Oracle - Archive Log Mode

Archive log mode is necessary for hot backups and point-in-time recovery to take place. By default the database is created in noarchivelog mode, however you would need to shutdown the database in order to perform a backup. Archivelog mode allows for hot backups to be run with the archive logs being included in the backup to allow for consistency.

In archivelog mode the database will make copies of completed redo logs, archive logfiles. The disadvantage of this is that until the archivelog for a redo log has been written, the redo log cannot be reused.

Enable Archivelog Mode

You must first shutdown all instances of the database. Then startup one instance, enable archivelog mode, the restart the remaining instances.

SQL> shutdown immediate
SQL> startup mount
SQL> alter database archivelog;
SQL> alter database open;

Check Archivelog Mode

You can easily check if a database is running in archivelog mode by running the following:

SQL> Archive log list;

Disable Archivelog Mode

To disable archivelog mode you once again need to shutdown the database, startup mount, then disable archivelog mode:

SQL> shutdown immediate
SQL> startup mount
SQL> alter database noarchivelog;
SQL> alter database open;