RE: Deleting the alert.log when the database is up

From: Hillman, Alex <Alex.Hillman_at_usmint.treas.gov>
Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 08:37:47 -0700
Message-ID: <F001.00311EEE.20010529080056@fatcity.com>

I did not understand this note. Does it mean that I can copy current alert.log to alert.log.old and then mv nullfile alert.log and original oracle using original file descriptor will write to new empty alert.log?

Alex Hillman

-----Original Message-----
[mailto:Bruce.Reardon_at_comalco.riotinto.com.au]
Sent: Sunday, May 27, 2001 9:10 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L

Hi,

For information.

At various times there has been a lot of discussion about deleting the alert.log.

Looking through Metalink I found the following note which describes the behaviour change between 7.3.4 and 805 and above.

Hope it is of help.

Regards,
Bruce

Doc ID: Note:122401.1
Type: BULLETIN
Status: PUBLISHED
Content Type: TEXT/PLAIN
Creation Date: 18-OCT-2000
Last Revision Date: 14-MAY-2001

Problem Description

The Oracle background processes has an open file descriptor on the alert.log.
When the database is up and running it continually holds this file descriptor
open. This was not the case in 7.3.4, but is true for 8.0.5 to 8.1.7.

This poses the question: What if the database is up and the alert.log gets too large. Do I have to shutdown the database to release the open file descriptor on the alert.log, then deal with the large alert.log?

Solution Description

You are able to copy the alert.log while the database is up and running.

Create an empty file: (example: touch nullfile.log)
Replace the old alert.log with the new empty file: (example: mv nullfile.log alert<sid>.log)

The running database experiences no affects when doing this.

Explanation

Having the continual open file descriptor on the alert.log is intended behaviour for the database.

References

[BUG:1388186] OPEN FILE DESCRIPTORS HELD BY ORACLE BACKGROUND PROCESSES
ON ALERT.LOG FILE Additional Search Words

delete alert

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Author: Reardon, Bruce (CALBBAY)
  INET: Bruce.Reardon_at_comalco.riotinto.com.au

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Author: Hillman, Alex
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Received on Tue May 29 2001 - 10:37:47 CDT