Re: Help: Name confusion.

Casper Thrane wrote:
>
> Hi!
>
> I am very confused. Can anyone tell me the diffenrence between an
> instance and SID name.
> When I installed my server I was asked to input an SID name and I chose
> the default name "ORCL", and now when I look in the v$database view, I
> am told that my database is called oracle.
> What is the diffenrence and what is the names used for?

You very nearly asked the correct question. The SID and the instance name
are the same. It is the database name that is not the same as the other two.

An instance is the collection of memory structures comprising the SGA and
the background processes. The isnatnce is called by the logical ORACLE_SID
or ORA_SID

The database is a collection of one or more datafiles, two or more online
redo logs, and one or more control files. The anme of the database is defined
by the parameter db_name in init.ora.

A given database can be referenced by more than one instance.

-- 
James "I'd rather fall off Ilustrada than ride any other horse" Petts