How Initialization Parameter Values Are Changed

The database administrator can adjust variable parameters to improve the performance of a database system. Exactly which parameters most affect a system depends on numerous database characteristics and variables.

Some parameters can be changed dynamically with the ALTER SESSION or ALTER SYSTEM statement while the instance is running. Unless you are using a server parameter file (SPFILE), changes made using the ALTER SYSTEM statement are only in effect for the current instance. You must manually update the text initialization parameter file for the changes to be known the next time you start up an instance. When you use a SPFILE, you can update the parameters on disk, so that changes persist across database shutdown and startup.

Oracle provides values in the starter initialization parameter file provided with your database software, or as created for you by the Database Configuration Assistant. You can edit these Oracle-supplied initialization parameters and add others, depending upon your configuration and options and how you plan to tune the database. For any relevant initialization parameters not specifically included in the initialization parameter file, Oracle supplies defaults. If you are creating an Oracle database for the first time, it is suggested that you minimize the number of parameter values that you alter.