Re: Difference Between SYS and SYSTEM

Sorry to say so, but this reply is confusing things more than clarifying them.
SYS is the owner of the database, and the owner of the datadictionary. All privileged commands (like startup, shutdown) need to be run by SYS, internal or by any other user having SYSDBA privilege. SYSTEM by default doesn't have that privilege.
You can't run an Oracle database without a SYS-account, and you should NEVER create any objects under the SYS user, or insert/update directly the dictionary.
Any tables/views that need to be created under SYS or SYSTEM will come as installation scripts with Oracle software The statement 'You do not need the SYS-user' is completely incorrect. The SYSTEM account is the owner of system wide repositories for programs like SQL*Plus, Oracle Names etc.
You should also stay away from the SYSTEM user. Quite often the password of SYSTEM is not changed from the default. If you want to have a tight environment you could better create a distinct user with proper privileges. The definition of any table you create will end up in the data dictionary. The data dictionary consists of ordinary Oracle tables. Every statement to manipulate the dictionary will be automatically generated and executed by the SYS account on your behalf.

Hth,

Sybrand Bakker, Oracle DBA

Michael Mehling <m.mehling_at_atos-group.de> wrote in message news:7pgbj6$fha$1_at_news.pop-stuttgart.de...
> Hi,
> I do not know exactly what the different is, all I know is that the
SYS-User
> is the owner of the data dictionary and the SYSTEM-User ist the manager of
> the database (schema). Adding new tables or views to the data dictionary
> meens to create them. This can be as SYSTEM or as any other user of the
> database. For working with the database you do not need the SYS-User
> (Beware!). Use the SYSTEM-User to create other users, grant and revoke
> privileges to them and to manage the database.
> Best regards
> Michael Mehling
> Frank Hubeny <fhubeny_at_ntsource.com> schrieb in im Newsbeitrag:
> 37BB8BC7.4AA3C78D_at_ntsource.com...
> > This may be an obvious question, but what is the difference between the
> > SYS and SYSTEM users in an Oracle database?
> >
> > I am aware that SYS owns the data dictionary, but it is only able to
> > read the base tables. (Oracle 8i Concepts: 2-2) It makes me wonder
> > what "ownership" of these objects means, if it cannot change them?
> >
> > I also read (Oracle 8i Concepts 2-4) that you can "add new tables or
> > views to the data dictionary" but this should be done only with the user
> > SYSTEM. What does it mean to "add new tables to the data dictionary"?
> > Is any table created with SYS or SYSTEM a data dictionary table, or is
> > there something special about these tables?
> >
> > Frank Hubeny
> > Wheaton, IL
> >
>
>
Received on Thu Aug 19 1999 - 12:40:16 CDT