Alert Logs in Oracle

what are alert log files in oracle?

•Is a chronological log of messages and errors written out by an Oracle Database

•Typical messages found in this file is:

• Database startup, shutdown, 

•  Log switches, all ORA errors,

•  Alter system command,  
•  DB structure changes like renaming,

• Adding log files , archive generation info. etc.

•Alert log file contains error message only in brief, but it will point to a file which will have more information about the error i.e. trace file.

Location of Alert Log

 There are different ways to get location of alert log files:

    1. ORACLE_BASE

    • The default location for oracle alert log file is $ORACLE_BASE/diag directory

   2. Dynamic Performance View v$diag_info

         • Select name , value from v$diag_info;

 3. Oracle database parameter background_dump_dest

                   

                            

                4.   ADRCI / Automatic Automatic diagnostic repository command interpreter

Thanks , Dereje Balcha