Add passwordfile=... option to sqlplus startup command for 12c

User51642 Yong Huang

By default, the database password file is stored in ASM instead of on the file system in Oracle 12c (if ASM is used). If the ASM instance cannot be brought up due to loss or corruption of the password file, creating a password file on the file system (with command orapwd) is not helpful. You can't run any asmcmd command to tell ASM to use the password file on the file system because asmcmd needs ASM to be up. Even a command like `crsctl query credmaint' (Ref: Doc ID 1313657.1) won't work. This chicken-and-egg problem can be solved by a passwordfile option for the sqlplus startup command, much like the pfile option.

Alternatively, allow certain very basic asmcmd commands to run even when ASM is down, much like the function provided by -init of crsctl, or -prelim of sqlplus.

Andris Perkons-Oracle

What's the point of running sqlplus when ASM is down?

User51642 Yong Huang

What's the point of running sqlplus when ASM is down?

The point is to bring up ASM manually (if passwordfile option is supported):

. oraenv

+ASM

sqlplus / as sysasm

SQL> startup passwordfile=/u01/app/grid/dbs/orapw+ASM

Oracle has added more and more chicken-and-egg situations over the years. This one really got me!

Andris Perkons-Oracle

The point is to bring up ASM manually (if passwordfile option is supported):

. oraenv

+ASM

sqlplus / as sysasm

SQL> startup passwordfile=/u01/app/grid/dbs/orapw+ASM

Oracle has added more and more chicken-and-egg situations over the years. This one really got me!

In your original post, you are talking about the "database password file". That't why I was asking about the usefulness of using sqlplus (for the database) when ASM is down.

But still, I don't get it. In order to start the local ASM instance, you do not need access to the password file. Rather, it is used for remote clients (Flex ASM) to be able to connect to that instance once ASM is up.

Check the Oracle documentation: "You can use a password file located on a disk group for authentication only if the Oracle ASM instance is running and the designated disk group is mounted. Otherwise, operating system authentication must be used to bootstrap the startup of the Oracle ASM instance and stack." (https://docs.oracle.com/database/121/OSTMG/GUID-6165EC00-C329-4140-A007-2FE18D6DEC51.htm )

Andris

User51642 Yong Huang

Andris,

You're right. I did some test and proved that "In order to start the local ASM instance, you do not need access to the password file." In asmcmd, I ran pwget to get the paths of the actual file and the link, rm'ed both of them. Stopped asm. Even stopped the CRS stack. I was able to bring up ASM.

CRS daemon seems to be unhappy with the password file missing. Also, it's odd that after I pwcopy back into the original location from the file system backup I saved at the beginning of my test, the password file now has UNKNOWN in the actual path:

ASMCMD [+grid] > pwget --asm

+GRID/orapwASM

ASMCMD [+grid] > ls -l +GRID/orapwASM

Type      Redund  Striped  Time             Sys  Name

PASSWORD  HIGH    COARSE   JAN 26 13:00:00  N    orapwASM => +GRID/DB_UNKNOWN/PASSWORD/pwddb_unknown.256.966434097

Before the test, it was:

orapwasm => +GRID/ASM/PASSWORD/pwdasm.256.965730961

Other than an unsightly actual path, I guess it doesn't matter, since ASM knows where to find it.

I'm not using Flex ASM. And I apologize for saying "database password file" when I meant ASM password file.

I hope I can mark your message as the answer to this thread. I don't see that option here. Thank you!