4-15. Initialization Parameter Files

There are two types of parameter files:

1. Server parameter file: This is the preferred type of initialization parameter file. It is a binary file that can be written to and read by the database server and must not be edited manually. It resides in the server that the Oracle database is executing on, and is persistent across shutdown and startup. this is often referred to as a server parameter file (SPFILE). The default name of this file, which is automatically sought at startup, is app/user/product/11.1.0/db_1/database/spfile.ora.
2. Text initialization parameter file: This type of initialization parameter file can be read by the database server, but it is not written to by the server. The initialization parameter settings must be set and changed manually by using a text editor so that they are persistent across shutdown and startup. the default name of this file, which is automatically sought at startup if an SPFILE is not found, is init.ora.