Difference between "alter database archivelog" and "alter system archive log start"

From: Robert Chung <robertch_at_mindspring.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Jun 1998 06:28:01 GMT
Message-ID: <3584bc52.84488@news.mindspring.com>

When you issue "archive log list" command from the Server Manager, you get output that looks like this:

  SVRMGR> startup mount exclusive;
  ORACLE instance started.

  Total System Global Area       5508628 bytes
  Fixed Size                       45584 bytes
  Variable Size                  4529156 bytes
  Database Buffers                409600 bytes
  Redo Buffers                    524288 bytes

  Database mounted.

  SVRMGR> archive log list;

  Database log mode              No Archive Mode	<---- LINE (1)
  Automatic archival             Disabled		<---- LINE (2)
  Archive destination            %ORACLE_HOME%\database\archive
  Oldest online log sequence     21
  Next log sequence to archive   22
  Current log sequence           22

When I tried "alter database archivelog", it changed output in Line (1) to "Archive Mode", but it did not have any effect on Line(2). On the other hand, "alter system archive log start" changed output in Line (2) to "Enabled", but did not have any effect on Line(1). What is the difference between these two commands? What the heck is happening in the database system level? Thank you very much in advance. Received on Mon Jun 15 1998 - 01:28:01 CDT