RE: core_dump_dest = /dev/null?

Speaking of buffer overflows, Steve:

I was reading an old article by Indra Lahiri(1996) on this subject at www.fors.com/orasupp/d2k/plus/2171_1.htm.

Someday, I'll have to see whether his formula is still valid.

-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Adams [mailto:steve.adams_at_ixora.com.au] Sent: Thursday, May 25, 2000 7:44 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L Subject: RE: core_dump_dest = /dev/null?

Hello Heidi,

/dev/null is a device special file serviced by a VERY lightweight pseudo device driver.
There is no risk of buffer overflows, hangs, system panics or the like.

Regards,
Steve Adams

http://www.ixora.com.au/
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/orinternals/
http://www.christianity.net.au/


-----Original Message-----
From:	Heidi E. Schmidt [SMTP:heidi_at_cybercom.net]
Sent:	Thursday, May 25, 2000 11:38 PM
To:	Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L
Subject:	Re: core_dump_dest = /dev/null?

> Here's an interesting thought - since Oracle very rarely wants the core
> dump files, and since they can consume a lot of space unless you
> routinely clean them up, is there any disadvantage to setting the
> core_dump_dest parameter to /dev/null? Has anyone actually tried this?
> Seems like it should work...

Well, /dev/null isn't exactly the garbage bin of the universe. It is more like a buffer.

You can put alot into it, but it can play havoc on your system. Especially is there is are occuring error that streams constantly to the buffer. It can cause your machine to hang or reboot.

My advice is that you can use it for small things but avoid dumping large amounts of data to /dev/null

Heidi

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