Comments on: REMOTE_LOGIN_PASSWORDFILE=EXCLUSIVE in Oracle 10g

By: ash

ash — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 21:08:47 +0000

if u create a new passwordfile (even in default location),database does not recognize it.

By: ctsgnb

ctsgnb — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 10:02:20 +0000

Is it possible to share a passwd file between 2 databases that have differents DBID ? and how ? any constraints ? (should shared the same home?)

How does oracle know which passwd file it should use ?

Is it designed to automatically look for a standard filename (smth like $ORACLE_HOME/dbs/passDBID) filename or any other standard name ?

In this case i suppose these DB should share the same home or the DBID2 should have its passDBID2 being a link that point to the passDBID1 file …
Then we want make maintenance/modif of the passwd file possible, we should care about user ID and chown/chmod are correctly set up for the shared orapasswd file.

Maybe the SHARED option is mainly designed for distributed or cluster DB.

Maybe having the REMOTE_LOGIN_PASSWORDFILE storing the absolute filename would be better than just EXCLUSIVE/NONE/SHARED values ?

Thanks for your time reading.

Cheers.

By: jared

jared — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 22:42:29 +0000

Kind of a late update to this.

I came across this entry while searching for some info on oracle password files.

Both the 10g and 11g documentation are incorrect.

10g: http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B19306_01/server.102/b14237/initparams179.htm#CHDICDHE

11g: http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B28359_01/server.111/b28320/initparams198.htm#REFRN10184

If remote_login_passwordfile=shared, no users can be added to the password file.

Attempting to do so will raise an ORA-1999: “Password file cannot be updated in SHARED mode”

By: Alex Gorbachev

Alex Gorbachev — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 22:10:06 +0000

The link you gave contradicts the reference guide. There is definitely a documentation bug somewhere. Let me test it.

2. I definitely see benefits on using shared for this parameter which prevents further granting SYSDBA to any user in stable environment.

Can you elaborate?

By: Shervin

Shervin — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 19:20:46 +0000

Thanks Alex,

1.Referring to Oracle 10gR2 admin . (Setting REMOTE_LOGIN_PASSWORDFILE section)

http://download-east.oracle.com/docs/cd/B19306_01/server.102/b14231/dba.htm#sthref167

2. I definitely see benefits on using shared for this parameter which prevents further granting SYSDBA to any user in stable environment

By: Alex Gorbachev

Alex Gorbachev — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 07:46:42 +0000

Password file name is instance specific so you will have to mess with links if all your databases are on one node. If databases are scattered over a number of nodes — well, I guess password files has to be on shared storage then.

Have you ever used shared password file successfully? I mean truly shared between several instances? I recall I tried to set it up in 8i days and I couldn’t get it to work so I gave up and, as I mentioned already, couldn’t really see any real benefits of it.

Oracle 10.2 Reference suggests that default value is SHARED. Though, I haven’t tested it yet.

By: Shervin

Shervin — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 03:30:27 +0000

1. If this parameter is not determined, EXCLUSIVE is set by default. (Doubt to keep it for only backward compatibility).
2. Shared is practical in environment when you do not want to allow anyone to grant SYSDBA or SYSOPER to anybody else. Also for DBA which admin multiple DBs, having shred password file help them to remember only one password for sysdba privileges.

By: Shervin

Shervin — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 03:07:31 +0000

As I know,

1. If REMOTE_LOGIN_PASSWORDFILE is not determined, it is set by default to EXCLUSIVE. How Oracle keep that for only backward compatibility while its default value is EXCLUSIVE.

2. If REMOTE_LOGIN_PASSWORDFILE is set to shared, SYS password can not be changed. (One useful point of using this value).

3. When using SHARED value for this parameter, SYSDBA or SYSOPER can not be granted to any user. This somehow prevents mistaken granting SYSDBA or SYSOPER to some users.

4. User which administrating multiple databases on the same box, need to know only one password if this value is set to SHARED

…..

By: Alex Gorbachev

Alex Gorbachev — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 21:54:00 +0000

Oracle documentation (Oracle Reference Guide) for 10.1 and 10.2 will surely answer your question. ;-)
Let us know when you find it. You can even go further and set a test case for that if you that curious.

By: Don Seiler

Don Seiler — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 20:22:27 +0000

Is this new in 10gR2? My exam prep guide (written before R2) does discuss (and quiz) the distinction between SHARED and EXCLUSIVE?