUOTA_USED NODB_UNIQUE_NAME'
-- LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_10='VALID_FOR=(PRIMARY_ROLE,ONLINE_LOGFILES)'
-- LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_STATE_10=ENABLE

--
-- Below are two sets of SQL statements, each of which creates a new
-- control file and uses it to open the database. The first set opens
-- the database with the NORESETLOGS option and should be used only if
-- the current versions of all online logs are available. The second
-- set opens the database with the RESETLOGS option and should be used
-- if online logs are unavailable.
-- The appropriate set of statements can be copied from the trace into
-- a script file, edited as necessary, and executed when there is a
-- need to re-create the control file.
--
-- Set #1. NORESETLOGS case
--
-- The following commands will create a new control file and use it
-- to open the database.
-- Data used by Recovery Manager will be lost.
-- Additional logs may be required for media recovery of offline
-- Use this only if the current versions of all online logs are
-- available.

-- After mounting the created controlfile, the following SQL
-- statement will place the database in the appropriate
-- protection mode:
-- ALTER DATABASE SET STANDBY DATABASE TO MAXIMIZE PERFORMANCE

STARTUP NOMOUNT
CREATE CONTROLFILE REUSE DATABASE "ORABASE" NORESETLOGS NOARCHIVELOG
MAXLOGFILES 16
MAXLOGMEMBERS 3
MAXDATAFILES 100
MAXINSTANCES 8
MAXLOGHISTORY 292
LOGFILE
GROUP 1 'C:\APP\ORACLE\ORADATA\ORABASE\REDO01.LOG' SIZE 50M,
GROUP 2 'C:\APP\ORACLE\ORADATA\ORABASE\REDO02.LOG' SIZE 50M,
GROUP 3 'C:\APP\ORACLE\ORADATA\ORABASE\REDO03.LOG' SIZE 50M
-- STANDBY LOGFILE

DATAFILE
'C:\APP\ORACLE\ORADATA\ORABASE\SYSTEM01.DBF',
'C:\APP\ORACLE\ORADATA\ORABASE\SYSAUX01.DBF',
'C:\APP\ORACLE\ORADATA\ORABASE\UNDOTBS01.DBF',
'C:\APP\ORACLE\ORADATA\ORABASE\USERS01.DBF',
'C:\APP\ORACLE\ORADATA\ORABASE\EXAMPLE01.DBF',
'C:\APP\ORACLE\ORADATA\ORABASE\UWDATA01.DBF'
CHARACTER SET WE8MSWIN1252;

-- Commands to re-create incarnation table
-- Below log names MUST be changed to existing filenames on disk.
-- Any one log file from each branch can be used to re-create incarnation records.
-- ALTER DATABASE REGISTER LOGFILE 'C:\APP\ORACLE\FAST_RECOVERY_AREA\ORABASE\ARCHIVELOG\2009_02_02\O1_MF_1_1_%U_.ARC';
-- ALTER DATABASE REGISTER LOGFILE 'C:\APP\ORACLE\FAST_RECOVERY_AREA\ORABASE\ARCHIVELOG\2009_02_02\O1_MF_1_1_%U_.ARC';
-- Recovery is required if any of the datafiles are restored backups,
-- or if the last shutdown was not normal or immediate.
RECOVER DATABASE

-- Database can now be opened normally.
ALTER DATABASE OPEN;

-- Commands to add tempfiles to temporary tablespaces.
-- Online tempfiles have complete space information.
-- Other tempfiles may require adjustment.
ALTER TABLESPACE TEMP ADD TEMPFILE 'C:\APP\ORACLE\ORADATA\ORABASE\TEMP01.DBF'
SIZE 20971520 REUSE AUTOEXTEND ON NEXT 655360 MAXSIZE 32767M;
-- End of tempfile additions.
--
-- Set #2. RESETLOGS case
--
-- The following commands will create a new control file and use it
-- to open the database.
-- Data used by Recovery Manager will be lost.
-- The contents of online logs will be lost and all backups will
-- be invalidated. Use this only if online logs are damaged.

-- After mounting the created controlfile, the following SQL
-- statement will place the database in the appropriate
-- protection mode:
-- ALTER DATABASE SET STANDBY DATABASE TO MAXIMIZE PERFORMANCE

STARTUP NOMOUNT
CREATE CONTROLFILE REUSE DATABASE "ORABASE" RESETLOGS NOARCHIVELOG
MAXLOGFILES 16
MAXLOGMEMBERS 3
MAXDATAFILES 100
MAXINSTANCES 8
MAXLOGHISTORY 292
LOGFILE
GROUP 1 'C:\APP\ORACLE\ORADATA\ORABASE\REDO01.LOG' SIZE 50M,
GROUP 2 'C:\APP\ORACLE\ORADATA\ORABASE\REDO02.LOG' SIZE 50M,
GROUP 3 'C:\APP\ORACLE\ORADATA\ORABASE\REDO03.LOG' SIZE 50M
-- STANDBY LOGFILE

DATAFILE
'C:\APP\ORACLE\ORADATA\ORABASE\SYSTEM01.DBF',
'C:\APP\ORACLE\ORADATA\ORABASE\SYSAUX01.DBF',
'C:\APP\ORACLE\ORADATA\ORABASE\UNDOTBS01.DBF',
'C:\APP\ORACLE\ORADATA\ORABASE\USERS01.DBF',
'C:\APP\ORACLE\ORADATA\ORABASE\EXAMPLE01.DBF',
'C:\APP\ORACLE\ORADATA\ORABASE\UWDATA01.DBF'
CHARACTER SET WE8MSWIN1252;

-- Commands to re-create incarnation table
-- Below log names MUST be changed to existing filenames on
-- disk. Any one log file from each branch can be used to
-- re-create incarnation records.
-- ALTER DATABASE REGISTER LOGFILE 'C:\APP\ORACLE\FAST_RECOVERY_AREA\ORABASE\ARCHIVELOG\2009_02_02\O1_MF_1_1_%U_.ARC';
-- ALTER DATABASE REGISTER LOGFILE 'C:\APP\ORACLE\FAST_RECOVERY_AREA\ORABASE\ARCHIVELOG\2009_02_02\O1_MF_1_1_%U_.ARC';
-- Recovery is required if any of the datafiles are restored backups,
-- or if the last shutdown was not normal or immediate.
RECOVER DATABASE USING BACKUP CONTROLFILE

-- Database can now be opened zeroing the online logs.
ALTER DATABASE OPEN RESETLOGS;

-- Commands to add tempfiles to temporary tablespaces.
-- Online tempfiles have complete space information.
-- Other tempfiles may require adjustment.
ALTER TABLESPACE TEMP ADD TEMPFILE 'C:\APP\ORACLE\ORADATA\ORABASE\TEMP01.DBF'
SIZE 20971520 REUSE AUTOEXTEND ON NEXT 655360 MAXSIZE 32767M;
-- End of tempfile additions.