Why does an online redolog keeps active after checkpoint completion?

From: Anton Buijs <remove_aammbuijs_at_xs4all.nl>
Date: Fri, 1 Aug 2003 22:54:57 +0200
Message-ID: <3f2ad39d$0$49098$e4fe514c@news.xs4all.nl>

I found this behaviour that I don't understand Oracle V8.1.7.3 EE 64-bit on HP-UX 11i. (and in may playground Windows 98, V8.1.5 Personal Edition).

When a log switch occurs the redolog status goes from current to active (v$log. status) and a checkpoint occurs. When I check v$datafile_header.checkpoint_change# and checkpoint_time I can see the checkpoint has completed.
But the redolog status keeps active, even minutes later. After 'alter system checkpoint' it is immediately inactive.

Why does the status of the redolog keeps active so long? I thought it was no longer needed (status becomes inactive) when the checkpoint completes?
The impact can be that I still need that redo in the unfortunate event I loose this redolog group completely (which ofcourse should never happen, but if all that never should happen really never happended we would not have so much fun in this newsgroup). Received on Fri Aug 01 2003 - 15:54:57 CDT