ALTERNATE Attribute of LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_n Does Not Appear to Work

(Doc ID 369120.1)

Last updated on SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

Applies to:

Oracle Database - Enterprise Edition - Version 10.1.0.5 and later
Information in this document applies to any platform.



Symptoms

Oracle is not archiving to the ALTERNATE destination (when LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_STATE_n=ALTERNATE is set), even though it is failing to archive to the default destination (LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_1).

For example:

Set the following and simulate an out of space condition for the LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_1 directory.

Parameters:

log_archive_dest_1 = 'LOCATION=/opt/oracle/u02/oradata/DOKP/arch REOPEN=3 MAX_FAILURE=5 ALTERNATE=LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_2'

log_archive_dest_2 = 'LOCATION=/opt/oracle/u03/oradata/DOKP/arch REOPEN=3 MAX_FAILURE=5'

log_archive_dest_state_1 = ENABLE

log_archive_dest_state_2 = ALTERNATE

Observe in the alert.log file that Oracle is failing to archive to the LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_1 destination, as expected, but does not try to archive to the ALTERNATE destination.

Cause

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