.dbf .ora

[TheDash]

Could somebody tell the difference between .dbf and .ora files?

 

[SantaMufasa]

The differences between ".dbf" and ".ora" files is just in tradition rather than functionality. Usually, we affix ".dbf" to database data files that provide the disk space to tablespaces. The ".ora" suffix usually appears at the end of Oracle parameter/support files such as "init<SID>.ora", "tnsnames.ora", "listener.ora", "sqlnet.ora", et cetera.

In function, however, you can place any suffix you wish (or none at all) on the end of database data files. Although you can probably use alternative suffixes for the ".ora" files that I listed above, it would be way more trouble that it is worth to use other suffixes since Oracle "expects" those suffixes as a default on those files.

I hope this helped a bit. Let me know if you have additional questions on this topic.

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA @ 21:57 (20Jul04) UTC (aka "GMT" and "Zulu"), 14:57 (20Jul04) Mountain Time)

 

[TheDash]

I also noticed that it is with 4 of the datafiles in the system here. Does anyone know anything about this?


/u02/.../system01.dbf
/u02/.../tools01.dbf
/u02/.../rbs01.dbf
/u02/.../temp01.dbf
/u02/.../users01.dbf
/u02/.../indx01.dbf
/u03/.../SHARED1.ORA
/u04/.../SHARED1IDX.ORA
/u03/.../SLCC1.ORA
/u04/.../SLCC1IDX.ORA
/u03/.../TRAINSLCC1.ORA
/u04/.../TRAINSLCCIDX.ORA
/u04/.../SLCC2IDX.ORA
/u04/.../SLCC3IDX.ORA
/u04/.../SLCC4IDX.dbf
/u04/.../SLCC5IDX.dbf
/u03/.../SLCC2.ORA

 

[SantaMufasa]

Dash,

I'm not sure which 4 files to which you refer since you list 8 ".dbf" files and 9 ".ORA" files. Regardless, the files all appear to be database datafiles that provide space to tablespaces. Whichever DBA created the data files in the first place chose both the names and the suffixes. Oracle doesn't pay any mind to the choice of file names or suffixes.

If, however, you care what the files are named, there is a process by which you can rename the files to any names and any suffixes you please. If you wish to do that, let us know and we can advise you how to make that happen.

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA @ 22:07 (20Jul04) UTC (aka "GMT" and "Zulu"), 15:07 (20Jul04) Mountain Time)

 

[TheDash]

Thanks Santa for the replies. That clarified my doubts.
Please also give the process that could rename them. I would use it if naming change is really required ...